The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1915-01-09
CHAMPIONS THE
S|LK-PETT|COATED
STORE GIRL TYPE
One of Them, Richly Clad, Is
Heckled When She Attacks
Minimum Wage.
HITS SOCIAL WORKERS.
Mrs. Flowerton Says Only
Stock Girls Get S6-She
Gets SIS to $45.
HITS SOCIAL WORKERS.

Only the gavsl Of Chairman Wagner
OF the state Factory Investigating
Commission prevented the closing
session Of the Commission in the Hail
Of Records to-day from breaking UP
In disorder.
Tho trouble started when Mrs. Maud
Flowerton, who said abe represented
the silk petticoated TYPE Of store
girl" attacked tho social workers, re-
formers and economists who have tes-
tined before the Commission. Many
Of them were In the room, and led
by Mrs. Frederick Nathan. President
Of the Consumers League Of Now
York, showed angry resentment by
heckling the witness.
Richly clad and wearing expensive
furs. Mr.. Flowerton took tho stand
after several so-called ''reformers''
had testified. Her eyes biased at
Abram I. Elkus. counsel to the Com
mission. a. abe gave her name.
II come here as a representative al
the better class saleswomen Of the
first.c class stores" shs began. ignor-
Ing the first leading question OF coun-
sci. II can tell you they are pretty
hot over some Of the talk OF those
social workers before this commission
about the inability Of the poor down.
trodden department store saleswomer
whose meaSre % q week u not enough
to permit them TO live deoently."
Disregarding the angry murmuI
that arose from the social workers
economists and reformers present
Mrs. Flowsrton continued:
II have been a salegwoman for the
last twenty-five years, and can &C
out In any first class shop on Fifth
Avenue to-day and set my 325 q week
lin the old days could get S45. And
there are scores Of women In my
position.
why. IS In tho first class shops Ia
paid only to the stock girls-and they
don't deserve any moro. Any efficien,
salesgirl can start at u In the good
stores and she doesn't have to stay
long at that wage. II she has any
ability at all.
II don't believe In your minimum
wage for women" she finally do.
clared. "for the reason II would cost
one third Of the store girls In thii
city their jobs"
It was at this point that the storm
broke. Mrs. Nathan arose from hei
seat in the audience.
III the girls In the stores are paid
90 high. why should ono third OF the
saleswomen lose their jobs?" she do.
mandsd.
Mrs. Fiowcrton, having beer
checked by Mr.. Elkus. was on the
way from the stand. Standing be:
hind Chairman Wagner. she turned
Because nne- third Of the depart
ment store help are stock Rirls-
many of them younger sisters Of ths
saleswomen, and minors. These arr
the employees who would be dis.
missed"-
Half q dozen women IN the audi.
once siding with Mrs. Nathan inter.
rupted the witness with questions
but before the confusion developed
into an open row Chairman Wagner
restored order and Mrs. Nathan "a
down.
The proposed minimum wage law
which In likely to be placed befor'
the present Legislature a. the result
OF the two-year investigation Of tn,
Commission. was again attacked b,
witnesses who took the stand to-day
| Its bitterest foe proved to be Mis-
Helen Marot. former secretary Of tn,
Woman's Trade Union League. Sh,
stoutly asserted that the trades unioi
women were almost q unit In opposi
ton 20 tho measure.
They believe. she asserted. that or
ganization OF women In the trades
still in Its infancy. II the only salvation
Of the wage Garner. She also charge,
that the Introduction OF the minimum
wage law would be followed ,,
tremendous unemployment"
1T would mean shorter seasons. .
speeding mp OF work by the employ
ers, and the employment OF only tn
most efficient" she declared.
Miss Elisabeth butcher. secretar,
of the Retail Clerks Association, sal,
Il was impossible for the saleswomei
to organise. because they would I'm,
Il impossible 10 pay dues to thel
union out OF their meaEre income
She admitted, however. that mini
mum wage would be help TO organ
lied labor.