The Washington times., 1913-02-11
TA|LORS SAY LOSS
OF INAUGURAL BALL
HURTS THEIR TRADE
Members of Trade Appear Be-
fore House Committee to
Oppose Eight-Hour Law.

Representatives of the tailors mer-
chantmen and laundries of Washington
had their inning before the House Com
mlttee on Labor today. They presented
a concentrated protest against the So
called Peters bill, providing an eight
hour working day for women employees
of the District of Columbia, and were
opposed in their contentious by repre-
sentatives of organized labor, who ap-
peared in behalf of the measure.
The merchantmen were supported by
the various other trades in their ap-
Peal for a flfty-four hour-a-week law
providing an, approximate working day
Of ten hours. They pointed out to the
committee that If the Peters bill was
enacted into law ii would necessitats
a raise in manufacture coss through
out the Industries effected by the
measure. I.aundries. tailors, and other
establishments employing labor will be
compelled to increase their prices to
meet the conditions imposed b. the bill,
II was declared.
Labor Saving Devices.
F. p. Avalear. OF PHI Fourteenth
street northwest, told the committee Of
the attempts Of the laundry proprietors
to install every conceivable labor saw
ing device that. would tend to decrease
the physical exertions of the girls en-
ployed as operators. Heretofore. he
said, the machines caused a physical
strain in their manipulation and tended
TO tire the operators more quickly than
the modern equipments of up-to-date
Establishments.
T. c. Choriey. of 1O1S Fourteenth
street northwest, a tailor, also advocated
the fty-four-hour-a-week law. He de-
clared that the girls employed in tailor
ing establishments now work nine hours
a day, and are permitted to work over
time for which they receive additional
compensation. Holidays and seasonal
time employment Of tailors, sometimes
causing them to put in six and eight
hours extra a day. This extra COM
pensation, Chorley said, made IL posi-
bic for the employees to tide themselves
over the dull seasons. He stated that
the tailors were a unit in their pro-
testations against an eight-hour law
they do not want to be deprived of the
opportunity to make this extro money.
Choriey concluded.
Chairman Wilson presented a petition
which had been filed with the commit
tee by Chorley, protesting against the
eight-hour provision, and asked the wit
ness or not certain reports which had
were correct
.'This petition which you have pre-
sented for the employees of the tailoring
industry has been reported to the COM
mittee as being misrepresentation" said
Wilson. "It has been stated that some
of the names of those who signed this
document We're obtained through false
preterses- / have heard that the petit
toners, st least some of them who are
shown in this list of consignees, did not
know what they were signing when they
placed their names here. Is that so?"
Wilson asked.
Chorley replied that the report was
not true to the best of his knowledge.
Names In Same Handwriting.
Congressman Howard of Georgia then
examined the signatures of the petit
TONERS and declared that the first four
Psrnes were signed by the same per-
son." and that the similarity in the
handwriting revealed this as "a truth
The witness again asserted that he
bad no knowledge of the subject and
the question was dismissed.
j. c. Wfneman. of 9l4 street north
west. a tailor. opposed the eight-hour
law and explained tnat the girls en-
ployed BY him now work nine hours A
day with the exception OF Saturdays.
They also work overtime In cases OF
emergencies, for which he allows eXtra
pay
Wineman. '.are IN the closest comDeti-
ton with Baltimore esta blishments, tae
worst enemy Of good tailoring WheeT
labor is cheap and hours of work are
longer
Mr.. wineman pointed out to the COM
bail had hurt the taiIors this year. but
that the depression had been relieved