The sun., 1916-11-15
INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZE TON OF THE
ART OF THE SEAMS7RESS.


ployers are at the mercy of customers
equally unbusinesslikc. who are uIo,cl
as explaining delinQucncies in settle
ment with such remarks as: Il am,
going to Europe and must economic
Then there is the wealthy woman who
says while writing out a check for tho
$3.50 debt which has caused tho dress.
maker months Of worry: why
never realized that It made any grca,
difference"
The comparatively small trade il So
dependent upon the good will Of its
patrons hat to limit purchs sers' cred,
or to charge interest on bills overdue
is to imperil the life of the bushes.
With the unsystematic employer bu,.
ing on a cash basis and paying rent
and other charges and the customers
constantly demanding unreasonable
extensions OF credit the burden fall.
on the workers.
The weekly vas record of one s,r
a draper earning $40 "a week, show,
that in 1905-06 there were only SIX
weeks In the forty-six OF her wears
employment when the mistress Of IN.
shop was not indebted to her. In
1901 the same employers tinancia.
condition had improved SO much that
in twelve OF the forty-five weeks there
was no payroll deficit. and the hlche..
arrears for any single week Amounted
to $50 for the entire staff. These con.
ditions lead skilled workers to SEQ,
employment in the larger. better
financed shops; and as custom dress.
making "A exist only by putting u
n better product than the ready mn Be-
wear the difficulties OF the small!
scale enterprises are great.
~Dressmaking Is a seasonal trade.
In spring and fall the demand is hea,y.
in midsummer md midwiuter business
IL slack. This seasonal suspension ~
employment does not. however. FULLY
account for the marked instability -
the labor market. overtime irregular.
tics are "A source Of disc0nt"ut and
restlcsSneSs. Legislation regulating the
hours of labor fails %. its purpose 10
small shops where the work is not yo,.
Quoted systematically. "ENigenc!cs OF
patrons are "A driving force In cIs,uu
trade. n girls are not 30 well pro.
tected against the requirement ~ oN.
ira work as in factories. Somo la.
scrupulous employers de- not hos,'d',
to take advantage Of the upport,u O.
ties afforded by conditions IN su "
shops. Even in the larger cstahlis'.
ments there is no uniform pra.'.,.
like time and u half one cir satG
Nine. u came in one cNrnIug u,l
announced that all should woik Iu'i
G o'clock half past : being the u>la
closing timel, although there was ro
particular need Of it. The more
thought OF Il the more augrv g.
on of eighteen women she w"uji Z :
in Just a whole days work 1T u'.
for no pay, When half last q came,
| went home. Nine. Il said mott
ing tn me The next morning"
II the legal REGULATE n OF tho woit.
ing day IL to he enforced. Or. .N'i1s
concludes. there must he cnntrivtl
either a more equal distribution o.
work throughout the Near or a system
using more women IN rush times
That "dressmaking AZ a trade" Tvs.
problems. big ores. whole Numher
1873 makes plain. INT they may ~
satisfactorily solved will he the W.
of every humane person. But MAY
J." long before Industrial "staudar,sa.
ton" o away with the busy. cnoc,
ful and admirably skilful little woma
who measures and ships and S'itOhr,
in the homes o. patrons who a'c p,
worthy to YEA her work unless 20,
are Glad to hail her friend