Norwich bulletin., 1913-04-16

Hartford, Conn, April 15-The la bor committee again sat to hear argu- ments for and against further limit : ation of hours for women and children in manufacturing and mercantile es tablishments, in the house chamber, this afternoon nearly every seat be- ing filled and the speakers all being well received.
 The first bill called provides for a more adequate staff of inspectors to enforce the labor laws and to con duct inspections under the present factory inspection office besides strengthening the hands of the state officials. To this bill there was no opposition and it's provisions were urg- ed in the statements made that the in- spection force is not able to do the work which has devoIved on the fac tory inspector by reason of additional legislation to ameliorate the condi- tion of women and children. Ralph O. Wells, who represents associations of business men, said that merchants and manufacturers stand for an ade- quate force of inspectors.
 54 Hour Week For Women and
 Minors.
 The labor bills were taken up. James P Woodruff spoke for one of the commission bills when in effect would prevent a woman or minor from working after D. m. in a mercantile establishment, from working for two establishments in any one week and
 
 nine hour day
 MT. Wells opposed the bill, saying that the manufacturers oppose any bill which establishes less than a 55 hour week on the general ground that it means the elimination of wo- men from industry. He opposed limit ing the keeping open of mercantile establishments after D. n-
 If as MT. Woodruff had said that store women are subjected to the greatest dangers in walking home from the stores after g p. m. he fail ed to see why they were in any great CT danger than those women who ga out calling, to party or the theatre and return home after p. m. If the bill 1 had a clause in it prohibiting all women from being on the street at g D. nn-, conditions would be capitalized l MT. Wells then cited the objections of | fered to the limitations of 54 hours in l nine hours a day, for the reason that merchants have to adjust their em- ployeS' hours to meet store conditions.
 A Disputed Point.
 MT Barnes, who favored the 54 hour bill said he was not surprised that I merchants and manufacturers put up arguments against the bill but he was surprised that they were trying to | ~'kid'' the committee by putting up such "bunk" as this. He claimed that 1 the operation of the 54 hour law else 1 where did not put women out, nor did it decrease the output. To this 1 laICef statement QeCIO6Q ODJ6Cl1OH was ! made by MT. Wells, who said letters | in the committees hands from man | ufacturers told of decreased output in 1 proportion to the decreased hours.
 MT. Barnes said that the bill was aimed to meet conditions which exist, 1 and which were shown of need of remedy at the hearings two years ago, | in the workroom of mercantile estab- 1 lshments. Would Lose Saturday Half Holiday. l
 Charles Cheney, treasurer of Cheney Brothers, at Manchester declared for the 55 hour bill. He did not believe 8 nine hour day is economy It would mean the loss to workmen of their l Saturday half holiday if the law was passed making the day nine hours
 No Decrease of Product.
 Miss Wells. who represents the league bill for 54 hours a week for l women and children. She claimed | that the product of a 54 hour week | would be no different from that of a | 5S hour week. Miss Wells, who has | investigated the subject. read from a | statement which she also filed with | the committee. She was asked many 1 questions. including one by former 1 Comptroller Bradstreet to the effect | if she were aware that manufa acturers | would only get 4S hours in 54 hour week actual labor from female ern- i pIoyes. Miss Wells could not under
 
 that every female employe requires | half an hour mornings and half an hour afternoons for lavatory pur- poses To this Miss Wells replied that under 54 hour law the women would have relaxation they do not get in the 1 5S hour week.
 New England No Longer on Map. MT. Bradstreet then declared: Don't | forget another thing. New England is no longer on the map. We have been forgotten; don't hamper us any more" When he was interrupted as not hay ing the floor. MT. Bradstreet sat down with a reference to federal con- ditions. Miss Wells was against the children as this would mean the e1im- fnation of women from industry.
 Fred Holdsworth of Norwich.
 W. R. Webster of Bridgeport ask ed the committee not to jeopardize the pie by bringing in a straight nine hour day bill. Fred Holdsworth of Nor Wich, representing textile workers replied to arguments made at the pre- yious hearing. To General Keeney 1 who had declared that such IegisIa- i ton as this was "damable" MT. Holds l worth said his statement was an in- teresting relic of bygone age and concluded by asking "1s Connecticut to be used as a private preserve for General Keeney?"
 MT. Holdsworth also claimed that the petition against the bill which Mrs Dyson had presented bearing s. 900 names, was secured by mis- to which statement Mrs Dyson objected.