Evening journal., 1913-02-21

Speidl TO The EN ENlNG JOORNAb.
OVER. Del. Feb. 21.--A large
delegation of many women connected
VIII the Consumers League of Della
wre along with some men. who
cme from all parts of the State. was
rven a hearing before the Legisla-
ire yesterday afternoon in advocacy
the bill to regulate the hours Of
mployment for women to ten hours
day and ffty-ive hours. week. The
in was introduced by Representa-
I've Mooney. Some Wilmington mer-
hants. and manufacturers who de-
ire some amendments made to the
neasure also we're present. Colonel
seorge W. Sparks, as spokesman for
be board of directors OF the Cham
ier of Commerce of Delaware, out
ined the amendments.
When the joint session began Rep
resentative Mooney moved that Pres
ldent pro TEN Marshall preside. Sen
Rtor Reinhardt desired a limit of ten
minutes each put on the speakers.
Representative Mooney protested that
p hearing was given a few days ago
for two hours without any time limit.
II finally was decided that the hear
ing should be limited to an hour. The
members of the Legislature have be-
come restless because of the many
long hearings on bills lately. Colo
mel Sparks said he desired about ten
minutes to speak. Miss Margaret II.
Shearman announced that the Con-
sumers' League delegation was head
ed by Charles r. Curley and Caleb
=. Burchenal. lawyers and graduates
of Harvard. who had prepared the
Nlanr hon al
would be the first speaker and also
call on the different speakers for the
ebill
Refers to Nationwide Employment
Bill.
Mr.. Burchenal said that Senator
La Toilette had introduced a nation
wide women's employment bill at
Washington, and that another bill in
the United States Senate now pro-
vides for an eight hour day for
women. The Federal government
prescribes an eight-hour day fol
workmen; why shouldn't we pass a
bill limiting the hours of employment
for women to ten hours" asked Mr..
Burchenal. ''Ten hours is Ions
enough for q man and certainly is
long enough for women. A woman
gets up, she has TO get breakfast
ready, help in the household duties,
and when she comes home at night
she must do likewise. Ten hours
work in a factory means ten hours
work outside the home. This bill is
a health measure. lt is the days
work that affects the girls health
and It is the days limit that Is inn
portant in this bill"
The bill provides that when wo-
man works between 10 o'clock at
night and Z in the morning she shall
work but eight hours a day, said Mr..
Burchenal.
The bill exempts canneries, as
other States do. We felt that If we
included canneries we would be ex-
perimenting," said the speaker.
The bill prohibits a girl working
eight hours in one establishing and
our hours in another establishment
y any one day. It also provides fol
A three-quarter hour lunch and res
hur. "To my mind that is small
eiDugh indeed" said Mr.. Burchenal
II spoke of the suggested amendment
tht the lunch period be cut down e
half hour, which he contende,
Bjuld be harmful 10 health. He alsI
p,lnted out other provisions of tn
bin. empowering the Chancellor Il
appoint a factory inspector, and tn
clause providing penalties.
1T isn't a pleasant task to take
stand for a measure like this sail
Mr. Burchenal. 1T makes one take
stand against many Of his friends
we have no intention of meddling
But as a citizen ofNthe State of Della
ware interested in her health and wei
fare, we are advocating this measure
not as meddlers, but for the best goo
of the State.
why do people oppose thi
measure? II means that there ar
establishments working women NOR
than ten hours a day. A girls work
ing day ends where fatigue begins
where her health begins to break. Yo
pass laws for the education and pro
lection of the people Of the State an
we submit you must pass bills TO pro
tect the health of the woman of tn
< State You must protect the healt
of the future mothers Of the State, O
the mothers of future voters OF Della
ware. AS statesmen II is our duty I
protect the future Of our State"
Doctor Wants Women Protected.
Mr.. Burchenal introduced Or. E. +
Steele of Dover, a member of tn
State Board of Health. who spok
briefly in behalf of the bill. Nv
must protect the women If we are [
have healthy future generations, b
said. "If Delaware passes this la'
we will be taking our place with a
awakened civilization" DR.. Steel
spoke OF the effect of long bours an
fatigue upon the health of women.
How many women have com
under your observation suffering a
result of long hours or abuse
manufacturing establishments, aske
Senator Reinhardt of DR.. Steele.
The physician said he did not hay
statistics at hand, but he had WV
recolleetions of several cases, /
said, where women we're sufferin
from fatigue and long hours that hs
made them prey to other ailments.
Mrs. Charles Warner, Jr., res
many letters from physicians endor
ing the bill providing for a ten-hoi
working day for women, and speal
ing of the harmful effect of lor
hours of employment upon cir
and women.
The letters she read we're from D
j. Paul Lukens. DR.. Albert Robin, d
S. c. Rumford. Or. II. j. Stubbs al
DR. j. w. Mullin.
Mrs. Laura Driscoll. laundi
worker OF Wilmington. who said 81
worked in Wilmington laundries f
four years. was called to the platfor
4 tNl