Norwich bulletin., 1915-01-16

where a helper gets $3. The treatment of the help is uniformly good and there was no complaint except that everyone would like to have the store open St half past s instead of s, and also wanted an increase in wages. Wage increase Is slow and there is pretty much a uniform compensation for the same grades of work.
 The second largest store in the city employs 36 women, none under 16, and 21 men and boys. It gives two weeks vacation with. one weeks pay, works 55 1-2 hours weekly, has a lunch period Of one hour ard Q quarter, and gener- ally treats it's help well, there being no complaint save on the score of the closets. which have very eld- fashioned plnTnbing and are anything g but what the reputation Of the firm should have. However, the latter states that 1t is not to blame, as it Is the owners Of the building who are responsible. There is no question but that all the defects will be remedieG. @ -+s
 There are very few Of the employee in the store living in boarding houses, nearly all having pare2-ts ard reia:i,-Ys with whom they make their homes These who do live in a. boardir9 r
 pay abou. S4 a week. q he contribution of tue girls to the ' fund is from S3.50 10 $4 a week There arc af-o- Cr@ 7aratiEely few ma1r-e women working. r.
 During the summer of 1914 an en- deavor was made to have the s.crce close one afternoon week 6--i'''&@ -'< summer months. but it was not sue cessful for the reason -Ila
 large summer trade coming fror-. th C Pequot colony. East Lyme and various pieces along the shore. a9d frcTn FaGf- ern Point, and it would scarcely be right to the merchants wEo L. pay nigh rental, to lose the business This was the reason fog the -C" FPSG 3nT1a2fSfl to and she suggested that eacn ,... let one of it's girls off once q week in rotation and thus give them q chance. One firm carried out the suggestion with great satisfaction. to the nelp and pleasure to itself. and there is no doubt but that this coming summer will see the more general adoption of the plan.
 There $ no place like I. W. C. 4. or sisters of the Holy Ghost building. where girls who have to work for fare and accommodations with several advantages.
 Wiiiinaantie Report.
 The principal store in Wiuiznant:c employs 24 " omen and II men in eight departments. and has no girls under 16 working, pays one weeks time during vacation, giving it 8t the start. It keeps open on. Friday and Saturday evenings until 3 and half past 8 and AlGS c "OIhInsS "SSEA O- Oo L-G Its wage list conapares favorabiy with other stores of it's size in larger cities The firm believes in hasing the wages of the employees on efficiency.
 Willinantlc believes in keeping open two nights a. week, and some of the places keep open every night. There is really no reason why the schedule could not be changed to one nignt, es- pecially as the town IS situated at such a distance from it's largest neighbor, Norwich, that people would not leave it to go, stopping evenings and there is no danger of trade being lost.
 Recommendations.
 Commissioner Conne1ley makes these recon1Gne
 After weighing fhe conciusfoTrS ar rived at by the special industrial 3r- vestigator.- appointed in obedience to the law passed by the general assem- bly, of 1918, creating an industrial com mission and placing it's work in my charge, I respectfully present tiae fol- lowing recommendation fer your ap- proval and action:
 ]. That law be passed requiring every mercantile establishment, Tlleth- CT wholesale or retail, and all kin dred establishments, such as five, ten and twenty-five cent stores and such stores as deal in similar commodities, to employ no woman nor minor fe~ male, whether relative or paid ernpioye. after $ o'clock in the evening for five evenings of the week and on the sixth