The Washington herald., 1907-11-24
Plea for the workers.

The letter which is being sent out reads
as follows:
VIII YOU jo,, in a movement on national scale
10 modify the harlshils incident % holiday shop
pins.
Observation might show many Of ms that Christ
mas Is time ~ hardship for those who have % 10
Slth supplying the needs a Christmas shorpers.
Authentic records FROM che lives q clerks deliver
boys. and drivers Of wagons show that while we
are keeping the Christmas festival. while We are
feeding the lame and halt. the blind and friendless
We aTe lightly reducing q illness and exhaustion
the young and strong and faithful who serve US.
seen and UNSEEN.
Eve-y year the celebntion Of Christmas grows
more elaborate sl1re presents are bought: The
crowds greater. the decorations ar more SPLEEN
did The problems Of the merchants are core
spondinsly more compile; tie supply has TO DO IN
creased; tie pressure az every point intensics Tn
the one hand. public opinion disappE0ves long
hours and late work. particularly for Young women
girls. and children. On the other hand merely
through thoughtlcssncss many shoppers defer their
purchases until the last possible moment at the
cost Of unnecessary strain upon salesDeople and de-
livery forces
By joint e;o.t Of editors and merchants. The idea
can be brought home 20 millions q customers that
they benefit themselves and every one CON
eerned If they wiz do their Christmas shopping
early in the season and early in the day This VIII
lengthen the Christmas shopping period and reduce
the disadvantages which, in other seasons have Al
Jacob A. Riis. Mark Twain. Richard Watson
Glider. editor the Century; Edward Box editor
the Ladies Home JoUruar; Leigh Reilly
tOitor the Chicago Evening Post; Lyman Alb
bott. editor the Outlook; Adolph 5. Ochs
publisher New York Times: 5. w. Woodward
u Woodward & I.othrUp. Washington. ID. G /.
Nathan Straus. Of r. H. Macy x Co. New
York. Edward Filene. Of William Filene's
Sons Company Boston; Florence Kelley. sec
retary National Consumers League; Edward T.
DeyIuc editor
Mrs. Florence Kelley. secretary Of the
National Consumers League, which has
a membership OF women in every city in
the country pledged TO work for the safe
guarding of women and children in in
dustry, says Of early Christmas shopping:
Never before in any month Of Novem-
Der has SO large number Of merchants
notified their customers that the Christ
mas goods are at hand ready for inspec-
ton and purchase. Never have so
many consumers leagues mailed TO their
members appeals to shop early in the
season, early in the week. and early in
the day. In some cities, postal cards carry
a printed personal appeal In others.
cards IN the street cars and store windows
bear the legend.
Everywhere, however, the most effect
i've pressure upon the thOughtless public
comes from the merchants and the press
through daily advertising and friendly edi-
torials.
Benefits Purchasers, Too.
1T is astonishing the number of people
who profit by this vast concerted effort to
abolish the Christmas cruelties. The
shoppers themselves find now in the
stores good air and good viii awaiting
them, which (sinister thoughtD will grow
less every day as Christmas approaches.
The clerks are still unwearled by the
jostling crowds. and can extend courtesy
which day by day Will grow more diff
cult, If not more scant. These, however.
are merely the visible part of the army
Of workers concerned. Unseen. and. alasI
are the shipping and pack
ing and wrapping forces. the deiiverymen,
and boys. and remotest of all from the
gay holiday thronSs OF mi6-Decernber are
the candymakers. toymakers, bOxmakers.
the innumerable workshop and factory
employees whose Overtime work follows
the beiated orders ard careless delays of
the shopping multitude.
Since the last holiday season the need
for voluntary effort TO discourage eleventh