The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-10-31
CONSUMERS LEAGUE MEETS
MRS. NATHAN SPEAKS
People Urged to Do Their Christmas Shopping Early
 to Aid Store Girls.

The members and friends of the Con sumers' league who met yesterday af- ternoon in the auditorium at City Mis- sion hall, heard most interesting and instructive lectures by Mrs, Frederick Nathan, first yice-president of the New York society, and Rev. Ernest deF. Miel of Hartford, an officer in the so- ciety of this state.
 Dean Rogers presided and intro duced the speakers.
 Mrs. Nathan spoke on some ques- tions of such vital concern that every body should be interested.
 Those who seek long life, healthy bodies and vigorous minds should la- Dor in the first place for pure food and clean, healthy garments. Mrs. Nathan has been in the Consumers league for 1T years and her talks are interesting and instructive because she is sure of every statement she makes, and some of them are heart-rending. The principal object of the league is
 
 to get consumers who desire to pur- chase the necessary things of life in such way that those who provide them may not suffer; to encourage the manufacturer who has standard of cleanliness for the maker and the con- sumer At present there are 65 Con- sumers' leagues in the United States, with national league for head. Ev- cry state league should support the national league; membership should be increased and assistance given by each one for the expenses of the off, cers who have to be paid There is the examining secretary who travels in the capacity of factory inspector. She investigates sweat shops, sees that there is no night work, no child labor and no work given to outside labor. One of the greatest aids to the league Is to insist upon garments which have the label of the Consumers league. The local league can help by asking for this label and seeing that the laws concerning the labor of women and children are carried out to the latter. The governor of Massachusetts has signed a paper making 1t a law that no women shall work after 6 o'clock.
 At the international convention of Consumers leagues In Berlin last sum- mer IA countries signed a treaty for non-labor after o'clock at night. Russia and America were conspicuous for their absence. The league stands as the friend of the working girls and here Is an opportunity for great work One woman may not be able to do much, but when number of them come together they can bring about this industrial peace. We do not real- ize what our joy giving means to the makers and sellers at Christmas time. Just stop to think of it minute and then make up your mind to do your shopping early. It would be a glorious thing if it were not necessary to keep the stores open any nights before Christmas, then the clerks and work 1 ing people could have rest time and enjoy it. too.
 Mrs. Nathan told of an instance | where woman makes collars for 1 cent | each which are sold for 35 each, makes them at home and by working until midnight and after she is able to make four dozen collars a day. Another makes children's coats at cents apiece which sell for S1.
 l In closing she said there is a large | field open for your observation and consideration.
 Before introducing Mr. Miel, Dean Rogers lamented the fact that the | commonwealth of Connecticut should be behind the states of Massachusetts, New York and New Jersey in respect to it's legislation regarding the labor of women and children Mir. Miel opened his address by saying that we have pretty good law on which to work l now let each one do his or her part tc see that law enforced We must real l2e how much children are children not wage earners and day laborers. we must do our utmost to keep labor or a high plane. He said: Hartford is indebted to New Haven for the tene- ment house law and also for the insti. tuting of factory inspector" and then spoke of the aid that can be eiver the factory owners and the heads oi large department stores by seeing thai the ones who are willing to do the bes that can be done for their employees are assisted in their good work Tht league should be the friend of the kint minded employer. You are all anxiou. to have the law respected and carried out as it is written, so do your par and do it earnestly by doing you shopping early In the season, early il the week and early in the day, carr, your small parcels and try to get you shopping done before Dec. 15. Tht power to do this good, to relieve tn
 strain on the working people is in you hands and you will be held responsible There were about 100 present at tn meeting and all who attended felt en thusiastic over what they had heard and anxious to do their part. It i hoped that in the round of merrimen
 which Is holding sway right now tn
 good words sown by these two worker for so splendid a cause will not be al
 lowed to pass out of the minds of thos
 who listened to them.
 The Day nurseries cared for 20,OO