The Washington herald., 1913-03-23

| mestic1
The equal suffrage question was raise,
several times during the hearing. an,
1t developed that Lieutenant Gov
discussion Of the morals of the domes
tic servants. during which 1t was stat
ed that their immortality was caused b,
their working without the protection O
the companionship OF their friends, Mrs
Charles Beard asked the commission 4
proper lawmaking along these lines doe
not lead directly to the question OF vote
for women.
Not directly" answered Gov. o'Hara
Capt Hollinberger. in charge of tn,
First Precinct station of Washington
took the stand and gave his version O
the question from the standpoint of 8
man who daily is thrown into persona
| contact with fallen women. He Said
that women go wrong just because they
so wrong. He expressed himself in IA.
vor Of segregation and regulation, and
said that society should provide the
women Of the underworld with a means
of livelihood before it deprives them OF
their only means of support He said
| that no uninitiated woman was al.
lowed to enter house OF ill repute In
Washington.
Mrs. Hopkins Gives Views.
That money is not the only considera-
| ton in saving the morals Of women
was the opinion Of Mrs. Archibald Hop
kina
whom money is no question who haven't
tho best Of morals" she said.
Among the causes for the downfall OF
women suggested by Mrs Hopkins were
| the spirit Of unrest. foolish ideas OF So
ciety. automobiles, moving picture shows,
and rag dances.
According to Mrs. Adolph Kahn, presi-
dent of the Jewish Woman's Alliance, the
blame for evil rests as much with the
women themselves as with the wage that
Is paid them. She said that 1t was not
SO much a question Of money as an
ability to resist temptation. She said
that If the employers raised the wage to
IS II was probable the girls would strike
for 81. and nothing would be gained.
Il am in favor OF a minimum wage
law" said Mrs. Kahn, "but feel IL is
manifestly unfair to the laboring classes
to say that their virtue is a matter of
money"
Mrs. Harvey W. Wiley was applauded
heartily as she took the stand. She tolo
OF the work of the Consumers League
and the Housekeepers' Alliance, and said
that she was convinced that 1t was more
dir1cult for women to resist temptation
when they were not able to have q COM
Portable living from their WAGES Her
suggestion that woman suffrage was one
OF the remedies for evil conditions
brought round Of applause from the
audience and a smile from the members
Of the commission. Mrs. Wiley said that
women nolice would be a great aid in the
suppression of vice. She thought that the
minimum wage on which a woman could
live respectfully was IS.
Says Boys Need Correction.
Boys and men are as much in need
OF correction as women, In the opinion
OF Mrs. ]. 7. s. Neigh, OF Neighborhood |
House. Parents, too, are in sad need of |
education and correction, she said. The |
specific causes for immortality mentioned |
by Mrs. Neigh were moving picture |
shows, joy rides. and rag dances. She |
also censured women in society for ex-
erting bad influence
DR.. Woodward said plainly that he did |
not think the minimum wage law would |
strike at the root of the evil. He said |
that the difference in personal tastes and |
the varying purchasing power OF money !,
from year to year would make fixed
wage impractical. The school system
vas vigorously attacked by the Health
officer. who said that it was turning out 1
thousands of children annually who are
10 own WY IN nLS 4
and are not worth a respectable wage to
an employer.
DIR. Woodward said that one of the
needs fully as pressing as that OF a mini
mum wage law FOR women is a minimum
wage law for men. This he said would
allow them to marry and thus remove
he cause of immortality among women.
Probably the most positive statements
we're made by Robert S. Barrett, q rep
pS nj of hn
Missions. He stated that the workers
II the manv mission houses had found,
Ifter years of study of the problem. that
ow wages is one of the last causes OF
he downfall of women. Before low
wages he placed the white slave traffic !
md many other activities.
Mr.. Barrett took exception to the state
nent of Capt. Hollinberger that no wom-
n were allowed in the restricted district }
t Washington unless they could show /
hat they had "a record" He said this
ras manifestly untrue and told 4 story I
{ young girl, who, having been be- '
rayed and taken into one OF the homes '
'as taken out by her mother and sold )
ito the restricted district of Washington l
nder the very noses of the police. I
In Tilt with O'Harn.
The witness and Gov. OHara had quite ,
tilt, and during his examination the /
Governor arose to his feet and compelled =
ne attention of the witness with his
ointed finger. :
Mr.. Barrett asked the privilege of -
skiing a question of the commission.
nd wanted to know if it was proposed :,
nat a minimum wage should be decided
n and retained, or if il was the in
ention to change the law yearly TO
leet the changing conditions.
I'VE are not talking in dollars and
ents in this matter said Gov. O'Hara. Il
OF course. the wage would have to C
e changed from time to time u
The idea that women in Washing V
m could take to vice to augment their n
comes was ridiculed by Mr.. Barrett. c
e said such a conception was impos- n
BILE to him. He said that Washing
m is Just a great overgrown town." Il
Id that such practices among the shop C.
rls would be practically impossible. t,
though it is admitted that hey do
} in New York and Chicago. N
The last speaker was DIR. Elnora Folk IN
ar. She was of the opinion that proper
nusements and other things are Just as
portant in eradicating immortality as
minimum wage law and said that the
oprietress of the disorderly house. the p
rocurer." and the landlord and owner
the property are the persons against
lom the attack should be directed.
The commission adjourned its hearing
ortly after o'clock, and Lieut.. Gov
Hara and two members of the Illinois !,
mmission left the city for Springfield, n
be present when the voting for a -
lited States Senator is resumed on 90 90
esday. Others of the commission will e
we WASHINGTON TODAY al