New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-21
CRUELTY TO GIRLS.
Forcer to Work Long Hours to Finish
American Gowns.

work their employees overtime In order 10 get candy
INTO the holiday market, thinks Mrs. Frederick
Nathan. At the annual meeting of the New-York
City Consumers League yesterday she stated that
twenty-five specific violations the law restricting
the hours of women and children to sixty week
had been reported to Governor Odeu by the league
The Governor turned them Labor Commits
sioner McMackin. who reported that in ten of tho
complaints violation of the law could be found.
and that Of the other twelve eight firms stated that
It utterly impossible for them to their
holiday orders for candy without committing a
technical violation of the law
In replying" continued Mrs. Nathan. Ito Gov
ernor Odell mentioned that these firms were en-
ploying women beyond the legal hours. and that
according the law, discretion whatever in this
matter is allowed the inspector manufacturer
In the Interpretation Of the statute The law
enacted for the purpose of protecting employees
from the unjust exacons Of employers during rush
seasons and because manufacturers make perish
able goods to meet the demands of the holiday
trade there is no justification for calling the over
working of women and children technical Vioi'uohs
or infringements of the statute.
''In his letter the Labor Commissioner states that
the information obtained by his officers was frank
" given by proprietors. managers. etc Inc IN
formation obtained by the Consumers League was
confidential. and from employees known per-
sonallv to some of the members. The sources could
naturally NOT be divulged. as such action would
have resulted in the discharge of the informants'
but the governing board is convinced that lnlorfa-
tion from employees is at least equally as reaoie az
statements made to inspectors by the violators
themselves
BI.AMES AMERICAN WOMEN.
No. ,ratbo, thinks that American women to
blame for some of the bad conditions in Paris AS
well in New-York.
American women, it is 70 be feared said she'
ARE largely responsible for many OF the crueltles
of overtime work OF foreign working girls. They
often insist upon having completed in few days
hat taIS as
a home. Moreover they shop of an evening and on
Sundays for souvenirs. and thus discourage store
keepers from closing early or from even granting
day Of to their employees"
The Consumers League OF Paris, recently or
gained had sorry tales to tell OF girls forced
work TO unholy hours 10 finish gowns for Ameri-
women. The white lists prepared by the Paris
league distributed for the benefit OF those
members who shop IN Paris
Among the recommendations of the Paris league
to which the president strongly recon-
mended New-York women-that of prompt payment
Of bills
The evils which arise from the habit OF neglect
ing to pay bills promptly are obvious" she de-
clared. especially when dressmakers. milliners and
the smaller radespeople kept waiting for their
money. These employers depend upon prompt pay
ments from customers in order pay the wages OF
their employees regularly and in order to pay their
creditors. Too little consideration has been given
TO the hardships suffered by both employer and
employees owing to the careessness or thoughtless-
HeSs OK consumers IN tnlS matter. The Consumers
League stands for the principle OF weekly payment
OF wages. and it deprecates the fact that there |
are few OF our leading firms which stin persist In
paying their employees in bi-weeky payments"
Among the gains OF the year are two large firms |
in New-York added to the White List: in |
creased number or stores closed evenings during |
the holiday rush; one large store announcing a 8
p. m closing hour Immediately after New Years; |
new and gratifying cooperation tho part OF |
Catholic women. encouraged by Cardinal Gibbons: |
improvements in sanitary conditions and arrange |
ments for health and comfort of employees in nine
occupying new or enlarged buildings In one house
one-third Of the saleswomen were allowed leave
June. July and August: In another half the women |
mornng The early chTjstmas shoP9E IN me
ment reached sufficient momentum during the sea-
companies which handled the packages Mrs |
evening shopping crowd buys nothing but goes
Mrs, Nathan reminded buyers for phIanthropio
and charitable institutions that # was eminentiy |
White List stores. She commended tho new Child |
Children aw f IS Gs ths % number Of
AT WORK WHEN FOUR AND FIVE YEARS |
I'VE are moral partners with the people in BUSH |
ness who are having the hardest time" said Mrs. |
Anna Garlin Spencer. tho manufacturers and |
merchants who have q heart and conscience and |
who have to compete with men who have neither.
It Is our business 10 know these men and stand |
back Of them with our moral support and our pat
EONhBe
Not long ago." said Mrs. Florence Kelley two |
children on the lower East Side loft the kinder |
garten- They were respectively four and five wears
OF age. The teacher hunted them up, and found |
they could not como to school any more; they had |
gone 10 work.
You may refuse to believe that the labor of
children four or five years old have any money |
value. But the task these children did was not
difficult than several OF the little occupations
they had learned at the kindergarten although IL !
was considerably more monotonous and combining.
They only sat all day and wound little strips OF
green and brown cloth around bits OF wire, to
mako artificial flowers for people who don't like to
kill birds
IT am glad We are not killing so many birds
nowadays. but wish the people who ara SO pitiful
OF birds could project their ima4nations sufl-
GENTLY to include these children.
Tho teacher went to the truant officer hut he
said children did not come under tho Compulsory
Education law until they eight years old
Then The she vent to the factory inspector but he
therefore technically they weren't workers at ali
in the eyes OF the law.
THE parents had license for work In their
homes. and there was no way to prevent a parent
from setting his own children to work in HIS own
house. - -
Just as long have licensed tenement