The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-09-22

fled before the commission that girls
are started in the factory at $3.50
week or $3.50 week if her home is
not in Richmond. 1t costs SAP to in
struct the average girl to become a
good machine operator. This requires
an average of six weeks.
One manager testified that unless a
girl can make herself earn more than
$3.50 a week after she has worked
three weeks or a month, she is not re-
tanned at the factory. If she shows
ability and speed, she is then taken
from straight time" work and placed
on piece work. The average wage of
the piece workers is IS a week, and
the minimum wage of the piece work
err is Sc. Some of the girls earn more
than $40 a week.
The commission members visited
the factory in question and found
working conditions excellent. An in
structor teaches the girls. There is a
rest room where coffee is served at
noon and where the girls may eat
their luncheon. There is no matron
and the rest rooms are not used dur
ing working hours.
The relative efficiency of boys and
girls of the same age starting work at
the factory was looked into. AS few
boys as possible are employed, the
manufacturers replied.
What is to become of our boys If
girls take all the work." asked one of
the commission members.
Boys Incompetent.
THE boys can't work. We don't
want them replied manufacturer.
That's tough on the boys" the
member of the commission said.
1t developed that boys at any age
will not start to work at 81 a day or
$3.50 a week with promise of more
money.
"The trouble with American indus
try one explained, "is that the Amer
lean youth does not want to start in
al the bottom. He wants to wait until
his father retires and then begin
where he left Off"
The manufacturers were questioned
as to the relative efficiency and ener-
gy of country girls and city girls. They
replied that their best women en-
ployes were raised in the city, but that
the country girls remain closer to
work until they become sophisticated
and get used to the lights" At first
they have not the many outside inter
ests to attract them from their work,
was the explanation.
Lee Rodman, acting as chairman of
the commission in the absence of w.
NJ. Mix, asked If it were not true that
the girls produce as much in the first
hours Of the day as they do In the last
two and that in some cases they are
practically doing nothing the last hour
of the day.
The manufacturers denied this and
said that it is doubtful if the girls
could produce any greater amount of
work with more recreation. They
said that some Of their highest paid
and most efficient operators were anx-
ious to work overtime and after hours
could turn out work with equal eff
cheney. They are not given the privi-
lege however it developed.
The condition of girls working in
stores was not gone into deeply. 1t
was learned that the stores are COM
PEELED by law to have stools behind
their counters for the girls to sit on,
but that the floor walkers are instruct
ed to keep the girls standing at all
times when there are customers in the
store.
In the matter of hours, from the
standpoint of the employers it was
said that shorter hours would mean an
increase in the investment on ma
chimes, an increased number of en-
ployes and increased expense unless
the wages were lowered. unless the
girls could be "speeded up" and made
to turn out as much work in shorter
time with the penalty of their jobs.
In the retail business the situation
is entirely different as the public can
be educated to any hours and in pro-
gressive cities the commission mem
bers said, stores have joined the move
ment to close at or $50 o'clock on
week days and at noon on Saturday,
remaining open only one night week.