New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-09-03
CALLED VILE
Wagner Condemns Conditions
In New York State.
ATTACKS AUBURN PLANT
Says Gigantic Corporation Sac.
rifices Women and Chill.
dren for Dividends.

syracuse. Sept. 2-Factory conditions
In New York State were condemned by
Senator Robert F. Wagner, Of New York,
chairman OF the Factory Investigation
Commission, in a speech at a labor carni-
val In this city to-day. He said that the
commission found many factories in
which absolutely no attention was paid
to cleanliness. In others. he asserted, 50
many persons were crowded into one
room that IL would be impossible for
many OF them TO escape in case Of fire.
me Senator declared that children i've.
six and seven years old were engaged IN
cannery sheds
Saying that ~, personally, do not think
that there is anything more dangerous
to the welfare OF this country than the
adoption OF socialistic principles" Senator
Wagner continued:
we found women employed In factories
or this state at hard manual labor, stand
ils constantly on their feet; we found
them working excessively long hours and
receiving no adequate compensation TOR
he work which they did. No attempt
was made To comply with the law relat-
Ing to the hours Of labor for women:
Pregnant women were employed at hard
labor In factories up TO few days
before and Immediately after childbirth.
All over the state We found young
children, to all outward appearances
under the ages Of "A, and physically unfit
for hard work In factories yet permitted
to engage In labor which could have but
one effect--an early death. ] could tell
yoi Of the filthy and unsanitary condi-
lions thai were found in our bakeshops;
were exI loited by manufacturers who
evaded the labor law by making the
tenement house branch OF their fac.
tories; OF the long hours OF labor OF
work. OF the pitiful. meagre wages they
receive, and OF the sick and diseased
people who were engaged in that kind or
work.
Senator Wagner singled out one upstate
concern for special condemnation. OF
this he said
At Auburn. We visited a plant OF one
OF the largest corporations in this country,
which maintains a so-called welfare de-
paTtment for It's employees and has
benefit fund supported by the employees,
but In which women, some OF them
mothers OF young children, arc obliged
the physical power OF the average man.
They are compelled TO stand all day
long in a workroom badly ventilated ana
inadequately lighted. In which no attempt
Is made 10 remove the heaSy Just tnat
floats In the air and is breathed In by
the women.
In order 20 exc out . wage % s. a
week one Of the most Intelligent girls
examined testified that she had 10 work
terribly hard" had 20 go 10 work
early in tho morning and give W. all
her luncheon period. No attention What
ever was paid 10 the health and COM
FORT Of the employees: the wages are pitt.
fully SMALL the hours are excessive ana
unreasonably long. and. according 10 the
testimony OF the workers. IN violation OF
the provisions o. the labor Law now IN
force in this state.
In order 10 Increase its output and at
the same time 10 eliminate the expense
OF opening additional plants or adding
additional machinery. this large corpora
ton utilities all night long the labor Of
married women who cannot be spared IN
the day from their domestic obligations.
but who are taken away from their
homes and their children In order tina,
the dividends OF this gigantic industrial
combination nigh, meet with the . ap.
prevail OF It's board OF directors-and TINS
corporation. We are proudly told, has
welfare department.