142 UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE UNITED STATES
Mr. Capwaraper. I do not know anything of that kind. I have
heard those statements, but I have never lent much credence to them.
Mr. LaGuarpia. Mr. Emery can tell you something about that,
The Crarrman. If there are no further questions, that is all.
The CrarrMan. We will call Mr. Peckham.
_ Mr. Pecknam. Mr. Chairman, if you please, Mrs. Cooke is here
and a Mr. Winslow. They are prepared to speak on behalf of per-
sons engaged in the employment service to-day. I shall only attempt
to take up one or two points that Mr. Cadwalader and Mr. Emery
did not cover in their statements, and if it pleases the committee, I
should prefer to permit Miss Cooke and Mr. Winslow to precede me.
The CrarrMAN. Very well,
STATEMENT OF MISS GRACE E. COOKE, REPRESENTING THE
NATIONAL EMPLOYMENT BOARD, BOSTON. MASS.
The Caairman. We will hear Miss Cooke.
Mr. Micuener. Whom do you represent, Miss Cooke?
Miss Cooke. The National Employment Board. I was going to
state, Mr. Chairman, that I had prepared a brief and I believe per-
tinent statiéfnent, and I would respectfully ask that I may proceed
without intérruption, that the continuity of thought may not be
broken. After that I shall be glad to answer any questions.
The Crairman. Very well. We have precedent for allowing a lady
t0 go on uninterrupted.
Miss Cooke. Mr. Chairman, and gentlemen of the committee, I
made that request thinking it would also save your time.
I am secretary of the National Employment Board, which is a
national association of private employment agencies engaged in the
negotiation of employment in the specialized fields of educational,
technical, commercial, and general office personnel.
Affiliated with the board are State and local associations, but I am
authorized simply to represent the national organization.
The board’s standards of practice conform to the highest standards
set and maintained by representative trade and professional asso-
ciations, the subscribing and living up to which is a requirement for
membership.
I recognize, and the group I represent recognizes, that there are
abuses peculiar to the fee-charging agency, just as there are abuses
peculiar to every business and profession. I can state with all
sincereity that there is no business or profession more reculated
to-day than the private employment agency.
We recognize the right of the State to regulate up to a certain point,
and we would not have it otherwise. We do not believe, however,
that it is within the province of the Federal Government to regulate
our business. .
The scope of power given to the Department of Labor in Senate
bill 3060 is great enought to enable it to require the States to enact
legislation compelling the fee-charging or private agency to clear
through the national clearing system which is to be maintained by
the United States Employment Service, a competitor of the fee-
charging agency.
There is nothing stated in the bill as to what form the clearing
system will take, but rather delegates to the Director General a
blanket authority to promulgate rules and regulations, and to set up
