The farmer and mechanic. [volume], October 27, 1914, Page 10, Image 10

About The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??

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10
THE FARMER AND MECHANIC.
HARD TO KEEP THE FAMILY OF
UNCLE SAM ALWAYS EMPLOYED
Need for Comprehensive System of Labor Exchanges
That Shall Embrace Whole Country Nineteen States
Have Public Employment System
l'nel Sam is responsible for a large
family, which it is very difficult to
keep busy. Its members are hard to
control. They wander about from one
place to another, in the vague hope
of finding something to do. with no
real knowledge of where work is to
be found, or they congregate in great,
unwieldy throngs in places where
they think work must always be plen
tiful. How to utilize them; how to
know where to send them .and how to
get them to go where they can get
the work they are looking for, is a
hard problem for the most conscien
tious guardian. Uncle Sam is begin
ning to study it in good earnest now;
and when there is an inclination to
blame him for not having done it long
before, it is well to remember that
he has had a Sreat task of setting his
Industrial house in order, says the
New York Evening Post.
The question is not so simple a one
as an easy and theoretical statement
of the economic value of labor ex
changes tends at first to make it
seem. Students of immigration have
been pointing to the fact that a great
stream of people, ignorant of the ways
and opportunities of our land, have
been flowing undirected into our
great eastern cities, and creating so
cial conditions fraught with much
danger. Students of labor and busi
ness have shown that, while men are
out of work and starving in one place
industries may be paralyzed in an
other for want of men to carry them
on. Both have cried that the remedy
lay in the establishment of a national
system of labor exchanges, the immi
gration reformers further asserting
that the funds were at hand in the
revenue from the $4 head tax on im
migrants, which brought in about
$4. 000. 000, of which only about $2,
500,000 was spent in the immigration
service.
There were many obstacles in the
way, however. The head-tax reve
nue fluctuates with immigration, .and
can not be relied upon as a basis for
the cost of establishing a vast sys
tem of labor exchange and informa
tion. The immigrants themselves are
hard to direct. They tend to go to
the districts where the people of their
countries who have preceded them
have settled, and it is difficult to di
vert them. Most of the advance guard
of the great stream of immigration
flowing in within recent years had al
ready settled in the East. The only
hope is to control some current of
new immigration, like that of the
peasants from central Russia, and to
get the early comers started out to
wards the great farm lands of the
Middle West, where they are really
needed, and where thev ran lnoV fnr.
ward to healthy and prosperous lives.
Again, much of this "army of the
unemployed" is of ranks of untrained
workers, men and women, who have
never been fitted for any one sort of
valuable service, and who have littlo
idea of what they want to do. Hern
enters in the problem of industrial
education as a companion puzzler to
that of distribution. It is useless to
organize a system for directing and
transporting even verv willincr work
ers to jobs which they cannot fill. One
evu can be struck at immediately
however. Among the drifting unem.
ployed in past years there have been
many men able to do some definite
sort of work, but icrnorant where inhs
in their trade were to be found, or
unable to get them even if they di
know. Here is a fault that can b
eliminated. It would be a starting
point of the labor exchange service
now being proposed. Agencies through
out the country would get in touch
with men wanting work, and would
begin to bring these two together.
The work of the Federal Commis
Kion of Industrial Relations is one o
the most hopeful glearrus on the in
dustrial horizon today. As yet, no
much stir has been caused bv th in
vestigations which it has be en nniMlv
carrying on all over the country. The
commission is gathering its evidence
and forming its conclusions, however.
It is the body which is planning to
recommend a government system of
labor exchanges, With its authority
and information, it gives promise of
being able to abolish much of the
waste and inefficiency in organization
that has been clogging the wheels of
the American industrial machine.
CJctting Men to the Grain Belt.
This year -Uncle Sam took up in a
practical way the problem of bringing
idle inn wanting employment into
contact with jobs. Hundreds of thou
sands of men eaeer fnr wnri- hova
during the summer, been directed to
the great harvest states of the West.
