The Washington herald., 1914-02-13
Il
WOMEN'S S-HOUR
BILL ALAW SOON
La Toilette Measure Unani-
] mously Passed by House.
Up to the President.
EMPLOYERS HELD LIABLE
Rigid Restrictions and Penalties for
Violation Strengthen Proposed
Act.
EMPLOYERS HELD LIABLE
b, IosEPH p. AMIN.

Without a dissenting vote. the House
yesterday passed the La Toilette bill lin
iting the hours of employment for fe-
males In the District of Columbia to
eight hours in virtually all except do
mestic employment. and prohibiting the
employment of girls under eighteen
years OF age between 6 o'clock in the
evening and Z o'clock in the morning in
any consecutive twenty-four hours.
The measure passed the Senate early
this session. It goes to the President
for his signature today and becomes
defective Immediately upon its approval
by the Executive.
One OF the most sweeping measures OF
its kind, the bill provides complete ma
chinery for its enforcement. and assesses
heavy penalties for violations. 1t spe-
cifically applies its provisions to man.
ufacturing, mechanical and mercantile
establishments. laundries. hotels. restau-
rants, telephone and telegraph establish
ments and Offices, and express and trans
portation companies.
Employers of female labor are re-
Quired to keep posted on forms to be
furnished by the Commissioners. COM
plete data concerning the age, hours
of employment and time permitted
for meals and rest of every femals
erploye in each room in the establish
ment The employer further is re-
quired to keep this and other data in
book of record. All of these records
are made available for inspection by
officers to he appointed for the purpose,
and who are required to make a daily
report TO the Commissioners.
Forty-eisht Hours a Week.
The bill prohibits the employment
of females in the District for more
than six davs or forty-eight hours a
week. or for more than six consecu-
tive hours. except when the end of the
days work comes before 1:3o o'clock
in, the afternoon.
Vhe bill was vigorously opposed be-
fore both Senate and House District
Committees by representatives of the
Retail Merchants Association of the
District. and by individual employers
of female labor. The measure. in full,
follows:
BE il enacted. &c. That no female
shall be employed in any manufacturing.
mechanical, or mercantile establishment.
laundry, hotel. or restaurant, or tele-
graph or telephone establishment or Office,
or by any express or transportation COM
pany in the District of Columbia more
than eight hours in any one day or more
than six days or more than forty-eight
hours in any one week.
Section .. That no female under
eighteen years OF age shall be employed
or permitted to work in or in connection
with any of the establishments or occu-
paItions named in section l of this act
before the hour of o'clock in the morn
ing or after the n of O'Clock in the
evening OF any one day.
Section 3. That no female shall be en-
ployed or permitted to-work for more
than six hours continuously at one time
in any establishment or occupation
named in section of this act in which
three or more such females are en-
ployed without an interval of at least
three-duarters of an hour, except that
such female may be so employed for
more than six and one-half hours con-
tinuously at one time IL such employment
ends not later than 1:3O O'Clock in the
afternoon. and IL she is then dismissed
for the remainder Of the day.
Must Post Data.
section 4. That every employer shall
post and keep posted in a conspicuous
place in every room in any establishment
or occupation named in section l of this
act in which any females are employed
printed notice stating the number of
hours such females are required or per-
mitted to work on each day of the week.
the hours of beginning and stopping sucn