The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-03-07
BIG MERCHANTS
ARE QUESTIONED
Head of Sears, Roebuck Testifies
In Relation to Low Wages
and Vice
PAYS AVERAGE OF $9.12 WEEK
Employers Find So Enough for a
Girl Who Supports Herself
COULD PAY HIGHER SALARIES

Chicago, March 7.--Leading /mer-
| chants OF Chicago were called before
| the state Senate's vice Investigation
commission today in an endeavOr To
ascertain the relations Of low wages
| to vice.
President Rosenwald, of Sears. Roe
! buck K Co., testified his company EN-
ploys 4,732 women and girls at an
average wage of $9.l2 per week The
lowest salary is IS. given 10 girls of
sixteen, and after three months they
are advanced to $3.50 The company
hires only girls who live at home. The
concern employees l.465 girls and wom-
| en- who receive less than sS n week.
G. II. Miller. superintendent of en-
ployment for Sears Roebuck, seated
| byside Rosenwald, answered many Of
the questions put to Rosenwald by
Lieut.. Governor O'Hara.
Did your company in the last few
years conduct a private investigation
to ascertain the minimum wage neces-
sary for a girl to support herself with
! out ASSISTANCE. dShtu ~ f1dIds
Rosenwald could not remember. and
referred to Miller, who replied, saying
such an Investigation had been held
by committee composed of depart
ment store heads.
THE committee reported the mini
mum requirement Of girls 'adrift' mot
living honey was $s."
Of wide philanthropy. if you think low
wages induce immortality i'm woman"
Il answer as | answered before"
said Rosenwald. that there is practi-
caly no connection between them. I
believe prostitution is likely TO come
to woman who earns over ten dol
lars as one who earns less. 1t depends
on the woman. a girl earning a small
wage might use that as a subterfuge
I for her direlictions.
"You consider 81 enough for any
woman to live upOn?"
"Yes. if she lives at home"
And $S enough for one who sup
ports herself?"
That's what our investigation show
ed"
How much did your corporation
earn in 1912"
Approximately seven million dol.
lars"
Gould you raise wages and still pay
stockholders a legitimate profit"
The witness said the stock of the
corporation pays : per cent, both on
common and preferred. There was n
surplus of twelve millions AT the end
of 1912. He sold il could have given
two millions out of profits and still
pay "some dividends"
Gould you live on ss a week."
There was a litter when the witness
said he had never tried il.
Girl Employe Testifes.
Rosenwald said many firms i'm III
inois, if the maximum wages of women
be bounded by law, could increase
wages materially but Illinois firms
would be at a disadvantage as COM
pared with competitors in states hav-
ing no such law.
Rosenwald's testimony was inter-
rupted for a few minutes as a girl of
about IL, cheaply, but neatly clad. took
seat beside the witness. She was II
when she went to work for Sears. Roe
buck, she said, and was paid $3.50
week. Rosenwald explained this was
before the firm fixed the minimum for
girls of her age.
Did they know how old YOU were?"
asked O'Hara.
"Oh, yes, | told them l was Ii years
and seven months"
She worked two years and the last
month her earnings were $3.50. Her
chief criticism was that forewomen
were given to scolding for mistakes in
cident 10 their work. She was ignor-
ant of the moral condition Of her fell
low employees. although she did not
think they were paid enough.
81 gave a coat to one girl" she said.
She said some of the girls flirted and
ran out nights"
She did not really know that any
girls were bad.
Before the young woman concluded
her testimony she was asked 10y
O'Hara If she would blame a girl, who
had to support a widowed mother on
eight dollars week, If she committed
suicide. and she replied she would not.
| Rosenwald answered questions, and
left the company's pay roll with the
committee. which went into executive
session.
| SPEAKER CLARK is 50 TO-DAY.