The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-03-22
Illinois Vice Probers Visit
White House.
Urge Executive to Call a Ma
/ tionaI Conference.
MINIMUM WAGE MEASURES
Believed Such Legislation
Relieve Women Workers.
Prominent Society Women Give
Their Aid i'm Probe.

| Washington. March 22--IlIinois vice
| crusaders. the senatorial commission
headed by Lieutenant Governor Bar
raft O'Hara, is in Washington today
seeking to nationalize the scope of their
inquiry To that end the commission
first sought the aid of President Will
son. with whom they conferred at the
White House Lieutenant Governor
O'Hara was accompanied at his con-
ference with the president by the other
members of the commission. Senators
Edmund Beau. F. Jeff Tossey, D. T.
Woodward and Nfels JUL
After outlining to the president the
results of the inquiry in Illinois. which
revealed in many instances that girls
and young working women were paid
less than living wage and that many
of them led double lives. the commits
sioners requested the president to call
2 national conference of state governors
to call systematic and state cam
paign to better working conditions Of
women throughout the nation
Federal cooperation was sought in
the movement already begun in many
states for the appointment of state
commissions, similar to that from
Illinois. to conduct inquiries into the
wage situation and into organized vice
conditions in the various states At
the White House conference the ques-
ton of federal inquiry through the de-
partment of justice into the white slave
traffic also was discussed
Minimum Wage Law
One of the means proposed as basic
relief for women was the enactment
Of a federal minimum wage law.
Later today the Illinois commission
conducted a hearing to which were
invited several hundred prominent
welfare workers. clergymen. officials
and many prominent women in Wash
inton social and club life.
Lieutenant Governor O'E1ara sought
to learn the opinions of women who
move in high social circles concern
in gthe influence upon working girls
of the extravaganza OF women of
wealth
Among prominent women who ac-
cepted invitations to the conference
were Mrs. Edison Bradley; Mrs Hen
en- Jennings. wife of a South African
diamond millionaire; Mrs Christian
Hemmick; Madame Havenith. wife of
the Belgian minister; Sonora Pinano,
wife of the Spanish minister; Mrs |
Huntington Wilson. and Mrs. W. Muir |
~ Crane
Arden Foster international com
missioner of the British federation for |
emancipation of sweated women and |
girls, had conference with Mr. |
O'Hara during the morning and ac-
cOmpanied the Illinois commission to |
the White House The Illinois in /
vestgators. in an executive session to-
day, determined not to go TO New
York at this time. but to return to |
Springfield from Washington and |
visit New York later
Urges appropriations
After Lieutenant Governor O'Hara /
had urged President Wilson to call a /
conference of governors and representa-
tives of various state vice commissions /
Senator JUL urged an appropriation /
by congress for homes for girls in six /
or seven great industrial centers where /
women, travelling from state to state |
could be cared for while seeking en-
pIoyment
THE government takes excellent care
of every pound of tobacco that is I
shipped from Kentucky said Senator
JUL. and it keeps a careful watch /
over every pound of butterine- Surely /
1t can devote more money and attention
to the American girl who is forced to
travel in search of employment
Senators JUL and PeaH outlined to
the president briefly some of the revela-
lions of the Illinois commission inves-
LEGATION in that state.
If we were but to begin to outline /
all the conditions we found" said Sem
ator JUL. they would, Mr.. President, /
be almost unbelievable Much of the
testimony We secured is absolutely I'M
printable The conditions are such as
to demand national investigation and
the states need the government back
of this movement to remedy them
The lieutenant governor urged par
ticularly that the national conference
be called either this summer Jr in the /
fall, at which remedial legislation could
be discussed and planned He stated
that the governors Of 3 states already
had agreed to join in the movement
President Wilson thanked the commits /
sion for their presentation of the sub
ject-
Il do not believe can grasp the full
gravity of the situation from this brief
mn lima he
you will leave me your recommends
ton and record of your investigation
1 can assure you viii give the matter
serious attention.