New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-16
STAGE WAGES OVER SIG,
ACTRESS TELLS PROBERS
Chorus Girls Get That Sum, and
Those with Speaking Parts
Average S35 to $40.
AMBITIOUS ONLY LURED
Employer Says Better Paid
Girls Fall First-Woman
Lays Trouble to
Loneliness.

Peoria. H., March 15.-Miss Janette
Fullerton. an actress, told the Illinois
Vice Commission bout life on the stage
here this afternoon. The women en-
ployes of two companies playing here
had been subpnnaed but there was
time only to hear Miss Fullerton.
The actress. from the quiet tone OF
her costume. might have been clerk,
but she admitted that she was leading
woman of a company now playing here
Miss Fullerton gave the average
minimum wage Of chorus girls as SIG.
Those who read lines" she said, rarely
receive less than so a week. Reading
lines" she explained. meant speaking
parts. The average salary OF actors
and actresses reading lines ran from
so to so week she said. There
were stars who received salaries run
ming into the hundreds and thousands
do YOU" asked Lieutenant Governor
O'Hara. know anything of stage peo-
pie of both sexes being obliged TO dress
in the same dressing room
Never heard of such a thing. In
this city my dressing room has n large
mirror and room for two big trunks.
In some Of the houses there is less
room, and two women may be put TO-
gether. Never OF different sexes, how
ever"
Mr.. O'Hara has asked a great many
women since the commission was in
stituted whether they were driven To
the downward path by low wages. lie
asked Miss Fullerton whether women
were ever driven 10 the stage by made
quate pay received in other branches
OF industry.
"Oh. no: most girls go on the stage
because they are ambitious" she re-
piled. They feel that they have tai
cnt."
As Miss Fullerton had TO appear at
matinee, she was excused without
further questioning.
Eighteen Witnesses Questioned.
The commission worked fast. and
during the day questioned eighteen
witnesses including merchants. manu-
facturcrs. girls Of the underworld and
Miss Fullerton.
Thomas Greer. manager OF depart
ment store. did not know the profits 81
his firm. but was sure the firm could
not pay n minimum wage 81 s. to its
women employees without seriously in
terfering with the earnings of the
house.
7. A. Bergner head Of department
store. declared his belief that low wages
had little TO do with the immortality
among women.
"Nincty-fve per cent Of them go
wrong because of men" he asserted
Our better paid girls seem to be the
ones more likely TO go as'ray." he de-
clared. He expressed the opinion that
minimum wage scale for women
would be disastrous. In the first place.
firms would hire only those who were
worth the money. he asserted. and un-
skilled persons. instead of getting 81 or
So while learning, as AT present. would
not be hired al all. He thought such
law would throw more women on the
street than under the present system.
III YOU pass a minimum wage scale
too high for us. and we won't hire in
competents AT tho rate you prescribe.
what are you going TO DO with them
asked Bergner
Chairman OHara did not attempt 70
answer. but asked Senator Tosscy If
he had any questions TO ask. The lat
ter pursued "A different line OF intcrro-
cation.
H. T. Given. cloak and suit retailer.
paid minimum OF IS n week. "Tf they
are not worth Sc they are not worth
hiring" he said.
w. ID. Roos. a 5 and 10 cent store
man, paid low wages. because the girls
he employs regard his store as a mere
training school In salesmanship. They
generally leave him as soon as they
grasp the rudiments Of craftsmanship,
he said.