The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-08-26
Hancock Department
STATUTES Will
BE ENFORCED
AGENT OF LABOR BUREAU SAYS
VIOLATIONS OF 54-HouR
LAW WILL BE PROS.
ECUTED.

That the statute known as the "a.
hour law, limiting the number Of
hours that women may be employed
in stores or factories, will he rigid,
enforced in the future, is tho state
ment made by Miss Lucia NJ. Burton
special agent of the state labor bureau
who has been conducting investiga-
tions in Hancock this week. Yester-
day and today Miss Burton is devotinp
to Houghton having practically COM
pleted her work I'm Hancock, where she
has made a thorough investigation of
conditions. She stated to a News rem
resentative that she has not found
things quite so bad as she had antici-
pated. but that the statutes were be-
ing obeyed very loosely, and that viu-
lations were numerous but not flag
rant. Many stores were not working
their girl clerks more than the stipu-
lated fiftyfour hours in any week,
but on some days compel them to
work more than ten hours. this being
the case particularly on Saturdays.
and I'm some instances on MONDAYS.
only one store on Portage lake, so far
as her Investigations have carried her,
lives up to the law in every respect.
After | leave this district IL is
probable the supervision will be turn
ed over to some one else, probably to
Deputy NJ. c. Scully of Marquette
VIII was recently appointed to the Of
fee" said Miss Burton 1T would be
most desirable that a special lady dep
uty be appointed for the upper PENN
sula. and what matter may be arrang-
ed sometime by Commissioner Pow
ers. Violators of the law i'm other
ter to defy the department. ii having
cost one man fifteen hundred dollars
to put the matter to the test"
Miss Burton found that the law In
relation to child labor was being vio-
lated in that no effort has been made
heretofore to secure the necessary legal
permits before children under sixteen
years Of age may be employed These
permits should be issued by the super
intendent of school or the Judge of
probate, and Superintendent LaRowe
of the Hancock schools has written to
Lansing for n supply of the necessary
blanks. Some of the boys thus en-
ployed are engaged as messenger boys
and running bootblack stands. Miss
Burton found one boy working I'm
co Loon onH che In,Iara. tbat THE p,ucf
be stopped.
Regarding tho providing of seats
for women clerks behind counters,
Miss Burton found that there was lit
tie to be complained OF in this re-
gard. most of the stores being provided
with stools on which the clerks might
rest occasionally. In several stores
the sanitary conditions and closets
were found to be bad. and orders were
given to have alterations made imme-
diately.
Miss Burton has been employed by
the labor bureau for seven years, and a
year ago was removed for having pre-
ferred charges against Commissioner
Fletcher of neglecting TO enforce the
laws. When Perry Powers was APP
pointed 10 succeed to the commission
ership Miss Burton was re-appointed
to office and was promoted to he spe-
cial agent of the bureau. She has late
ly been working I'm Detroit. but was
sent here on urgent orders from
Commissioner Powers. She will spend
all next week at Calumet, but will
make her headquarters at the Scott ho-
tel in Hancock during her stay In the
copper country. While I'm the north
ern peninsula she desires to make the
job thorough one and will probably
visit Menominee, Escanaba and Mar
quette.
Miss Burton has endeavored during
her stay to interest the business men
and storekeepers in movement 10
close their places of business at six
o'clock all the year round except Tor
two weeks at Christmas. and except
ing Monday and Saturday evenings.
Hancock and the copper country are
so up to date in other respects l fail
&c see why they should he behind the
times in this matter" said Miss Bur-
ton. on her departure she will leave
the paper which she Is circulating IN
other hands and hopes TO secure the
cooperation of the principal merchants.