The first influx was into the lower
wheat belt of Texas. Oklahoma. Kan
sas and Missouri. As the harvesting
of the record crop of 900,000,000
bushels progressed, the workers, to
gether with new arrivals from the
East, moved northward into Iowa,
Nebraska, Minnesota and the Dakotasl
After the threshing of the wheat,
corn cutting began in Illinois, In
diana. Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan and
elsewhere. Many of the harvesters
e
ater started on the late summer
ploughing for winter wheat. Alto-
getner, an army or nan a minion men
has been busily and proritaoiy en
Graced in carneriner the treasure, at
the same time pocketing wages esti
mated at 150,000,000.
In the meantime. Contrress has been
on ci I Af! n nr o Villi TMAtr 5 r i t rr f Ar rx-i
government labor exchanges, and the doing an interstate business, or ac
rornrJmont rf T oi-v hoc Von nvort I PPntinS' Wnrl'TTlPn for shinmnnt r
ing its influence in other wavs to solve other States, would be reauired to
me prooiem oi unemployment.
Secretary V illiam 13. Wilson, of the
representatives of employers and em
ployees, who would aid in determin
ing the policy of the Bureau, as well
as see that it was impartial in dis
putes between labor and capital.
The Bureau also would have power
to establish free labor exchanges.
Each employment office so conducted
would be required to send a daily re
port or business to the clearing
house of the district. All State and
municipal labor offices would be re
auested to co-oneratp with the Na
tional Bureau, and to adopt uniform
methods and regulations, besides
sending in daily reports. Included
in the proposals are rules and reg
ulations prohibiting false representa
tions, requiring notice of strikes, pro
hibiting fees before service is ren
dered, and otherwise safeguarding
the patrons of the offices against ex-
ploition.
Every private employment agency
Denartnient of Labor at Washington.
bad neard much tne past winter of
unemployed in Eastern and Northern
cities, notably in Philadelphia, New
York, and Chicago, and, at the the
earnest desire of the President, had
been planning to place the machinery
oi the people in a novel fashion. A
Dracticable nlan is now beinsr tried
out through the information division
of the Departmental Immigration Bu
reau.
------ - . r vii.jvvi v4v- a v. .v v a liiuxiiiio. x lit; l.ilv.l
fully, Secretary Wilson conferred with was established that practically. every
Postmaster General Burleson and en- employment agency in New Jersey
listed his co-operation. The outcome violated the law for Keeping adequate
come under the jurisdiction of the
Bureau.
The testimony given at the hear
ings of the Industrial Relations Com
mission showed that in the State of
New Jersey, for example, in nineteen
out or twenty-nine agencies the law
was persistently violated as to plac
ing girls in positions. The Prison
Reform Association, in one case, res-
sued four girls recommended bv an
employment agency to a disorderly
house, and subsequently had the three
men conducting the office sent tn
prison for eighteen months. The fact
was the novel scheme of utilizing for
the first time the United States nost
offices, practically enlisting the postal
employees in a nation-wide emnlov
ment agency project. Placards in bold
black twpe announced:
Harvest Hands Wanted in frhc 3fiddlc
West.
records of people sent out to work.
tsimiiar unsatisfactory renditions
obtained in New York. There the
motive of many of "the nrivatfi Pm-
ployment agencies lay in the fees for
nnding situations, and they care lit
tle about the living conditions in the
positions. if a man leaves a iob
"Persons interested in obtaining ouic.kl
o ' .1,0 iUl lilU
vuii. ui una ivinu siiuuiu appiy io me agencies.
OlllCeS OI ine States named. Tt will lAhnr oonrliH-Tio TV,,, v 1,
be necessary for those desiring work are unlike those anywhere else. One
to defray their own exnenses tn tbo
place or employment." There fnllnw
ed detailed appeals from several
states
These notices were sent broadcast
to 8,500 first, second and third class
postotiices throughout the United
States. The results were immediate.
