Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-01-30

| mai hdlie WAS Denlnd the tilhcS III
respect to the restrictions for women
and children.
Where We're YOU torn?" asked At
torney Blanchard, quickly.
i was born in Hallowell," said the
witness.
How long have you lived in Bruins
wick?"
Twenty-Five years"
Ever live in any other state ?"
Yes, sir"
Why didn't YOU stay there?"
Because l did not find employment
that suited me-"
Then do not try TO throw down the
State of Maine
Miss Katherine Mccarthy of Lewis
ton, the State female factory inspec-
| tor, was the next witness and she
made most excellent impression. In
a straightforward concise manner. ex-
planned that she favored the 54-hour
law. She said that the present hours
We're too long for women and children.
Inc mills were as rule over heated
and there is no relief for the women
and children unless the State steps in
and enacts the proposed legislation.
The women and children in the great
er part of the mills work from 6.30
| ociock in the morning until II at noon
ana from l to =. NJ, every working
DAY except Saturday when they do
not labor in the afternoon.
Attorney Blanehard-"What is vour
business ?"
Witness-"I am at present female
factory inspector"
Attorney Blanchard-"You do not
work in any factory, do vouo"
Wltness-"No, but my business takes
RE in the mills"
Attorney Banchard-"How lone
since you worked in The milis?"
| Witness-''About a year"
Joseph Belanger and Joseph Ouilmef
OF brunswick, representing the textile
workers, spoke in favor of the pro-
| posed measure.
Thomas j. Regan of Lowell Mass.
a representative of the United Textile
| Workers, believed that the hours of
work for the women and children of
this State as has been done in some of
the other states. The proposed law is
humane one outside of the living
conditions. Eight hours is too long
mills. The law in the state Of Massa
chusetts has been in existence a year,
| yet il that time no manufacturer has
| left the state.
Questioned by Attorney Blanchard.
the witness stated that he had been an
organizer in the textile field for the
American Federation of Labor for the
| past four years and had no property
int in,
Irving Fleming of Holyoke. Mass.
| representing the textile workers. made
quite speech in favor of the bill Mr.
| Fleming has a very melodious voice
and there was no difficulty in hearing
| him speak. He said that there was now
in this State a 5S-hour law, yet many
of the women and children work as
high as &c hours every week. He argu-
| ed that the Maine manufacturers
| would make as much under a 54-haur
| law as the manufacturers in Massa-
| chusetts and New York. 1t is impossi-
| BILE to organize the women and chill
| dren like the men and eight hours
day was certainly enough for any per-
/ son to work.
| Representative Plummer of Lisbon
| spoke a good word for the bill, after
which Attorney Blanchard opened the
case for the remonstrants. He stated
that men representing millions We're
| present to oppose the bill and these
| men had done much to develop the in
| dustries of the state of Maine.
| William L. Pennell, agent of the Hill
mill at Lewiston, was called. He said
that he was sorry that it was neces-
sary for him TO come to every Legis-
! lature on labor matters.
Il am also sorry said Mr. PennelL
that people from outside the state come
here at every session of the Legislature
to tell us Maine people how to make or
| laws" Mr. Pencil evidently referred
to the labor men from Massachusetts
who had spoken in favor of the proposed
law.
| II recently took OCCASION" continued
Mr. Pencil, Ito find out the sentiment
in my own mill ON this question. l found
! that there was no sentiment and that
the operatives were better satisfied and
| in better condition than for 20 years. The
employees in the mills would be all right
/ if these labor agitators would keep away
! from them If there was a good reason
why this bill was not passed two years
| ago there are five times as many good
/
! come a law. think quite lot of my OPP
| eratives and l believe that they have
confidence in me. At least we are getting
along very nicely
''It costs more to get the raw material
| here than it does to other states. Some
| have spoken of the law and the condi-
| tions in Massachusetts. Do you want the
same conditions here, with strikes that
have recently taken place in Lawrence.
Lowell and other cities in Massachusetts?
| There is a general feeling that labor agi-
tators and their sympathizers should be
punished. Every fair-minded person
| should hesitate before he does anything
to cripple the industries of the State of
| Maine"
Organizer Regan-Was informed by Mr..
/ Pencil with considerable heat that he
would talk to his help if he wanted to.
He was a citizen and taxpayer of Maine.
| Organizer Fleming also had a little tilt
with Mr.. Fehnell about the value of mill
property in Massachusetts, cities.
Organizer Regan-Speaking through the
chairman, has Mr.. Pencil any objection
to my going into his mill and talking
1