The evening world., 1910-12-08
$4,000 WOMEN !.
BAND TO ENFORCE
WORKSHOP LAWS
Factory Girls in Trade Union
League Turn Inspectors
on Own Account.

Convinced that the health and lives Of
working women in New York are not
properly safeguarded, the Woman's
Trade Union League, with headquarters
at No. ~ East Twenty-socond street.
has organized an inspection system, to
be carried on by the working women
themselves, TO show What are the actual
conditions In the factories of this city.
OF the four hundred thousand women
and girls employed in metropolitan
manufacturing establishments, nifty
thousand are members OF the League.
The work of investigation n publicity
Is In the hands OF Miss Ida Rauh. chair
man OF the legislative committee. and
to-day she gave an outline OF 1t to an
Evening World reporter.
'spurred by the Newark FIRE. In which
so many of our sister workers lost their
lives" laid Miss Rauh, 'our league de-
cided Mt its last meeting TO undertake
this social service. Leaflets have been
sent TO our members, giving a catalogue
Of the laws regarding fire escapes.
lights, sanitation, locked doors and
other important matters. with a request
to make detailed comparisons with the
conditions found in the factories and
report at an early date.
Calls Laws a Farce.
eft Is yet too early for tho reports 70
come in, and we have no particulars at
this time. But here Is some general mat
ter to which public attention ought to
be Called
nvk., - rn.,oA Nn.NA ,,t,. -
the General Laws OF the State, turned
to chapter %. entitled Labor Law
and remarked. Now I am going TO
read you some humorous literature"
Here II is:
Section s-All doors leading in or
to any such factory shall be 30 con
structed as TO open o~utwardly
WHERE PRACTICABLE. .
Section s1-when IN THE OPEN
ION OF THE COMMISSIONER OF
LABOR IT IS NECESSARY tho
workrooms. stairs INK halls shall
b PROPERLY LIGHTED.
Section S2-Such fire-escapes AS
May BE DEEMED NECESSARY
BY THE FACTORY INSPECTOR
shAh Be provided ON the outside Of
every factory Of three or more stor-
~ On height The windows or doors
y tho landing or balcony Of each
firoescape shah DO OF 6UFFT-
Y UENT SIZE.
Section SIT there q no fIre-es-
oaoo. or the fire-escape In use 10
not approved by the fire Inspector.
hs MAY require one or moro fire
escapes TO be provided therefor.
'Can you beat lt7" asked Miss Rauh.
holding the book aloft. Can you beat
1t outside OF a Joke book?'
No Definite Safeguards Ordered.
IAN absolutely conclusive condemna
ton of the present law as to Hre-
escapes" went on Miss Rauh. lis the
fact that no ratio Is specified between
the number of employees and h num-
Der OF horoscopes. Such an omission
leaves the way open for the corruption.
directly or indirectly. of the fire inspec.
tors. even II the corps OF only sixty
such officials for the entire State WIRE
g'equate, which II Is not.
ut ~transpired, as a result Of the
shirtwaist strike. that the practice OF
locking the girls in factories is quite
prevalent, although this Is fatty con
trary to the law, and TO my personal
knowledge the sanitary conditions OF
many factories are unclean 10 the de-
gree of indecency and a menace ia
health.
I'VE win show these things In the re-
ports of our investigators. but, mean
while, / leave 1t to the readers OF The
Evening World to decide whether OF
not the factory legislation OF this State
was written by corporation lawyers and
LANDED. ready made, to the lawmakers