.Men wrere soon reporting to the va
nous agencies. Some came in th
passenger coaches of regular trains
ine majority arrived on foot or on
estimate is that there are always at
least from 50,000 to 100,000 unem
ployed persons in New York wViii
the number of available positions is
variable. Business hnusps nri tVio,
city officials have co-operated with
the charitable societies to find work
for many of the idle. The employ
ment of the New York Association
for Improving the Condition of Vi
Poor interviewed a large number of
n i , , - . - v,ii I iv v,iu;iuj(cis ui lactones,
the break beams of convenient freight stores, and offices, secretaries of va-
or milk cars. Freierht trai ns nrrivpd I riant; trndo rniinno Ac-, - -i .
in t?(fnWheat countr' loaded with 100 came generally known that about
ui . i enreacn. mere are many a third of a million men and women
young fellows in this army of toilers in New York must have work Mavor
who intend remaining in the West, Mitchel, with the co-operation of the
where there will be a chance for them Chamberlain, Street Cleaning Corn
to forget the dull months of idleness missioner, Commissioner of Charities
... "ooiciu uiiiea. anu tne i ommiss nnpr r
College Men as Farm Tandtj. I nreaniy.prl n free n yi i a i n n i
- i o inuutviuai cm uiuy-
An important nart in t ho wnri- of mpnt pvoVmno-o
harvesting was played by the young Learning to Prevent Unemployment
men from the colleges. Noti
Ie "eed tra help were one step that was taken in promoting
Sent nv t Vl o rXinarTTinTiT T V a I , -I 2. ,. .. fjuuiuuiig
--- j ...v, "'"-"l ajauui iu .hi unueiHianumg on tne nart of th
every university and institution of public as to what can be done here-
n2!f-iie2lS!;dliSt?." a"er al"S the of the prevention
v - ecuciauy musn ineir 01 unemployment, the most imnor
school year shortly before the cutting tant service that could be rendered
of the wheat besrins. and finrJ tnom. I a noin.tni.i ereu-
selves without Wrk. the grain harvest mi'de ISto thS'SfrcuSSiS; o" 2 000
nrfSZr"? n.OI?el.ess unemployed at the
v : V "a-,lv"1- in some municipal lodging House. This cov-
denrnkl dFaWn fr0m thG StU" frfd ?0t nly their Phical
Testimony from scores of kwo r- r'7 'T.t1' UUL Lneir. llves,
. - i- .. i v utinuii, cum ineir reason? for t-i em
ployers, trade unionists.
and public officials of long expert in th"e VSBtKlZ
If tiip inH t i with various phases years, proving that immigrants some-
TTniVS SfJJ?"?? proe before how manage to keep their jobs when
United States Commission on Tnric. r,D,ni V Juua wnen
trial Relations forced the realign because intlW0?Z
tnat the distribution of labor is hap- wages and displace the wnruin. r
hazard, and belief in the need of gov- of higher standards at th fw"
ernmental direction, thronirh nrrQ JkZ:J? -.s -at tne. first
information as to where men are need- ner cen of tT f"?
It Tne S0ISnlton decided to New York less than two months Th
recommend the estahlishm
national labor .v,h!ini f7 rQ n; r1, ? L we.re natives and had
. " - , - w...lt) .i. iccm. ii ul unueu into ne metronolic im
ment of Labor at Washington. ply on the bare chance that f hS
It V9 coon I lc-n : ! I . , , . . ULC LIld.t ine
- u.ewurcicu in tne ci- wouia De laKen care of
fort to determine thp adantahiiitv of nfn, . n "...
laborers in one class of employmeni th had Ihe positions 'been JSE
to nnnrtrtunit oo r. f onv... i I r . . . ut?tn iortn
: r.,.vU ut alluluCi LuttL I coming. At least 62 ner mnt
solution able to do hard wort t . v.
