The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-02-27
A nine HOUR Law
Bill Introduced in House to
Regulate Women Workers.
1t Makes 81 Hours Maximum
for a Weeks Work.
DOMESTICS NOT AFFECTED
Only Women More Than is
Come Under the Measure.
Enforcement To Be in Hands of
the Welfare Commission.

The Kansas legislature will be asked
to write a nine hour law for women.
K. NJ. Geddes of Butler county, today
introduced a bill prepared by the
house committee of health and by
giene which will provide maximum
Sd hour week for all women over IL
years. Industrial pursuits only are
covered by terms of the bill. which
places power for revision, regulation,
supervision and enforcement in the
hands of the state welfare commits
sion.
Action by the house committee in
presenting a nine hour bill is in con-
formity with action by recent Re
publican caucus which voted to sup
port the nine hour day for women.
No bill covering the subject had been
introduced So the committee on pub
lie health and hygiene drafted a
measure which meets the require
ments of the caucus agreement and is
perfectly satisfactory to the state well
fare commission. Whenever the state
commission shall establish provisions
and regulations for hours for women,
the authority will pass entirely into
the hands of the commission.
Domestics Not Affected.
Domestics are not affected by pro-
visions of the bill which went to the
house hopper. defines only occupa-
tons in the process of manufacturing
and specifically includes laundries.
ing such times as the state commits
sion may act under a law of 191 8
and establish final rules.
Women engaged in day labor shall
work not more than nine hours a day
MOI more than fifty-four hours a week
under terms of the house measure.
j Women employed in night work are
restricted to an eight-hour rule with
a maximum of forty-eight hours a
week. For the purpose of the act,
the committee defines day laborers
as persons working between the hours
of a. IN. and p. m; while night
workers are employed between the
hours of y. m. and a. m. A wom-
an engaged in day work may be en-
ployed after s o'clock It night one
night each week without coming I'M
der the night classification. The new
measure is proposed to be made i'm
ton in the official state paper and
will serve until further action is taken
by the welfare commission.
Leave Some Workers Out.
Doubt exists in the minds of a num-
ber of house members as to whether
the new committee bill will cover the
gap between the regulations of the
child labor law and the act affecting
work for women. The child labor act
is declared by certain members to af-
feet only persons under 16 years old.
The hour for women bill affects
women Is years old and is believed
to leave a gap of two years.
Under the house bills persons firms
and corporations employing female
help in Industrial pursuits shall post
in the office, shop or factory a print
ed schedule of the names of all en-
ployes and hours which they are COM
PEELED to work. A notice must also be
posted showing hours allowed each
person for meals, rest or recreation.
One hour day must be allowed for
lunch under the bill. The measure
provides a fine of $25 to $3.50 for each
violation. Each woman compelled to
work more than nine hours a day and
each day the law is violated is de-
clared a separate and specific viola
ton of the act.