Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-03-20
Loneliness That Might Be Ale
waited Drives Girls to Ruin,
Says Merchant. 4
ASSERTS MINIMUM WAGE
WOULD HARM, NOT HELP
Enforcement of the Present
Child Labor Laws Sufficient,
He Declares. :.
Loneliness. not low wages. drives


women into forbidden paths.
Church and society are the forces
most culpable for this situation.
A minimum wage law. rather
than helping girls entering employ
ment. would harm both them and
their employers.
This law would throw many in
experienced and unskilled girls out
Of work altogether.
Most of the Atlanta working girls
live at home and easily can live on
their wages.
Enforcement OF the present child
labor laws, not more laws. is the
need.-Colonel F. j. Paxon on the
Women and Wage Problem.
Colonel Frederic j. Paxon, emineatk
Atlanta merchant and leader in evesSA
movement for the progress of the city,
gives Georgian readers a courageously
frank interview on the wage problem
as it affects the life of women workers
IA question that is at present agitat-
ing all the larger cities OF the United
States.
firm Of Dawson. Paxon e. Stokes. one
OF Atlanta's largest department stores,
has given the problem close study, and
after careful investigation takes issue
with the statement of Samuel H. Brady,
president of the Atlanta Federation OF
Trades, that low wages drive women
into the forbidden road
Loneliness and unattractive sur
roundings-these are the things that
drive women into vice in Atlanta. be-
lieve, not low wages" declared Colonel
PaNon, after reading Mr.. Brady's state
ment in The Georgian in regard to
working conditions of girls and women
in this city.
Loneliness Leads Her Astray.
1T is, in fact, the terrible loneliness
of the girl away from home. rather
than her inadequate pay or her love OF
fine clothes. that leads her astray. I'm
sophisticated, she comes from the coun-
try, engages a spare little room at
cheap hotel or boarding house. and,
keeping her gaze on the ideals she
brought with her. is able to keep
straight for a while But gradually
less life overwhelms her and she is LED
to take refuge in the companionship of
strange men. Perhaps she is weak and
falls-that is the story"
Upon the shoulders or the chur-I
Colonel PaXon placed much OF the
plane for the notable lack of conEenial
surroundings and places Of harmless
amusement where girls may seek en-
tertainment until they are able to make
friends Of the proper character It was
his opinion that the church could bend
its energies toward no worthier object
than the establishment Of Y. W. c. A
branches. industrial halls and social
centers where girls can meet after
hours and enjoy themselves
Colonel Paxon said that the lowest
wage paid i'm his store was $3.50 4
month. and that this was raised after
the first month to 500. the wage after
that time depending solely upon the
ability and conduct Of the employee
The average wage he estimated al
$3.50 a month
Opposes Minimum WAGE,
The proposed minimu wage laws fof
legislators in practically every state IN
the Union, came in for strong condem-
nation from Colonel Paxon without
and desire to derogate from their
laudable purpose. which is to give ev-
cry working girl and woman in the
country a living wage, he was unable
to describe them as anything else than
highly impracticable and likely to re-
suit IN conditions not only detrimental
to the employer but, as we'll. to the very
persons it was intended to help.
Let me explain" he said a mini
mum wage scale of, say. s12 week,
such as is before the legislators in
Illinois, would absolutely preclude the
employment of the very class of girls
for whom we are working. The stores
and factories could not afford TO pay
this to the unskilled and inefficient. AMI
these persons would be without work.
Another case: A man is the fathe,
Of large family. He simply must
allow one Of his girls to work ae
brings his sixteen year-old daughter
to me. The $3.50 a month she makes