Evening journal., 1912-11-19

therefore much submit to such public
regulation as will make it a means
of life and health. not of death or in
efficiency
This regulation has to do with
hours. safety, over-strain. and other
conditions Of the days labor; with
premature employment, unemploy-
ment. incapacitv, and other factors
which shorten or impair the length
of The working life; with wage as
the basis which work affords for
normal standard Of home life; with
unwise taxation and other community
conditions which in our industrial
centers exploit wages: with insur-
ance against those risks of trade
death. injury. occupational disease
which break in upon the working
years and wipe out earnings; and with
protection against poverty in old
age when productive labor is ended.
The community has a right TO COM
plete knowledge of the facts Of work.
The community can cause to be for
mulated minimum occupational stand
ards below which work is carried on
only az a human deficit
The community should bring such
subnormal Industrial conditions with
in the scope of governmental action
and control. in the same way sub
normal sanitary conditions are sub
iect TO public regulation. and for the
same reason-hecause they threaten
general welfare.
Such minimum standards in rcla-
ton to wages. hours. housing. safety
and health. term of working life, and
workmans compensation are called
for If the United States is to keep
abreast with the social craftsmanship
of other great industrial nations;
they are cOunseled by physicians and
neurologists who have studied the
effect of fatigue and over-strsin upon
health: by econOmoists who have
anal.zed the extravaganza Of unskill-
ed labor. excessive hours, and low
pay; and by sOcia, workers who deal
with the human wastes Of industry
through relief societies. or through
orphanages. hospitals. insane asy-
lums. and aims houses. Wherever
they are not the standards of given
establishments or given industries.
are unprovided for b.. the legislatures
or are baked by unenlightened
courts. the community. he said,
( pays heavy cost in lessened eff
cheney and IN misery. Where they
are sanctioned and enforced tn con-
servation Of human resources con-
tributes the most substantial asset
TO the wealth of the future
Mr.. Lovejoy demanded a living
wage for all who devote their time
and energy to industrial occupations
] Frst.. nf iFi
wage varies according to local condi-
tions, but must include enough TO Sc
cure the elements of normal stand
ard of living; TO provide for educa.
/ ton and recreation; to care for i'm
mat re members of the family; "a
maintain the family during periods OF
sickness; and to permit a reasonable
saving for old age.
He said that i'm AN investigation
covering 3.297 .S19 wage earners, th'
average weekly earnings of al
! classes are s1O06; for men above II
years. s11.16; for women, SSH; toi
| children under l6. S3.46 Out of tht
total number of men included in the
statistics, 1.215.79S, or 46 per cent.
earned $1,000 or less a week. II Is
simply impossible. he asserted, for
family of FIVE to maintain a decen
standard of living on an income o.
] $40 week: hence wives and childref
aer. compelled TO participate in th'
fierce struggle for existence. Out o.
a study of 391 girls in New York de
partment stores, in 343 cases thu
average total wage is $500 a week. In
analyzing the incomes of 24l sales
women. the report shows los received
less than $500; POO received less thar
80 90. Thus, only So. or IA 1-2 PEI
cent, received an amount equivalen
to the least sum on which girl car
live in New York OF 4.0S4 women dc
partment store workers studied il
Baltimore. PISA. or "a per cent, carr
less than So 90; 1895. or 81 per cent
less than $500 per week. Calculated
minimum living wage. S670.
Mr.. Lovejoy expressed opinion tha
a nine-hour day law should be passed
by the Delaware Legislature for thu
projection of women. That is on
hour shorter than the one which IL Il
proposed by the women in this cit