Evening journal., 1921-10-13
JOB HUNTERS
FIND POVERTY
Employment Bureau Finds
Work Immediately for
One Family Head
800 NAMES ON
THE IDLE LIST

Pathetic stories Of destitution are
being poured into the ears OF the
staff OF the new Public Employment
Service by some OF the applicants
for work. The extent OF the want
for food and clothes and money for
rent Is much more widespread than
appears on the surface. it was re-
marked by one Of the bureau work.
ers today.
Commenting on the situation, DR..
Joseph H. Odell, director of the
Public Employment Service. said
that It was unfortunate that the SER
vice could not go into relief work
because that was outside the func-
tions for which IL was organized.
Every effort. however, he added, was
being made to obtain work for MEM
bers OF families who were suffering
the most intensely. Relief work also
was being supplied as much as pos
sible by those organizations. such
as the Associated Charities. which
are formed expressly for that pur-
pose.
An incident came to the attention
OF the employment service workers
yesterday which drew much SYM
pathy. A family consisting Of a
man, wife and six young children
was found eating a bowl OF boiled
spinach, which had been given them
by a vegetable dealer The spinach
was all they had. There was not
even bread in the home.
Investigation showed that the
husband and faeher of the family
was industrious and had kept his
family In comfort until he was
thrown out of work. Since then he
had been arising at o'clock in the
morning after tramping the streets
all day in search Of employment. 1t
was his intention to do this even
this morning after the starvation
meal on spinach alone Of last night.
Food was obtained for the family
when the condition was discovered
and job found for the man.
Applications for employment made
TO the employment bureau in the
old City Hall fell to about normal
this morning Fifty men and ten
women registered in the hope of OBJ
tanning positions Yesterday about
20 men and 90 women registered in
the same period.
Approximately 500 men and wo-
mems names are now on the lists OF
the service.
Places were found for eight men
this morning. The jobs included
were for carpenters. machinists. a
laborer. a salesman and gardener.
Call also was received for six la
borers. Men will be referred to them
this afternoon. A position for first
class tailor is open.
Among the women who have reg
istered for employment are 2S
Office clerks and typists, five tele-
phone operators. four cashiers, ten
day-workers and Office cleaners. four
cafe Mattresses and one hospital cook
and cleaner.
Demand for domestic service con-
tinues with but few applicants to
MI them. One waitress was placed
in home today, also a cook and
two laundresses.
David Snelienburg the merchant,
has suggested that the Department
Of Public Safety and City Council
should unite TO provide work by re-
modelling the fire houses Of the city.
He says
Il understand that there Is to
be $4,000 or $4,000 worth Of work
done in most OF the firehouses
throughout the city in order to make
them Of the most modern type. This
later. and It could be done JUST as
well now as some time in the fu-
ture."
I'm speaking OF the unem-
/ ployment situation. Mayor Har-
vey asserted that IL Is necessary to
put the men TO some work. The
men don't want charity. they want
work. This will be just the chance
to give them work"
When asked how many men. in his
opinion, would be aided by his plan
Mr. Snellenburg said. "If they were
in a position to go ahead with that
work now, they would require sew
enty-fve to one hundred men. and
that would be some improvement
over the present situation. un-
derstand there are ten fire houses
to be changed. with eight men in
each one, that would amount Ia
something. Then. there are to nc
$50 men TO be used in the depart
ment itself. BY starting work now
1t would relieve the situation some.
what"
Mr.. Snellenburg said that in his
opinion City Council would be will.
ing 10 60 ahead II the public should
express itself in favor Of such &C.
ton and said he thought II should
he put before the residents OF thii
city.