The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-03-07
BY ESTHER GRIFFIN WHITE.

public after the dominating party
found they had made a false move by
summary disposition of the eight hour
measure introduced by Keegan.
The intent of the eight hour law was
good.
But it's details crude as animadvert-
ed upon at the time it was first re-
ferred to in this column.
The awakening of the public con-
science to the necessity of more hui
name adjustment of labor conditions
is evidenced by these efforts to legis-
late in the latter's behalf.
1t is a process of evolution.
And can never be accomplished
through revolutionary methods.
The trouble is that too little know
ledge and intelligence are devoted to
the exploitation of matters of this sort
and too much exaggeration and dema-
gogy.
It's a case of either seeing white or
red.
The intermediate shades are entirely
put out of commission.
And it is in this intermediate zone
that the question must be settled.
There is no doubt, since it is borne
out by statistics, that employers of
women labor abuse their prerogatives.
Only where women are protected by
unions do they receive proper consid-
Grafton from their employers.
1t is not alone the girls in factories
who are imposed upon but women in
the businesses and professions.
In fact you will find many factory
girls better paid than women en-
ploves in the offices Of these same fac
tories.
And the big department stores are
notorious in their disregard of the hu-
manities in the payment of wages to
their women employees.
The vice commission of Chicago, or
rather, the particular section of the
vice commission operating through the
legislature of Illinois, is bringing the
big heads of these great business in
situations to bat.
In other words, Marshall Field and
other Chicago department store mag
mates, or their representatives, are
compelled to show their pay-rolls to
see how far the latter's individual
tenuity is contributory to vicious
moral conditions in that city.
Factory owners in this state, how
ever are disposed to be fair in their
treatment of their employees.
At least so says Mr. Alfred L. Flesh.
proprietor of the Richmond Underwear
Factory, whose new, modern and SAM
tary building on North Tenth street, is
one of the industrial institutions of
this city which is intellectually eff
fective and of civic importance.
Il went over to Indianapolis to help
I, kill the nine hour law" said Mr.. Flesh
to the writer.
II did this not because | am not in
favor of all beneficial labor legisla-
ton but because this measure was
hastily drawn and industrial con
ditions in this state not investigated.
"The effect of ill-considered legisla.
ton of this kind is rarely what its
sponsors intend or expect, for it's oper.
ations in the end, defeat its purpose.
The modern industrial world is a
complicated piece of mechanism. You
can't pull out bolt here and cut a
piece out there without stopping the
works entirely or, at least, hinderine
their proper manipulation.
IF you slash right and left without
any regard to results-merely to cut
and make the blood fiow-you get
nowhere.
ITO put eight or nine hour law into
immediate operation without any re
gard whatever to the impetus behind
business is to throw a community OF
state into industrial disorder and
/ chaos.
1.-The majority of factory owners in
Indiana are not industrial magnates
and have to look closely to the details
to make ends meet. Naturally people
| do not do business unless they car
do so at some modicum of profit.
"Laborers do not do this. They sell
their labor as we do our goods-to the
best advantage.
with all other employers of labor
am glad and willing to further al
measures for the benefit of society al
large. But legislation must take exist
ing conditions into consideration.
"If there were a national eight houl
law, in instance, covering every form
of industry and business in which nat
ional competition alone were concern
ed, that would give business men {
fair chance If there were uniform
legislation in all the states governing
domestic competition-there would b.
no question. Every employer would
welcome the opportunity to shorte,
hours Of labor.
This l would not favor, however
if it did not cover foreign competition
as we'll since the nation at large woult
suffer unless the industries of THU
country were, in such an event, pro
tected from the depredations of tn,
foreign manufacturer.
THE solution, SO far as the states
is concerned, it seems to me, lies il
the appointment of an industrial com
mission, made up, not of politicians O
those needing and seeking Office, Blu
of trained experts who would investi
gate conditions, prepare statistics ant
get at the heart of the whole thing.
I'm this way Industrial ineQualitie
could be adjusted without THROWN,
txL