The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-06-18
HOW GIRLS EXIST
Committee Is Told of Tolls
Girl Toilers Pay.
Health and Pleasure for Half
Chance to Live.
LIVING COST EXCEEDS WAGES
Doctors Bills the Penalty of
Rigid Economy.
Overwork, Under-Pay, Unsani-
tary Conditions.
WING COST EXCEEDS WAGES

Kansas City, June 18.-Girls, show
ing fear of losing their positions for
testifying before the committee investi-
eating the wages in Kansas City. were
given assurance of protection by the
committee today.
A resolution setting forth that any
employer who might discharge a girl
or discriminate against her, for appear
ing before the board, would be sum-
moned for investigation, was adopted
by the committee. The resolution ap-
plies in st. Louis, as well as Kansas
City, and at other cities where hear
ings are to be held. Employees of the
Woolworth ten cent store, and the
Kresge ten cent store who testified
today, all live at home, while employees
of the Swan laundry depended entire
ly upon their pay for support. At the
ten cent stores the girls receive 80
and S5 a week, while at the laundry
the pay is from IS to 81 week.
Cannot Live on Wages.
All testified that they could not live
properly on less than 81 or $S week.
Il did manage to exist on $5 a week."
said one young girl employed at the
Swan laundry, "but it was merely an
existence
Work Produces Paralysis.
"A year ago they raised my salary
to 81. I do all my own cooking now
AS before, when I was making $5
week, I walk to and from my work.
Out of my salary, even now, 1 have
nothing left. Last Wednesday I be-
came i'll and was sent to the general
hospital 1 suffered a slight paralysis,
which the doctor said was partially in
duced by working over the pressing
irons"
Rest Room No Good.
Sanitary conditions and facilities for
the care of girls employed in the Wool
worth store were considered. All of the
girls employed at the Woolworth store
testified the rest room to which girl
was sent when she became i'll. had no
means of ventilation, was never scrub
bed, and was lighted artifcially.
Compelled to Eat There.
The girls said they were compelled
to eat their lunches in this place and
some of them said they would almost
as soon go without a meal as to eat it
in the place.
Girl Asks Protection.
Il would like to ask assurance of
protection against being discharged
for testifying in this case said one
employ of the Woolworth store for
r.early four years, and now is earning
$3.50 a week. Il am afraid for can
not afford to Jose my position. I have
L
Of a physician the greater part of the
time 1t was at this juncture that
the resolution promising protection to
witnesses was adopted.
Working Since Fifteen.
My illness undoubtedly is due in
a pronounced degree to my work over
the counters. 1 started to work in de-
partment stores seven years ago, when
was Is years old. 1 earned but
$3.50 a week at the start
The first witnesses called were two
girls employed in a cheap bargain
store. Senator Kinney, chairman of
the committee, in response to an in
quiry by one of the witnesses as to
whether it was the committees in
tention to attempt to bring out the
relation between low wages and vice
said:
As Moral as Any Glass.
"It is not the purpose of the COM
mittee to show any such relations. I
do not believe, and do not think the
commission believes, there is any
more immortality among working girls
than any other class.
1T may be true that working girls
are subjected to more temptations,
hIIt If is not the cOmmittee'S DurDOSe