Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-26
FIGURES ARE GIVEN
ON UNEMPL OYMENT
Jones Sees Relief From
Gloomy Situation When
Weather Settles.

Painting a gloomy picture of the en-
ployment situation in Washington, anc
describing it as the worst IN at least
two years. Director General Francis /
Jones of the United States Employment
Service today held out hope that as
soon as the weather settles a material
decrease in the number of unemployed
persons in the Capital will take place
Mr.. Jones has just completed a survey
Of the unemployment situation in Wash
1ngton. This survey revealed the fol-
lowing facts:
The enrolment of job-Seekers at the
office of the employment service in the
400 block Pennsylvania avenue is much
larger than at this time last year.
Opportunities for placement Of job
seekers are not as many as at this Time
last year.
More people are being handled by
the local Office on search of jobs. but
there are fewer jobs for them.
An abundance Of common labor
awaits the opening of the Spring sea-
son for road ano building construction
work.
Skilled NVOrkmen Idle.
Many skilled workmen, including car
penters and brlcklayers, are out of
work and unemployment extends to
all lines of skilled workers
The largest surplus of clerical help
and clerks in many months exists
Nday in the District of Columbia. with
Ntle likelihood of absorption by the
0Syernment and private business.
IT.. Jones statement came on the
RSels of a declaration by directors of
HSs charitable organizations affiliated
Nth the Community Chest that they
80 having great difficulty in caring
Tor all the cases of need arising from
unemployment" These groups warned
that some way must be found to keep
non-residents in need of relief away
from Washington and the same warn
ing was given today by Mr.. Jones.
Washington seems to be suffering
from a situation which is certain to
bring about much unemployment" Mr..
Jones said. Il mean that mSny people
come to Washington expecting TO get
jobs Immediately, and are disappointed
in their efforts to find work in the
Government service or in private en-
ploy. They tina mare thrown on the mer-
Cies of the charitable institutions and
come to us seeking positions. Nor
mally we have been able to maintain
reasonable balance between employment
opportunities and applicants seeking
jobs, but this year the number of jobs
is smaller and the number of applicants
greater-a situation that seriously ag
gravates conditions here.
Sees Relief for Laborers.
''As soon as the weather opens up l
have every hope that most of the COM
mon laborers now walking the streets
will be absorbed in the enlarged road
building and road maintenance program
which I understand will be instituted
in Washington with the coming of
Spring. Although this program may
not reduce the number of unemployed
among clerical workers, it will be of
great benefit to those who can be placed
I also believe that when the weather
settles, much of the present surplus of
workers IN the skilled trades will be alb
sorbed in construction activities
Mr.. Jones said he did not wish TO
make public any figures on the in
creased number of unemployed workers
over those at this time last year, stat
ing that an untrue picture of the sit
uation might be presented if he did So
He added that the local employment
Office undoubtedly does not reach all
the applicants for jobs in Washington
and that on this theory figures might
be misleading. He was emphatic, how
ever, in his declaration that the num-
Der of jobless here is greater than it
has been during last year and the pre-
vious year and that opportunities for
Jobs are fewer