The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-03-09

I[DYvAGES CAUSE
OF MANY FAILURES
Girls Unable to Support Them
selves on Department
Store Wages.
SUGGESTIONS FOR REFORMS
Witness Names IS Week as
Minimum for Decent
Living.
SUGGESTIONS FOR REFORMS
Especial to The Titnes-Dispatch.l


Chicago, March S.-Edward Hillman,
1 general manager OF tho department
store that bears his name. declared be-
fore the Illinois Senate commission on
white slavery to-day that low wages
is one of the chief contributory causes
TO the fall OF women, and he named
z IS weekly as the minimum upon which
n girl might support herself without
undue strain.
Edwin f. Mandel president OF Man
del Brothers. who was examined on
FRIDAY, went on record in letter to
the commission that his firm had fixed
Sc rs n minimum wage for beginners,
Z instead of SO. and that In future 1t
would make careful examination OF
+ the affiliations OF each girl who ap-
piled Tor position, as to be sure
that she lives at home.
James Simpson. vice-president of
Marshall Field G. Co, sent an invita-
books of the corporation. so rs to sec
The profit of the firm last year or any
other year. He maintained in his let
ter, as he did upon the stand on Fri
not e public matter. The commission
, will toko UP this question Monday
morning.
One white slave was examined by
the commission to-day. She told how
she had been brought here by man
II
day, and when she failed to do so. he
beat her until at last she left him,
and he was sent to the Bridwell.
In executive session the commission
took up the death of Edna Ruth Fried
erickson, sixteen years old. who died
to-day as the result OF criminal op-
eration
The girl had been employed in a
candy factory as clipper" She was
paid So week, and had to contribute
& something toward the support of her
mother. A girl friend took her to a
( dance hall. and now the coroner is
seeking TO fix the blame for her IN
timely death.
1 Edwin Hillman met the commission
half way on every proposition. He
{ declared the suggestion that an In
vestigator should be employed to hunt
UP the girls who applied for positions
& and see that they were properly cared
4 for at home and able to live upon
4 their salaries capital idea" and one
! that he would he delighted TO adopt.
At the outset he was asked the vital
8 question: What do you consider, If
I my, is the competition between low
wages paid to women workers and
morality among women2" to which he
replied: We'll. in some cases 1t might
! have a connection, and I'm some cases
/; II might not"
In course OF his testimony, Mr. Hill
=. man asserted a girl could support her
] self in Chicago on between SIS and SO
: ~ week. He said he could live on $40
S and live well on s12.
do you believe some women would
go wrong before they would starve?'
AIR. 1Iillman was asked
II do" he answered firmly
What are the wages OF the lowest
paid girls In Hillmnn's?"
We'll We have among the low
J priced help forty-six Who get So a
week: twenty who get s., twenty
, three who get $3.50 and six who get
s3"
In reply to question as to why sc
: many girls go wrong from department
{ stores. Mr. IIillman said
We'll. there are all sorts of rea-
SONS. Washers probably would head
the list"
Mr.. Hil1man declared that he would
not feel personally responsible If one
OF his girl employees went wrong as
j "a result OF low wages. IIe said mos,
of tho girls were brought in by the
parents.
The extraordinary interest that has
been aroused in the tnvestig CATION was
made manifest when The morning mai
OF Observation-Disclosures O'HaIra was
delivered. More than two bushels OF
1etters from girls and the parents OF
girls were dunHcu on, the desk of the
comIntttee chairman Tt will take q
week at least TO go through the cor
Fespondence. A number of margarine
writers were on hand