The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-03
SCHOOL SYSTEMS IN
Big STORES PRAISED
Industrial Commission Told Of
Great Work in Educating
Employees.
CHILD LABORIN CANNERIES
Witness Charges DepIorable
Conditions, Especially in
Oyster Industry.
CHILD LABOR I'm CANNERIEs

Educational work among employees con-
Quoted by New York department stores
was brought into sharp contrast with de-
plorable conditions OF child labor existing
In the oyster. vegetable and other food
canneries In different States In the testl-
mony before the United states Commits
sion on Industrial Relations yesterday.
Mrs. Anna II. Wilcox. supervisor of con-
tinuation classes In New York city, gave
testimony about the continuation ella sses
which have been started In "a number OF
the department stores. She said at the
present time Continuation classes are held
in Bloomn gdales', Abraham & Straus O.
Loeser's, A. u. Matthew's, Altman's and
Hearn's stores In Manhattan and Brook
iyn. The subjects OF English arithmetic
and geography were covered.
These classes are much appreciated by
the employees" she said. at Is such a
short time since they were organized that
no definite results can be obtained yet, but
the Indications are very promising. Some
OF the pupils are 80 enthusiastic that by
cooperation OF the management of the
stores they come half an hour before the
opening time to get the full benefit of the
lessons"
During the afternoon recess Miss Will
cox said In an interview that she found as
a rule that the employees in the large
SAtTta WtEt hAN4SHtu WITH tile
treatment accorded to them and that there
was a desire on the part of the manage
ment TO treat them fairly and kindly. The
girls appreciated this.
No Unrest Among Workers.
"In the talk OF unrest among workers
which has prevailed for some time" she
continued. 81 find that the department
stores have been maligned. There may be
at.Ii al h.tF fnt.n ha
relations between the employees OF the
department stores and the management
to be pleasant. The manager is ready to
listen to complaints and to remedy them
at once II well founded"
She sad that the girls OF the depart
ment stores were satisfied and did not
want to be organized. She believed that
the organizers In trying to spread the
seeds OF discomfort were hurting rather
D. than benefting the cause of the girls.
Conditions In Canueries Had.
Miss Elizabeth c. Watson. an incidental
witness at the Afternoon session, gave
, sensational testimony regarding the EN-
ployment of children OF tender years In
the canning industry. In the oyster can
neries in the Gulf states, which she in
vestigated as special Investigator for the
Information Child Welfare League. she
found in one Instance, she said. child
60 oyQtera who WDa only 3 wears
"a ~, a,,h haralv m. s,renrth to WELD
~ .,'r t,,,sa
Sassachusa,,s >tisslssinnl Alabama.
Florida and other States women and chill
dren were working In the canneries twelve
$3.50 S.v ar more In the cannery
49,, T., a.. Cu,r states an, said sine
No. Irown ~ many cases of children be-
to- awors,sa a. in the morning SO as
.n", than, IN 4, time She said that I'm
80 c.. ,he lagis,ators were threatened
,,.s ra,,'n,,aI 81 ths canneries II they
WIZ = r,,,,a,,, .h,ia ,,hor laws. The
1900 yari.d FOR n woman and "A family
go .snaran sror a a day M the earn
,ngs ~ the six 10 SO cents, according to
aasd,,,nas 800
W,h.n Mas Watson finished she prom
80 ~, - ~. ta,,oria. abs