The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-16
AMBITION CAUSE
OF MOST GIRLS
GOING ON STAGE
Miss Fullerton Testifies Be-
fore Vice Commission.
Eighteen Witnesses
Are Questioned

Peoria, ILL.,, March 15.-Miss Janette Full
lerton, an actress, told the Illinois vice
commission about life on the stage here
this afternoon. The women employees of
two shows playing here had been sub
poenaed, but there was time only TO hear
Miss Fullerton
Miss Fullerton gave the average min
imum wage of chorus girls as SIS. Those
who read lines,'' she said, rarely received
less than $25 a week. The average salary
of actors and actresses reading lines"
runs from ss5 to $50 a week, she said.
do YOU" asked O'Hara, "lsnow any
thing of stage people of both sexes being
obliged to dress in the same dressing
room?''
"Never heard of such a thing. In some
of the houses two women are put to-
gether but never a man and WOMAN
chairman o'Hara asked Miss Fuller
because of INADEQUATE pay received in
other branches of endeavor. s
Actresses Ambitious
"Oh, no! most girls go on the stage
because they are ambitious" she replied.
They feel that they have TALENT
AS Miss Fullerton had TO appear at a
matinee she was excused without fur
ther questioning.
The commission during the day quizzed
IS witnesses, including merchants, manu-
facturers, girls of the underworld and
Miss Fullerton
Thomas Greer, manager of department
store, did not know the profits of his
firm, bun was sure the firm could not
pay minimum wage of IS to it's women
employees without seriously interfering
with the earnings of the house.
p. A. Bergener, head of a department
store, declared his belief that low wages
have little to do with immortality among
women.
'Ninety-five per cent of them go wrong
because of men," he asserted. "Ourt bet
ter paid girls seem to be the ones more
likely to go astray" he declared. He
| expressed the opinion that a minimum
wage scale for women would be disas-
trous. In the first place firms would
bire only those who We're worth the
money, he asserted, and unskilled persons,
| instead of getting 81 or So while learning.
as at present, wouldn't be hired at all
He thought such law would throw
more women on the street than under the
present system.
Where to Place IncOmpetents
II you pass minimum wage scale
| too high for us and we will not hire in
competents at the rate you prescribe,
what are you going to do with them?''
| asked Bergener. Mr.. O'IIara did not an
| swer.
! II. p. Given, cloak and suit retailer.
| paid minimum of Sc a week. IF they
are not worth So they are not worth hir-
ing" he said
w. ID. Ross, and 10 cent store man,
paid low wages because the girls he en-
| ploys regard his store as mere training
| school in salesmanship. They generally
leave him as soon as they grasp the rudi-
ments of craftsmanship, he said. Women
of the underworld who were examined in.
variably included low wages among rea-
sons for going astray. Georgia Hall sale
the main cause was the craving of girls
| for companionship. This craving left
| them open to the temptations of the
world. Another reason was unhappiness
at home. In our life they find COM
panionship at least" she said. II would
say that nine out of 10 girls fall because
| they are lonely