Evening journal., 1913-02-28
SAYS TEN HOUR
LAW ADVOCATES
SOUGHT ADVICE

OUUUHl HUVIUE
Charles Warner member of III
'en-Hour Commission, and one OF IN
ity's most prominent business men
as written the following lettcr TO tn
ditor OF THE EVENING JOURNAL
n reply to the statements that tn
commission had failed to co-opcrat
IT hold conferences with the busiues
nen OF this community. Mr. Warne
Ienies these statements. his letter be
ng as follows
February 2s. 1913.
Editor EVENING JOURNAL,
Wilmington. Delaware
Dear Sir
Several articles IN the daily
papers Of the last few days have
criticised the Ten Hour Law
Committee of the Consumers Lea
que for lack OF cooperation and
withholding conference from the
practical business men of this
community. looking toward
common ground upon which both
The Consumers League and the
Chamber OF Commerce might
center their efforts.
As a member OF both the Ad-
visory Committee of the Consum-
ers League and the Chamber Of
Commerce, / have been quite fully
posted on the various steps to this
end which have been taken for
some time past. and believe that
the public schould know that
active work has been under way
on these lines.
The Consumers League in the
first place. before drafting It's bill
for the Legislature, held con-
ference between IT'S Executive
Committee and It's Advisory Com
mittee, the latter being composed
OF twenty-eight business and pro-
fessional men OF this city.
The League, therefore. endeav-
ored 20 secure at that early stage
Of It's present campaign the
practical assistance of business
and professional men familiar
with the problems affected.
While the bill was Ia course of
being drafted. a conference was
also held between the Ten Hour
Law Committee and a Committee
appointed by the Manufacturer
Association which was fully rep
resentative of the important man
ufacturing interests In this city
that employed female labor
That meeting was held I'm Decem-
ber last.
During the past two weeks, I
have. IN a measure. represented
the Ten Hour Law Committee in
conference with the Directors and
Officers of the Chamber of Com
merce, on three different occa-
sions. 10 see II Il was not possible
to arrive al some common ground
that would not seriously affect
the fundamental principles of the
bill at present before the Legis-
lature.
Material advancement has been
secured by clearing up certain
neutrality-suspicious. Of the present
bill and tentative agreement upon
some amendments OF minor ef.
feet yet considered important tc
meet the special conditions OF
some Of our merchants and
manufacturers.
There are. however. two or
three vital points upon which the
Ten Hour Law Committee and the
Chamber of Commerce are at
variance. and in consideration of
the health need of the citizens OF
this State. as viewed by the Con-
sumers' League. the request of
the Chamber of Commerce on
these specific points cannot be
ceded.
The Ten Hour Law Committee.
however, is still proceeding 20
present reasonable arguments
supporting its views, and a num-
ber OF the manufacturers and
merchants I'm this city are begin
ming TO appreciate that they can
satisfactorily, by slight changes
in their working conditions sub
stantially conform 10 the work
ing principles established by the
present bill, with its minor
amendments.
In its further effort to confer
with the business men affected,
the Ten Hour Law Committee has
within the past few days had three
conferences with Mr. Gutenberg
Of the Reynolds Candy Company,
who has advertised the most Sc
rious defect Of the present bill on
his own business;. namely, linn
iting the ten hour period to time
before 10 p. m. Mr. Griffenberg
has asked for allowance until IL
p. m, and in the light Of all the
facts, the Ten Hour Law Commit
tee is disposed to concede this
point in the bill. so as not 10 seri-
ously handicap nor affect the
earnings Of business men needing
evening opening until II D. m
You will see from this outline
that the Consumers League and
it's committees have worked per-
sistently for some months to Sc
cure the views Of and cooperation
with the business men In this city
and the effect is shown in the fact
that the present bill at Dover is
as liberal in behalf of the busi-
ness interests in most of its fea-
lures as the most liberal laws
passed in any OF the thirty-one
efafoc of fhfc uniou