The evening world., 1912-12-06
Women investigators Astonish
Factory Commission With
Child Slavery Tales.
GIRLS MEAGRE WAGES
Candy Workers Get IS a Week
Says Witness, Contradict
ing Employers.

year-old fri engaged In separating
artificial flower petals.
Ever since I wux'- lisped the
little one In . tired. helpless sort OF
way.
Miss Elisabeth G. Watson told this
story to-day before tho state Factory
Investigating Commission at the hear
ing In the County Court Building to-day.
She had been recalled to complete tho
story OF her investigations which she
started yesterday-the story Of baby
girls working long hours under horrible
conditions to provide other 6aby girls
with Christmas dolls.
Then Miss Maude 10. Meiner. secretary
OF the New York Probation Society. told
the story OF the baby girl's older sistsr
"a story as tragic as that Of the little
one cut down In infancy by overwork. no
play and improper nourishment.
This girl works long hours In the
factory. But she works Mt homo before
she goes 70 the facgory-she IL tired hH-
fore she starts---and she knows there
are long night hours Of toll waiting for
her when she gets homo.
WILD WGANeN6O oN SSNS
HOURS or WEARY TOLL.
rs Il a wonder she rebels? Her will
ID weakened. she has no opportunity
for amusement. and when temptation
comes Il IL easy 20 understand her fall.
1t 10 not surprising that there are 30
many cases Of delinquency traced to
Just such conditions as these"
The punches Of artificial violets. the
little Imitation rosebuds. so popular a.
adornment for mufSs and winter coats,
are msdo In the inssnitary tenement
rooms Of the cast side. Miss Meinsr
told the commission. And babies play
an important part In their making.
~ big part OF the work. but an easy
one," said Mia Meiner. rs the separat-
Ing OF the petals. which como In bundles
Of q thousand. I have seen three-year-
| old children doing this sort OF work
through the hours Of = sunny afternoon
when they should have been out play
| Ing. .. 1855 e.
~ ssksa mother Why the uttis oas
sAouId not ~ allowed 70 sajey the
sunshiAs< .
"Ths vera must - DONE" sAs re-
Piled, "tAS baby needs Light TO do ~.
aaA ~ gss would mean quaxtsfs In
the meter. ne can play so-night."
And thousands Of girls . few years
olSsr ass turned ont on the streets 81
night 70 plsy-and 70 meet grsat
smptat1ous-bsoauss the Gas costs
money and tAs sunlight to WORK b. 10
frss.
~H uyan
as those OF women and children were
revealed to the commission this after
| noon.
The night shift at the Standard on
plant at Greenpoint works fourteen
hours n day. Timothy Healy. President
Of the Stationary Firemcn's Union. do.
clared. The day shift works ten
hours, he said.
But that isn't aii.' he SAID. ZIP
until month ago they worked u shift
twaNy-four hours-from Z A. NJ. Sun
day until 4. N. Monday. Then they
we're sent on TO rest untn 80. Coming
back at that time. they work all night
Mr.. Healy's statement caused SEN
sation. He urged the commission to
recommend . State law prohibiting men
from working moro than ten hours In
ons day or more than six days In a
week. lie said tho men worked seven
days . week at the Green point plant,
and some received only sl2 a week.
GIRL CANDY WORKERS MAKE
ONLY Is A WEEK.
Miss Josephine 0oidmark, a seoretar,
Of the National Consumers League. sale
| - M = IL 81
her Investigations. made IS q week, .afteI
J A. J. Talley. representing New Yorl
candy makers. said he thought the,
made Si:.
-"And they're harder to keep than ser
want girls" said Mr.. Tailey. q dappe
little man wearing Q heavily bralde,
English walking coat and an air O.
opulence.
They won't work In the candy fac
tories because OF the poor wages" wa
Miss Goldmark's comment. -.t
: Il. W. Bloomngdaie brought the com
mission the approval Of the Retail Dry
goods Dealers Association for Its work
but urged a few minor changes In pro
posed laws Affecting mercantile estab
lishments.
!. Miss Josephine doldmark discusse>
( the question Of proposed legislation linl
> itinK the night work OF women. Nil
o Gohmark II a secretary OF the Ma
I tiohsl Consumers League. a bill whicl
D has been prepared IN tho subject pr"
I h!bits the employment OF women be
tween the hours OF 10 o'clock al nigh
And o'clock In the morning.
Miss Goldmark landed on the test
mony -of Mr.. Telley. the candy makers
representative.
'Iiow much DO the candy factor
} employees Eet? asked Mr.. E1kus.
"xhs average viii b hardly o5
week." she said. Mr.. Tslley said h
= was OF the impression they got 3is
, week.
''Ths question OF pay 10 the yer
n reason why II In so nsrd to get work
' ers for the factories"
. The witness. discussing the nigh
work for women In factories. said IN
moral question was he most importan
feature. She said the question OF tn
!. employment Of women In stores afts
!. 10 O'Clock had not been gone into