Maryland suffrage news. (Baltimore, Md.) 1912-1920, 1914-10-03
THE PRESENT STATUS OF MINIMUM WAGE LEGISLATION,
WITH SOME FACTS ABOUT THE NEED IN MARYLAND
By MILDRED RANKIN.
.Secrctary Of Tie Consumers League Of


something like this We longer eorize about minimum
egaon little experience is worth volumes of theory; when
tell working New Zealand and in Australia England and
Oregon Washington, Massachusetts other
ALL that that the emphasis this article will be-
discussing the problem for support
ing minimum wage legislation: firstly phyca secondly economic
thirdly being places the
and less aggavatng than Maryland Thus
find face the local situation In the experience of others
may find release from what Mrs Kelley has called the surfe of
speculation probable effects of establishing minimum rate
from which to be suffering this country.
Though several years the public employees cities
have fixed law and though bill pertinent the sub
ect introduced the Nebraska Assembly early the
of the first English legislation it not until two that
general developed America in favor of extending the police
power the State the regulation of private industry We
acstomng ourselves legal minimum limit below
which children allowed work legal minimum of school train
ing which the youth of America submit legal minimum of
decency work conditions another of leisure which the working
day infringe Slowly but very definitely public sentiment
coming the the list of legal mnma womens
wages Since the first break States Washington Oregon, Cali
ona Utah. Colorado Nebraska, Minnesota Wisconsin, Massachusetts,
have passed legislation directly affecting changes and five Others
among Ohio and New York have augurated commissions study
the State order satisfy their conservative
puhlcs of the need of direct changes.
Foreign Experience Answer Many our
However, foreign experience that look for the
queries regard effects of the legislation under consdea
New Zealand started with industrial boards years for the
purpose regulating trades disputes included but Victoria
Australia years arranged for boards aimed directly
underpaymen sweed trades Since then So such boards have
created there No permanent body provided American
board any trade may be called into being by resolution
of Parliament Employers and employees send the of desirable
from three five of each chosen by the
of Labor The trade board constituted chooses chair
secretary, and has then full establish
and issue determination binding after 80 days
England the trade be affected selected by Parliament but the
boards appointed by the Board of Trade They
representative MEMBERS but of those including appointed
public large They empowered fix minimum
piece Before such boards had been appointed The
year has added four the list Little evidence here that eg
lative regulation of wages produces bad effects.
As be expected adjusting such matters American cond
tons variety Of methods tried No States have attempted
of constitutional difficulties Utah. instead
establishing the form of administration simply into
specified minimum learners Is day.
experienced worker and for adult experienced
$25 Two empower the body the Minimum Wage
itself the establishing fixed mini
without calling together temporary board Washington
and California have invested regulating what
known Industrial Welfare Commissions which have authority
and conditions well wages They however, general
the Industrial Commission in Wisconsin and the Minimum Wage Com
Minnesota Massachusetts, judicial
bodies in that they bring together the wage board the trade they have