The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1915-08-17
GOOD WEATHER TO SWIM,
SAYS WARNER, AS GIRLS ARE
POURING OUT OF. FACTORIES
Head of Great Corset Indus
try Says Eight Hour Day
May Drive Him to "Rais-
ing Potatoes on Greenfield
8 Hill. -

cit has been a very hot day said
iDeVer H. Warner, head of the War
ner Brothers Corset Company when
seen by q, reporter for the. Evening
Farmer late yesterday afternoon
land a good swim viii be better for
day"
Seated in his office on the corner
of Lafayette and Atlantic streets Mr..
Warner was receiving reports from
the big factory where groups of girls
were laying down their work, cover
ing the machines with white cloths
and departing.
When asked to explains the exact
situation the head of the great indus
try said:
ION Saturday last we posted notices
to the effect that beginning to-day all
day workers would have a nine hour
day beginning at 1880 and ending at
$50 with Saturdays from s7:3Os to
E12:30. They were to be paid at the
per week. 1T was announced that
piece workers would have their pay
increased proPortionately as the mat
ter could be taken up
Mr.. Warner explained that in a big
factory such as he is running the
average mind would understand that
these changes could not be erected in
gradual change until everything was
working satisfactorily.
The girls had talked the matter
over on Saturday and the first thing
this morning had begun to ask the
forewomen how and when their piece
work scale was to be adjusted, They
had been told that this would be ar
tended to later. Some, more hot head
ed than the rest he said, had started
the ball rolling.
1T is a hard matter to adjust a nine
hour day in a factory such as this, .
Mr.. Warner said. lone of the com
plants that I have heard shows that
whiIe we have endeavored to consider
the girls we have possibly overshot
the mark This is the half hour past
noon time on Saturday.
It had been brought ITO our no
tice that many of the girls lived far
away sfrom the factory and that seven
o'clock was too early an opening hour
for them. We therefore changed the
Hour to 1880. In order to get a SO
hour working week it will be hard to
arrange the Saturday period. which I
have since heard keeps many of the
girls from lunching at the boarding
places Still we may be able to adj
just this
Asked If any further concessions
would be made to the employees and
particularly II the e1Eht-hour day de-
manded would eventually be granted
the corset magnate said: IF others
were doing the same thing (meaning
owners of corset factoriesl I suppose
that we should follow IL not lead
them, but under the conditions 1t is
hard to see how such demand can
be reconcfled with conditions i'm this
Industry. I am afraid that If such. a
demand is enforced at this time I shall
have to shut up shop and go. to rails
ing potatoes at Greenfield Hill. ANY
how, he concluded with emphasis,
lit is too nice weather for girls to
work and they will be much better
off swimming"
Unless the plans intimated yester-
day are greatly changed by the meet
ings that have been held between de-
partment heads yesterday and to-day
the plan will be to keep the factory
open for such as wish employment
under the present basis trusting to a
fair adjustment of the scales of wa
ges and piece work prices If SUM-
Gent return to make it profitable to
conduct the business the factory win
be operateds otherwise it will be tenn
pOrarily closed