The Washington times., 1916-02-10
WOMEN OF CAPITAL
URGE WAGE INQUIRY
Keatlng Resolution Supported
BY Many Organizations At
Hearing At Capitol Today.
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law. Mrs. Kelley said that until the
Supreme Court decides the oregon
minimum wage Law case the Consumers
League and other organizations would
not press such a bill.
,"If the Supreme Court decides against
the minimum wage" she said, I'VE Will
then be confronted with the hear
breaking task of trying 10 change the
constitution. In the meantime We be-
lieve Washington. one OF the most beau
tiful cities and also one OF the most
expensive cities for workins people
partment Of Labor TO conduct an IN,
Quiry into the cost Of living here, and
authorizes an appropriation OF S6'OOO Tor
the purpose.
GOrgas For Plan.
A telegram from Surg. Gen. William
c. Gorgas. sanitary expert in the build
ing of the Panama canal, was intro
duced at the hearing IN support of the
resolution. Tho telegram dater Chicago,
was addressed to Mrs. Laurence Iodd'
aid read:
My experience in health work in
Havana and at Panama mas convinced
Inc teh increase OF wages Is the most
important e ement toward improving
health. A STUDY OF living conditions
i'm tho District OF Columbia is therefore
most important from sanitary point
of view"
Congressman Tinkham asked Mrs.
James G. Piling, OF the National civic
Federation. If the proposed inquiry INTO
the cost OF living was a prelude to
request for ,egislation.
I'VE want 10 bc practical said MIR.
Tinkham. Docs this look toward Leg
ialation?"
''Ir you can get the working average
then you can consider legislation said
Mr.. Pilling.
DO you mean minimum wage legisla-
tlon?"
Yes"
Miss L. Durkin, a social worker of
Friendship House. made n one-minute
address advocating an inquiry Into liN-
ing conditions here. Such information.
she said, would be OF value not only to
social workers, but to legislators and
teh public.
Mapcs Asks Question.
Congressman Mapes asked Mrs. Kelley
II she approved of the suggested amend
ment that the proposed investigation
should exclude all persons in the employ
of the Government
'"That would limit the inquiry ana
make 1t practically vslutless." sae Mrs
Kelley. There are many families, that
have ono IN enter employed i'm an hum
BILE capacity IN the Government service
and another member employed else.
where"
Congressr,Dn Tinkham said "It we
arc golng tn nave IN investigation it
OF tight to br real one. The PROPOSE
tiCn to exclude Government employees
families will not find any favor here.
Government CmTl0yrs who get low
wages should come within the scope OF
the inquiry
Miss Clara j. Van Trump, one ~ the
trustees Of the NeiGhtOrhood House
told ;Irief but eEec,ive story ot the
living problem hcrc. She said:
II rcprcaen.cd tho Neighborhood
House. We have = DAY nursery At
4 L.
young widow. fright and attractive,
with two small childr6IC She told Hy
that hcr husband had Gicd suddenly OF
typhoid fever and l have got 10 10 to
work
Pneumonia Is Threatened.
"Shc loft the two babies Nitt W. and
obtained a position in pressing cstab-
lisbmcnt Here she presses mca'S
clothes, thnt have not even been
washed. and the wet stean, cornss up
in her face Rll dry long Recently she
was theatcncd With pneumonia.
This little widow Gets week for
standing all day over a pressing iron.
She is back in her rcnt ond she d"esr I
know what she is eoin Gto do7shc GETS
inst 81 a week. you know"
Comments of SYM uthy went around
the hearing room 81 the l;ttlo human
interest story WIS cCNr!udcd Then Miss
Van Trump sat down.
Mrs; walter $; Cn9rG. representing
committee that her organization favored
the heating resolution and regarded II
Pas most important.
William Mex CLAYTON put in word
for the white wings who clean the
streets of Washing o.. These men, ne
said get upon an AVERAGE OF $l.O7 cents
a day, after the cost OF uniforms ana
their care and the days lost are taken
out Of their wages.
These arc all industrious, hard-worK-
ing men. who try to live in sanitarS'
homes" SAID Mrs. Clayton. How they
Mr.. Clayton said the Commissioners
had estimated for an increase OF wages
for the white wings and Congress
man Cary of Wisconsin. said the men
might he paid better wages now were
It not for tho fact that out of the lump
sum appropriation ror street cleaning
unauthorized automobiles and gasO-
lene have been purchased. and the
wages of the street cleaners have re-
mained low IN Conseuuepce." Mr.. Cary
said the Commissioners had the money
o pay the street cleaners better wages,
hut had used the funds for other pur-
poses.
My Information is that the average
wage received ny these men is 92 cents
day said Cor gressman Cary.
Estimate Is Liberal.
NY estimate of Sl.O7 is very LIBERAL
said Mr.. Clayton.
Miss CorneIia Adds, representing the
asked many people about minimum
wege scale for the District. and hau
found only one opponent CT the idea
He was man in Georgetown VINO
had an lmbecile son, and whose wife
took IN washington to support the ram
ilY,' she said.
You cannot live dccently here on
wages like $50 per day"
Royal Meeker. chief OF the bureau
OF labor statistics. said he favored the
inquiry, not from the standpoint of a
possible resultant minimum wage
scale. but because there should be
some definite data regarding the cost
of living I'm cities like Washing on.
Mr. Meeker said the statistics in his
bureau covering such subjects were
ten years or more old and were based
on the general cost of living inquiry
OF 1901. Mr.. Meeker said the WASH
ingtOn standard OF living would en-
brace a large territory in this sec
tion OF the country.
Waiter s. Ufford, secretary OF the
Associated Charities. said: The
wages paid in several unskilled oc-
Cupations here are too low" Mr..
Ufford argued that $3.50 per day Is
not sufficient for day laberers and
that 80 per day would more approxi-
Ipatciy represent the proper living
standard for such laborerS