United labor bulletin., 1914-10-17


on the women's minimum wage board
continues to strangle any effort to help
the working women OF this state. Two
years ago the Legislature enacted a law
providing for a commission to fix a
minimum wage for female workers
Governor Ammons delayed action for q
year and only appointed the three COM
missioners when public pressure be
came SO strong that he could no longer
resist He named w. II. Kistler, Mrs.
Martha Slothower and Miss Mary c.
| Porter, the latter being a public school
teacher. and accredited as labor's rep
resentatiye. The personnel of the board
was fairly satisfactory, Kistler, head OF
the Kistler Stationery and Printing
Company, representing the business in
terests and Mrs. Slothower the club
women.
Trouble began at once over selection
OF secretary, the only money job ere
ated. for which the bill created a sal
ary of 500 per month and 81 200 annual
ly for office expenses. Mrs. Slothower,
a member of the board, finally landed
the job, but this was protested by a
number of other women who wanted the
place. The state civil service commits
sion finally ruled that the position came
under the civil service rule and the ap-
pointed must have passed the examina-
tion required of other State House en-
ployes. This resulted in the appoint
ment of Mrs. Catherine Van Deusen,
who had the highest percentage in the
special civil service examination made
for this position.
Helen Grenfell Led Scandal.
Then followed a campaign of the
women scandal mongers TO deprive Mrs.
Van Dsusen of the place, led by Mrs.
Helen GrenfelI, special agent of the cor
poration interests. She was aided by
Mrs Dora Phelps Buell. and Mrs. Hat
tie westover. defeated candidates for
the place. These three spread rumors
and insinuations agHfnst the character
Of Mrs. Van Deusen, and this went TO
the extent OF having County Judge
Charles S Morning of Routt county
write scurrilous letter upon which to
base the character assault, the appoin-
tee at one time having taught school
in that section of the state.
The state civil service commission
was at last forced to take hand in
the matter and has just concluded n
hearing that would either establish
facts sufficient to remove Mrs. Van
Deusen or close the mouths of the scan
dal mongers.
Victim of Vicious Rumors-
After hearing the testimony of IA
witnesses the commission declared the
secretary to have been "the victim of
as scandalous set of vicious rumors
as ever were circulated by jealous
women with .an industry worthy of a
better cause The letter written by
Judge Morning was characterized as "a
masterpiece OF scandalous, scurrilous,
unfortified invective-"
The hearing was held in the civil SER
vie commissioners rooms at the State
House. OF II witnesses subpoenaed for
the hearing two refused TO appear, but
sent letters declaring they knew moth
ing deleterious to Mrs. Van Deusen's
reputation; three, Mrs. Dora Phelps
Buell. and Mrs. Hattie Westover, de-
feated candidates for the place, and Mrs.
Martha Slothower, testified to rumors
against Mrs. Van Deusen, while the re-
manning nine appeared and spoke in
highest terms of their friendship for
and knowledge of Mrs. Van Dcusen as
a woman, a wife and a mother. Those
testifying in her favor We're Senator
Helen Ring Robinson. Mrs. Mary c.
C. Bradford, Mrs. Ray David. Mrs. Har-
ry O'Bryan. Mrs. Frances Wayne, DIR.
Rose Kid Beere. Miss Mary c. Porter
ana MISS Alice i<auptrN- W. IL INSULT
a member of the state wage commission,
also filed an affidavit in support of
Mrs. Van Deusen.
Report vindicates Secretary
The report of the civil service COM
mission. after the hearing, is as fol-
lows:
Mrs. Martha Slothower, a member
OF the state wage board, appears to
have been the prime mover in the in
dustrious circulation Of these rumors,
basing her action on a telephone COM
munication from Mrs. Helen Grenfell
and letter which Mrs. Slothower had
received from one Judge Charles, A,
Morning of Routt county.
After giving both sides the fullest
opportunity to be heard and to inferno
gate those appearing contra, we have
come TO the only possible conclusion un-
der the circumstances, viz: That Mrs,
Van Deusen is the victim of as scandal
Gus a set of vicious rumors as We're
ever circulated by jealous women with
an industry worthy of better cause
"All of the hearers and circulators OF