The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-03
THE MINIMUM WAGE.

terry or would you he optimistic and
say Half loaf is better than no loar'f
OF course half loaf is much better
than no loaf, but some folks might pre-
fer rolls OF even waffies then what2
The minimum wage has seemed some
how a vague term to the young women
higher UP in the business world, but
financial troubles In Wall Street have
brought It home to them In the weekly
pay envelope. Coming right down TO
brass tacks, this Is a very personal
way Of presenting 1t.
Many women and girls are now on
half pay, some have lost their jnbt
altogether. and II is a question for e.-sh
one to decide for herself whether II Is
better to go over the hill to the poor
house or set about finding out the
exact possibilities Of a ten dollar bill.
Not that the minimum wage Is any such
munlfcent sum as that. for II Is only
SO a week. but here Is how one young
woman in New York has set up a
menage which she proposes to main
| tain on her ten dollars, although she
| ordinarily receives more than twice
| that sum:
| She had just returned. practically
broke, from an extended vacation when
the war closed the Stock Exchange and
she was put on half time. Alone in
great city and-just $40 a week! Did
she hewail her fate? Not a bit OF III
Now is the time to test out that
minimum wage thing" she said, and
started In 10 curtail expenses. She went
right after the biggest bugaboo on ner
expense account-rent.
Three dollars a week rent was to be
her limit. Oh. the limit OF possibilities
and hopes bound up in that one phrase
SO week Hopeless places, most OF
those three dollar rooms, up dlngy.
smelly stairs. with rlcKety furniture
which only reaches the three dollar class
in it's old. oid age; cold. cherries. with
the bathroom rumored luxury, some
where down several flights, where hot
: water is almost unknown.
But this minimum wage person did
not long dwell on the idea OF ultimate
failure. Glrd,ng herself about with faith
, and determination she set forth. She
had plenty of time to look and she
looked.
In an antiquated apartment house
! with no trills. but substantial con-
veniences. such as steam heat, an eleva-
. tor and unlimited hot water supply, she
unCarthed a real find, IL by 10 foot
7 kitchen with foot window overlook
l. Ing the Hudson River. running water
Gin the sink, to be sure), price 20 q
. week.
= DO not faint. dear reader This was
a not an ordinary kind OF kitchen, but q
g r, al ladylike affair, with nice paper on
T. the wall and all the plebeian appur-
: tenances OF it's culinary past removed.
Only the sink and cupboard remained
as mute evidence, and they were real
H., assets now.
a The room as It stood was Impossible
Q OF course, but to any one with the
d weost kind Of perceptive bumps Il
10 fairly teemed with possibilities. She
If had Just fingers enough to enumeratt
its downright comforts-hedroom, bath
q. kitchen, sitting room and-s3 n week.
al The chimney place. where the range
II had stood made a fair sized closet, blu
~ the mantel itself was ornamental in IL
4. old fashioned simplicity One side d
ke the exceptionally roomy cupboard ha'
al been remodelled to provide additlons
- hanging space. There were shelves AM
l., drawers galore to stow away boxes an
he shoes.
s. The furniture was ample, but It'll
nj the worse for wear, and consisted OF
We fairly good oak bureau covered wit
U.s. dust; in fact the whole place was burie
N dust-but what is a little dust whe
, soap and water are so cheap?-a sub
s,n stantlal oak table, two chairs, one
an rocker; a screen to hide the sink, wha
~ had once been a white bed and fairi
lie good carpet.
cd The room without It's dust and wit
Tic rs possibilities slipped into the min
,tI mum wage plan as naturally as tn
Use bridge beam slips into place in IN
hr.e Ypi
90 was struck orce a hasty calcu'atlo
the which entailed the expenditure OF SON
81 or IS was quickly made.
White paint endless pals OF soai
,,hLS suds. hurri visits to uphols cry d.
an partments and a few blistered hnge
rN were the ingredients which combine
to clarity the atmosphere OF tn
kitchen.
orc The white and gold wall paper In
.. lat design was in good condition,
cd was the dark brown woodwork, all
urt which gave kindly aid to simr
yho scheme OF decoration. One can or viii
IcN paint at 25 cents was enough 10 81
the the bed two coats. and the inside OF I
u ,loset one coat, as we'll as one coat
'bie the blackboard OF the sink, and Ct
Inc Il cleaner at 8 cents made the bra
low knobs on the beds;ead and the spigc
yer shine like lncandescent globes.
Brown was the keynote, relieved WI
white and the gay cretonne curtai
W., furnished Just the right bright sp
nd, Brown denim curtalned the chimn
an place, tackled close. also the transor
srrr brown denim also covered the gra
an Juice box, which served as the base
the The kitchenette in the little niche
arm the chimney corner.
Ia. The 10 cent scrim sash curtains we
etu' given a touch OF elegance by de
o,,- hemstltched border; the glass doors
vas the cupboard were covered with
white scrim. The crctonne table GOV
ting festive with lace edge, and the bure
nher cover, a triumph In tilet lace, comple'
an the outlay in money. II was now
rom question OF careful planning and ell
o., ination.
ior The landlady furnished linen
bedding, so that with pictures. boz
In and things feminine, such as m
women have in more or less profusi
rker no evidence Of plebeian past remain
Eh"d w.ue there were no vast untracl
this areas, there was room aplenty, and
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