Evening star., 1928-04-22

today as the mercury hovered at 20
below freezing"
Many Coming Into Town.
At the Gospel Mission 1t was said
that many men are coming into town
and that last Sunday between 10 and
so were fed, Many of them are me-
chanics, some of them indicating that
they were attracted to the city by pros
poets of finding work on the Arlington
Memorial Bridge or the addition to the
power plant at Benning. A couple OF
families which came in by automobile
are now being cared for by this mission,
it was stated, one of them consisting of
the workman. his wife and two little
girls. OF course. at the missions no
questions are asked as to why the men
are here or where they came from.
They have only the information that is
volunteered when inquiries are made by
the applicant for aid.
The writer's actual quest for job
started on the second day. after proper
preparations as a workman. The days
work began at the junction of Wiscon-
sin avenue and the District line. fol-
lowed by long walk from that point to
RosSlyn, Va, with no results. The writ
,er visited projects on this thoroughfare
and went into several side streets where
In the vicinity of Van Ness street
east of Wisconsin avenue, the writer
sought out the foreman and asked II
he was in need of carpenter, and in
between strokes of the hammer which
he was using on an upper story. he
called back that he had all the carpen-
ters he could use.
Other Applications Futile.
10 NnV
said. he was not the foreman. but that
put on some carpenters in few days.
But the foreman wasn't there, At an
other project on the Avenue the writer
was informed there was no work, but
sat around awhile watching one OF the
fortunate ones cutting lumber on a
gasoline engine propelled circular saw
Another project was passed by be-
cause 1t had been going for so long q
period that it was almost certain that
the staff was permanent and there
would be no Jobs for an itinerant.
Other small projects of one or two
houses we're passed by without even ap-
plying. as they seemed to have enough
carpenters at work. and then another
big project which seemed to have a lot
of carpenter work in framing going
on. There the writer did not reach the
foreman. either, for he was pretty we'll
discouraged. A carpenter informed him
that number of carpenters had been
laid off the night before.
Some Get Friendship" Jobs.
Several smaller projects then were
visited. with the inevitable result-no
carpenters wanted. And so the day
ended, But the reporter was learning
that jobs are not obtained in this man.
ner, and those constantly in the trade
know it, But he did learn that some
OF the projects are called in the trade
friendship Jobs, which interpreted
even 10 the uninitiated reporter-work-
man meant that If you knew the fore
man and gave him a little something
you would get a Job. The reporter had
no tempting bait. and perhaps some of
those out of work can't get 1t even on
these friendship Jobs. because they
haven't even the money with which to
purchase" the lob.
Not even tip on where work might
be found was given You don't get any
information out of these workmen. In
his quest the reporter found lunch
room where the workmen ate. place
where they serve a half a pie for 10
cents instead OF the usual quarter or
pl1t~AiAkUF pJlAAUIl~-lfE Iuu QAIlilHT pau |
for the lahorer Taking his seat at the
crowded tables of the very small room,
he ate in silence. hoping to catch a
few snatches OF shop talk But there |
was none, not even suggestion as TO |
where the work was going on. II might |
Just as well have been church. judg- |
ing from the silence which reigned. not |
even disturbed By the movement OF the |
soup
Trail Leads TO Virginia.
The reporter finished the day In
Rosslyn, passing over the Key Bridge |
in a low frame Of mind There he
made his final effort to find work. but
without result, and proceeded home. |
with an air OF confidence produced by
the fact that he did have a Job.
To Benning he hied himself the fol- |
lowing day. haif-day's trip If without
funds for car fare. There q large ad-
dition 10 the power plant Is underway
Walking some distance of the road 70
the project. he walked on 10 the Job
and reached the spot on the bank of
the AnacoStia whte a number Of car
penters were cutting and fitting boards
for some purpose. He accoSted ie OF
the workmen and asked for the fore
man. and when told that he was else
where on the Job, sought information
as to the opportunity for carpenters
and getting the response that the car
penters didn't know what they were
going TO do.
While heading out in quest of the
foreman a man who was Wiping his
hands ON shavings told the reporter
that no one was allowed inside Of a GER
tain line which was indicated.
Il was just looking for the foreman
carpenter" said the writer Il would
like 10 get :, job"
I'm not the foreman" responded
the man, but the foreman told me 10
tell any one who came that he did not
want any more carpent RS"
Uses Man From Baltimore.
Then the reporter volunteered that
he was just passing through town and
heard Of this project and wanted work.
which brought forth the following IN
formation
There have been thousand car
penters alone here looking for work.
There are 30 men on the Job now and
when 1t gets going full there only will
be place for 40, and these have been
promised, most Of them TO men from
Baltimore. understand there are
1000 mer out Of work. Most Of the
applicants have been local men"
0EdICLEB tnen were lDAtttuteu IN the
Southeast section. but with the usual
result, and the reporter finally ended
up AT the Arlington Memorial Bridge
He applied al the shack which had
on 1t big sign OF the contractor
which indicated plainly that IL was the
employment Office. There was no one
in 1t, but On coming out, the reporter
met a man clothed in ovefails, and
stated that he was looking for job as
carpenter, was given the information
that he would have TO see the foreman
carpenter, who was on the job.
Walking ever 10 the plant where car
penters are engaged In erecting the
framing for the concrete work In the
spans he observed several men stand
ing around. One OF them. an elderly
gentleman. finally got up nerve enough
TO go on the abutment and accost a car