The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-06-06
Illinois Senate Vice comrlss'on Has
Heard Enough Of Women's Wage
and Now Tries Other
Side.
BANKER ON THE STAND
Manager Of Marshall Field and CO.,
Blamed Bad Home Surroundings
as Cause Of Fall
en- Girls.

limited Press Leased Wire Service.
CHICAGO. June 6.-The Illinois SEN
ate vice commission, In its investi-
CATION to learn the causes of I'm
morality among women today turned
its attention to the wages paid to
men. Forty witnesses including the
presidents Of the largest Of the Chi
cago banks. heads Of department
stores and economist appeared.
The business men will be quizzed
as to salaries paid men. From each
business man the probers will en-
deavor to learn II married men on
an average are better paid than un-
married men and whether salaries
paid married men with families are
sufficient to support these families
without compelling the young mem
bers to leave school and go to work.
A billion dollars was represented by
the bankers who responded to the
summons. 1t was decided to give a
hearing first.
Lieutenant Governor O'Hara made
pubic statement as the commission
got down to work that he wanted the
session to be one of friendly cooper
alton, The witnesses were not sworn.
George NJ. Reynolds, president OF
the Commercial and Continental Ma
tional bank, the Hibernian and other
banks, representing total OF over
one hundred million dollars, was the
first called to the stand
Reynolds testified that his institu-
tions employ S37 employees paying
them from SIS week for young boys
as messengers to from $40 motnh
upward for men, with or without FAM
lilies. The average wage Of man In
the banking business is $500 a year,
the banker volunteered.
1--WE have never investigated what
1t would cost man to support him.
self, wife and one child" Reynolds
said in response to question put by
Lieutenant GqYa-nor o'Hara I'm my
opinion it would work wrong te
merit to fix minimum wage fol
men. That would put all labor, meri
torio1s and undeserving alike or
par. We believe merit should be re
warded."
DO you think minimum wage
81 week would work hardship tt
business?' asked Senator Beall
Yes, anything that discriminate!
against merit would be unfair to ev
erybody," replied the banker
That would not interfere will
greater reward for merit" urged Lieu
tenant Governor O'Hara.
The whole system would be un
fair Reynolds replied decisiyely.
After Reynolds had been excused
James Simpson, manager for Marshsi
FIELD and Company, was put on tn
stand. Simpson had testified at
previous session Of the commission
to wages paid girl employees OF his bil
department store.
1--WE employ 3,510 men and boys,
said Simpson. "The average wage
s19 and we have a minimum wage Q
about s12 for men over q years
age. We can't get boys for less tha
sS a week, and we pay none of on
married men less than $12 week.
One OF the senators asked Simpso
his opinion of minimum wage legisi;
ton
1T might be well If federal La
for minimum wage we're enacte
but state law would be unfair I
the business interests Of the state,
he said.
But wouldn't the general prospe
ity of the people of the state be Il
creased and the state put on MOI
humane basis?" asked O'Hara,