New-York tribune., 1919-02-26
Protests Urge
Continuance of
Il. S. Job Office
Civic, Labor and CONNER
cial Organizations of New
York Appeal to Congress
Fear Crisis in Suspension
DR.. kirchwey Says Service
Must End if Appropria-
tons Fail at Washington

Civic, labor and commercial organi-
cations yesterday sent protests to
Washington against the threatened
closing of the United States Employ
ment Service. They declared that
the suspension of the service by April
will precipitate in NeY York
serious unemployment problem" and
"will keep out of jobs thousands of
soldiers who are yet to return from
France"
The protests resulted from the an
nouncement of DR.. George w. Kirch
wey, Federal director Tor New YORK
State, that the service, including the
headquarters at Ago Fifth Avenue and
twenty-eight other Offices in the city,
will be forced TO suspend if more
funds are not provided by Congress.
The national service has asked for
: deficiency appropriation of $2,90O,00O
! to carry on the work from April /
:. to July. and $40 100000 for next year.
THE House Committee on Appropria-
..stions failed to include any appropria-
~ tlUu III luc SQuQIy ClFll SeINlCc plll
reported out last Friday. This leaves
s.the service without any funds on
switch to operate, unless Congress
ssprovides the money without reference
sto the committee.
Championed by Gallivan
I. Representative Galivan, of Massa-
nchusetts, has promised to fight for the
sfunds on the floor of the House.
The tplepramS sent vaStpruav yvera
intended to show that public opinion is
opposed to the closing down OF the en-
spoyment service, which in New York
City alone reports that it is finding jobs
for discharged soldiers and former war
workers at the rate of $50 day.
. The Consumers League, 105 East
ssTwenty-se Street, sent to Washing
sston resolutions adopted by it's govern
sing board. The resolutions say:
= "The establishment Of this service on
"a permanent basis would in large meas
s.pre do away with the manifest evils of
the private employment agencies,
which too frequently exploit both the
employers and workers.
This service, being Federal in scope,
tends to stabilize all employment.
"All the foremost countries of Europe
nave permanent national employment
. establishments.
ne consumers League urgently re-
quests that the United States Employ
ment Service be made a permanent
bureau of the Department Of Labor,
and that an adequate appropriation be
made to flnance 1t as permanent gov
$ eminent establishment"
Women Appeal to Wadsworth
Thirty-three hundred members of
sthe Council of Jewish Women sent
sths telegram to Senator James w.
= Wadsworth. Jr.
The employment serice has already
gwen valuable service in placing dis
scahred soldiers and will be able to do
g still more now that it's experimental
= stage Is safely passed. 1t would he a
= calamity if this splendid nationwide
organization were prevented, for lack
of funds. from giving the public the
service 1t, and only it, is equipped to
= give
:. Other organizations and firms which
sssent protests against the abandonment
.rof the service were the Merchants AS
. ssociatlon, the Chamber of Commerce,
the Hotel Mems Association the Rice
= Leaders of the World Association, the
Equitable Life Assurance Society. the
american Can Company B. Altman e.
10, the Western Union Telegraph
:. Company and Franklin Simon & Co.
. organized labor is reported to be
ssjn favor of continuing the service.
~James H. Holland, president of the
State Federation of Labor, went to
' Washington in an effort to gain fav-
~oranie action on an amendment offered
SoY Representative Gallivan, restoring
*the employment service appropriation
IN the bill. The Central Federated
sUnion, the Brooklyn Central Labor
Union, the Allies Printing Trades Coun-
sc'i and the omen's Trade Union League
nave voiced their approval of contn-
suing the service.