The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1914-03-28

They are extraordinarily anxious to
find a way out Of the Mexican trou-
BILE without Intervention, and it is con-
ceivable that out OF the director gen.
erals Office in the Pan-American build
ing has come the hint OF method OF
relief and release
Legislation for Women
There has Just gone into effect in
the District of Columbia an eight-hour
law for working women. No woman
in this district, hereafter, unless en-
gagged in domestic service, is to be
allowed to work longer than eight
hours a day, and she must rest for
one full day each week
Within a few months congress will
add to this legislation a minimum
wage law which will be effective In
the District of Columbia and which
shall apply to women workers. Today
nearly all the senators and representa-
tives are trying to curry favor with
woman-kind in order to Offset the pos
sible political results of majority or
the members antagonism to woman
suffrage When the eight-hour law
for women was first introduced into
congress Senator La Toilette who was
its chief sponsor found little sympathy
with his efforts. A change came re-
Gently in the attitude OF those who
stood in opposition. The adoption OF
| the Constitutional amendment provid-
ing for the election of senators by
direct vote of the people II is said had
much to do with the change. Women
can vote in a good many states OF the
| Union.
In the District OF Columbia there Is
what is known as the Consumers
league. On the advisory board are
such we'll known men and women as
William C. Redfield, secretary OF COM
merce: Judge Julian w. Mack, Miss
Julia C. Lathrop and Mrs. Ellen Spen-
Ger Mussey On its executive commit
tee are Miss Constance d. Leupp and
Mrs. Harvey w. Wiley. 1t was due to
the efforts of the league that the bill
limiting women's work to eight hours.
six DAYS in a week. was passed. The
league will now undertake to secure
the passage Of a minimum wage law
and probably It will succeed In its ef-
forts.
Talked Of Cutting Wages.
The eight-hour law has been In op-
Grafton only a few days. Some Of the
employers OF the district took to the
new order of things gracefully, ad-
justed their establishments to meet its
requirements and said never a word
about cutting wages. Other employ
ers growled, talked about the invasion
OF the field of private rights and talked
openly about cutting wages.
Are wages being cut in the District
be compelled to toll ten or twelve
hours each day as was the case In
many instances in the past? Not a bit
Of it. As soon as the members Of the
Consumers league heard from women
employees that they were In danger of
losing enough Of their wages to make
proper living hard II not impossible.
the members of the league became &C,
tive. Word Of active intention also
came from some Of the leading mem
bers OF congress. and the message was
that II wages we're not maintained at
a proper level a minimum wage Law
would be passed at once. and there
was a sort Of grim suggestion that
the minimum might not be too much
of a minimum"
Lawmakers Are Weary.
Congress is tired. It has been al
Its work with very few intervals fol
rest for a good deal over q year
There are in the present congress
men who have served through many
congresses. and so It Is that all
of the old members have been
hard at 1t in legislative way with
lew breaks. ever since the beginning
Of the Taft administration. From that
time to this there has been an extrs
session OF congress every short ses
sion year.
There is q noticeable listlessness In
both houses on all subjects, excep,
Of course Mexico, which keeps mer
keyed up to a high pitch while 1t II
under discussion. Antitrust legisla
ton has failed to arouse much inter
est 1t is evideS. that some member
OF the dominant party think II Is moi
drastic enough and others think thai
II is too drastic. They know nothing
definitely except that 1t will not b.
possible to tell what the bills will d.
to business until they have been triet
; out in the form OF law
. Here and there in unexpected place,
In the senate the Democrats are find
ing opposition to this feature and tina
, feature of the ADMINISTRATORS anti
trust measures. The party leaders II
, the senate are slowly and unwillingl!
, coming to the belief that II the nv,
brother" bills are to be put through
, in the form In which Mr.. Wilson
wishes. It will be necessary to pas
) hem under the dictation of a caucus
. The bills have been separated ant
! have been given for consideration int,
= the care OF two committees OF tn,
= house and two committees Of the sen
D ate judiciary and interstate con
y merce. The hearings are being cor
d Quoted In the most leisurely way. N
o bombs are bursting In the presenc
OF witnesses. committeeman and or
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