1 w v m ir-. r n
per cent were permanently unfit for
manual labor.
a I AVinnt 9A A
hit-or-mis nli,v t o r " Jrr?w fcl ascriDed their
m v mm tA l l V I L M. LI X 1111 I I I I 1 m I 1 r t T r rm te I .
a garment worker from th rit fntn T-Tt w 1UK- Per
, , , "J I au uccn u rowil OUt Of wnrt
an iron fnnnnrv rr unmn I . . . wut wutk
7 1 J ru oecause or ine seasonal charartpr f
vironmpnt of cron nvTo;ni I . , . ovyuai -iii.rd.cier or
o.-v lijoiuw ouaui, certain industries: 1 2 nor rnt
dropped because of industrial
m . .
ThA Tnnctrioi fT" " Z : .. "Vc,"w .I crni because Of
- - - A.v.MAAum AkciaLniii. I .in mm s. I infill n ni rstrn l
. . i uoi-j mi a-naTTiivJS. vjl IV a npr fn
Sinn arp now iepiicci'nr v. ; I , , , . . J v1 -eni
tn. vTv M TT"" v""u- oia, me great Doay or them beinn: un
V. l"uus..uy wnicn ine law snail der thirty-five years. About 4ft r,o
Z1 Ior. tne collecting of this in- of the men were more than sixtv
lormannn it to huiot nn nA i i , ... .
i wiii anu uioti l
Bu
that nothing can avail short of a na
tional employment exchange, such
that proposed by the Industrial Rela
tions Commission. Fully 25 per cent
of the working people of the United
States, or over six million men and
women, it has been estimated, are idi
from one to three months of each,
year. The least wage loss on thij
basis is $200,000.00. a hint of the
price of our national neglect of th
employment question.
ARMY OF INDIA
IN SHOWKK OF KOMiS
no practical. nermanpnt
could be reached until the entire em
ployment problem had been thor-
ougniy analyzed. To recommend
bution generally. A National
reau of Labor Legislation, with a cen
irai Or nee at Wa.ohinatnn nnH
cent nad been skilled wnri-m.n
Twenty-three per cent had been idle
more tnan a year, 31 per cent for
from one. to six months, and only 9
, , r--'- u...v iiuiii uurr. iu sia iiiuu ins, ana
branches in New York, Chicago, New per cent for less than a month
Or Pnna Ron Vwnn 3 j I . .
Orleans. San
w w f m V Sm m
omer cities extending from coast to
coast, with a clearing house for each
of the several districts into which
tne country would be divided, is pro
jectea. Data regarding the labor
marxet in various localities win
The most significant point w Q
general lack of training for any work.
No less than bO per cent claimed no
ability for any skilled tasks. That
is the keynote of much of the trou
ble- . .o adequate solution of the un
employment question can be had with
collected and published in bulletins, out the co-operation of educators and
in iunKiisn ana otner lanniappc Q-
frequent intervals, classified so as to
meet the eye of all who want work
as well as those in need of work-r
The proDosal for the anDointmt
of an advisory council to the Na
tional Bureau and to eacn of the dis
trict clearing houses is a vital fea
ture of the plan. This council would
oe made up or an equal number of
the organizing of a better system
creating skilled workers to' make the
best use or tne rich supplies of raw
material in the country.
Nineteen States now have
of public employment system, in ad
dition to eight cities. Ohio was th
first to establish a free 1a
change, in 1891. "
Census returns make it apparent
Remarkable Scene of Enthusiasm At
Fighters Are Welcomed at Mar.
cille.
London correspondence in New York
Herald.
