The Denver Jewish news., 1924-03-13
Jewish job Seekers Find Door Of OPP
pOrtunity Closed

low conversa tiOnal tone over the telc-
phone, which virtually thundered in
my ears as l entered the office of a
well known employment agency in New
York City. Thus the proprietor assur-
ed the prospective employer that she
had the very girl that he wanted for
Il vacancy in his office. During the
half hour 1 spent in that Office await
ing my turn with the other applicants.
the very air was permeated with the
word. Christian An elderly man step
ped into the proprietor's office and told
her that he was looking ''for good
looking girl, and a Christian" was
handed an application blank and pro-
cceded to fill it out. Cole was rs
Christian n sounding name as l could
think of and l used that for my last
name. Opposite Nationality l filed
in American" My personal appear
ance was not Nordic enough. TO deceive
the trained Semitic eye of the pro
prietor and she asked my religious
preference. 1 answered Jewish" and
SiIt l'idttb oNtl iht WIN
can Evidently nationality meant
something different to her than had
been taught in school.
When upon investigation one finds
for trained Jewish worker to obtain
employment in the New York Offices of
banking concerns, construction com
panies, distributors of soap used in
almost every home. a company which
controls the oil industry. leading de-
partment stores and lcgions Of other
nationally known concerns whose pro-
ducts or services are used daily by
millions of Jews. one way see that the
problem. long recognized as serious. has
assumed alarming proportions. They
do not hang ont the No Jews Wanted
sign. They are too good business men
for that. They have more tact. When
asked rather bluntly by the individual
whether or not they discriminate
against the Jew, they look rather sur
| prisedly and reply absolutely not
They tell yOu TO send him over for an
interview and close with the informa-
tic, that .Jcw or Gentle has an equal
chance-providing he measures up their
standards But what are their stand
ards? Scan their pay-rolls. How
many names do you find on them that
have ''iaint'' of Jewishness?
In answer to II question recently put
10 Henry Ford by reporter whether
or not he We're planning any future
anti-Jewish campaigns" the auto mag
mate of Dearborn Independent" fame
replied that he had conducted no such
campaign. but had only told the facts
md that he was not or never had been
against the Jews. If this man who
Jews dare make statement like that.
do you think these discriminating
firms in New York City, who enjoy
such large Jewish patronage, would
Jewish employee is rather the ex-
ccption than the rule in many of their
departments? 1t is the policy of many
organizations TO show no partiality
but the hiring of employees is left en-
tirely in the hands of the managers
of the various departments. If this
manager wants no Jews employed. his
wishes are usually carried out. When
they call on an employment agency for
trained help. they take heed that all
negotiations are carried on over the
telephone. In answer TO the employ
ment agency's question whether or not
the firm will employ Jews ''if they
come up to your Standards an admit
rance that Jews will not be considered
is always made in the course of the
conversation. The employer will not
put it in writing. Your wise business
man knows that were such statement,
bearing his signature on the letter
head of his firm. ever to be used
against him, 1t would mean a substan-
tiul loss in dollars and cents He
must have the Jews business but could
having him in the same office, breath.
ing the same air
\ former manager of one of New
York's most reliable employment
agencies claims that in New York City
seven out of every ten applicants for
positions at agencies are Jews OF
Jewesses. Nine, cut of every ten
agencies. his experience in Manhattan
has taught him, legislate against Jews
because they find it absolutely impos
sible to place them. The Jewish jon
seeker is finding it almost wasted time
TO fill out an application for Il position
in which he must compete against the
Christian Notwithstanding their re