The sun., 1917-08-13
U. S. UNIFORMS MADE
ON SWEATSHOP PLAN
That Is Charge Of UniOnists,
Who Say Very Young
Girls Are Employed.
SOME GET 81 A WEEK
Secretary Baker Appoints
Committee to Investigate
Factory Conditions.

Charges are being freely made that
the factories engaged in turning out jini-
forms for the United States army and
navy are working under old sweatshop
conditions and that girls under the age
permitted by State factory laws are
being employed at starvation wages.
Complaints of these conditions have
ficials Of the Amalgauated Clothing
Makers Of America were notified that
the Secretary of War had appointed an
investigating committee.
This committee is composed OF Louis
r. KRISTEN of William Filene e. Sons,
Mrs. Florence Kelly. president OF the
National Consumers League, and Capt.
Walter F. Kruesi Of the Quartermaster's
Department. They will visit the fac
tories engaged in making uniforms and
report to Mr.. Baker.
1t is charged that one factory in
| Brooklyn is housed in the loft of a
garage, scores Of girls working in quar-
ters where they barely have elbow room.
In one room 1t was stated that ten OF
| the fifteen girls at work were under 16
years Of age and that some OF them
were not more than I3. These younger
girls, II was said. are receiving 81 a
week for work that ordinarily brings
| Sl2 or $14.
! Sidney Hillman. president Of the
! Amalgamated Clothing Makers OF
America. visited several factories few
| days ago in company with a naval Of
| fcer Hillman wrote Secretary Baker
| that when he showed this officer the
young girls employed and the trining
| wage they were receiving the officer
replied
well they are doing their bit, aren't
! they
/ A statement issued BY the Amalga.
mated Clothing Makers said uniforms
were being made under most unsanitary
, conditions and IN an environment and
at wage in violation Of all the rules
and laws of union labor Most of these
uniforms are being fashioned in homes
the report said, and this is contrary tc
all regulations and specifications. L
is further charged that many people
have been thrown out of work because
of the manner in which the uniform con
| tracts were let and the character o.
labor employed in turning them out.
In discussing the effect Of such con
tracts on ConsCription the report says
This condition OF unemployment u
very serious from the point OF view o
New York city. and especially from tina
viewpoint where a nation is seeking t
allay unrest among It's masses. Will
there is considerable feeling on the par
Of some people about conscriptton tn
labor situation has aggravated the dis
content and the national Government
has very obviously been remiss in no
preserving the labor standards from I'll
outset.
something must be done in this mat
ter before a very overt and volcanic out
burst follows. because the tension
, growing greater each day.
zone of the most deplorable phase
Of the situation is that women ar
. replacing men in the factories and girl
Of tender years are being employed I
, take the places Of more mature womei
This means q tremendous shaving dow
, Of wages and suffering is bound TO 70
, low. In some cases white girls an
, women are being replaced by negrot
, who are unframed and unskilled an
A.. iHis means a further saving TO the cor
tractor"