Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-06-05
LET THE STATE
FIND WORK FOR
The IDLE ONES
Strong Republican Opposition in
Congress to Continuing Fed
erd Employment Service
UNNECESSARY, SAYS GRAHAM
Effort WI be Made to Strike Out
appropriation for It's Mainten-
ance Another Year.
BY FELIX MORLEY.
Especial Correspondence Of The
Argns.)

AFSuSs)
Washington, June 4.-Before July
l., congress will decide whether or
not the United States employment
service will continue as a perman-
ent bureau of the labor department
or go into the discard with other
war emergency organizations.
The secretary of labor, William
B. Wilson, desires it established as
a permanent institution. AS a re-
suit of his formal request, the pro-
posed sundry civil bill contains a
provision appropriating $4,7ee,0e0
for its maintenance for the coming
fiscal year. The president is also on
record as strongly favoring the con-
tinuation of the service. Its fate
now rests with the legislators.
In congress the appropriation
must run the gauntlet of strong
opposition Congressman William J.
Graham, speaking to a correspond
ent of The Argus today, said: Il
think the federal employment SER
vice is unnecessary. The various
which are or can easily be made
highly efficient With the exception
of organized labor, my constituency
is generally opposed to it's continu-
ation-and in light of the public de-
mand for keeping down approprIa-
lions, l think it would be well to
discontinue the bureau"
1t is probable that a strong eff
fort will be made to strike the S4,-
100000 item from the appropriation
bill in the committee itself, before
the bill ever reaches the house and
thus the supporters of the measure
would be compelled to offer the
amendment from the floor instead
of having it already a part of the
bill.
Charge There is a Lobby.
Much complaint is heard here
from those who are anxious to see
the service continued, to the effect
that the agents of fee charging en-
ployment bureaus are conducting a
powerful lobby. 1t is said these
agencies see the end of a profitable
business If a great system of free
employment Offices are available to
the working people, instead of the
system of charging from one to five
dollars every time he is directed to
, 2 job.
There is undoubtedly some par
tisan opposition from Republican
congressman on the ground that the
employment service was evolved by
a Democratic administration and
may be made an element of Demo-
cratic strength for the 1920 cam
paign. However, the most effective
argument against the system is the
argument for economy and re-
trenchment.
Against these objections, both
valid and selfish, advocates of the
federal employment service will
present evidence that the organiZa-
ton is one needed and wanted by
the country at large. Secretary Will
son points to the fact that since the
signing of the armistice, while
working on very meagre funds, the
United States employment service
has found jobs for an average Of
over 10000 men and women week
ly He maintains that the test Of
use has demonstrated the necessity
for national system of public en-
,ployment service offices"
Representative J. NJ. c. Smith of
Michigan, chairman of the house
labor committee, says that the
worker unable TO find job is fer
tile ground for revolutionary agi-
tatoAs, and that an efficient employ
mentt service would pay for itself
manyN times over, not only by saw
ing time andsmoney for employers
and employees, but as a matter Of
Industrial insurance"
The plans of the department of
labor for aApernanent employment
service differ materially from the
principles on (which the federal en-