Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-03-08
Illinois Legislative Investi.
cation Into Cause Of I'M
morality Brings Out En-
ployers as Witnesses.
GIRL HOLDS WAGE
EXCUSE FOR CRIME
Witness Said She Would
Not Blame Woman Sub
jected to Small Pay; Mail
Order Man Testifies.

Chicago. March There was y
tense. dramatic moment at the end OF
the forenoon session today OF the SEN
ate vice commission.
Julius Rosenwald, president az
Sears, Roebuck & Co, multi. ..lion-
aire, philanthropist and employer OF
over 1000 women. himself at one time
head of a vice investigation commits
sion, had been on the witness stand for
hours. testifying to the wage scale sc
his company, and explaining that in
his judgment wages and immortality of
women had little to do with each
other
The small room where the sessions
are being held was packed With well
dressed crowd, many of them women.
Then young woman, clad in black
and answering to the name OF
Emily" took her seat in front Of the
1nquisitors and by the side OF Rosen-
Wald.
She had been employed by Sears.
Roebuck but left there to take a better
position. Her only criticism OF the
Arm was that the forewomall ..scdided,ss
ana made some OF the luckless culprita
er guilty :; of some infEaesion et tts rules
not occur every day. however.
Suddenly attention became acute III
Lieut.. Gov. Barrett O'Hara. Al young
man, leaned over, and, with bushes,
asked the witness a question which
he found difficulty In wording.
We have a great deal Of philosophy
here today from men; now let's And
OUT what yours is. If girl was get
t,ng $S week (the minimum paid BY
sears, Roebuck & Co., to girls living
alone) and had to support widowed
mother would yon blame that girl II
she-l1 she-she committed crime?''
me witness looked puzzled for
moment and then. comprehending,
looked up frankly and replied: mo,
wouldn't"
!, Would you blame her il she killed
herself? -a
reply. ~, ','','s's 81
And would you blame her il she
committed greater crime?,
The young lieutenant governors
meaning was in his embarrassed tones
and his bushes and by now the girl
was the more composed of the two.
She paused just moment and then ne.
peated, distinctly: "No, wouldn't"
The room had been painfully quiet
but at this there was round OF Al.
plause led by the women spectators
and the first general spontaneous out.
burst OF the session. Emily" was
then dismissed. 4
Business Men Appear.
Leading merchants Of Chicago werw
called before the state senate's yica
investigation commission today IN an
endeavor to ascertain the relations of
low wages paid to women to the vices
OF the underworld.
IL Is asserted by Lieut.. Gov. Barratt
OHara that in Chicago alone 10000
women are employed at a wage Of =
a week or less.
julius Rosenwald, president of
Sears Roebuck G. Co., referred ~
peatedly to notes, testified that that
company employees 1882 women ana
girls whose average wage is $9.I2 4
week. The lowest salary Of IS is given
to girls Of 1s years OF age, the witness
stated. After three months they are
advanced to $3.50.
The company hires only girls who
live at home. The concern EMPLOYS
1,465 girls and women who receive
less than So a week 7s
Rosenwald, broad shouldercd.
quietly clad man, peered intently
through heavy lenses at his interro-
gators. the youthful lieutenant COVER.
nor evinced the greatest interest.
From time to time he remarked:
Perhaps Mr.. Miller can tell and
turned to peer into the audience.
Presently Charles P. Miller was
dragged from obscurity, sworn and
given a seat beside Rosenwald. Miller
Is superintendent Of employment at
Sears, Roebuck & Co.
Rosenwald testified that at ono
time he was chairman Of the Chicago
vice commission. which conducted an
investigation of vice conditions In this
city. A portion of this report was sup
pressed by the commission.
Firm Made Inquiry.
did not your company within the
last few years conduct private IN
yestigation to ascertain the minimum
wage necessary for girl to support
herself without assistance?" asked
O'Hara
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