The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-03-08
WOMEN TESTIFY
JUST REVERSE
One Employer of Over One
Thousand Girls Says the
Amount of Money Re
ceived By Girls Does Not
Influence Them in Going
Wrong-Legislature May
Make Minimum Wage S12
Weekly.
BY ASSOCIATED PRESS.


Chicago, March 7.-"Employers think
immortality among women: the women
Of the town say it has everything to
do with it," This was the way State
Senator Nels Juul, member Of the state
senate vice commission, investigating
vice in Chicago, tonight summed up
the first days testimony. A bill is
now pending in the state legislature to
make the minimum wage scale for
women twelve dollars weekly. Julius
Rosenwald, a Chicago philanthropist,
end a member of Sears, Roebuck &
Company, was one of the witnesses
Rosenwald said the average wages for
girls employed by his firm is nine dol
lars and Twelve cents a week. and
that he employed only girls living at
home.
LEADING MERCHANTS CALLED.
Leading merchants Of Chicago were
called before the committee in an en-
deavor to ascertain what connection
there is between low wages paid to
women and underworld vice.
1t was asserted by Lieutenant Gov.
a-anr z6lsIIara that IN Chicago alone
80, ,0e0 women are employed at a wage
OF SIS week or less. and that many
OF Inem IOT LndL reason enter evil
paths that lead to more money.
Julius Rosenwald. president of Sears,
Roebuck & Co.. testified that his COM
pany employs 4,7S2 women and girls
whose average wage is 1912 a week.
The lowest salary Of So is given to
girls 16 years of age. 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
SIS week.
Rosenwald, a broad shouldered man,
peered intently through heavy lenses
al his interrogation, the youthful lieu
tenant governor, evincing the greatest
interest. From time to time he re-
marked: Perhaps Mr.. Miller can tell"
and turned to peer into the audience.
Presently G. H. Miller, superintendent
of employment at Sears. Roebuck &
Co., was sworn and took a seat beside
MIR. Rosenwald.
Rosenwald testified that he was at
one time chairman of the Chicago vice
commission which conducted an inves-
tigation Of vice conditions in this city.
A portion of this report was suppressed
by the committee.
did not your company within the
last few years conduct a private in
vestigation to ascertain the minimum
wage necessary for a girl to support
herself without assistance?" asked Mr..
o'Hara.
"I don't recall"
Mr.. Miller said that such an investi- |
cation had been made by a committee
of department heads.
The committee reported the mini |
mum requirements of girls "adrift" |
(not living a home) was So.
7 m u0n Said Mr. |
O'Hara, "as a man of wide philan-
thropy, IL you think that low wages
induce immortality in women?"
NO CONNECTION THERE.
'T will answer that as 1 have an
swered before-there is practically no |
between them," replied |
II believe that prostitu- |
ton is as likely to come to a woman |
who earns over SO as to one who |
earns less. It depends on the woman.
A girl earning a small wage might use
that as a subterfuge to account for
her derelictions."
DO you consider IS enough for any
woman to live upon?'' +
Yes, If she lives at home"
''And ss is enough for one who sup
ports herself?"
THAT is what our investigation j
showed"
How much did your corporation
earn in 1912
approximately s7.000.000."
Gould you raise wages and still pay
your stockholders a legitimate proft?"
S12,coo, 900 SURPLUS.
The witness said the stock of the
pays per cent on both
common and preferred. There was a
surplus of s12,000,000 at the end OF
1912 He said he could have given
s2, ,o00, 900 out of profits and still pay
some dividends
State Senator Niels JUL asked the
witness if he thought stockholders
we're fair judges of what compensation
The girls should receive, and If he
Continued on Page Four)