The Washington herald., 1912-01-20
GIVES DECALOGUE
FOR WORKING GIRL
Mrs. Harvey W. Wiley Draws Up
Ten Commandments for Appli-
cation of Common Sense.

A decalogue for the working girl hav-
ing for its foundation the principles OF
organization, education. honesty, and
good, hard common sense. was given 20
The Washington Herald last night by
Mrs. Harvey w. Wiley. president Of the
Consumer League Of the District and
the Stanton Woman Suffrage Club. and
one Of the foremost civic workers In
this city. DR.. Wiley. the enemy Of adul-
teration. introduced only one command
ment into the decalogue drawn up by
his wife. That was the third.
Chief among the commandments Is
| the tenth, by which Mrs. Wiley fur
nishes an example Of the truth Of that
dear old adage, the last shall be first" !"
In this commandment. shop girls are
urged to avoid all establishments that
ignore the trade union or the Consum-
ers' League.
In connection with her rule Of ten, Mrs
Wiley said last night:
The one great rule everything all
others Is an application Of common
sense. BE rational and sensible would
be as good as any single commandment
for the girl who supports herself IusS
tatiou, Irregular living. carelessness, and
indifference would all disappear before
such a rule as this"
WHEY was uIldDle 10 attend the
meeting Of the Consumers League yes
terday afternoon and gave the decalogue
in place OF her address. II Is expected
that the members OF the league may use
the ten commandments in their fight for
better hours and pay for working girls.
That the league aspires too high at this
time and must modify fits conditions IL
all the stores are to qualify in the pro-
posed white list was the startling
William @. Stuart. chairman Of the In
vestigating committee. during the rem
dering OF her report on conditions in the
Capital. She urged that the league mod
ify some OF its conditions so that the
better Industrial establishments employ
ing women could qualify. She pointed out
the fact that the present wage scale ask
ed by the league is higher than any store
in this city, save one, is paying at this
time.
The meeting was held at Miss Ma
dessa's School for Girls. Is24-1s2s Nine
teenth street northwest and was largely
attended. The first speaker OF the after
noon was Charles F. Nesbit. who dwelt
on the possibilities Of the league and fits
ultimate ability to accomplish much for
women who work, both by an appeal to
the merchants and business men and by
Congressional legislation. He cited in
stances to show where cooperation IN
a campaign OF betterment for working
women had accomplished much in over
coming the prejudice OF the merchants
Then came the address OF Mrs. Stuart.
in which she referred TO conditions in
Washington as needing Improvement, and
urged that immediate legislation be taken
UP on the subject. She stated that IN
one factory in this city the girls were
required to work thirteen hours a day
and frequently in various Industrial es-
adjustments the employees were expected
to put In extra time without extra COM
pensation.
The following are chairmen OF the va
rious committees: Miss Constance
Leupp. press and publicity; Mrs. Harvey
w. Wiley, membership: Miss Elizabeth
Bryan. labels: Miss Ruth Noyes. finance,
and Mrs. MediIl Mccormick. education.