Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-02-26
Mrs. Martha P. Tagg of Con-
sumers' League Defends
New Eight-Hour Law.
NOT NECESSARY TO HIRE
MEN INSTEAD, SHE SAYS
Declares Solutions to Problems
Found in California Can Be Taken
Advantage of Here.

Ats. Martha p. Tagg. secretary and
treasurer Of the Consumers League, to-
day issued a statement in which she
urges that employers in Washington sus-
pend for the present any intention they
may have of replacing women and girls
with men. as a consequence of the new
e!ghf-hour law for women.
The Consumers League is the organ
ization that had most to do with the re-
cent enactment of the law prohibiting
women and girls in the District of Co
1umbia from working more than eight
hours day. and Mrs. Tagg said she de-
sired to speak for Miss Constance D.
Leupp. president of the league, who will
be absent IN New York for week Mrs
Tagg intends to leave tonight for New
York to have conference with Miss
Leupp on how the Consumers League
may aid women and girls who have u
prospect of losing their positions under
the new law, and she desires it known
that the league will be glad to make sug-
gestions to employers who are anxious to
retain their female employees and at the
same time obey the law.
Urges Study of New Law.
Il think girls and women should not be
unduly aroused at the prospect of loss
of positions" Mrs. Tagg said to a re-
porter for The Star. land it is certain
that employers need not at once begin
making arrangements to lay off female
help. in view of the fact that no appro-
priation to pay the inspectors who are to
enforce the law can be obtained until
summer. The Consumers League hopes
that both employers and female workers
VIII make a study of the new law, and
dor ard
lngs before changes in the present sys-
TEN OF employment are made.
All this fuss was gone through with
IN California when similar law was
passed there; It lasted about three
weeks, and in the end it was found
that only sensible thought was required
and bit of humanity on the part Of the
employers was a great aid.
In San Francisco, when the law first
went into effect. there was the same
trouole employers say we are going to
have in Washington. But in the end it
was founu that il was only necessary To
put women to work in shifts. That was
tue solution of the whole trouble I re-
member talking to great many girls in
the west. including mattresses and laun-
ory girls, and they told me that their
wages Were not reduced. and that they
We're in favor of the law
IT IS fact that statistics show that
me eHiciency of girl and woman en- ployes
ms seif1sh reason alone should be. "a re-
1aily noted by employers who think Of
replacing their female with male he ~ II
STANDS TO reason that woman who
WORKS steadily for nine or ten hours can
not give to her employer the efficient
service for which he pays
Efficiency Authority Cited.
Miss Josephine Goldmark. known as
an authority on efficiency among en-
ployed persons. has made a study of
WORKING women all over the country.
among all classes, and in many cases,
she declares. IT has been found that a
slN or seven hour day for women pro-
duces better, and in some instances more.
work than an eight, nine or ten hour
day..
The Consumers League asks patience
Give conditions an opportunity to adius
themselves, as the law is better ard bet
ter understood. Yesterday afternoon |
was called on the telephone by the man
aSer of a publishing house, who said his
girls are complaining because under the
new law they are obliged to take three
quarters instead Of half an hour for
lunch and must remain fifteen minutes
longer in the afternoon to make up the
additional time
These girls come to work at $50 O. clock
n the morning. | found out that in the
summer they come TO work at $ O'Clock
we suSSeSteu tHdt II the girls do not
wish to work later in the afternoon they
De allowed to come to work earlier in
The morning in winter, just as they do
in summer.
There are always practical solutions
Of these questions of schedules and shifts.
They, may be little puzzling to en-
ployers and employees at first to work
put, but they can be worked out l can
see that there may be discomfort among
girls who work in factories or other
places where they are paid overtime at
not being allowed to come back to work
al night. But the work that is to be
done at night will be done by other girls,
and the law will be beneficial In that
respect, inasmuch as it will give employ
ment to more girls: and certainly it is
common sense to see that the health OF
the women of the District will be greatly
Improved by their not being permitted
to oyertax themselves with the longer
hours.
How Law Worked in Frisco.
These questions were thoroughly gone
into at the House and Senate hearings
on the bill before it became a law.
af