The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1913-02-28

i olldll not COlIIdCI lOl leSS Jlldll d HeC
essary minimum wage is to go no fur
ther than to say that she shall not
contract to work for more than a max
imum of eight or ten hours, or under
certain other unwholesome conditions
which may effect her as the potential
mother of future citizens.
(e) The LEGAL reason and NE.
/ CESSITY for a maximum HOUR law
and for a minimum wage law is the
ture is the same in each case. The
supreme court of the state, and the
supreme court of the United States
having upheld the maximum hour law,
| it logically follows that both courts
would uphold the minimum wage law,
| if the amount is legally fixed by the
Legislature.
This being true, the only serious
question for the legislature to deter
mine is WHAT IS THE NECESSARY
! AMOUNT OF THE MINIMUM WAGE
ON WHICH WOMEN AND GIRLS
CAN MAINTAIN THEMSELVES IN
NORMAL HEALTH AND VITALITY
so that their usefulness as potential
mothers of future citizens shall not
be impaired. The rate fixed in the
CroaF bill is not too high, and is
based upon the MINIMUM NECES-
SITY rather than on what is reason
able.
SECOND.-We favor the Croake
bill because it is simple, plain and di-
rect in its provisions, and does not
create any new and expensive commits
sions or boards to attempt to MAKE
law which it cannot enforce. The bill
says what it means and means what
it says.
THIRD.-Because it provides a
fixed necessary rate which is abso-
lutely necessary for the workers eX-
istence and necessary to the best well
fare of the state. This minimum rate
should be fixed for ALL women and
|
girls alike, because it costs them sub
stantially the same for the necessities
of life, no matter in what industry or
in what part of the state they work.
FOURTH.-Under our present laws
the commissioner oil labor, his assist
ants and deputies constitute BUR
EAU OF LABOR. This bureau al
ready has sufficient power, if properly
and judiciously exercised to make all
investigations necessary, and they al
ready have the power, AND 1T is
THEIR DUTY, ''to enforce ALL laws
regulating the employment of chill
dren, minors and women" etc. (See
sections 2, 8, and 8 of the Labor
Laws as published in the Sth biennial
report of the Bureau of Labor Stats
ties for 1911-1912O
WE DO NOT NEED ANY MORE
COMMISSIONS TO PER F o r NJ
THESE DUTIES.
THEREFORE, WE, the undersigned
women's clubs and organizations of
Tacoma, having considered both bills,
do most earnestly request you to give
your support to the passage of Sub
stitute House Bill No. l, by Mrs.
Croake.
Washington Women's Legislative
Committee (Tacoma Branch,) Mrs.
A. E. Danforth, Pres.
National Council of Women Voters
(Tacoma Branch,) Mrs. Thomas II.
Phillips, President.
Pierce County w. C. It. u, Mrs. Ethel
V. Sprague, President.
Missouri Women's Club, Mrs. Cora
M. Halfpenny, President
Womens Sunshine league, Mrs. Clara
f. Jurish, President
George JUNIOR Republic Association
Mrs. H. \. Conner, President.
Monday Civic Club, Mrs. Horace Il
Scott, President.
Tacoma Social Service Board, w. w
Parker, President.
The above circular was in evidence
around the state house at Olympia
this week and we print it in full. In
many ways it is the most malicious
document that has come under oul
observation for some time. Its au
Ithors are woefully ignorant of the Ia
lbor movement or else are willfullI
irving to misrepresent it, We would
like to think that the former is true
and vet it hardly seems possible tha'
in this day and age there are supposed
" enlightened and cultured people Sc
lacking in comprehension of industrla
problems. The whole circular reads
as IL it were written by the publicity
man for the National Manufactures
Associations rather than the expires
sion of the flower of Tacoma's cultured
: and refined class Blethen's speckle'
editorials at their worst never reached
the height of ignorance nor malicious
ness displaved in the foregoing circu
lar.
The most casual study of labor legs
: lat,on enacted in this or any othe
state would prove to any person VIII
a brain as big as a peanut that suel
LEGISLATION benefited five unorganize'
persons to one organized. The meres