The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1911-02-03
EMPLOYERS
OPPOSE BILL
Ridiculous Attack Made
Upon Women Wage Ear
ners Eight Hour Bill

|
against the eight hour for women wage
earners are so ridiculous as to be
laughable, were it not for the tragedy
underneath a system that sends the
girls and women into industry to eke
out a precarious livelihood
An interested observer at the hear
ing of the joint committee of labor and
labor statistics, jotted down a few OBJ
servations while the employers of the
state were protesting against the bill.
A wonderful defense of the employers
position, don't you think? Read what
this observer has to say about this
joint hearing:
Olympia, Wash, Jan. 2G, 1911.
Meeting of joint committee on labor
and labor statistics convened in the
house chamber at o'clock, p. m, with
Senator Metcalf in the chair
Meeting was held for the purpose of
discussing the Womans' Eight Hour
Law.
A number of employers of women
| in the various industries in the state
were present to oppose the bill, having
come to Olympia in special Pullman
car with dining car attached, and of
such immense weight that it required
two locomotives to draw the train
A list of speakers was arranged; the
opponents of the bill were requested TO
| proceed to discuss the question and
Mr.. Wyman, of Seattle, of cracker and
candy fame was the first speaker, and
he stated that magazine articles rela.
tive to conditions in the slum districts
of the great cities was the cause and
inspiration behind the eight hour law
for women in this state.
He claimed that the manufacturers
| would be compelled to compete with
Oregon, which has a ten hour day for
women.
hour law the cost of production would
be increased, and he asked if we
thought the public would favor an in
| crease in cost of production, when they
would have to foot the bill.
He claimed that under the present
conditions that the women should work
ployers in many industries were up
against it, and if we believe his state
ment, we would conclude that many of
| the concerns mentioned, who employ
women are on the verge of bankruptcy.
He asked that it be put off till the
dawning of good times.
Then Mr. Kilburn, of the Cascade
laundry, of Seattle, said that the laun-
dries do most of their work in three
or four days out of the week and at
tempted to make it appear that the
rest of the time the girls had picnic.
He claimed that it would be impossi-
BILE for the laundries, at least, to adopt
the eight hours as it was absolutely
impracticable to apply it in their bust
| ness.
OF course, he failed to remember, if
| he knew the fact that in the state of
| Montana, the laundries work univer-
sally on an eight-hour basis and as
matter of fact, are as prosperous in
financial way as any lamdryman of the
country, and the public hears no COM
plant, nor threat of closing up bust
| ness
Mr.. Kilbun further stated that none
of the laundry employees desired the
eight hours, but under cross question
ing admitted that they would be pleas
ed to have the shorter hour if they
should receive living wage, and said
the reason for a desire for longer hours,
that they had to work long hours to
make sufficient money to sustain them
in the necessities, not the luxuries of
| life.
OF course, as is the rule with all EN-
ployers, he threatened reduction of
wages Immediately the law went into
effect, and we anticipate that this
threat has ben made in the presence
of his employees and was the potent
force that caused their desire to work
more than eight hours.
He said that in the state of Wash
ington in the laundry industry, on an
eight hour basis, the increased cost of
production would total an amount of
one hundred and fifty thousand dollars,
and he asked if we thought the public
would be willing to bear this addition
al cost of production in order that the
girls might receive sufficient compen-
sation upon which to live.
He claimed that the laundries were
in dire distress at this time and could
not operate under an eight hour basis,
and he further states that laundry
work is healthful and, in fact, one of
the most healthy occupations in exist
ence, and says that men and women
are compelled to work long hours to
live, and intimated that they needed
the beneficial exercise.
He said that there were twelve hun
dred or more employees working in the
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