Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1914-03-25


gagged In dom, C sery. ls to be-
allowed to work longer n eight
hours a day. and she mt { rest for
one full day each week
Within a few months congress win
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 a majority of
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 a
direct vote of the people 1t is said had
much to do with the change Women
can vote in 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 well known men and women as
William c. Redfeld, secretary OF COM
merce; Judge Julian w. Mack, Miss
julia c. Lathrop and Mrs. Ellen Spen-
Ger Mussey. On It's executive commit.
tee are Miss Constance L. Leupp and
Mrs. Rarvey W. Wiley. 1t was due to
the efforts of the league that the bill
limiting womens work to eight hours,
six days in week. was passed. The
league will now undertake to secure
the passage of minimum wage law
and probably It will succeed in its ef-
forts.
Talked Of Cutting Wages.
The eight-hour law has been in OPP
GRAFTON only few days. Some of the
employers of the district took to the
new order of things gracefully. adj
Justed their establishments to meet its
requirements and said never 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
OF Columbia because women are not to
be compelled to toll ten or twelve
hours each day as was the case In
many instances In the past? Not bit
OF It. As soon as the members of the
Consumers league heard from women
employees that they we're in danger OF
losing enough of their wages to make
proper living hard II not impossible.
the members OF the league became ac-
tive. Word Of active intention also
came from some of the leading men,
bers OF congress, and the message was
that II wages we're not maintained at
proper level 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 minimum"
Lawmakers Are Weary.
Congress is tired. It has been at
its work with very few intervals for
rest for good deal over a 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 It in a legislative way with
few breaks, ever since the beginning
of tho Taft administration. From that
time to this there has been An extra
session of congress every short SEES
sion year.
There is n noticeable listlessness in
both houses on all subjects, except
OF course Mexico. which keeps men
keyed up to high pitch while 1t is
under discussion. Antitrust legisla-
ton has failed to arouse much inter-
est II Ia evident that some members
OF the dominant party think it is not
drastic enough and others think that
1t is too drastic. They know nothing
definitely except that It will not be
possible to tell what the bills will do
to business until they have been tried
out In the form OF law.
Here and there in unexpected places
in the senate the Democrats are find
ing opposition to this feature and that
feature OF the administration anti
trust measures. The party leaders in
the senate are slowly and unwillingly
coming to the belief that II the five
brother" bills are to be put through
in the form in which Mr.. Wilson
wishes, It will be necessary to pass
them under the dictation of a caucus.
The bills have been separated and
have been given for consideration into
the care of two committees of the
house and two committees Of the SEN
ate, judiciary and interstate COM
merce. The hearings are being con-
Quoted in the most lelsurely way. No
bombs are bursting in the presence
OF witnesses, committeeman and on
lockers. and the proceedings generally
are several tones below the humdrum.
LanRuid inquirers are told that the
antitrust bills are going through.
When? "Oh. before long, and con-
gress will get away early"
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