New-York tribune., 1875-12-25
SPARE THE SHOP GIRLS

TESTIMONY OF AN EMPLOYEE-THE WOMEN RE-
oUIRED TO STAND ONLY WHEN CUSTOMERS ARE
MISUNDERSTANDING FOR TEN HOURS THE RULE
on FAIR DAYS.
To the Edftor Of The Trt6une.
SIR: In your issue of Dec Is you propose
to explain the facts which the appeal to propretors
OF stores employing clerks are based and you
will no doubt permit TO call your attention to the fact
that in this article you make two statements which are
in the experience Of one who employs many saleswOmcn
not strictly correct. You say With the employment
OF women tho rule that they should stand at their
counters during the whole OF business hours although
there might not DC a single customer in the store"
Now il any such rule exists any store it is an excep-
ton. In almost any fancy dry goods establishment on
rainy days saleswomen be seen sitting down. II
many of them their feet il is from their choice,
from the fact that they engaged in serving customer
or in arranging her stock, work generally left for
rainy day.
Furthermore, you say:
for us to enter upon tho reasons why
phy sicaly incapable Of this especial tax upon
ther strength IL win suffice to say ths no woman 1 Of
that the certain effect upon young girls IS to entail upon
them class OF diseases which makes OF them invalid
sufferers at the very when they should have reached
the full N aury Of mental and physical power.
Now would say that, during the Is years the writer
has been business there have been at least % 80
young women who have been In his employ over 10
them long as 13 and Ia years-and
many OF them were delicate in health when they began
their clerkship With the exception OF two they
left my employ TO get married, and to wy personal
knowledge most OF them are happy women. will
here state however that the saeswomen In employ,
on DAYS when the weather ia good, gen
orally kept busy waiting on customers from
the hour the store opens until ii ia closed,
and customers only can he served by the clerks stand
up OF they their feet during the ten
hours OF the day except when they go 10 their
dinner. But it mistake TO suppose them standing
still all this time On the contrary, they are almost always
moving about from place Of their department TO tho
other believe am not wrong II say that the occu-
patton OF saleswOman Ia healthier than occupation
which requires a sitting posture. and would further say
that a short time young women OF ordinary good
health can accustomed to the task. II you wish
the clerks in general good service, agitate the
question OF early shopping, that the stores can he
closed at O'Clock. This would be appreciated by thcm
and every reasonable employer would aid them in this
effort. EEIAILEE.
BrooElg,. Dec IT, 1875.
suOPMEN COMPELLED TO STAND ALL DAY.
10 the Editor OF The Tribune
SIR: All intelligent and humane people will
approve the Of THE TRIBUNE in its advocacy Of
the rights of shOpwOmen. Thoughtful people always
approve an unselfsh and kindly act in favor Of the
frendless and oppressed they themselves stand
condemned by the exposure OF the 1t needs
argument sustain the demand for seats for shopwo
men; but why, allow me to ask should shopmen be
PEELED TO stand when there is good excuse for
pelling women 10 stand all day / was once in the
employ Of great dry goods frm in Chicago, where
compelled 10 stand All day, even when
we had nothing to do at the peril OF losing posi-
tion if We disObeyed, If by the floor
ager. Our hours were short, compared with smaller
houses, being from z a. m TO p m, with an hour at
noon; and would become 80 thoroughly exhausted
at night that it effort to crawl home. stood il
for two weeks and then left II is much exhaustive
"A country stood about all day with little
nothing TO do. propose that you include men with
your demand for REFORM Tor both need this re-
Nerv- York, Dec. 90. 1875.