t have been experienced in some
branch of the trade. All the rest of us at our crowded end of the
entry hall were learners. The "ad" here had read "apply after 9.30."
It was not yet 9.30. A few moments after I got there, my card just
filled out, the boss called from a little window: "No more learners.
All I want is one experienced copyist." There was apparently but one
experienced copyist in the whole lot. Everyone was indignant. Several
girls spoke up: "What made you advertise learners if you don't want
none?" "I did want some, but I got all I want." We stuffed the
elevator and went on down.

As a last try, my lunch and apron and I tore for the Subway and Park
Place, down by the Woolworth Building. By the time I reached that
bindery there were only two girls ahead of me. A man interviewed the
younger. She had had a good bit of bindery experience. The man was
noncommittal. The very refined middle-aged woman had had years of
experience. She no sooner spoke of it than the man squinted his eyes
at her and said: "You belong to the union then, don't you?" "Yes," the
woman admitted, with no hesitation, "I do, but that makes no
difference. I'm perfectly willing to work with nonunion girls. I'm a
good worker and I don't see what difference it should make." The man
turned abruptly to me. "What bindery experience have you had?" I had
to admit I had had no bindery experience, but I made it clear I was a
very experienced person in many other fields--oh, many other--and so
willing I was, and quick to learn.

"Nothing doing for you."

But he had advertised for learners.

"Yes, but why should I use learners when I turned away over seventy
experienced girls this morning, ready to do any work for any old
price?"

I was hoping to hear what else he might say to the union member, but
the man left me no excuse for standing around.

I ate my lunch at home.

When the next Sunday morning came, again the future looked bright. I
red-penciled eleven "ads"--jobs in three different dress factories,
sewing buttons on shoes. You see, I have to pick only such "ads" as
allow for no previous experience--it is only unskilled workers I am
eligible to be among as yet; girls to pack tea and coffee, to work for
an envelope company, in tobacco, on sample cards; girls to pack hair
nets, learners on fancy feathers, and learners to operate book-sewing
machines.

The rest of the newspaper told much of trouble in the garment trades.
I decided to try th