The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-09-22


NATIONAL CONSUMERS LEAGUE
A picturesque branch of charitable
work is the National Consumers
League. This is defined as IAN asso-
citation of persons who in making their
purchases strive to further the welfare
of those who make or distribute the
things bought"
Its immediate aims are: first Ito
abolish the sweating system in
which underwear is given out from
the factory to be made by women and
children in the homes of the poor,
often under the most unsanitary con-
d1tlons and sometimes in the midst of
contagious diseases, and second: ITO
extend among all mercantile estab-
llshments the commendable conditions
now existing in the best"
The League endeavors to promote
these ends in three ways: by the use
of a Consumers League label attach
ed to white muslin underwear made
under conditions approved by the
league; by the use of a standard of a
Fair House. and a published list of
retail stores meeting these conditions:
and by promoting the enactment and
enforcement Of better laws relating to
the conditions of employment"
Quite list of requirements must be
met to entitle a retail house in New
York City, place upon this list, call
ed, the White List"-only a few Of
which | will mention: equal pay for
work of equal value irrespective of
sex; wages paid by the week; mini
mum wages for cash children, two
dollars and a half a week; working
day to begin at a. m, and close not
later than p. M; not less than one
weeks vacation with pay, during the
summer season; the present law re-
garding the providing of seats for
sales-Women to be regarded, and the
use of seats permitted; humane and
considerable behavior toward employ
es, the rule; and fidelity and length of
service to meet the consideration which
is their due. Purchasers in the city
are urged to consult the white List
before deciding where to trade, and
see if the Consumers League label is
upon white underwear before pur-
chasing.
NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT
A Committee on Neighborhood I'm
provement, using the gospel definition
of my neighbour "any one whom I can
influence for good,'' held a very in
teresting session in which subjects ap-
parently quite diverse were treated by
leaders in the varied branches of the
subject DR.. Walter E. Weyl of the
University Settlement of New York
read a paper upon Foreign Immigra-
ton, with a presentation of the in
fuence which immigration has upon
the demand and the character of la
Dor. upon wages, hours and conditions
of work and life of our great working
class population" Others urged a
better distribution of the immigrant
population, suggesting an organized at
tempt to assist the crowds of foreign
ers who throng and congest the east
ern cities, to the less crowded and I'M
lands of the western coast
What we need it was said, sis some
national policy of assisted migration
that shall make it possible to dis
tribute our immigrant population"
This view met with warm opposition
from westerners who held that such
time had passed, and the present need
is for more capital and business en-
.erprise.
THE Saving of Telegraph HILL" and
The Fishermen of san Francisco Bay
brought out other views of the same
subject, showing how the Italians have
settled in great numbers upon Tele-
graph Hill, San Francisco, where
charitable workers have a Nurses Set
-lement, with dispensary, day nursery
,lubs, ETC.. for these children of the
South. Best of ALL it was said 1.-The
italian loves his hill, and owns not
The descendants of three of the most
ancient civilizations of the world, the
Chinese, the Greek and the Roman
urnish practically all the fishermen Of
san Francisco Bay. The fishing in
iustry of the state is almost entirely
n the hands of foreigners"
The insane, the imbecile, the blind,
he deaf mutes and the effort to re-
tore hope and self-respect to men So
tally handicapped by having served
behind prison bars, all received inter-
.sted attention.
Perhaps it is natural that a COM
'any of charity workers should al
most unconsciously come to have their |
attention so absorbed by the effort to |
emedy or at least alleviate existing |
wills, that they allow other philanthro- |
lies to investigate the causes of pow |
rty and crime, and seek through leg
Station and enlightened public senti- |
nent to kill in the germ, to dig up |
rom the roots these sources of evil. |
since it is admitted that more than |
twenty-five per cent of all crime and |
ven larger proportion of poverty |
ONE from the drink habit, which in |
pite of all our effort is increasing so |
larmingly; since the so-called social |
vii is condemned and winked at by |
aw and society, and divorces are al
owed to ruin SO many homes, it was
nth regret that we noticed these sub
ects almost entirely ignored by that
reat convention. 1t is wise and
'orthy to face the heart breaking ills
the poor and the sinful, and regard
ess Of personal comfort throw our
elves into the whirlpool and try to
ave the drowning. But should we for
lis fail to warn and instruct and bind
need be those who are in danger be-
IRE the maelstrom is reached which
almost sure sooner or later to over
helm them?
SCHOOL, OF Pitt A NTHROpv