The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1909-12-24
WORKDAY FOR WOMEN
Is 1t Unconstitutional to Limit
Hours of ToiI2
A QUESTION OF LIBERTY.
Illinois Supreme Court Soon to Decide
on Legal Status of the Girls Bill"
Provisions Of the Lava View Of
Both Sides.

DOtn oiueSs
Is il unconstitutional to limit tn
workday of women employed In fac
tories or lnundries to ten hours? Is
IN infringement upon their liberty
protected by the fourteenth amend
ment of the federal constitution? Or
Is 1t inhuman for any one to make
woman work more than ten hours {
day? Is 1t mockery to say that it i
an infringement upon womans libert.
to protect her health, safety, morals
and general welfare" by limiting he
working hours within reasonable
bounds?
These are the questions which thu
supreme court of the state of Illinoi!
will be called upon to decide In the
near future. Upon the right interpre
tation' of the word liberty" In the
fourteenth amendment will depend the
life or death of the girls BILL" as
this law is known, which was passed
at the closing moments of the Forty
sixth session Of the Illinois Legislature
last spring and which went into effect
on July /.
The fight for the life Of the law, the
effort to steer the girls bill' safely
through the legal rocks and bubbles
which its enemies have been and will
be putting in its way, will be made by
Louis d. Brandcis from Oregon, who
after a prolonged fight against sim
liar ten hour law by the manufacturers
Of Oregon succeeded In having the SUI
preme court of the United States de-
clare the law constitutional. Attorney
Brandeis goes to Chicago at the In
vitation Of State Attorney John e.
w. Wayman, who, with Chief Factory
Inspector Edgar T. Davies. is a de-
PENDANT in the case because of his at
tempt to enforce the law.
The fight for the life Of the ten hour
law for women is at present the most
engrossing topic In labor circles. with
the Woman's Trades Union league, the
State Federation of Women's Clubs
and social and sociological workers
generally.
The law as it was adopted by the
Illinois legislature last spring provides
that no female shall be employed In
any mechanical establishment or fac
tory or laundry In this state more than
ten hours during any one day."
Its passage was looked upon as
great victory as we'll as wedge" for
further legislation In the interest Of
women workers In factories and 9th
er mechanical establishments. When
Chief Factory Inspector Davies began
10 enforce the law after July l, W. G.
Richie of the paper box manufacture
ng concern of the same name secured
IN injunction against Factor Inspector
Davies and State Attorney Wayman.
them from enforcing the
Ell hour law In his factory.
According to the opponents of the
ell hour law. its enforcement will in
erfere with business considerably. Be-
sides, many of them argue that the
of the law prohibiting
women from working more than ten
hours a day will be hardship to their
women employees. who are glad to
and fourteen hours a day, as they can
earn more that way and can support
their families. which they could not
do If their workday was limited to
ten hours only.
1t is pointed out that the enforce
ment Of the ten hour law would do
away with overtime and night work
in busy seasons and thus would hurt
business. At least 1t would hurt 1t
until the factories and their clients
throughout the country will have be-
come accustomed to it and will have
made different working arrangements
which it would necessitate.
Thus. factory employing fifty girls,
but making them work overtime dur
ing the holiday season, would at that
season have to employ sixty or seven
ty girls If the ten hour law were en-
forced. This would require more space
/ in the factory, more machines and an
extensive change In arrangements.
The customers Of the factory likewise
would have to be notified to put In
their holiday orders earlier than they
were accustomed to do, as the factory
would not be able to fill these orders
IL they came late in the season.
The friends of the ten hour law
however, say that the inconvenience
which the manufacturers will be sub
jected to by its enforcement will b.
overcome quickly enough. On the 9th
er hand, the benefits to the women. t.
their children, If they are married, ant
to those yet unborn-the benefits t
womanhood, motherhood, the gain +
country at large-will more than atom
for the Inconvenience to a compare
lively small number of manufacturers
AS for the other argument that tn
women workers themselves will los
by the enforcement OF this new Law
those who champion it declare tina
ran be easily remedied by having tn
employers pay better wages. Amy VIZ
man, they declare. who works tie
hours a day ought to be able to ear
her livelihood In that time.
Among the chief arguments for tn
ten hour law are the III effects whic
long hours have upon the physical we
fare Of women. 1t is pointed out
the champions of the new law ths
longer hours Of work for women
nothing short Of national calamit
Long hours of work result In waste
bodies Of the women workers, and tn
IL reflected in their children.-Elii
Tobenkin in Chicago Tribune.
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