The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-10-08
PARIS MlLLINERS PROSPER
of Take Steps for Better Wages and
Working Conditions-All France to Wear
Standardized Shoes
By (Leonora Raines)

By CLeonora Ra1neS)
Paris Oct. S.-"Le Congress de Ia
Couture is what the new dressmak-
ers' council is called. The congress IS
now a very definite and dign1f1eo IN
stittion. The first big convention OF
the dressmakers met here last week
and. each department of the state sent
at least one delegate, and the men
mum bered near so.
Labor of all kinds is going to be on
a higher scale Everything will be
classified, and the needle in every de-
partment of work will be ranked and
paid accordingly. The new wage
schedule goes into effect Sept. Id
With higher salaries, shorter hours
and more hygienic conditions, Wo-
men will be loath to, turn over the
jobs to the men when peace returns.
All things considered. the workwo-
men will be very well compensated.
Men will be benefited by the new
rules but women will be the principal
beneficiaries. Heretofore salaries paid
women in the making of small gar
ments and the making of flowers
have been too small to keep body and
soul together unless the fingers were
very nimble. Small as were the prices
paid for labor on artificial flowers,
dealers buying from Germany got
them. cheaper. For many years
great proportion Of the flowers arriv-
ed from across the Rhine in crate
loads. Not only flowers but other in
dustries as important were in the
hands of the Germans. This Congress
de la Couture initiates the movement
to bring trade back to France by sys-
ltematizing industry, regular and ade-
quate salaries and encouraging the
French to adopt the trades.
| The couturieres and m1dinettes'
strike in June was such an important
thing that the government had to as
sist in balancing matters. The pulse
of the working classes was shown. Not
only that class but every class in Par
| is was in sympathy with the women
and girls that have built up such
trade in their line that it has spread
around the entire globe, while the
lonly one benefiting was the proprietor
who ignored what was passing in his
sweat shops. With the arrival OF the
congress there,ll be no more sweat
shops. Establishments that do not
come up to requirements will simply
find themselves without labor.
At the Course de Travail few days
lago a wage tariff was formulated to
be put into effect when the Autumn
|
fore apprentices have been paid moth
/ ing, or at least next to nothing, and 1t
Twas the custom in some houses to get
rid of hand as soon as she knew
enough to draw pay. From the mid
4 die of September every apprentice will
receive a minimum wage OF 40 cents
a day. An experienced worker will get
l80 cents a day, a good hand will draw
i 1920, a head of a table will receive
| $1.50 a day and in tailoring shops the
good workmen will get $50 day.
Employers will have to accept the
lrules of the congress and will sign,
else there'll be trouble. 1t Is to the
Interest of the patron" however, to
welcome the new order, for he will be
protected just as much as his en-
i ployes, and no time will be lost with
i worthless or incompetent labor. The
lproblem of work done in converts and
In prisons now occupies the congress.
It is more than probable that gar
lments issuing from these places will
l.be sold no cheaper than the product
of factories. Converts especially have
been great rivals Of the lingerie es-
Establishments, because they do good
work and sell a third cheaper than a
store. If the proposed convent rules
lare passed orphans will benefit, also
establishments. Money earned in pris-
ons will probably be turned back to
he institution to furnish better food
!, for the employees.
The limonadiers have no luck AL
summer, they've threatened to go or
strike, but were so occupied filing or
ders that they had no time to organ
lie. By losing some business and {
. lot of sleep last week they finally or
ganized and since Sunday have beef
in a state Of strike The tempera
ture fell twenty-four hours after the.
had commenced to get even with thei
bosses, and now it is so cool that eli
tents don't care whether the drink b.
= lcut off altogether, for they don't nee
! the refreshing lemonade.
The lemonade makers first went OF
strike at the big American cafe. 70
it was there they were hardest push
ed and, as they claim. poorest paid
1.-The nmonadiers had no sooner pu
aside their squeezers and aprons an
said Eau 'voir" to proprietors thai
lady 1emonaders'; filed in to tax
their places. This unexpected feminin
move caused a certain amount o
emotion among the strikers, and it i
said the men are planning all sort
!. of reprisals. Women are thought t
make poor lemonade because the
don't give enough attention to detail
Be that as it may, the linonadiere
are having plenty of opportunity t
AID PARIS -
LEARN the art of .tsquashing," now tina
/. ibouIevardiers are calling for no
! drinks When warm days arrive tn
? women will be on the job.
The chestnut tree, the pride of tn
= |