The censor having at last permit
ted publication. Douglas Crawford
the Daily Chronicle's correspondent
at Marseille, telegraphs this interest
ing story of the arrival of the liidmn
troops in France:
"With undisguised delight flashing
from their eyes as of burning coal,
the Indian troops landed here. From
the little Gurkha and his winning
smile, through the ranks of Bengal
Lancers, the Punjabi and the Balu
chi, to the giant Sikh, they were mag
nificent specimens of martial han
hood. Everyone was vyln wit! his
neighbor in ardor for the cause of the
King and Emperor and his allies.
"Let us put the doubters right. Not
an -Indian has set foot in France but
realizes the reasons for the greatest
war of all time, and the motto of
these troops now, as a thousand years
ago, is 'Death.'
"In almost as short space of time
as it takes to tell the decks of the
ships of the fleet were alive with sol
diers, and in a few hours the trying
work of disembarkation was com
pleted without a sdlip or accident to
the troops, who literally leaped
ashore, fighting men to the last
ounce. They were hard and fit, ready
to go straight from, the quay to th
fighting line. Not a few of the Sikh.i
(lithe black-bearded giants) were
deeply concerned to know if I the lght
the war would be over before they
would get at grips with the enemy.
"Never has the port of Marseille
witnessed a scene so kaleidoscopic a
that presented by the defiling of th
thousands after thousands of soldiers
down the seemingly numberless gang
ways along the quays lit up by th
brillian sunshine.
"Here were Sikhs, there sturdy lit
tle Gurkhas the finest infantry in
the world; the darker Hindoo with n
merry smile lurking in his distinctly
Mongolian eyes. They at once cap
tured the hearts of 'the French sol
diers. A wondering crowd warmly
shook hands with the Ghurkas and
wished them the best of luck in the
exercise of their prowess against th
GermaTte. Further removed were the
J warlike Baluchis, while at anjther
1 4. . Tfw 1 ...
quay tne iunjaDis were busily en
gaged in grooming their mounts.
"All the troops were in khagi, with
a green or white interwoven band in
their headdress to distinguish one
caste from the other. The truban, of
course, is worn by all Hindoos and
Mussulmans.
"The white officers in command
are the highest type of soldier, drawn
from the best families of Great
Britain. In them the men have im
plicit faith. One important fact that
must not be lost sight of is that thi
great expeditionary force from the
Orient to the Occident isn't only an
army in name, but an army in being,
thoroughly trained according to the
most modern ideas and equipped with
all the first class machinery of war.
"Everything has been brought from
India. Cannon, rifles, intrenching
implements, sleeping rugs, tents and
a hundred and one necessaries of tha
Indian Army, down to the prayin?
mat.
"The scene here at noon v. hen tha
troops marched through to the dif
ferent camping grounds was one not
to be forgotten. Every man. woman
and child in Marseilles turned out.
The numbers were swelled by eople
from the surrounding- c jntry dis
tricts. The streets were seething
masses of highly excited humanity.
The excitement of the highstrung
Latins rapidly spread to the Indians,
and it was a unique experience to
see hundreds of martial warriors,
from bearded men whose hair wan
shot with gray, to beardless yorths.
lump a yard high for sheer joy.
"The officers looked on with lenient
eyes. Old women fought with men
for the honor of shaking hands with
the bronzed soldiers, whom thev im
partially named 'Anglais' and 'Hin
dous.' Young women and girl
threw sweet-smelling flowers in their
path, pinned pink roses on their
tunics and turbans, and even stuck
them into the Indians' lonr hair. In
response dark Eastern eyes beamed
great content, and rows of marvel
ously white teeth flashed from laugh
ing lips.
"The enthusiasm of 'h populace
became ecstacy when a band of
swarthy Gurkhas struck up the 'Mar
sellaise' and played it enchantingly
on a weird collection of goardlik- in
struments. "By evening all were encamped in
picturesque parks with rocky heights,
reminiscent of their faraway hills,
around them, and in the moonlight
the people of Marseilles stood on all
adjacent roads watching with unrig
ging interest .the strange Eastern
rites of these magnificent fighting
men from India,"