In Darkest England and the Way Out Part 33

The Waiting Rooms will also act as Houses-of-Call, where employers can meet and enter into engagements with Workers of all kinds, by appointment or otherwise, thus doing away with the snare that awaits many of the unemployed, who have no place to wait other than the Public House, which at present is almost the only "house-of-call" for Out-of-Work men.

By making known to the public generally the wants of the unemployed by means of advertis.e.m.e.nts, by circulars, and direct application to employers, the issue of labour statistics with information as to the number of unemployed who are anxious for work, the various trades and occupations they represent, &c., &c.

The opening of branches of the Labour Bureau as fast as funds and opportunities permit, in all the large towns and centres of industry throughout Great Britain.

In connection with the Labour Bureau, we propose to deal with both skilled and unskilled workers, amongst the latter forming such agencies as "Sandwich" Board Men's Society, Shoe Black, Carpet Beating, White-washing, Window Cleaning, Wood Chopping, and other Brigades, all of which will, with many others, be put into operation as far as the a.s.sistance of the public (in the shape of applying for workers of all kinds) will afford us the opportunity.

A Domestic Servants' Agency will also be a branch of the Bureau, and a Home For Domestic Servants out of situation is also in contemplation. In this and other matters funds alone are required to commence operations. All communications, donations, etc., should be addressed as above, marked "Labour Bureau," etc.

CENTRAL LABOUR BUREAU. LOCAL AGENTS AND CORRESPONDENTS' DEPARTMENT.

Dear Comrade,--The enclosed letter, which has been sent to our Officers throughout the Field, will explain the object we have in view.

Your name has been suggested to us as one whose heart is thoroughly in sympathy with any effort on behalf of poor suffering humanity.

We are anxious to have in connection with each of our Corps, and in every locality throughout the Kingdom, some sympathetic, level-headed comrade, acting as our Agent or local Correspondent, to whom we could refer at all times for reliable information, and who would take it as work of love to regularly communicate useful information respecting the social condition of things generally in their neighbourhood.

Kindly reply, giving us your views and feelings on the subject as soon as possible, as we are anxious to organise at once. The first business on hand is for us to get information of those out of work and employers requiring workers, so that we can place them upon our registers, and make known the wants both of employers and employes.

We shall be glad of a communication from you, giving us some facts as to the condition of things in your locality, or any ideas or suggestions you would like to give, calculated to help us in connection with this good work.

I may say that the Social Wing not only comprehends the labour question, but also prison rescue and other branches of Salvation work, dealing with broken-down humanity generally, so that you can see what a great blessing you may be to the work of G.o.d by co-operating with us.

Believe me to be, Yours affectionately for the Suffering and Lost, etc.

LOCAL AGENTS AND CORRESPONDENTS DEPARTMENT.

Proposition for local agent, correspondent, etc.

Name...................................................................

Address................................................................

Occupation.............................................................

If a Soldier, what Corps?..............................................

If not a Soldier, what Denomination?...................................

If spoken to on the subject, what reply they have made?................

Signed.....................................................

Corps......................................................

Date............................ 189 .

Kindly return this as soon as possible, and we will then place ourselves in communication with the Comrade you propose for this position.

TO EMPLOYERS OF LABOUR.

We beg to bring to your notice the fact that the Salvation Army has opened at the above address (in connection with the Social Reform Wing), a Labour Bureau for the Registration of the wants of all cla.s.ses of Labour, for both employer and employe in London and throughout the Kingdom, our object being to place in communication with each other, for mutual advantage, those who want workers and those who want work.

Arrangements have been made at the above address for waiting rooms, where employers can see unemployed men and women, and where the latter may have accommodation to write letters, see the advertis.e.m.e.nts in the papers, &c., &c.

If you are in want of workers of any kind, will you kindly fill up the enclosed form and return it to us? We will then have the particulars entered up, and endeavour to have your wants supplied.

All applications, I need hardly a.s.sure you, will have our best attention, whether they refer to work of a permanent or temporary character.

We shall also be glad, through the information office of Labour Department, to give you any further information as to our plans, &c., or an Officer will wait upon you to receive instructions for the supply of workers, if requested.

As no charge will be made for registration of either the wants of employers or the wants of the unemployed, it will be obvious that a considerable outlay will be necessary to sustain these operations in active usefulness, and that therefore financial help will be greatly needed.

We shall gratefully receive donations, from the smallest coin up, to help to cover the cost of working this department. We think it right to say that only in special cases shall we feel at liberty to give personal recommendations. This however, will no doubt be understood, seeing that we shall have to deal with very large numbers who are total strangers to us. Please address all communications or donations as above, marked "Central Labour Bureau," etc.

WE PROPOSE TO ENTER UPON A CRUSADE AGAINST "SWEATING." WILL YOU HELP US?

Dear Sir,--in connection with the Social Reform Wing a Central Labour Bureau has been opened, one department of which will deal especially with that cla.s.s of labour termed "unskilled," from amongst whom are drawn BOARDMEN, MESSENGERS, BILL DISTRIBUTORS, CIRCULAR ADDRESSERS, WINDOW CLEANERS, WHITE-WASHERS, CARPET BEATERS, &C., &C.

It is very important that work given to these workers and others not enumerated, should be taxed as little as possible by the Contractor, or those who act between the employer and the worker.

In all our operations in this capacity we do not propose to make profit out of those we benefit; paying over the whole amount received, less say one halfpenny in the shilling, or some such small sum which will go towards the expense of providing boards for "sandwich" boardmen, the hire of barrows, purchase of necessary tools, &c., &c.

We are very anxious to help that most needy cla.s.s, the "boardmen," many of whom are "sweated" out of their miserable earnings; receiving often as low as one shilling for a day's toil.

WE APPEAL TO ALL WHO SYMPATHISE WITH SUFFERING HUMANITY, especially Religious and Philanthropic individuals and Societies, to a.s.sist us in our efforts, by placing orders for the supply of Boardmen, Messengers, Bill-distributors, Window-cleaners and other kinds of labour in our hands. Our charge for "boardmen" will be 2s. 2d., including boards, the placing and proper supervision of the men, &c. Two shillings, at least, will go direct to the men; most of the hirers of boardmen pay this, and some even more, but often not more than one-half reaches the men.

We shall be glad to forward you further information of our plans, or will send a representative to further explain, or to take orders, on receiving notice from you to that effect.

Believe me to be, Yours faithfully, etc.

CENTRAL LABOUR BUREAU.

TO THE UNEMPLOYED.--MALE AND FEMALE.