UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE UNITED STATES 181 
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interstate commerce, you might say, of those who wish to go from one 
State to another in search of employment. In our hearings before 
the Immigration Committee on Mexican Restriction, we had quite a 
‘ew instances where men in Minnesota, for example, would hear 
there was work down in Texas and, not being able to obtain advice 
from any one, they would leave their home and go to Texas and, arriv- 
ing there, find there are 5,000 men and women who are after similar 
positions. 
My thought is to establish in each State, perhaps at the capital, 
some kind of a strictly Federal employment service, with the idea 
that the man in that State, if he hears about an opportunity or posi- 
tion in another State, where he believes he could qualify and would 
like to have the position, would take the matter up with the Federal 
officer in the capital of his particular State and that Federal officer 
would get in touch with the Federal officer in the State where the 
position is supposed to be available. Then he can advise the man 
whether he should leave his own State and travel across other States 
to seek the position. In that way we would expand the present 
federal service now restricted to agriculture and the employment of 
ex-service men. It would not incur an obligation on the part of the 
State, as does Senator Wagner's bill, to put up a similar amount of 
money to participate in that service. I see no reason why the Federal 
Government should call upon the States to take care of and assist. 
in such a line of work. It is the duty of the States, if they feel there 
ls unemployment in a particular State, so far as jobs in that State are 
concerned, for the State and the local authorities to take care of that 
man and assist in finding a position; but, when it comes to traveling 
from one State to another, there the Federal Government has a right 
and should intervene and exercise authority under a bill similar to 
H. R. 8374, by advising that man whether he should leave his home 
State to go to another State, advise him whether there is a chance for 
employment. Therefore I feel a Federal employment service, rather 
than a combined Federal and State employment service, is the proper 
procedure for Congress to carry out. 
All three bills of Senator Wagner, I understand, have passed the 
Senate and I believe are now before this committee for consideration. 
The other bill (H. R. 3138), was introduced with the thought of giv- 
ng employment to local contractors and local men and women in a 
particular community. For example, if they are constructing a post 
office in your home city, you would prefer, I should think, to have 
your home folks and home contractors taken care of first, and the 
Jill provides that the inhabitants of the State or the district in which 
the service or the labor is to be performed should first be used, before 
»utstde labor should come in. 
Mr. Moore. Under what—if any limitations? 
Mr. CaBLE. The limitation is to 4 public job, such as a Govern- 
ment post office building, or Government construction of any kind. 
Mr. Moore. Notwithstanding the bid—are there any conditions 
inder which they would be awarded ? 
Mr. CaBLe. No. Permit me to read it. The bill provides— 
That it shall be unlawful, except in case of extraordinary emergency, for any 
*ontractor or subcontractor to use on any public work of the United States, or 
2, he Divider of Columbia, the services of any laborer or mechanic who is 
. an alien.