The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-07-01
Conditions Improve q Thousand
Per Cent. in Kansas.
Reports Gathered by State La
Dor Commissioner.
Rest Rooms, Entertainment
and Plenty Of Vacations.
Society Women Make 1t Hard
for Laundry Girls.

Conditions Of the Kansas working
girl have improved thousand per
cont. in ten years, according to re-
ports received by w. L. O'Brien, state
labor commissioner, in response to spe-
otal inquiries concerning the condi-
tons of the female wage Garner. In
every Industrial center of the state,
conditions and in Kansas the working
girl is q human being and not q cog
in the Industrial wheel.
Last week inquiries were sent to
all sections Of the state by Labor
Commissioner 'O'Brien and by Miss
Lenna Bresette, state female factory
inspector. AS a result of these in
quiries the state will tabulate reports
from every city and small town in
Kansas. showing the condition of the
working girl and the efforts of en-
ployers to better her condition. Miss
Breeette has for a year been making
personal inspections of factories. She
is the first woman factory inspector in
Kansas and when the legislature comes
to town next winter, Miss Bresette's
practical knowledge OF conditions will
be matched against the theories of re-
form leaders in working out sane leg
islation.
Six days in the week, Miss Bresette
comes in personal contact with the
employer and the employee. With
unusual diplomacy and ability to mas
ter situations, Miss Bresette in scores
of instances brought about a relation
ship between the employee and the
employer that has benefited both the
working girl and the institution that
gave her employment.
Rest Rooms and Advantages.
Now facts are being gathered con-
corning the result of her work and
that of the state labor bureau. The
ten or twelve hour working day has
uniform hours. Factories and shops
provide rest rooms. rest periods and
entertainment and social advantages.
The home conditions Of the girl are
investigated and studied by many
employers of girl labor. Regular va
alton periods are now quite common,
efficiency is made a standard for pro-
motion and scores of factories and
shops are promoting team work
that results in mutual benefits.
OF course this improved condition
is not unanimous. Many employers
of girl labor are still hanging to old
traditions and ora methods are in op-
GRAFTON in every large town in the
state. But letters received this week
indicate a betterment of conditions.
One Wichita firm which employs
many girls; has solved the labor prob
lem for itself. Writing to the labor
bureau the Wichita man states that
every girl who has been in the firms
employ for a year is given a two
weeks vacation period on full wages.
A girl who has worked six months
and less than year. is given weeks
vacation on full pay. A girl who has
worked more than year, Is given
two weeks outing in Colorado at the
firms expense and in addition is al
lowed one weeks pay.
In case CT temporary sickness, this
firm allows the girl her full wages and
q check is mailed to her each week
and her position is open to her when
she RECEIVERS her health. Not once has
a girl failed to return. Increases in
wages are made on systematic basis
and these raises in pay checks come at
the end OF four to six month periods,
depending on the efficiency Of the en-
ployee. An effort Is made to learn
whether a girl is partially or solely de-
pendent on her wages for a living. An
effort is also made to learn something
of the girls actual living conditions.
No investigation is made of a girls
social surroundings and by the en-
ployer is regarded as bad policy.
Plan Social Training.
One retail firm with a string Of
stores in Kansas is now working out a
for the girls. Regular entertainments
and amusement features are provided.
Rest rooms and regular rest periods
are a part of the firms policy. More
than 400 women and girls are en-
plOyed in the stores and some of them
have been with the firm since its in
corporation % years ago.
A big packing house on the Kansas
side of the Missouri river gives espe-
cial attention to the care of the girls
in case of sickness or accident mu-
tual benefit association was organized
among the 1900 employees several
years ago. The association has a state
charter and its management is entire
1y in the hands of the packing house
employees, although the organization
Is encouraged and supported by the
factory. BY the payment of fifteen
cents a week. girl>receives SIS a week
sick benefit. free medical and surgical
attention, hospital care and 800 is
paid to the beneficiary in case of
death. An emergency hospital is
maintained by the packing house. Rest
rooms and rest periods are important
features IN looking after the comfort
of the girls.
Blame Society Women.
One of the largest laundries in the