The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-03-11

EMPLOYERS AGREE
ON PAY
CONTINUED From Page One.)

11iiiSSI, ali representing de-
partment stores employing thousands
of girls and women. There were no
witnesses from the underworld.
senator JUL old Thorne that girl
after girl had been on the stand and
testified to having gone wrong" be-
cause they could not make a living
otherwise.
We want you merchants to lump
IN ana help us stop that sort of hing"
said Senate JUL. Il tell you it's an
awful situation When girl after girl is
forced to do that
oh, yes, but for the most mart 7
don't believe those yarns interrupted
the witness.
The earnings Of Montgomery Ward
4 co. for the last fiscal wear were
$4,000 0 said Thorne, and JUL. hay-
ing calculated that the expenditure of
Sio,oo0 a wear would raise the salaries
OF the IS, Sc ana 81 girls to $40, asked
II the witness did not think the none.
might we'll be spent in that way.
But came he reply, I'VE already
are spending that much in benefits,
old age pensions and the like. We
look after the welfare of our en-
ployes very closely and if this COM
mission can show us where we fail,
We'll remedy the defect. If it can be
shown that our girls need more
money they shall a it, although /
think So is a fair minimum
Thorne said hat in his opinion a
minimum wage scale of ST. a week
for women would drive half the fac
tories ont IF Illinois ana ,y,tJl ,a.t
half the women their jobs.
The law wouldn't bother us much,
but the factories would feel it and
they would hire men instead of wom-
Ell IL they had to pay $12 because
they can get more work out of the
men," he said.
The other witnesses readily gave
details of their payrolls, but they
We're a unit in declining to state the
profits of their firms They were
agreed. too, hat IS was about the
right minimum on which a woman
can support herself.
Cooperation Promised.
Lieutenant GovernorI3arrett O'Hak.a,
chairman of the Illinois senate com
mittee investigating "white-slavery,"
has received communications from the
governors of Wisconsin,, Iowa, In
diana, Michigan and Ohio. informing
him that they will include in their
next messages to their legislatures a
recommendation for the appointment
of commissions endowed with the
same plenary powers as the Illinois
body.
THE movement promises to develop
the most important stan against
white slavery that ever has been I'M
d%ertaken,' said Mr.. O'Hara today.
Each commission would investigate
the condition in its own state as ours
is doing, but there would be joint SEES
sions and conferences; and the rec
ords of each body would be available
to all of the Others"
James Simpson, vice president of
Marshal Field & Co, was recalled as
a witness before the state vice COM
mission today. The room was again
filled, the spectators being largely
Women
Simpson was asked again as to the
profits Of his firm, and again asked
to De excused from answering. He
assured the commission that Marshall
Field & Co, could well subscribe to
any minimum wage scale law for
women which might be adopted.
1T is inevitable" he said, that any
increases would be paid by the pub
lie"
Senator Tossey asked if Marshall
Field & Co, could raise the minimum
wage of women 50 a week without
raising prices of goods to the con
umer
1T could be DONE" Simpson said,
land without materially affecting the
profits of the firm"
George Lytton, vice president of
"The Hub" next faced the commits
sion with his back to the spectators.
Lieutenant Governor OHara ex-
planned that the commission desired
to ascertain the relation of low wages
to immortality among women
Lytton sale that it was the practice
of The Hub" to give annual presents
to its employees, Independent of the
profits of the year. He asked to be
excused from answering a question as
to what percentage of the net profits
of the firm the gifts formed The Hub
employs $50 women, none of whom
receives less han $3.50 a week.
do o have to charge more for
clothing than Others because of high
er wages" asked Chairman O'Hara.
ooh, no."
DO you Believe it is good policy to
pay good wages?"
Certainly"
Lytton declined to state profits of
his firm. There are 104 women at
The Hub receiving $3.50.
1T has beer estimated that it costs
IS or 50 to maintain a young woman
said Senator JUL. Where does the
difference come FROM"
They live at home and it comes
from the parents"
Then you AXE all Of a girls time
and skill and expect her parents tC
help pay her wages?" pursued JUL.
Il will say that we have been con
sidering raising the minimum wage
to So"
The witness said he had devoted
much time to the wage question as il