Evening star., 1909-04-30
GATHER At BANQUET
Welfare Workers Exchange
Views on Labor UpIift.
CONDITIONS AT TREASURY
Lighting and Ventilation Denounced
by Mr.. Treat as Bad.
MRS. TAFT ATTENDS MEETINGS
Takes Prominent Part in Afternoon
Services Of National Civic
Federation.
MRS. TAFT ATTENDS MEETINGS

Prominent men and women who are in
met at banquet at the New Willard
last night. given by the welfare depart
ment Of the National Civic Federation to
the ,woman's council and committee of
that body. During the day meetings of
the federation were held at the home of
Mrs. Samuel Spencer, in Massachusetts,
avenue.
Both at the business sessions and at the
work that had been done and the plans
for the future. Mrs. William Howard
Taft was prominent among those who
participated in the meetings held during
the day.
w. r. Wilcox, chairman of the welfare
committee, who acted as toastmaster at
the banquet, called on a number OF
speakers, all Of whom spoke of the en-
deavors that are being made to improve
the condition of the workers.
The insanitary conditions under which
many Treasury employees are compelled to
work we're described by Charles H. Treat,
treasurer Of the United States. The gen.
eral conditions in the Treasury. Mr.. Treat
said. are bad. The lighting and ventila-
tion in many parts of the building, he
said. were particularly shameful. He ad-
vocated the erection of a treasury annex
in the ground south ou the Belasco Thea
ter. In this connection Senator Hepburn
of Idaho said he had worked in the SEN
ate to get subcommittee of that body
to visit the various departments of the
government in the hope that legislation
would be enacted improving the general
conditions
Praise of the sanitary conditions in the
new government printing Office building
was delivered by Samuel E. Donnelly,
public printer, who said that the facili-
ties for work were better there than in
any government building in Washington.
MIR. Donnelly gave the women full credit
for starting the agitation against insani-
tary conditions in the public buildings and
schools of Washington.
Commissioner Macfarland's Invita-
Commissioner Macfarland, who spoke
first, invited the members of the fedora
tion to visit the District government
building, which he said was q model mu-
nicipal building, where they would find
that everybody had ample air, light and
space and every convenience necessary.
He said that he heartily sympathized with
the purpose of the federation to improve
conditions under which people work in
governmental as well as private employ
ment. He believed that, now that the
women of the country had taken it up in
wise and tactful ways, seeking co-opera-
ton on the part Of government officers
and private employers. rather than arous-
Ing needless antagonism, there would be
steady improvement. Want OF thought
rather than want Of heart, was RESPONSE
BILE. he thought, for most of the bad con-
ditions.
Among the other speakers were Ad-
miral Richard Wainwright. Marcus NJ.
Marks Mrs. Horace Brock of Philadel-
phia. chairman of the woman's depart
ment of the Civic Federation: Mrs. J..
| dustrial employers welfare committee;
| Georgia and Florida sections; Mrs. John
the wife of an employer could accomplish
| in mining community; Mrs. Cyrus Pitt
man Orr. chairman of the Alabama and
Louisiana sections: Mrs. Cornelius Ste
| venson, chairman of the industrial eco
w. l.. Sanders of New York: B. Frank
Madame of Spray. N. c.. who described
labor conditions in southern cotton mills.
and the effort that was being made to
improve the workers conditions in the
Bancroft of Wilmington Del; v. Everit
committee, and President O'Connell of the
machinists union. who spoke in place of
Samuel Gompers, the latter not being
able to be present.
Those at the Tables.