The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-13
Big STORES ACTIVE
IN CIVIC WELFARE
Manager Of Altman's Tells In.
dustrial Commission Of
Public Work.
COMFORTS FOR EMPLOYEE;
Lord 4 Taylor's Equipment for
Their Health and Hap
piness.

The United States Commission obi, ..
dustrial Relations concluded its bes-,,..
In the City Hall yesterday. Presto, y
Lynn, manager OF tho wanam,l.r .,,,.
sent n letter TO the commission ssvt,,h.
had been misQuoted In the reports ~ b.,
testimony, In which he was made T., So,
that the average weekly wage for sal.
women IN WanamakeTs was 50. As,,,.
ment from the coun ing room 81 ~.
store shows the average wage for SAFE
women to be s12 and for an women .r,.
ployees $40 week
Leslie Gran. assistant nannRar ~ n
Altman a Co, was questioned rerardi,.
the Information bureau maintained 10
the Retail Dry Goods Mems Associa.ion
to keep records OF employees lie aid II
worked no injustice that could moi s,.li,
be remedied. THE system is NJ Rrest
benefit TO the police" he said when
crook arrives In New York about no Art
thing he does is TO apply for Job in "a
department store. We meet such cons
lions effectively"
Questioned by William O. THomn,o-
counsel TO the commission. Mr. GrsT
said he had been secretary " the Eef,Ii
Dry Goods Mems Association for ci,r,
years. In detailing the public imnroyr
ments which the association has tough,
for Mr.. Gran mentioned the extension az
the subway systems. the development ~
transit service In general. the LAYING ~
the network OF high pressure water mines
for fighting fire IN the business dlstric.
and the establishment OF the parcel post
The association Was organized 10 rrp-
mote the interests Of she department stores
and the public as well. MIR. Graf said
One object OF the association. he said. was
TO prevent the spread Of drivers strikes
He said that the association had blocked
threatened strike recently by getting
The store propietors to agree TO q stand
ard wage scale for drivers
Percy s. Straus of f. II Macy e. Co
said that his firm employs i,3ii persons
There are 3l9 salesmen and 1.05S sales
women. or the saleswomen 51s receive
over 50 week: 367 less than 81 and
49I less than S.
The witness said he favored corpu!.
sorry insurance in department stores, bu'
within limits.
ANY one can come 10 me with q com
plant" Mr.. Straus said. Three or 'ou,
do so every week"
In reply 10 n question by Commiss'oner
Garretson Mr.. Straus said that when h.
icft college hv was a strong believer IN
union labor. He still believed in u
theoretically. he said. but found when Il
came 10 adminlstraio the closed shop
w II. Tucker. of the firm Of Lord &
Taylor, told OF the comforts provided FOR
the employees of that store. Among
these are a gymna SUM. an eye and ear
infirmary and a hospital. The 50 hou-
law IL rigidly observed. he said. an
ihr-e physicians are constantly on hand
to attend TO any OF the $500 employee
who may need attention There is r
finIng system. Overtime Is paid to p0r-
and Npnrkar1 Al h0ay
Other employees who work over line re
ceive supper money and extra time OF
on other days The food given to tn
employ ees Is examined by experts,
James l.. Gernon. dir ctor of mercan.
tile inspection In the state Department
OF Labor. said his Office had found EN-
.oyers willing 20 observe the 50 hour
law when they knew OF It's existence, but
that some did not know OF 1t until some
time after It went into effect in April
Miss Nellie Swarz, executive secretary OF
the New York Consumers League, said
she had found ten violations of this Law,
principally In small stores.
The commission will begin hearings In
the City Hall IN Paterson on Monday
Among the witnesses will be representa-
tives of several firms of employers in the
textile indus ries J. w. Devoe, chairman
OF the Mayors arbitration committee r.
Paterson: Michael Dunn, prosecuting al.
torney OF Psssaic county; Judge James
f. Minturn OF Hoboken. Police Captain
Andrew ]. Mcbride of Paterson, AMI
Rudolph KATE, an organizer Of the De
troit Industrial Workers OF the World
After the hearing was adjourned yes
terday man who said he was MsN
sullivan rushed into the room and SAID
he wanted TO take the stand on behalf
OF the women employees of hotels ana
res aurants. He was told the hearing vas
over and that he might 20 to Paterson
next week.
That's too late" he yelled. I'm COINS
to Boston tonight"
He kept on shouting until policemen
led him from the room.