El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-04-19
Women Seek Equal Laws
Minimum Wage and Abolition of
Child Labor are Among Meas
ures Advocated.
Frederic J. Hnskin

GV ? ASHINGTON, D. c., April IA
! Nv Every state in the country
! has one or more organized
| bodies Of women whose efforts are con-
] centrated upon the passage OF laws
| directed toward the general good of
| the women and children Of the state.
! In addition to these, the women are
/ constantly using their efforts to secure
/ the passage of federal laws for con-
I ditions affecting the whole country
which. If enacted by congress, Will
/ obviate the difficulties in the separate
states and give the women equality
/ in law.
Take Interest In Many Bills.
number Of different organizations
! of women have committees in Wash
/ ington who visit the sessions of con-
Sress regularly and report upon the
I matters likely to receive attention.
/ Among the bills recently presented to
congress in which the women of the
country are actively interested, are
the Page bill which provides for the
cooperation Of the federal government
with the separate states in the estab-
uShment OF vocational training IN the
public schools Of the country, and Ihe
| owen bill providing for the establish
ment of a federal department Of health
The passage of the bill providing for
the establishment OF the chlldrenS
bureau was secured largely through
! the influence of the women in the diff
ferent states who bOmbarded their
oCA4dADLS anu representatives. VIII Ap-
peals and demands for its support.
Urged New Liquor Law.
The interstate liquor bill passed at
the end of the Taft administration over
the presidents veto, received support
from the temperance women Of the
country who were well represented at
different committee meetings held fOr
its consideration, and eXerted their IN
HuenCe upon the members of both The
house and the senate to secure It's
passage While the passage Of Dil
referring only to conditions in the Dis
trlct of Columbia ordinarily has only
a local interest a large number Of
women from all parts Of the country
have been working actively for the
passage of an eight hour law for work
ing women in the District OF COlumD sa
since a similar bill now is before
number of state legislatures and the
example CT the district will be con-
sidered strong moral support
Minimum Wage Desired.
A large proportion of the laws de-
sired by women deal with the cOndi-
lions of working women and children.
The minimum wage law is one that IS
: desired in every state and so far -las
{ been secured only by the women OF
Massac husetts, who have been working
: valiantly for it for years. At the open
ing of the present session of the legis-
lature at Washington, one of the
women members introduced a bill pro-
viding that the minimum wages to he
paid to women in that state should
!
endeaVoring to secure the passage Ct
laws in the different states which will
limit the hours Of labor either per lay
or per week.
1t is usually felt that the weekly limi-
tatiOn allows a greater liberty than
the daily. There are business emer-
gencies in some industries, especially
laundrleS, where II seems necessary 10
keep the women at work more than
eight hours, or in some instances, more
than nine hours day, which can
readily be met by permitting the nmi-
| tatiOn to extend to 81 hours per week,
which is the time limit desired by
most women.
would Abolish Child Labor.
In every state. women are working
| to abolish child labor and to secure
J compulsory education laws, as well as
the better enforcement Of those al
ready in existence. In a number Of
states, the consideration Of pension
for mothers with children has received
the strong support Of the women II
was defeated in New York last year,
but the women Of several Organlza-
/ tinons are working together and in
divfdually to bring it forward again.
1t is hoped that by the avoidance q
the features which were OBJECTED 10
| last year the bill desired can De passed
by the present legislature. The women
argue that for economic reasons. II IS
better to provide a pension Wnlcn VIII
enable a widowed mother to keep her
children with her than to Dreak up
the family by placing the children In
! Institutions.
In many instances, the proper en-
fOrcerhent of the existing child labor
and compulsory education laws de-
mand that the mother receive a weekly
allowance equivalent to the earnings
of a child If taken from school before
the legal age limit In Ohio, California,
Minnesota and Pennsylvania public
commissions for the consideration OF
the provisions Of mothers pension bills
are now under consideration
So
At a great national gathering of
women, man took note Of the fact
that while the meeting included many
women suffragists interested IN pc
litical issues, the subjects brought for
ward as indicative of their immediate
interest were not the tariff, public
lands and interstate commerce. but
matters relating to education, the well
fare of women and Children. the white
slave traffic, and the affairs of the
home, especially pure food and the in
creased cost Of living.
This does not imply that women
interests in legislative matters viii be
narrowed or confined solely to the ad-
vantage of their own sex Inere IS
no effort for improved law IN any
state regarding conservation, forest eA-.
tension or public Improvement of any
kind which has not been endorsed by
the public spirited women. II not &C
tually originated by them
Bill of Health for Marriage
In Colorado, the women succeeded
sometime ago in passing law requir-
ing a health certificate as a quali1ica-
ton for marriage. They are working
for it in Illinois in Ohio, and in New
jersey with some hope of success IN
other states, the agitation has Just ne
gun. Such a law will have many oene-
fits It will have some influence IN
checking the spread of the social evil
It will tend to lower the rate OF in
sanity, as persons having heredity ten
denotes in this direction Will not ne
20, ar-r-T~ an
extend its restrictions to tubercular
and other transmissible diseases
Equal Rights Before Courts.
In nearly all Of the states. excepting
those having equal rights in all things
before the law, the women are seeking
legislation regarding their property.
their own earnings. their equality in
the guardianship of their children.
thalr riahts 10 SIGN cnmmarciaI nan-rs. |