New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-09
WARN OF DANGERS
in WACE-AID PLANS
Economists Say Minimum
Scale Legislation Will
Gust Inefficient.
ASSERT THOUSANDS
BARELY LIVE ON PAY
Girl Can Exist on $3.50 a Week.
Mrs. Bangs Tells Commission
Gives Set of Rules.

Minimum wage legislation must be
handled like dynamite, was the warn
ing economists had for the State Fac
tory Investigation Commission yester-
day The commission met in the Mu
nicipal Building. All the witnesses
agreed that, intelligently administered
minimum wage legislation would in
crease efficiency and be Of general So
cial benefit. Professor Edwin L. A.
SeligmGn, head Of the department Of
economics ut Columbia, and DR.. Walter
A. Weyl, author Of "The New Democ-
racy," conveyed the warning.
Such Legislation, even with the most
careful handling, Professor Seligman
said. would not be a solution of the
problem. 1t would, however, be a great
help. Its first effect, he thought, would
probably be TO throw out Of employ
ment a considerable number who are
700 inherently inefficient TO be kept at
work except upon starvation wages. IL
il increased efficiency the new order
of things, Professor Seligman said,
should be paid for by the entire COM
munity
"Consdering the problem from both
sides" he asserted, I'VE must take into
consideration the fact that there can
not be n hard and fast law fixing the
minimum wage. Such law must be
thoroughly and carefully thought out
Difference between living wage and
the actual wage had to be paid, DR..
Weyl said. In part the employe pays It
in impaired health in part the employ
er pays il through the workers de-
creased efficiency and in part the whole
community pays il through the reduc-
tion in the number of positions pay
ing an adequate wage. There was no
doubt, Dr.. Weyl added, that many who
were now very close TO the border line
of employment would be thrown out II
the standard of wages were raised.
Increased salaries" he said, would
mean increased efficiency among those
who are comparatively inefficient. The
efficient would remain efficient. The
really inefficient would be eliminated.
e a minimum wage law is passed en-
ployers will never allow It TO be re-
pealed. 1t is essential that workers
eat well and that they sleep well. In
dustrial vocational educational work is
all right. but il must come after the
question of bread and butter
D.. Henry r. Seager, political econ
omis' AZ Columbia, said that 1t was a
case of women and children first when
minimum wage legislation was enacted,
but that men should have their turn.
Standardization of wages and hours OF
service. now in a chaotic state, was i'm
portant he thought, as well as better
relations between employers and en-
ployes.
Conditions cannot be ignored long
en-" he asserted. Hundreds and thou
sands of employees receive wages on
which they cannot live decently."
A girl can live on Sc 80 q week in
New York, Mrs. Charlotte Bangs told
the commission, although she often
fails TO do 50 because of the drag of
economy. Ii was too much, Mrs. Bangs
thought, to compel girl to live on
that amount She read letter from a
girl who told how 10 live on So week.
The writer enumerated the following
mistakes as those constituting the
greatest hindrances:
Leaving the work for which one is
trained.
Changing positions too often.
Feeling proud or superior to ones
position.
Too much theorizing about lost OPP
pOrtunltlcs.
Habitual discomfort.
Indulgence in the blues instead OF
taking a brisk walk.
Not smiling enough.
Forgetting that the will is internal
and not external.
Mrs. Frederick Nathan. president Of
/ the Consumer League, told Of condi-
tions in New Zealand, where the mini
mum wage law has been in force for
years. Unskilled workers had to serve
apprenticeships, she said, and there
had been no increase in the cost Of
manufacturing.
Much of the increasing cost of chart
ties would be eliminated, the Right
Rev. u. ]. Mcmahon, supervisor OF
Catholic charities, said, if minimum
wage law were passed