Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-12-29
URGE COMMISSION
TO INVESTIGATE
WAGE CONDITIONS
Consumers League Making
Statewide Fight-WOnld
Aid Working Girls.

A Statewide fight for an industrial
welfare commission is being waged
by the Consumers League of New
Jersey, the members of which are
among the most prominent social and
civic workers in the State.
The league at present is working to
have a commission of five members
appointed, to serve without pay, to
look into the existing conditions of
working girls who are being paid star
gathered by the commission confer
ences will be held between the en-
ployer and employees with a view OF
adjusting these conditions.
The idea of handling the wage Ques-
ton through proper legislation Is
about ten years old, and two years
ago Massachusetts passed the first
girls Since that time Oregon, Utah
and other States have taken up the
question and passed laws to better
conditions.
A committee appointed to find out
whether there Is need of commission
In New Jersey have already decided
there Is such a need, although they
have been at work on the problem
but short time The Circuit Court
VI OISBOn ItCCnliy SudldlnCu IIlG HI
ton of the Legislature in appointing
such commission.
To Improve Working Conditions.
The real object of the league is for
the Improvement of working condi-
tons for women so that the hours of
labor shall not be so long as to
injure their health and that the wages
shall enable them to live decently.
The Consumers League secured the
ten-hour law for women
The principles of the bill that they
are working for is as follows:
l. The governor shall appoint
commission of five persons without
salary.
O. 1t shall be the duty of this COM
mission to ascertain definitely the
conditions under which women work,
in the various industries of the State,
and their wages.
3. 1t shall specify times to hold
public hearings at which times en-
ployees and other interested persons
may appear and give testimony as to
the matter under consideration.
4. If, after investigation, 1t is found
that the wages paid in any industries
are in adequate to supply the nee
essary cost of living, the commission
is empowered to call conference of
employers and employees in the oc
cupation in question, with one or
more disinterested parties represent
ing the public. 1t shall be the duty
of this conference to recommend back
to the commission an estimate of the
minimum wage adequate in the in
dustry in question
5. If the commission approves the
same II shall issue an order declar-
ing such recommendations to be legal
minimum wages for women workers
in that occupation.
In an interview with Miss Alice
Jaynes, secretary of the league, to-
day, she said: I'VE know that there
is opposition to this work. but 1t
comes from people who do not under
stand our plans and principles. The
Consumers League knows that while
some firms are paying their employ
ees fair wage, still others are pay
ing wages upon which their employ
ees cannot live decently."
your firm may be one of the for
mer, and may not be affected by this
bill. But in order to determine the
truth about the whole State, we must
have the facts about the wages AMI
the cost of living In the town In which
you work. We are sending out sched
ules, and ask thepeople interested to
fill them out as correctly as possible"
The State committee working for
the establishment Of an Industrial
welfare commission Is incomplete as
yet, but at present the committee is
composed of the following members:
Mrs. G. W. B. Cushing, of East Or
ange; Mrs. Caroline Alexander. Jer-
sey City; Charles Sickle, East Or
ange; Henry F. Hilfers, Federation of
Labor and Essex Trades Council,
Newark; Runyon Collie, Newark;
Frank Reardon, Jersey City. and Miss
Alice Jaynes Newark. The work of
the Consumers League has been
highly Endorsed by Bishop OConnor
and other prominent men.
League Oficers.
The officers of the league are as fol-
lows:
President, Mrs. G. w, G. Cushing,
East Orange; vice-presidents. Mrs.
Charles L. Thompson, East Orange;
Mrs. S. Bayard bod, South Orange;
Miss Anna McIlvaine, Trenton; treas
urer, Mrs. Brice Collard, Jersey City;
recording secretary, Mrs. Charles Da-
Wis, Madison; executive secetary, Miss
Alice Jaynes, of this city; honorary
presidents, president. Alexander
C. Humphreys; Rev. DR.. Jenvey, Rev. |
Thomas Moran, Hamilton w. Mabie, |