The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-07-25
TEN HOURS Of LABOR
Illinois Supreme Court Decides
For Shorter WOrkday.
FORMER RULING REVERSED.

Court Holds That Law Limiting Hours
Of Toll For Women Is Constitutional
Legitimate Exercise of Police Power
Of the State.
"No female shall be employed in any
mechanical establishment or factory
or laundry in Illinois more than ten
hours during any one day The hours
Of work may be so arranged as to per-
NIT the employment of females at any
time, so that they shall not work more
than ten hours during the twenty-four
hours of any day"
Such was the law passed by the 1909
session Of the Illinois legislature, which
was attacked in the courts by the Man.
ufacturers' association and other allied
interests opposed TO the rights Of wage
earners, but was upheld in a decision
by the supreme court Of the state OF
Illinois
The women wageworkers Of Illinois
cannot be compelled to work more than
ten hours day hereafter Justice
Hand. who wrote the opinion Oh the
constltutionality Of the ten hour law,
emphasized the fact that. in the inter
ests OF motherhood and the future
manhood of the nation the welfare of
the public demanded that no woman
should be compelled 10 labor more
than ten hours a day
The case came before the supreme
court on appeal from the decision OF
Judge Tuthill Of Chicago. which de-
clared unconstitutional the act passed
by the Illinois legislature, limiting the
hours which women should be obliged
to labor to ten a day The labor
unions Of Chicago, the philanfhropiC
organizations and the welfare socie
ties took up the fight in defense Of the
law and carried the case 10 the sd
preme court.
The Manufacturers Association Of
Illinois fought the law tooth and mai
and was determined from the start
that the law should be declared uncon
stltuional The chief provision Of the
act provided that al no time should a
female be employed more than ter
hours IN any one day. whether consec
utively or nj separate intervals.
More than 10000 women employed
in laundrieS. factories and mechanical
establishments throughout the state Of
Illinois heavcd a sigh OF relief wher
they learned that they could not b,
compelled To work more than ten hour'
a day hereafter. Many Of these WON
en- had been required to labor from
twelve 10 sixteen hours until the pas
sage of the law. Thousands Of iemal,
workers had become broken In healtl
on account Of the horrible conditions
Imposed by their employers. wit
fought the enactment OF the law Will
all the influence Of men who are nc
customed TO control both Legislation
and the courts Of the country.
In handing down the decision tn,
Illinois supreme court paid attention
10 the growing sentiment in favor O
the rights Of working people aud re
versed lis own decision Of 1898. whel
an eight hour law FOR women VIZ vel.
unconstitutional on the ground
impaired the right Of contract
teen years is long time. and
progress Of human intelligen.
the lines of humanity Is belize,
have opened the eyes Of the suprc...
court judges 10 the rights Of womel
workers.
The spirit Of the law was a para
mount feature OF the decision. II dc
clarcd that women cannot work NOR
than ten hours n day nc the sever
manual labor required In many cstAi
llshmcnts without impalrlng thel
health This the Illinois supreme cour
held TO be a sufficient reason why IN
protecting arm Of the law must rcac
ont for the protection Of the presen
and future generations. An technlco
aud legal considerations were swcp
aside 10y the court IN emphasizing th
duty Of the state to protect its wome
from ovorwork and physical deterlora
ton.
The decision is regarded as of ng
/ tional importance ON account OF sin
ilar litigation pending In other state
which Affects the rights Of women wag
d earncrs.
After citing the fact that klndre
legislation has been sustained by On
supreme courts Of oregon. Nehrask
and Washington the decision col
,cludes;
I'VE are Of the opinion the statut
limiting the time to ten hours In an
, one day IN which a female shall wor
In any mechanical establishment q
I factory or laundry Is a legitimate el
erclse OF the police power Of the state.
Minnesota Union Advocate.