The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-04-25
Half Holiday Movement.


 most important meeting was held tonight in the Commercial Club. The meeting was made up of representa- tives of the four organizations T of clerks and employs of wholesale and retail houses and representatives of clerks and employees of wholesale and retail. and members of the Commercial Club, together with a number of la dies, including Miss Blackfo-d. Secre- tary of the Y. W. c. A., Mrs Jack Ross. Mrs. |. Dahlheimer, leader of the half holiday movement, and Miss Hall. President Max Hamburger, Jr., of the Commercial Club called the meeting to order. He stated the purpose of the meeting to be to take the initiative in a movement looking to selecting some particular day fin the week to be re- cogpized as q half. holiday for the em- ployes in wholesale and retail houses during the summer months. He sug- gested that general chairman be named Mayor Pat J Lyons was nom- mated ana unanimously chosen
 In taking the chair Mayor Lyons said he appreciated the purposes of the meeting. The wholesale merchants had adopted Saturday as the proper day, for giving their employees holiday, in- asmcuh as the up-country merchants had realized this to be the most feas- ible day for such purpose. He sug- gested, however. that the mill opera tors and others who have weekly pay days, be conferred with in order to obtain their views with reference to change to some other day. He reaI- ized that Saturday was the mast feas- ible day for employees in stores, provid- ed the pay day could be changed
 Joseph C. Thompson. representing the International Clerks Association. said the past year some closed on Saturday. while others closed on Friday after noon. This was unsatisfactory, not only to the merchants. but employees az well. He spoke for the organizations and said they were anxious for all in- terested to get together and reach definite conclusion in order that tho half holiday. If given. be general
 Messrs. McAtee, Simon, Bailey and Cawthorn. retail dealers. opposed Saturday half holiday. unless the oper- ators of industries changed their pay days from Saturday to some other day.
 Miss Blackford, secretary of the Young Womens Christian Association, stated that the Association had been serving tea and refreshments to the female clerks and she noted that on Saturday nights they were completely worn out. After continuous labor tho entire day and far into Saturday nights. the young women were in no coniditioD to go to church or sunday School the following day.
 Mrs. Jack Ross said that she was sat- isfied from personal observation that ehmerchants would get better results fl om employees by giving them one half of Saturday for rest and recreation. She Ike Mayor Lyons. thought the eln- ployers of labor could be induced tO change their paydays 10 some other day than Saturday,
 James Marshall, a representative of one of the clerks organizations, urged concerted action looking to change of payday for working people. feeling sure that if this was accomplished It would be smooth sailing to get Satur- day half holidays.
 A motion to the effect that the chair man name as committee the heads Of the four clerks associations and like number from the several retail inter ests. with Mrs. I. Dahlheimer and Lee Strauss added. to confer with employers as to change of paydays. was unani. adopted. This committee will