Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-10-21
WOMAN WAGE-EARNER
POINTS THE WAY TO
BETTER CONDITIONS
Hours of Employment, Pay and
Amusements Discussed in
Practical Manner by
One Who Knows
TEST OF PROFICIENCY

There Is hardly any topic more gen
orally discussed today than that Of tCdoes
and economic conditions Of toorktrO
tComen. Within the last year the Con-
suner's League and other organizations
have done research cork concerning
tcoTkin0 tooDten, and these researches
hdve brought to HIGHT Information regard
ing their hours Of employment, t1G0es,
dmusements, etc.
No type Of toomdn tcorker has been so
carefully scrutinised as the tDordn en-
gagged IN manufacturing Industries. Phil
ddelphid, so conspicuous as a ndnufdctur-
in0 centre, offers many Interesting types
of toomen t1ho support themselves IN some
Of the fertile and manufacturing estdb-
Hshments.. While 0enerdHsdttonS and
theories are Interesting, nothing Is so vitdl
as an intervteto toith a yorker herself.
Mrs. Alice c. Redmond, 124 Greenwich
street. is a typical factory worker whose
wages average about so week. In an
interview she gave many intimate
glimpses of her work, the method of
spending and of apportioning her wages,
her views on woman suffrage and her
general opinion Of an employees duty to-
ward his employer.
Mrs. Redmond is a widow, % years old,
slight, with dark hair. and well informed
concerning the factory girls cOnOltlOnS
in Philadelphia today.
She is a maker of bags of all descrip-
tions, and for which she is paid by the
piece.
Mrs. Redmond entered a bag factory at
the age OF 13 years, working as table
girl" and receiving as her wages $3.50
week. From this small wage she gradu-
ally advanced till she became an oper-
ator on piece work, and now she earns
the more satisfactory sum of approx
mately so a week.
II think that 81 should go for board"
she said, "$2 for clothes, and 81 Is
enough for incidentals, such as carfare,
an occasional treat at the movies, little
candy and perhaps small contributions
for charity"
The remainder Of a girls wages
should be put in bank or invested In
some good building and loan associa-
tion. A girl does not know when she
may be taken sick or lose her position,
and then the money saved will come
in very handy"
Personal appearance" Mrs. Redmond
further said, "is something that even
factory girl working for a small wage
ought to consider. A girl should dress
neatly, pay particular attention to her
personal appearance, and yet should not
dress to attract conspicuous attention"
Mrs. Redmonds husband died January,
1913, leaving her the care Of a little
daughter, Alice. who is now three years
old.
Like most of the alert women of today
this little working mother has pronounced
views on woman suffrage. She is a pro-
suffrage enthusiast, and she admitted
that she has been known to be enticed
away from an attractive movie" by the
eloquence of a suffrage orator in one of
the downtown streets in the vicinity of
her home Taking this matter seriously,
r. a yyr1on nd Ffd hot Dc l..
opinion that woman suffrage will benefit
all girls who are employed.
mot only VIII woman suffrage help us
wage earning women TO face responsible
tiles, but will stimulate and broaden our
ideas as WELL" said Mrs. Redmond.