Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-03-03
INVESTIGATING WAGE QUESTION
ny FREDERIC j. HASkIN

must often use tho cars 10 go to school
and the mother to do her marketing
In this respect tho small-town dwellcr
has an advantage.
IN" Buffalo survey was made under
the supervision OF tho state Factory
investigation Commission. The com.
mission concluded that a factory wori,-
or In Hunalo must earn at least a7p" ,
wear 10 support his family propcrly
That this figure i. lower than the ones
complied for New York civ ia due IN
the fact that some necessities, notably
rents, ar" low In Buffalo The rent
item for that City is Just half the sum
put down in the rent column I'm the
Chicago statistics.
Infant Mortality Ii Valuable Ipdcx
intani-moriaiity statistics arc rccos-
nIH"d ns a valmabl" index 10 race
'ahtF' as well as to cnvironmen,3,l
conditions. Hence this result seems ,u
indicate that insufficient wages striis,
at the essential viEor Of the elias.
winch must exc out existence upon
them. Pointing in the same direction
are the conclusions OF Dr. joseph
Golabcrgcr of tho Public Health Ser
vice. DIR. Goldbcrgcr has conducted :.
series OF experiments from which he
concludes that pcllagra. 4 disease
whose prevalence has become some
thing of problem in this country
in the last ten Years is due largely
70
Goldbcrger. an increase in wages ~
certain sections has been followed by
corresponding decrease in the preva-
lencc OF this disease.
II is in line with modern tendencies
in the United states that an attempt
should be made TO remedy any condi-
ton adversely affecting a large stratum
OF society by means OF appropriate
legislation. What progress such leEis
lntion will make depends to some cN-
H.. -. t. III IL,
by the supreme Court in the Oregon
case Judging by the past record OF
the supreme Court in such cases, it
IS considered probable that the highest
tribunal will sustain the Oregon courts
and decide in favor Of the minimum
wage law In this case VIC may look
for further legislation TO the same end
The Consumers League is on" OF IN"
most active influences back Of legisla
ton to regulate the condition Of the
workers. II is interested in most OF
the State laws that are waiting on tn"
supreme Court decision. The iea-uc
is organized In twenty states ana
eighty OF the larger cities.
Commissions In Many States.
\ number of different states har-
ALREADY appointed cost Of Living
commissions, which have compiled
ports cmbodyinc their conclusions
which can serve as the basis for STATE
legislation. massachusetts, Kansas
pcunSy IVania West Virginia. Iowa, Col
orado and even the Hawaiian lsla nd-
are included in the list
The budgets compiled by all these
state municipal and private investisa-
tors for the expenditures Of families
include mauy little economies, such
the use OF olcomargarne in place OF
butter. They make no provision for
anything the experts consider an cX
travaGancc, in spite of the fact that
most of us consider an occasional en-
travaSance as Il necessity. One strik
ing fact is we'll brought out, however
that AN adequate provision for amuSe-
mcnt is among The necessities. The
sums aside for this purpose do not
permit of any hut the simplest amuse-
menls, ranging a s they do from s7.50
to $40 n year for the family. but they
recognize the need Of every man for
relaxation.
There is little doubt that. the future
will see more and more Of a scicntifj..
ratio between wages and essential cX
pcnditureS. Instead of being based en-
tirely on the law OF supply and deman,.
which means that the pay check j..
just as small as it is possible to max,
1.-THE wage scale will be regulated by
the needs OF the waGe-earncr