The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-08
FIGHT TO FORCE
LIVING WAGE FOR
THE WORKING GIRL
Juul Leads Investigation OF
Wage Conditions in Chi
cago-Prominent Wit
nesses Examined

neSSeS Examined
Chicago March THE employers
think that low WAGES have nothing to
do with immortality among women' the
women of the city say it has everything
to do with it.
That was the way State Senator Nels
JUL summed up today testimony before
the state senate vice investigation COM
kmittee at which some of the greatest
employers of female labor in the city
and half dozen women from the un-
derworld We're witnesses
State Senator Beall, like JUL, a MEM
Der of the committee. explained to tho
Witnesses who were employers that the
committee desired to enlbarrass no one,
but wished Information bearing on a
bill now pending in the legislature
making a minimum wage scale of $12
for women in this state compulsory
The employers held this figure to be
excessive and the law an impossibility.
| Among the witnesses heard were Ju-s
lius Itosenwald president of Sears
Roebucl & Co; James Simpson, vice
president Marshall Field & Co.. E Il.
Mandel, president of Madel Brothers.
Roy Shayne. president of John I.
Shayne & Co. Sears RoebuclS & CO., is
mail order house and the remaining
three firms retail establishments, EN-
ploying in the aggregate thousands of
girls ana women
Every seat in the comm odious room
was taken and in the rear of the room
there was a thick fringe of persons
standing
Out of consideration for the female
witnesses. the witness chair was placed
With it's back to the audience and as
none OF those who testified spoke loud
~, mostly from embarrassment, the
spectators scarcely heard a word of
the proceedings.
Learn Proper Living Wage
II developed that practically all the
women employed ia the retail stores
live. at home. and much time was con-
suned in endeayoriug TO learn The
proper living wage for employees so sit
uated. Witnesses took the position that
employing errand girls and other un-
employer is under no obligation to pay
a living wage. They assume that the
girl so employed is entitled to her liv-
ing at the expense of her parents and
that what she earns merely helps the
family fund.
The committee and particularly Sena-
tor Juul insisted that the other mem
be-s of working girls home earn no
more than enough to support them
selves, even if they do CO. operate, and
that II each individual of such a fam
lily or only one Of such family earned
les sthan a living wage the whole fam
ny suffered and the employer paying
wages too low was shirl1ing his respon-
sibility
Mandel and Rosenwald expressed the
opinion that a girls character and her
environment, and they laid stress on
the latter shaped her life Wages had
little to do with it.
"But doesn't living wage. or a
wage urder that have much to do with
the environrnent?' queried Lieutenant
Governor oHara. chairman of the COM
mitten. This was admitted,
IF girl cannot live on her income
don't you think that with the pitfalls
which surround young woman, an i'm
moral life offers the easiest way out?'
moral life offers he easiest way out?'
Not If she is the right kind of girl
If she is starving and immortality is
repugnant to her. as it should be she
can go into domestic service"
'What, exclaimed Senator Juul "do
you think there are enough places for
domestics to take care of all the under
paid girls and women working in stores
and factories?"
House servants are mighty scarce, =
smiled the witness. and as both JUL and
Mandel had raised their voices the spec
tators heard it, and Uttered. 1t was one
of>the very few things they did hear.
IS Living Wage
Mandel expressed the opinion that IS is
living wage for a girl dependent upon
herself alone, whereat JUL handed him
pencil and paper and insisted that he
go into detail on the matter
How much for clothing?v insisted the
legislator, and the witness hesitated,
500
mo; should say that 81 a week would
be enough was the reply.
III right; 81. Put 1t down. said the
questioner Now laundry?'
but these girls live at home. their
laundry is done there" said the witness.
But suppose she doesn't?" pursued
Senator JUL, how much?"
Say 20 cents them
In this Way they went down the line
board and room 81; sickness 60 cents:
lunches 70 cents; car fare 90 cents and
eiiuiS Sii dSouiihliS thaI the girls con-
tribute when the collection box is passed.
10 cents. /
We'll that makes $780, said Senator
JUL, who had added the column wrong.
And that doesn't include railway fare,
theatres. probably only about half of q
girls necessary expenses"
Mr. Simpson had come prepared with
figures which showed, among other
things, that the Marshall Field retail
store employees 1922 female clerks whose
average waee is $1076
OF these 440 are short hour employees