The Washington times., 1916-02-10
WOMEN Of CAPITAL
URGE WAGE INQUIRY
Heating Resolution Supported
BY Many Organizations At
Hearing At Capitol Today.
,Continued from First PageD

Continued from First PageD
law. Mrs. Kelley said that until he
Supreme Court decides tho Oregon
minimum wage Law case the Consumers
League and other orga niEations would
not press such Il bill.
IF the supreme Court decides against
the minimum wage she said, "wc Will
then be confronted with the hear'-
breaking task of trying TO change the
constitution. In the meantime We be
lieve Washington. one OF tho most beau
tful cities and also one of the most
expensive cities for working people
The Heating resolution directs the De
partment of Labor to conduct an IN
uury into the cost of living here. and
authorizes an appropriation OF b'W" t'f
the purpose.
Gorgas For Plan.
A telegram from Surg. Gen. William
&. Gorgas, sanitary expert in the build
ing of the Panama canal, was intro
duced at the hearing IN support of the
resolution. Tho telegram da ter Chicago.
was addressed to Mra. Laurence 1904
aid read
My experience in health work in
Havana and at Panama mas convinced
INC teh increase o: wages is tho most
important = emcnL toward improving
health. A Stuo! of living condlnonS
in tho District OF Columbia is therefore
most important from Il sanitary point
of view"
Congressman Tinkham asked Mrs.
Jane. &. iiling. of the Nat .onai civic
Federation. If the proposed inquiry INTO
tho cost 81 iiEI"E was a prelude to
request for ,cGislation.
I'VE want 10 nc PRACTICAL said MIR.
Tmkham. Docs this look toward Leg
islstion?"
"It you can get the working average
then YOU can consider icgislation' said
Mr. l'ilinc
DO YOU mean minimum wage lcGisla-
tom"
Yes"
Miss l.. Durkin. social worker Of
Friendship flouR". made II onc-mlnutc
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 ana
teh public.
Mapcs Asks Qacstion.
Congressman Mapc* asked Mrs. Kelley
II she approved Of tn" suggested amend
ment that tho proposed Investigation
should cNClud" all persons in tho employ
Of tho GOrcrAmcAt.
'"That would limit tn" ,@qulry ami
make it practically valIcI"ss." sa.' Mrs
Kelley. "Thrr" ale many families that
have on" m -'nrrI employed in an hum
bic capacity ~ lnc Government service
md another member employed else.
where"
Cone-"-vr,nn Tmkham said "Ii We
arc COINS t" nnrc an nvnStigat"n it
OF tight to nr - r-al ,.Tc. Tn" brnposi-
tiCn to cNrl"dr C;"V"rl.n"rt cnployCa
families will not fine any favor here.
Government Cnii I0!"S VIII" got low
wages should como Within the SCOp" Ot
tho inquiry.
Miss rlar' !, NHH TrTnpp on ono t;.,,' :. the
told :rioC h,t ef'rriNc story u the
living problem hcrC. she Scid:
II "cur"'cu'rd 1hr Noishoorhood
House. W" hnv" = GaV nursery A.
tachcd and rcccrtlv th"r'' came t. us
young ndoW. I'rilht and attractive.
th"t her hi%harG had Gicd suddenly OF
typhoid fever and | hnr" got TO 40 10
work
Pneumonia Is Threatened.
"Shc lof, tho two babies Niih II" and
obta n"d a POSITION IN n prcS,tn. "stnh-
l'shmcn. Here she presses nra'S
clothes, thai have not even been
In her face nll dry loNG. Docc't',, she
WIS theatrnrI With pneumonia.
FhiS ntt'r widow 2r;S 81 week for
%iandiN: all day over Il "rcssinE iron,
know Nhat !;'o i COW Hto H0-7@hr gets
inst 81 week. you I.now."
Connie HtA or SYM ANY wont around
tho hearing roon sH the Eth" human
interest story v"s q lIdod. Then Miss
Van Trurip sat down.
Mrs. " ait"r :. t'norc. reproscntirg
the th,itiren's Council, told the sun
I committee that her organization favored
ne heHtinc resolution and regarded Il
Yas most lmportant
William Mex. Cia ton put in a word
for the white wings" who clean the
streets Of Washing o." These men. nc
SAID, get upon an aVc"aGe OF sl.O7 cents
q day, after the cost OF uniforms anr
their care and the days lost are taken
oui of thCir wages
These ar" all Industrious, hard-work-
ing men. who IVY to live in saritarr
homes. sad Mrs. Clayton. How they
do II ! CannCt zee"
Mr.. Clayton said the Commissioner.
had estimated for an increase OF wages
ror the whit" wings and Congras=-
man Cary of Wisconsin. SAID tho mon
might hc paid hott"r wages now wnrc
It not for tho fact hat out of tho iuulD
sum appropriations 70" street cleaning
'Gnautho"iZed automobiles and gaso-
len" have been purchased. and the
wages OF tho street cleaners have re-
mained low N COnseGucuCe. Mr.. Cary
said the Commissioners had the money
20 pay tn" street cleaners better wages
hut had rsed tn" funds for other pur-
My i"forn0aiion is that the average
wage r"celN"d by these men is 81 cents
cas-, said Congressman Carv.
Estimate Is Liberal
My cstlmat" OF $40 Is very liberal -
said AIR. clayton.
Miss CorneIia Adis rcnrrscntinc th-
N.'Si!'Nl'n DIot Kitchen, Sald she ha q
asked many people anout minimum
waEo scale for tn" District. aud hau
icHnd only olIc opponent Ct the idea
lie was Il man in Georgetown VINO
bad an ItnDCCile son. and whose wife
took IN washington to support the ram
llN, she SAID.
y GU cannot 1--we dccently here on
wages like Hl.o0 pei day"
Royal Mcekcr. chief OF the bureau
~ labor statistics. ~ id he favored the
inquiry, not from the standpoint Of Il
possible resultant minimum WaSe
SCale, but bcCaUs" lher" should be
some definite data "cGardinS the cos;
Of living in cities like Washing on
Mr. Mecker said the statistics in his
bureau CoverinE such subjects were
ten years or more old and We're based
on the general cost OF living inquiry
OF 1901. Mr. Meeker said the WASH
uGIOn standard of living would EN-
brace large territory in this sec
lion Of the country.
Waiter :. Cfford, secretary OF the
Associated Charities. said. The
wages paid in several unskilleI or-
Cupations here are 100 low" Mr.
Cfford argued that $50 per day is
not sufficient fer day laberers and
that 90 per day would more approx
ratCiN represent the proper living
STANDARD for such laborers.
iIr George +. EoMerman, speakin