The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1913-03-27
testimony Shows That Low Wages
Predominatlng Cause Of Vice
AmonQ Girls

Among Girls
Peoria, ILL.,, March 15.-Low wages |
the direct and predominating cause of
white slavery and vice.
Victims of starvation wages say so.
Those who profit through the social
evil admit it is true under oath. They
told the Illinois senate white slave
commission this afternoon they could
not be mistaken. Moreover, several
employers testified, some reluctantly,
one readily. that poor pay closely is
connected with the downfall OF the
young woman.
Inmates and keepers of tenderloin
resorts furnished the committee with
sordid facts that caused Lieutenant
Governor O'Hara and members of the
commission to direct their inquiry al
most savagely at the system of en-
ployment of large stores and factories.
The commission learned that some
Peoria business houses paid SO and 81
wesk togirl helpers. Employers were
asked if they would not feel moral
responsibility if these low paid girls
should go wrong. None denied he
would, but defended his payment of
wages as the best he could give upon
the earnings of his concern.
Found Strucole Too Hard
Two young women who testified they
were good girls trying to make liv-
ing honorably said they found the
struggle too hard. One lived at home
in Peoria before she yielded totempta-
ton and the other said she left her
home in Burlington, Ia, to take en-
ployment here. They gave names
which they admitted were fictitious
and the commission did not ask for
their true names.
Senator Edmond Beall, Of Alton, the
"stork mayor" took keen interest in
the girls stories and frequently inter-
rupted Lieutenant Governor OHara to
ask questions. When one girl has re
cited the story Of how she worked for
So a week, all of which she gave to
her mother to help support a family
which drunken father neglected, SEN
ator Beall asked: do you think you
should have gone astray if you had re-
ceived So a week or more?" Promptly
and earnestly came the reply: 81 know
I should not have.'
The other victim testified that she
spent $24 out of $27 which she earns
as a telephone operator at hotel for
the necessaries of life. Lieutenant
Governor O'Hara asked her to explain
to the commission just how she spent
the remainder of her wages and when
the girl laughed scornfully at his ques-
ton the lieutenant governor looked
abashed and excused her.
Keeper Of Resort Testifies
Georgia Hall, whose ethics caused
her to shun associates with inmates of
a resort which she conducted for %
years, testified that nine out of 10
girls who came to her place blamed
low wages for their choice of an cas-
Ter life. Her testimony was severe
of employers. She swore
that girls told her that when they re-
fused to work for starvatioH wages
some employers asked: Haven't you
4 friend?"
The employers side Of the question
mainly was protest against a mini
mum wage law. They admitted that
many girls who could not depend up
on help from home could not live on
wages paid in Peoria, but protested to
see no way to remedy the situation
w. ]. Roos. manager of a depart
nent store, declared low wages was
factor in vice and held the commiss-
ions close attention while he analyz-
ed the conditions which he said made
It necessary to pay some of his girls
as low as 81 week. Many girls are
not worth 81 week, he said. but his
store, smaller and less profitable than
others, had to pay that much to keep
their employees from going to other
stores which could afford to pay more.
Their families ought to bear the
burden in these cases, the witness de-
clared.
Something should be done to give
a girl living wage said Roos, "but
a minimum wage law would ruin bust
ness"
The commission completed it's hear
ings here today and will go to some
other city, probably on Monday, to
continue the investigation.
Hanged II ! Know, Do You?
Where can a man buy cap for
hio