The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-02-07
Proponents and Opponents of
the Measure Are Before
Committee.
FIFTY -F0UR-H0UR CLAUSE
is BASIS OF ARGUMENT
Both Sides Heard, and Execu-
tive Session Follows the
Discussion.

mousse OF Ine legislature HHeL III lHc
rooms of the board of education Mon
day forenoon with a number of promi
nent merchants and manufacturers and
other persons opposed to the nine~hour
per day law. as well as number of Ia
dies and others, in favor of the meas
ure.
The measure is known as house bill
No. SO. and was before the house for
final action last Thursday. So much
opposition sprang up. however. that the
bill was sent back to the committee.
As originally submitted to the COM
mittse, the bill provided that no female
should work more than nine hours in
any one day. or more than fftyfour
hours in any one week. The committee
struck out the ffty-four hour provision
and this has caused the greater part
of the opposition, especially from fac.
tories where the employees are paid
by the hour. or by piece work. AS the
bill now reads. girl might not work
to exceed one hour per day for FIVE
days, but she still would be prohibited
from working more than nine hours on
the sixth day.
Mcdonald Is Heard.
w. G. Mcdonald of the Mcdonald
Chocolate company was the first oppo-
nent of the measure heard by the COM
mittee. Mr.. Mcdonald said that the
enactment of the proposed law would
greatly hamper their business. as there
were short rush seasons each year,
when ii was impossible for them to
get their goods OIL the market. without
working overtime. However. no woman
or girl was compelled to work overtime,
and when such overtime was worked it
was paid for at the rate Of time and
ue.half. As TO putting on an extra
shift. Mr.. Mcdonald said that this
would be impracticable as most of the
girl help was expert help. difficult TO
obtain, and the girls generally wanted
10 work overtime Again. he said. that
if an extra shift were put on, IL would
necessitate working until after the
cars had stopped, which would work
greater handicap than ever or the girls.
In fact, he said, girls would not work
at such unseemly hours. Mr.. Mcdonald
pleaded that factories should be en-
couraced He also pointed out tina:
the housewife could not always get her
pies and cakes cooked right on the dot
and said it was the same way with a
candy factory.
Robert f. Currie. president of the
Federation Of Labor, asked Mr.. McDop
aid if girls were ever discharged for
refusing TO work overtime, The reply
was in the negative.
Mr.. CuTie then declared that he
could prove to the contrary if he had
the time.
Just Like Families.
Louis Cohn of Cohu Bros dry goods,
said that most Of the big stores were
like families The proprietors secured
the services OF the best girls obtain
able and kept them rs long AS they
531s week. He said further that
| if overtime was needed, as it was dur
ing the holidays. it was paid for at
time and one-half,
George Fl. Wallace of the National
Biscuit company agreed with what had
been said by Mr.. Mcdonald, adding
that the same condition prevailed in the
biscuit factory, as in the candy fac
tory.
H. W Brown of the Troy laundry
said that the laundry girls did not aver
age nine hours q day. and they were
paid for overtime. Overtime, he added,
was often necessary. For example,
when the delegates to the Christian En-
deavor society passed through Salt Lake
they stopped here for short time and
had their work done at the Troy lauu-
dry. But for the fact that the girls
were allowed to work overtime, the
laundry would have lost this business
and the visitors would have been great
ly disconnected. In conclusion, Mr..
Brown said that the laundry workers
averaged forty'eight hours week.
Parson simpkin for Measure.
The Rev P. A. Slmpkiu appeared in
behalf of the bill, although he thought
that the fifty four hour week clause
should be restored, The Rev. Mr..
Simpkiu said that he was present to
say word In behalf of the working
girls of today, who would be the moth
ers of tomorrow. He thought that they
should be protected as far as possible
from overwork, as this was a matter
that would affect the coming genera
tion. He did not think that the tele-
phone and telegraph companies should
be included, however.
"Womcn, who burn out their lives at
work. do not make good mothers, Mr..
Simpkin added, ''as the toxin of ia
tigue is an insiduous poison. l think,
however, that the fifty four hour clause
should be placed back in the bill. as
we do not want to work hardship,
that certainly will be worked, if the
clause is eliminated.
After Mrs. C.. n. McMahon and Mrs,
Elizabeth Cohen had been heard briefly
in support of the bill, the committee
went into executive session.
1t is understood that the committee
will restore the fifty four -hour-a week
clause and then recommend the bill for
passage.
Vb;,s - 10 often innossihle IN nro-