New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-06-15
REVIEWS COST OF LIVING
Standard of Labor Also Dis
cussed in Conference Report.
PROTECTIVE LAWS QUOTED
Owen R. Lovejoy Offers Sugges'
tions for the Betterment
of Conditions.

This is not the first year that the Ma
tional Conference of Charities and Correc-
ton has had committee on the stand
ards OF living and labor Such COM
mittee has existed for some time past, and
each year It has duly reported to the con-
ference that there ought 10 be some stand
ards OF living and labor. This year the
chairman. owen r. Lovejoy, determined to
bring the committees report down from
grounds. His report. which expresses the
majority view Of the committee, gives an
outline OF what such a standard should be.
Following the recommendations that all
employees be given enough TO MAINTAIN
normal standard of living. that minimum
wage boards be appointed and that pub
licity as to wages given be required. ere
various bits of specific information from
different authorities:
Armenians, Assyrans. Russians and Ital-
ians can begin to save with incomes OF
500 or $500. while Americans. TeutonS ana
Irish do not reach the point or saturation,
so to speak, below an income of 5000 or
$1,000
or 25, 44o families studied 16 per cent had
deficits averaging 80 TO s6s. while 35.H per
cent OF the families barely finish the Imam
cial year without contracting debt. There
are I'm the United States at least 100000
industrial workmen who are earning 5000 or
less a year.
1t is simply impossible for family of
five to maintain a decent standard OF living
on an income OF so week: hence wives
and children are compelled TO participate
In the fierce struggle for existence.
Investigations show that the least sum on
which girl can live In New York Is 81 Il
week.
Only II per cent Of girls employed In de-
partment stores In Kansas City (5I3) re-
ceive as much as the estimated minimum
wage-Se week-while 80 per cent receive
ployed in factories. $40. or 60 per cent. re-
ceived 81 or less per week.
1t appears that half OF the adult males
OF the United States are earning less than
$500 year, that three quarters of them
are earning less than 800 annually; that
nine-tenths are receiving less than $50
year.
Female wage earncrs do not become
skilled and are massed at the bottom OF
the wage scale Practically no females re-
ceve moro than 1900 per year, three-quar-
tiers receive less than 500. and thrce-iifths
receive less than $3.50 a year.
The lower a womans wages the more
timid she is OF any sort OF disturbance Of
the unstable equilibrium oS her livelihood.
Trade unionism and similar movements
have mover fiourished among the poorest
class OF workers.
Women entering industry do not bargain
with employers concerning wages, and often
do not know beforehand what they are To
receive.
Higher earnings and increased Industrial
efficiency 20 far toward developing In work
ing women = sense OF responsibility. per-
sonal and social
Some interesting facts about existing
laws are stated
No state I'm this country has yet under
taken 20 establish a legal minimum wage In
private cmployments. The courts have al
ways ruled that such laws are direct vio-
lation OF the right Of freedom Of con
tract"
Several states have legislated 10 keep the
ratio Of wages on public work up 10 the
current rate" I'm private employments.
Baltimore has fixed a minimum rate OF =
day for all workmen. laborers or me
chanics employed by tho city. California
and Nebraska have liked tho same rate for
persons employed by the city, state or It's
political divisions. and Nevada has fixed
a minimum rate OF & day for all public
work