The Detroit times., 1914-02-16
MINIMUM WAGE 3.
FOR WOMEN is
UNDER INQUIRY
Members of Commission and
Their Employees Hold Meetings
Here Today
FAR FROM DECISION
ON BIG PROBLEM YET
Whole State Will BE Carefully
Gone Over Before Recon-
mendatiOnS Are Made

Women investigators ia the employ
or the commission appointed by Gov.
Ferris under the terms OF an act
passed by the last legislature, TO re
port on the ACCESSIBILITY OF the adop-
ton OF a minimum wage law for Won
Ell. met in the Offices OF c. ). Beadle
4 son 80. I McGraw building, AeH-
day morning. 10 talk over results or
the investigation which has been In
progress in Detroit since Jan. . and
70 map out plans for future work.
No report OF progress was made
public, and none will be prepared TN
Ill reports OF all investigators have
been codihed. The repoS OF the com.
Slission viii not be published until
NJ before the next session OF the
stafs-rTgfsgature.
When We started work said Miss
Luella NJ Burton. deputy state fac.
tory inspector, who with Mrs Mary
Adams. Mrs. Marion Comfort and Miss
Ann Hueber. IS conducting the work
In Detroit, we had nothing to guide
US in the project. No other states
had similar commission. and We
We're able TO obtain no help
Our meeting today is simply for
the purpose OF comparing notes as to
our experiences, and 10 map out plans
which may be OF use In obtaining the
desired results"
The women investig ators who have
been a. work in Detroit since Jan. 9
have prepared a list OF printed ques-
tons which they present 10 each
woman wage worker 20 MI out The
questions are intended TO bring out
the facts as 20 the pay the girl OF
woman receives, the amount neces
sary TO live in a comfortable manner
the sanitary and working conditions
In her place OF employment. aud the
disposition she makes OF her wages
Approximately 10000 OF these
blanks have been filed out and placed
on file with Miss Burton In her Offices
in Lansing. To date the Investigation
has covered the cities OF Detroit, Ian
sing and Jackson. The work IN De
troit Will probably occupy period OF
/ three or four months.
The commission, composed OF
/ Charles ). Beadle. Detroit; Judsor
Grenell. Waterford. and Myron II
Walker. Grand Rapids, will hold SOS
sion In the Offices OF Charles S. BeadlC
this afternoon. Plans of work will be
discussed. No definite reports viii bt
made.
A meeting for employers. under th'
auspices OF the commission. viii b'
/ held in the Board OF Commerce build
! ing tonight. Each employer will 81
asked to explain his ideas relative u
a minimum wage law for women The
commission will have no suggestions
TO offer and will simply endeavor tC
asc artain what employers think o.
the plan. Later on a meeting foi
wage earners Will be held here.
There seems TO be misunder
standing as TO the purposes OF this
commission" said Judson Grenell
chairman OF the board. I'VE were
appointed simply 10 obtain evidence
and report 10 the legislature whether
or not we considered minimum wage
law for women workers advisable al
the present time.
we are endeayoring first 10 obtain
IN statement OF the employer as &c
the wages he is paying. the conditions
under which his employees work. and
what opinion he entertains relative tc
minimum wage law.
Our woman investigators. workins
always with the permission OF the
employer. go into the factories OF
stores and interview the workers per
sonally. They fill out the blanks pro
ylded and the women send them e
Lansing. We have made no examina
ton OF those we have on band as yet
and probably will not do SO until We
are ready to prepare our report to the
legislature.
Tonight we want 70 find out VIVA
the employers think OF the plan. They
will have complete charge OF th'
meeting and we viii have nothing e
say other than 10 explain what W.
want to know.
Later on we will probably have
meeting for the workers themselves
The members of this commission
serve without pay. II is labor o.
1 love with us, "a we are all interested
I in the study-e economics and all We
receive is our actual expenses
Miss Burton, when asked AS to the
reception accorded the investigator
| by Detroit employers. stated that the,
had met with little opposition thus
far. Some, however, did not under
stand the nature OF the work beini
done, she said. and to offset this {
printed slip OF Introduction Is hein,
prepared. These slips will be givei
to each investigator for presentation
10 both the employers and employees
/ a ls.-ea l.l ocrtf