The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-01-29
DEARTH OF JOBS
DRIVES ENGINEERS
INTO OTHER FIELDS
Thousands Out of Work
Organize to Uncover
New Employment.

Forced by Unemployment condi-
tions to seek new fields, profession
al engineers of the metropolitan
district have formed a volunteer
committee to explore fresh ave-
nues Of effort. Department stores.
industrial establishments and a
great variety of other branches of
trade. commerce and manufacturing
are being systematically canvassed
to uncover Jobs previously closed
to the engineer. but in which, under
modern methods Of organization, II
Is thought he can fit-
Many thousands of engineers,
largely graduates of colleges and
technical schools. are idle in all
parts of the country, II was stated
Yesterday by Walter V. Brown,
manager of the employment serv-
Ice of the Federated American En-
cheering Societies. This service,
maintained by the societies at 70
West Thirty-ninth street, is being
supplemented by volunteer as
sistance, so trying has the situation
become.
Mine Engineers Hit.
The mining engineers are the
hardest hit. F. +. Snarpless, sec
'retary of the American Institute OF
Mining and Metallurgical Engineers
said Yesterday IL was Impossible
to determine with eXactness the
number of this class of ENGINEERS
that have been thrown out or en-
ployment. He added, however tnat
he would not be surprised II the
number reached 5000. The lnsu-
tute normally has 10000 members.
Mr. Sharpless stated that Keller
would be experienced in the mining
Industries soon with the resumption
of operations in the big copper
mines.
Edwin T. Ludlow. president Of
the institute, and Col. Arthur D.
Dwight, a leading mining engineer
described conditions among the
mining engineers as bad In state
ment made by the institute to the
American engineering counci oi
the Federated American Engineer
ing Societies, of which II is men,
Der, The basic industries Of copper,
lead and zinc were most AFFECTED.
said Mr.. Ludlow, who added that
mines were shut down or running
on short time with thousands II
engineers out Of employment.
Many Pathetic Cases
The institutes data on unemploy-
ment revealed many pathetic cases
in which men in normal periods
earning from $4,000 to $4,000
vsar we're driven to accept minor
ions. such as watchmen, or were
out Of work altogether. Both M
I.udlow and Col. Dwight asserted
This was a period of strict economy
for the mining industries OF the
country.
Mr. Ludlow reported that despite
che stringency the American lnsti-
tute of Mining and Metallurgical
engineers would continue as
member Of the American Engineer
ing Council, and would participate
in the program OF public service
contemplated by the council during
the coming year.
!. Parke Charming. vice president
Ct the Miami Copper Company, and
a leading figure in organized engi-
neering, said that the slump In min
ing was the result of the SURPLUS
piIed I'D by the war and the failure
when peace came to adjust produc-
t,or TO the new conditions. He
said that things were beginning TO
Improve. but warned that unless the
nation ceased to be prodigal the
copper supply Of the country might
n. vfped out in five years. Prob
abIv the most vital OF all Industrial
questions, said Mr.. Claiming, was
correction Of interrupted production
due to idle men.
Are Convincing stores.
The volunteer committee now at
II r.
district is composed of thirty men
men, all professionally trained en-
Cineers. F. NJ. Bond. of Baltimore,
a major in the ordnance department
during the war has been appointed
chairman. An executive committee
consists Of W. n. Gately and George
Good, of White Plains. Beavers Is
a West Pointer and saw FIVE years
of service in the Philippines. Gate
ly is a graduate in mechanical en-
Eineering in Columbia University IN
the class Of 1911, and a captain in
the ordnance department during the
war Good was formerly engaged
in engineering in Portugal.
Gately said that idleness due to
business depression was likely to
ing to new spheres. When the vol
unteers called on the department
stores, he said, they were received
with skpticism because retailing
has traditionally been regarded as
foreign to engineering. Now, how
ever, the possibilities of engineer
ing training are beginning to be
better understood. Cost methods,
simplihcation OF systems and per-
sonnet were activities, the voIun-
teers said. to which Industrial engi-
neering Ald be applied.
3..s5 Seeking Jobs,
The employment service conduct
ed by the Federated American En-
Eineerlng Society is free. Mr.. Brown
said that 3.165 men were now On the
active list seeking employment.
These men live in different sections
of the country. During the carly
part Of January 125 positions were
flled and for these 500 men were
waiting. The Federation is COM
posed Of the leading national and
local engineering societies through.
out the country.
Inc service is in charge Of
temporary management committee ~
which Calvin w. Rice, secretary or
the American Society Of Mechanical
Engineers. Is chairman. The other
members OF the committee are: E.
M. Chandler, secretary of the Amer
lean Society of Civil Engineers. F
+. Sharpless, secretary of the Amer
lean Institute Of Mining and Metal
lurgical Engineers and F. L. Hutchin-
son. secretary Of the American In
stttute of Electrical Ep0fnoo-.