Evening star., 1942-11-06

Satisfactory living quarters ready
for immediate occupancy are guar
anteeo to every girl coming to
washington to work for the office of
the alien property custodian.
This guarantee is part of a pro-
gram inaugurated five weeks ago,
when the apo found itself unable
to obtain trained stenographic help
because of the higher priorities OF
other agencies.
The Office now employs a travel
ing personnel agent, who visits
areas net already touched by war
industry. and recruits stenographers
and typists for APO jobs. AS soon
as a girl contacted by this recruit
ing agent has passed the civil serv-
ice examination in her home town.
she receives a friendly, informal
letter from Mrs. Lauretta B. ST.
Cyr, personnel representative in the
apo Office in Washington.
This letter, congraJulating her
explaining where and what hours
she will work, and asking for tele-
graphic notification of the time she
will arrive, is only the first step
in the welcoming Of new employees
of the agency to Washington.
Arrivals Met at Station.
Each new arrival is met at the
station and escorted to room Sc
lected in advance on the basis of
her income and religious faith.
/ After unpacking, the girl accom-
panies Mrs st. Cyr to the Office,
where she is introduced to her new
employers and co-workers, assigned
to specific duties, and put to work
Immediately.
AS an antidote for any possible
dissatisfaction with work conditions,
housing, or other aspects of the new
job, employees are invited to discuss
these problems with the personnel
Office.
The apo also, in an effort to
maintain the religious ties of its
new girl employees, turns their names
and addresses over to church OF
the faith to which they belonged
back home.
This introduction to Washington
contrasts sharply with that of many
other Government stenographers
and typists, some of whom must
spend wearying hours in house
hunting or must wait several days
after arrival before they are certi-
fled by the Sivil Service Commits
sion and informed of the agency
for which they will work.
Was Crowley's Idea.
The property Offices program Of
taking an interest in each employe
as an individual and paving the
way for her in Washington was
based on suggestions from Leo T
Crowley, alien property custodian
and worked out in detail by Harole
M. Salmon, personnel chief, and c
w. Satterlee, assistant head of per.
sonnel.
Largely responsible for the ste.
nographer and typist shortage, Mr.
Salmon and Mr.. Satterlee decided
were the widely circulated storie!
telling of overcrowded condition!
and preponderance of women II
Washington. Parental objection'
were keeping many girls at home
parents not wanting to turn theil
daughters loose in a big city witt
no assurance that they would fint
suitable places to live.
Consequently. the apo employed
Miss Margaret Scott Miller. formerly
in charge of recruiting and training
stenographic help for a nationally
known typewriter concern, and SEN
her into the field to talk to schoo
/ assemblies and church and Parent
Teacher Association groups in small
and medium sized towns.
| Rooms Carefully Checked.
Working through the churches
the personnel ONCE began listini
the names Of persons willing to rem
spare rooms to government girls
| Mrs. st. Cyr was assigned to inspec
each room on the. list. She refused
to approve places charging NOR
than $25 q month for . single room
or $45 a month for board and lodg
ing and cast a particularly careful
eye on establishments accepting
both men and women boarders
Cleanliness, general appearance ant
availability of stores and transpor
tation were other points checked
with. all rooms not rated AL" beinl
/ rejected.
The Civil Service Commission Co
operated with the Apes plan b.