The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-01-23
AGAINST The BILL
Employers Generally Oppose
WOman's Wage Measure.
That 50 a Week and S-HOur
Day Bill.
SAY 1T is TOO DRASTIC
Would Mean Loss of Many
Jobs for Women.
Effort Be Made to Get Up
Compromise Bill.


featuring and other industrial and bust
ness houses at a meeting held to-
day at the Commercial club ex-
pressed themselves as being op-
posed to the bill introduced in
the house by Representative Riddle,
of Marion. stipulating that nine dollars
a week shall be the minimum wage
maid TO women in Kansas for Industrial
work. and that the work day snail pe
confined to eight hours.
There we're thirty persons present at
the meeting.
They included heads of Topeka firms
and representative employers OF LABOR
in Kansas Among those in attendance
was E. " Johnston, of Wichita. pres1-
dent of the Kansas Launderers' asso-
citation. Taylor Riddle, who introduced
the bill in question for Mrs Liza DAY
Monroe. president of the Womens
Clubs of Kansas, was an invited guest
at the luncheon.
The sentiment at the meeting was not
against such legislation. However, II
was the general opinion that TINS OH
is too drastic. Mrs. Monroe VIII De
asked to attend another meeting Oh
those interested to be held at the Com
mercial club within two or three days
A meeting of these men will also pc
held Friday noon in the rooms OF the
Commercial club. 80
s.rhe men interested consider the
measure too severe" said c. S. Elliot,
who was in attendance at the meet
ing. '"They want to get together on
something reasonable -.
ssTf we have a drastic law IN TINS
state" said George P. McEntlre OF tnt !a9+
McF,ntire Brother Mattress Co, II
will be impossible to get manufactur-
ers to locate in Kansas as the coihpe-
tition with other states Whlch NAY
no such law will be too severe
would mean that the cost OF produc-
ing manufactured goods in Kansas
would be more than the manufactur-
ers could stand. However, we are not
opposed to legislation
iHThe people who are introducing
this bfII.'' said Representative Riddle,
"are inexperienced in legislative mat
ters 1t is possible the bill has not
ghost of a show in it's present FORM.
MI Riddle expressed desire TO see
together with the business men, II
that is possible. He intimated that II
is the wish of those who are promot-
ing the proposition to make the meas
ure fair to all parties concerned
A committee was appointed at the
meeting to investigate the bill careful.
1v and work in the direction OF
amending the measure so that 1t Will
be just to all parties interested:
The committee: ]. c. Witt of the
Davis Mercantile Co.; Joe Ulsh OF the
L. V. laundry; J. H. Haskell of the
Continental Creamery Co.. Marco
Morrow, and w. w. Whitney, manager
of the Warren NJ. Crosby Dry Goods
Co.
What Topeka Merchants Say About 1t.
Topeka merchants and employers
generally are unanimously opposed to
the bill introduced Wednesday in the
house of representatives providing
taht 'it shall be unlawful Tor any
corporation, firm, or employer what
ever to employ girls or women to work
for less than 50 per week or more
than eight hours a day" One To-
clare that the bill was ridiculous
beyond all reason. Another believes
the strongest objection to the mini
mum wage to be taht it soon becomes
the maximum wage as well. Arthur
Mills declares that the proposed wage
scale is revolutionary and confisca-
tory" and gives as his strongest ar
gument against it, taht the women en-
ployees themselves are not in favor
of the plan. Many employers in town
are in favor of legislative measures,
but not such a drastic measure as
taht proposed.
THE hour proposition would be
serious matter in itself alone" de-
clared Arthur Mills, who feels strong
ly the injustice of the proposed meas
ures, We have no objections to clos
ing on Saturday night, provided the
other stores close. If it were compu1-
sorry for us to have our clerks in the
shop only As hours a week, we would
find ourselves seriously handicapped
We would open at $50, close at $50
and allow an hour at noon. The pro-
posed bill would make it necessary
for us to compel a clerk to drop
customer at SIS in order to be out
of the store in eight hours.
Relating to the wage sca1e-it is
revolutionary and confiscatory. We
start our employees at $3.50, and if
they show any talent. they are ad-
vanced according to their ability Take
this case, for instance-if the law
were in effect there might be three
girls in one department. all getting the
same wages-one worth S4, one worth
SO. and the other worth, possibly, SIS.
There is no incentive to the girl to
do more than she is doing for her
money"
women employees in the store, proba-
blv so per cent are getting more than
50 per week.
..If this bill should become a law"
nrophesied Mr.. Mills. sit will be the
means of throwing hundreds of girls
out of employment-girls who really
reed work. No business can stand
wage scale of that sort. 1t would be
necessary for us to engage boys and
Young men in place of women. 1t would
mean. also, a decrease in the wages
of those getting more than the stipula-
ted So"
AS concluding testimony, Mr.. Mills
declared, ''Our women employees them
selves are not in favor of it,
w. w. Whitney, of the Warren NJ
. Crosby store, was eually opposed op-
posed to the measure.
IF the girls ould vote on this proposed
legislation.'' he observed they would
vote no. If the bill carries, their posi-
tions will be vacant. The plan seems TO
me ridiculous-beyond all reason. 1t