Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-07-18
THE NEW TOURISM."
Phrase That Declares a Condition in
the American Labor Market.


Phrase That Declares a Condition in
the American Labor Market.
The word "tourism" is less frequent
ly used in America than in Europe,
where the tourist is q more staple
| commodity Of business life, but never
theless even here 1t has its place in our
vocabulary and the new tourism" de-
scribes a condition or fact that is daily
coming more into notice. The phrase
applies neither to millionaire Journeys,
personally conducted group outings,
nor to summer excursionists or ''vaca-
TONER'S" as one kind Of touring has
been termed. The new tourism" is
done free gratis and for nothing and
by thousands upon thousands OF our
citizens in whom the wanderlust has
quite overgrown their native laborlust
and in whom whittier" is of no con-
sequence, If only there is consistent
change of horizon.
The new. tourism" is by-product
| Of our labor situation plus the stimulus
Of recent war times, and is now in op-
Grafton pretty thoroughly all over the
land and comes under the observation
Of the United States department Of la
Dor. Here today and gone tomorrow"
would be suitable motto for this di-
vision Of our laboring-that is to say,
our touring-public.
Whenever group Of industrial en-
ployers come together in conference
and the labor question comes up
which 1t invariably does-the refrain
Of all debates is that labor has lost it's
efficiency. There is rarely complaint
made that the individual is less capa-
BILE than formerly or that there has
been q deterioration in his physical
vigor; it is always that he will not
stay put"
Here is O concrete instance which
tells the story better than many gener-
alities. A man recently applied to a
branch Of the United States employ
ment service in New Mexico, and in an
outburst of confidence confessed that
during the last twelvemonth he had Sc
cured employment in every state in
the Union, and all told had labored but
sixty days. From place to place he
had been shipped out" to accept en-
ployment in new regions, transporta-
ton furnished by the hopeful employ
err Many of these men are the same who
in other days would have hit the grit
and beat their way on the road or
blind baggages in pursuit Of the illu-
sive "job." the job which, when near at
hand, remained strangely invisible, but
which increased in desirability accord
ing to its greater remoteness. The same
fellows now, and hundreds of others
not yet so confirmed in their unwill-
ingness to labor, instead of weeks OF
hoboing from place to place, travel in
clean cars, we'll fed en- route with per-
haps good Smokes" on the side, and
joyful since they feel confidence. In
their ability to find an excuse for quit
ting, and another employer willing to
gamble the price Of securing the
hand" that will settle down to perma-
nent work.
One man in Mississippi, reported to
the labor bureau, failing other reasons,
threw up his job in disgust because
the town had only one picture show"
It seems that the negro is among
the easiest tempted by travel, and at
the bureau, instead Of asking, kin All
git eh Job, boss?" says: "Is yeh ship
ping anybody out today, boss?" The
fact that the demand is strong
for unskilled labor has made the con-
dition worse, for there is no way to