UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE UNITED STATES 147 
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A) 
and Senate, Secretary of Labor Wilson stated he believed the clause 
contained in the act establishing the Department of Labor was 
sufficient and broad enough to enable him to establish a Federal em- 
ployment bureau in his department; but that when the appropriation 
was before Congress for consideration, a point of order was made that 
there was no authorization of law and that it must, therefore, go 
through the process of new legislation. Consequently, the only way 
to establish the service on a permanent statutory basis was through 
an act of Congress. 
Mr. MicaeNER. There is nothing subtle about that, or ulterior in 
its purpose. 
Miss Cooke. Well, Mr. Congressman, I am able to go just as far 
in this matter as your committee desires me to go. 
Mr. MicaeNER. Well what do you mean by that? I have asked 
you a question; just go ahead and answer it. 
Miss Cooke. Yes. To show you what is back of the movement, as 
far as private agencies go, when the original bill was before the joint 
committee of the House and the Senate there was no question that it 
included private employment agencies; that private employment 
agencies would be forced to clear through the clearing house section. 
In January, 1919, when the Kenyon resolution was before the joint 
committee, I had the very great privilege of meeting Mr. Gompers— 
sitting beside him in the committee room for several days and con- 
versing with him. It is a matter of fact that labor, the Federation of 
Labor, have declared for the absolute elimination of private employ- 
ment agencies. It is further a fact that the American Association of 
Public Employment Services, which later became the International 
Association of Public Employment Services, an organization made up 
of the State bureaus in this country, have, since 1914, declared for 
the elimination of the private agency. In 1914 a law was enacted in 
the State of Washington which forbade fee-charging agencies to charge 
the employee for services in negotiating employment. In other 
words, it wiped employment agencies in the State of Washington out 
of existence, and they—— 
Mr. MicrENER. Your real objection, then, is that this law will 
put out of commission the private agencies? 
Miss Cooks. Absolutely. 
Mr. MicaeNer. Now, suppose, for instance, an employer in the 
State of Illinois is needing employees and notifies your employment 
agency, just what do you consider in regard to the qualifications of 
the employees. 
Miss Cooke. Ido not know that I understand you. 
Mr. MicuenER. To make it very plain, take this question of trade 
unionism and suppose that was involved and you received a communi- 
cation from an employer in the State of Illinois that he wanted 500 
men to work and did not want anyone who belonged to a union; or, 
on the other hand, did not want anyone whe did not belong to a 
union—does your organization respect the request of the employer? 
Miss Cooke. The Agencies which I represent do not furnish skilled, 
unskilled or semiskilled labor. 
Mr. MicrENER. In other words they do not furnish employees who 
helong to trade unions?