New-York tribune., 1919-02-08
and sailor and the discharged mum
tions workers.

ana sailor and the discharged mum
tlons workers.
Says Reorganization is Needed
"The service. to carry out its work
properly, will need every cent Of the
appropriation asked for and at present
1 under consideration before the Hous
/ Committee on Appropriations.
There can be many criticisms made
of the United States Employment Ser
vice, and the saIac will apply to many
of the other war organizations created
practically overnight. There is very
urgent need OF thorough reorganization
of the service from top to bottom. and
this should be effected by the creatio Il
of 4 statutory United States Employ
mcnt Service, built on the principle Of
state units, firmly knit together with
Federal control.
y noticed in yesterday mornings
Tribune that Mr.. Ernst says:
This Federal control feature is
essential so as to insure uniformity
of records and, on fundamental mat
ters. uniformity of policies Legis-
lation at this time would also have
TO provide for means by which the
states could gradually take over
under the above plan such offices as
the Federal government is now run
ming"
This sentiment most thoroughly
indorse, and such control is provided
for IN tentative bill which I present
ca at this session of Congress before
the Senate Committee on Education
and Labor for its considerations.
Want Full Appropriation
Il would suggest that it be under
stood that the appropriation asked for
be granted in full on the understand
ing that some statutory legislation will
oe enacted creating a permanent SER
wee Without such organic law the
present United States Employment
Service will continue to be criticised
for inef'icicncy owing to lack of DEF
mite policy and Federal control.
" Is all wrong to criticise the pres
ent United States Employment Service
unless we constructively point out the
tact that the service need only to be
put on permanent basis in order to
become one of the most potent factors
IN handling the question of employ
ment.
Every one should actively indorse
ton and follow this up with active
work for statutory enactment.
- IN connection with permanent
Federal employment service there
should be legislation for licensing and
controlling of all private agencies do
ing interstate work. 1t will never be
possible to know definitely the state
OF labor market as long as private
agencies are permitted to send men
from one state to another with no
accountability whatever to the Federal
government.
Urges Control of Agencies
II was Of assistance in framing the
Robinson Heating bill introduced in
the second session of The Sxty-ffth
Congress. This bill called for licensing
of all private employment agencies do
ing an Interstate business. This is
first step toward better control of the
agencies, which now so largely exploit
all classes of workers.
THE amount asked to be appropriate
ed Tor the carrying on of national
system of employment offices is very
small indeed when it is compared to the
amount spent by the workers in keep
ing up the private employment agen-
cies
For instance, take greater New York.
There are In the greater city more than
oVo private employment agencies. The
gross average income of these offices
must of necessity be over $4,000 apiece.
| personally know of Offices taking in
between $4,000 and $4,000 yearly.
IF we take the low average Of $4,000
gross income apiece we have an expen-
dlture of from two to three million dol
lars year for the purpose of giving
very small portion of the workers in
New YORK City the information as to
where they cean get n job.
And yet 1T is seriously proposed
tnat only $4,000 be spent in the en-
tire State of New York for a public
employment system"