The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1906-03-19
rTALY,s prTrFuL WAGES.
Small Sums Paid to the Women
Workers.

I The remarkable Industrial rennais-
sance which has been inaugurated il
Italy is attracting considerable attcn-
zion to that south European sovereign
lty, ana especially to its vast army of
working women HaIy, according 70
those ia close touch with les manufact-
uring enterprises. u aleout to become y
competitor with the English, German and
I French in the gorlds markets. Consul
Dunning of Milan, in recent eommuni-
cation To the saate department, notes
the pertinent facE that the low price Of
labor (that of women being utilizede,
and the industrial expansion OF the
United States in utilZa1g raw silk ami
ether Italian 9TedSvcts in increasing guam
titles, az well as the demands Of other
nations, have promoted manufacturing
activity in Italy. The resources ana
growing pronlinence OF Lomhardy az the
future great manufacturing centre Of
Italy are outlined by Consul Dilnning,
who is moved to predict that the lessons
which have been studied and learned in
New England industrial Gowns like Law.
Lynn. will be applied in LombaTdy when
the Italian manufacturers find them
selves face TO face with foreign competi.
tioH.
Many interesting lalDr problems sIe
being brought to the front, il appears,
By the boom in Halian industries Chief
among these il womea's labor, which
evidently IS down to the lowest notch in
Lombardy, as regards both remuneration
and conditions; and women, 1t appears,
bear the burden OF the industrial enter
price Of 1880 hands in the dangerous
labor in the 216 match factories of TIA
~. 6,391, for instance, are women and
girls.
TIE labor Of Lomaardy women il re-
Quilted at a rate that i on par with tho
lowest scales knowlli-7those OF Oriental
lands. No civilized country, it is Ger
tain, gives such piiful wage as Is melted
ont 70 the patient, cheerful women labor
ers OF Iombardy An a esage wage Of
eleven cents day is the pay OF girls
under fifteen, in factories employing
twenty operators or less in large fac
tories Of from one hundred to FIVE hun-
dreh hands Of whom "a per cent are
girls under hfteeM, the average GIRLS
wage is only twelve cents day. The
highest earnings Of mature factory WON
en- are paid, it seeIne, in the cotton mills,
where work is supplied 265 days in the
year and the pay is hut twenty.nine
TO thirty.Aine cents day. Women to-
bacco workers in L0slhaTdy work about
three hundred days q year, at an average
wage OF not much over thirty-fve cents
day. 1872 per cent Of the women
workers as whole earn fifteen cents u
day; 30.4 per cent from fifteen to twenty
cents; 43.7 per cent earn from twenty
20 thirty cents and 1875 earn from thirty
to forty cents daily. Only 3.2 per cent
al the women earn more than forty cents
day. The majority of the women
workers are under thirty-fve years, IL
seems, only IL per cent Of the total
number being over that age Good do
nestle help Is to be had at from SO To
IS month But il appears that Ger
man household helpers in Italy, being
known as OF superior training, are paid
nearly double that amount
Apropos Of the conditions Of women
workers ia Italy, is thn bill for mater
nity insurance, by which working moth
crs will receive from twenty to sixty
three cents day during the lying.m
period, the disbursements to be made
by the employers, who pay an equal
share with the womaa employee, OF the
annual assessment for the purpose. The
employer deducts The amount from the
wage; and very heavy fines arc provided
for employers who eVade the terms Of
the law or retain more than their proper
proportion Of the wage. The assess
ment is upon all work women between
fifteen and 6fty-fve years of age and
varies according TO the earning capacity,
from twenty-five cents to 81 .6s per wear.
Women earning the large wage Of eighty
four cents and upward are not included
among the beneheiaries Of the law. Sim
liar provisions, it seems, are already in
force IN certain state institutions iii
Italy.
a factor, It appears, which Is affecting
women's work in Italy is the CONSOLES.
ton of industries, which is going on AZ a
rapid rate. Ten years ago, there were
double tho number Of mntclf factories
that exist now and which have nearly
double the output. Whether the change
10 fewer, larger and better equipped es
Adjustments win he accompanied bv
corresponding betterment il the condition
Of womms labor. by the shortening Of
hours, and the limitations Of tho ages
AZ which GIRLS may BEGIN ana women
must cease active work, is moot oues-
ton IN which thoughtful Italian public.
lists are now happily beginning 20 feel
q vital interest Boston Transcript.