The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-04-27
MISS WHIlTLESEY'S THESIS.
DISTTNG UISHED RECOGNITION OF
 4 GIRL
y or Waterbury Origin Who Has Man Friends Here.

There has recently been published, as
 a supplement to the annals of the
 American Academy of Political and So-
 cial Science, the doctors thesis of Miss 1 Sarah Scovill Whittlesey, on which she
 received the roctorate of philosophy
 from Yale in 1s9S The title of the mo-
 nograph is: Massachusetts Labor
 Legislation; An Historical and Critical
 Study"
 This study of the laws of a state
 which has been most progressive and | intelligent in the matter of labor legis- lation has been so thorough and so dis eliminating as to provoke the most fa- vorable comment from authorities. The Hon. Carroll D. Wright United States commissioner of labor, who can perhaps speak with more direct Knowledge of the question than almost any other per-
 son in America, has given his opinion or the study as follows: T have been examining your history of Massachu
 setts labor legislation, and I want to
 congratulate you on having produced
 the best work of the kind I have ever
 seen It is an admirable presentation of
 tre subject, logical clear and wise"
 The thessahas an introduction by
 President Hadley, in which he calls at tention to the importance of the partic- ular field of study chosen by Miss Whit
 tlesey, and describes her treatment as follows: Tn her treatment of this theme Miss Whttlesey has presented the subject under three distinct aspects; an analysis, history and a criticism. Her analysis shows what Is the present condition of the Massachusetts statute books on the various subjects connect ed With labor. The history shows when these statute books were passed. and what were the motives and causes which led to their passage. The criti- cism undertakes to show what have been the effects economic, social and moral of the various forms of statuto- ry regulation.
 In a field of this kind 1t Is hardly to be expected that the results will be startling. If they were, the method and the inipartiality of the thesis would be open to great distrust It is for the se- rious student of legislation rather than for the doctrinaire or the agitator that a palnstaking criticism of this kind Is intended. It has special value at the present day, which so many other states are following the example of Massachu- setts In this line, and when there is a tendency to introduce similar methods ofregulation into other departments of economic life besides those which are involved in the contract between the employer and the wage -earner."
 In an editorial review of the work the Boston Herald says, among other things: "A very notable example of economic study, as valuable as it is thorough, is that devoted to the history and the effects of labor legislation in made by Miss Sarah Sco- ville Whittlesey. It is a sign of the times that women are attracted to lines Of thought like this. The subject was | chosen by Miss Whittlesey as the thesis | for her we'll earned degree of doctor of | at Yale university, and | President Hadley has done her the hon. | or of writing an introduction for It's is- | sue as one of the publications of the | American Academy of Political and So- cial Science. Her analytical and his torical treatment is strikingly clear and | complete, and her critical review of the | of the labor legislation of is characterized by an admirable freedom from prejudice in Ter consideration of the various aspects If such legislation and It's bearings on he respective interests concerned The example that the experience of Massachusetts in this field have had influence. This state has aken the lead among her sisters of the American union in this respect There ore, all students of the subject natu- ally look to Massachusetts as a guide or what May. or may not, be done else where. Tn this study, they will meet with invaluable assistance, for it com ,actly embodies, in authoritative shape, he record of all that has been done lere, together with an exposition of it's motives and a most excellent setting orth of its industrial, social and politi- al effects"
 Before taking her doctors degree at Tale, Miss Whittlesey graduated from college of Harvard university n 1894. She studied in the department f political and social science at Yale rom 1895 to 1898.
 Miss Whittlesey is a daughter of Jo- eph T. Whittlesey, '67 S.. of New Ha- err--Yale Alumni Weekly.