Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-02-03
HITS
us. JOB SERVICE
Nathan "A. Smyth Charges
Private Agencies Plot to
Cripple Work
H u RTS FEE SYSTEM
Evidence of Widespread Or
ganized Attacks Discovered,
He Alleges in Letter

An effort is being made to cripple
the United States employment service
| ~ private fee-charging employment
| agencies lobbying in Congress. according
T to Nathan A. Smyth, assistant director
| general of the United States employment
service.
The charges are made in letter to
4 A3exander d. Chquoinc, Jr, director of
Information of the employment service,
Low in this city. Mr. Chiquone was
f0rmerJy secretary of the Philadelphia
Bourse.
Mr. Smyth's statement follows:
sWe have discovered evidence of wide
spread organized attacks upon the
United States employment service.
apparently comes from two differeit
ppurces. one is from groups of privste
tShrloyment offices; the other is fyom
certain associations whose histoI + is one
"a vehement antipathy to labor and the
maintenance of private blacklist em-
ployment agencies. Tho private inter-
eats of both these groups are fostred by
u large amount of unemployment and
the consequent possibility on the one
hand of increased fees for priiate ern-
pioyment agencies and on the other for
IN attack on labor and for reructions
of wages.
Attack Appropriations, Charge
1.-The line of attack is to prevent the
United States employment service from
getting sufficient appropriations to con-
Time tho work which II Is doing for
discharged soldiers and siilors and war
workers, who are being Transferred from
war to peace industies. It is manifested
fhrough a constant streim of letters OF
members of Congress. Many of these
come from men whose motives are en-
tirely sincere. but who are misled by the
pfapaganda which Is beng conducted.
WThe United States employment serv-
feo has set up nationwide machinery
which Ia placing sn average of nearly
10000 persons a week. 1t has estab
liEned in addition TO its regular offices
sorne 1850 bureaus for returning sol
nxrs and sailors With the cooperation
of all great welfare agencies and the
State Councils of Defense. These bu
reaus are connected with representa-
Rehabilitation camp The Knights o
Columbus, for example, are furnshin,
its canvassers for jobs in many cities
The war-camp community service 4
doing the same, md also the Red Cross
Y.M. c. A., jewish Welfare Board an,
similar organizations. Some of tn
xreat church orhnizations are givinl
{hrough their paIers and by communi
ications through their branches ever,
bossible assistant in the great nationa
undertaking to s$ure positions for dis
charged soldiers and to bring abou
readjustment to pace conditions withou
unnecessary unemployment.
OFFER N Alternative
s,In the face ofRn approaching crisi
"a the employmet situation. with un
employment growig daily, these privat
interests would hing to an end abou
the 1st of April. they had their wa,
All of the work hat is being done b
the nation to fn employment for II
rkturning soldier and war workers
They have no alternative to offer an
seem to be readyto plunge the countr
Into any kind OF disorder and to do tn
utmost of injustte to those who hay
fought for the coaniry in order to foste
their own privite mds.
sThe most frjquent charge mad
Axainst the er.pDyment service is thf
II is using powsrs'o attempt to unionil
the labor of the ountry. This chart
m absolutely false. The service is fiat
eommitted to a )olicy OF strict mel
1trality."