Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-08
YIN. c. A. HERE ACTS
TO AID DESERVING
UNEMPLOYED MEN
Lobby Bureau Opened to
Separate "BumS" From
Those Seeking Work.
BUILDING HAD BECOME
RENDEZVOUS FOR IDLE
Association Organizes Employers
and Others to Help Bona-Fide
Job Hunters.


by unworthy unemployed has led to a
novel scientific experiment by the Y.
NJ C. A. and the D. c. Committee on
Employment wherein the lobby of the
Central Y. M. C. A. Building has be-
come a laboratory to test the sincerity
Of Self-styled job seekers.
Four days of experimentation have
been sufficient to rid the lobby OF
perceptible number of buns" who
would not work if given the opportuni-
~ and, at the same time, to focus at
tention of officials on the plight OF
others really anxious to obtain employ
ment
Under this plan, originated by Leon
ard w. De Cast, general secretary OF
the "Y," after he had found definite
evidence of ''panhandling ring" each
stranger lounging in the comfortable
lobby of the association at 1876 @
street is interviewed politely but per-
siStently, as to his employment status
Committee Organized.
If the lounger proves to be a person
unworthy of help, he is denied the hos
pitality of the lobby and is advised If
from another city, to return to his home
and friends.
If, however, he is really ready and
willing to work, a special effort is made
to find him a job. A committee of
prominent business and professional
men is being organized to aid in placing
these bona f1de, unwilling members of
the idle army.
The interviewing of the lobby loungers
has been undertaken by George B.
Lands, veteran Y. M. C. A. secretary
of Oberlin, Ohio, who was brought here
with the cooperation of the Delano
Employment Committee.
Frederic A. Delano chairman of the
d. c. Committee on Employment, agreed
to aid in the experiment after Mr.. De
Cast had written him letter, giving
startling revelations in connection with
the associations study of the lobby
lounging'' problem.
Called for Drastic Action.
IT have been very much concerned
situation that has developed in the
lobby of our central building" Mr.. De
Cast wrote. 1T has been literally
damned on certain days with unem- |
ployed seeking comfort and warmth, |
especially on cold, rainy days.
Il feel the situation calls for drastic |
action in the form of throwing them |
out or dealing with the matter sympa- |
thetically and scientifically. Our de- |
cision is to adopt the latter course
May l say I am not in sympathy |
with the wholesale establishment of |
soup ana Tree eat
ing places. think they but contribute |
to the problem rather than help. Among |
those who flock to our building are |
many of the f1oater type and buns but
believe there are also many who are
valuable members of society, tempo
rarily out of luck, who would again be-
come Self-Supporting andSelf-reSpect-
ing members of society.
Thus far we have been handling this
matter by having the members of our
secretarial staff deal with these men in
a rather haphazard manner, 1 fear. 1
have had reports of several interviews
that showed the thoroughness of the in
terviewS, but we have not had any con-
structive or consecutive program in
dealing with these men,"
Plan Of Action.
Mr.. DeGast outlined his plan for
bringing Mr.. Lands to Washington as
special case worker, with a desk in
the lobby of the Y. M. c. A., where
he would interview every lobby visitor.
I'VE propose" Mr.. DeGaSt advised
Chairman Delano, mot only to make
q study of these individuals, but to
endeavor to secure for them as many
jobs as possible, both temporary and
permanent. A special appeal will be
made TO the members of this association
who are employers and other interested
friends in the city who could prob
ably create special jobs to meet spe-
cial situations. 1t will at any rate pro-
vide a test for each man, to see
whether he is honestly seeking work or
is simply one of those who visit a
maximum of free eating places in the
course of a day.
Il recently ran across one individual
who had had seven definite free meals
that day. Another found panhandling
on the street within 10 minutes after
having been given a free meal at the
Mayhower garage.
Helping men find employment and
Jobs is not an innovation, as you know,
with the Young Mems Christian AsSo-
citation. We long ago learned that a
man who Is honestly looking for work
wants no charity, nor is it his desire
- BE regarded as an object Of charity.
One Case Cited.
zone OF our secretaries just reported
to me an interesting case which illus
trates the danger of providing too many
free eating places and bread lines at
this time. There was young man in
our lobby from Jersey City, 10 years
of age, who comes from family where
there are eight other children. An
osder Sre:siei IS serving sentence Of
Ehree years =. all.
Ibis young man left his home and
started to wander On the way he
picked up a chum and they formed a
partnership, determined to bum and
panhandle their way while this situa-
ton lasted. At the moment of the
interview he was waiting the return of
his chum. who was then out on the
street panhandling, and the young man
boastingly said that on the return of
his chum he would have money enough
so they could take care of themselves
for the rest of the day, with several
free meals that would be provided.
He said they never slept in mis-
sions If they could help it. Occasion
ally they were forced to go to missions.
Asked whether they visited the free en-
ployment department. he said, Yes, but
they didn't have anything worth WHILE
and they had never gone back because
there wasn't any USE He was urged
to go back to his home but was seen
in the lobby the next day.
This. believe, is an extreme case
and this young man should be dealt
with. It illustrates, however. the need
for a careful. scientific study of this
entire problem"
Crowd Weeded Out.
Mr.. Lands has discovered a number
of similar cases since establishing the
lobby laboratory, he said last night.
The "Y" LOBBY had become mecca
for idle men, and numbers of them even
sought to curl up on the cushions and
spend the night there as well as the
day. The interviews have served 70