Arizona republican., 1917-02-04
Where the People
 May Have Hearing
MINIMUM WAGE LAW
 FOR WOMEN

To the Editor of The Republican, Sir:
 A bill has been introduced in the lower house of the legislature proVid- ing a minimum wage of $12.0 d week for women. It is easily the most i'm portant and far-reaching piece of legislation that has been presented for the consideration of the citizens of this state. Up to the present writ ing the opponents of the bill have confronted themselves to unsupported statements that it would work hard ship on certain class of workers: that some women are not worth it.;
 that it would deprive women of their iohs. for they would be replaced by men etc, etc. IL is hardly neces- sary 10 recognize such statements as worthy of serious consideration. The men who make them are either ignor- ant or guilty of plainly dishonest reasoning If ignorant. they should be enlightened by the fact that eleven states after careful and systematic
 investigation have adopted a minimum wage law for women and are now en- forcing il and that the records and
 statistics Of such investigations are printed in available form for public
 use. It maybe added that practically every state where such a law has not
 been enacted has the matter now under active discussion. As to the
 other class of the bills opponents a
 great deal might be said. They are the ones whose opposition becomes dangerous solely from the fact that | their pretended friendliness for the
 downtrodden' woman worker cloaks very real hospitality to the cause Of labor in general If forsooth. they really believed that the supposed law
 would work hardship on women workers they would no doubt be
 among it's most ardent supporters.
 As to another of their contentious that some women are not worth it %
 it may be remarked that the law ap- plies only to experienced women, a smaller amount being fixed for ap- 1 prentices. Thirdly their prophecy that men would replace women loses all it's force bv the fact that in Oregon where a similar law has been in eff feet for over two years. the women have easily held their own Whether i the sum of s12.o0 q week is the correct l figure for q minimum wage depends, of course, on living expenses as they obtain in Arizona. Surely it will be conceded that as compared to most of | the eastern states, local living ex- ] penses are much higher It must be ! borne in mind that living wage
 means sum sufficient to maintain i the workers health and welfore. 1t will be eontended by employers in cer- | tain lines that their business does not | permit of any increase in wages. If it l is demonstrated however. that they : are now paving women less than a | sum adequate to maintain them in health and decencY, they will be placed l in q very akward position in oppos- 1 ing tho bill. For it is well established 1 that a business cannot continue to
 operate and pay a living wage is sim ply a parasite on the community. Let 1 the women of Arizona arise in their
 strength and send forth their mandate
 to the legislators they helped to elect,
 that their sisters who must work to
 live should be lifted above the level
 of cattle and horses as mere producers | and be recognized as human beings
 who have a personal relationship to | their employers and to each other. In l oregon, the initial move for a mini
 mum wage law for women was signed by the board of governors of the | Portland chamber of commerce. Much
 glory to them In Arizona, by way of | contrast, a certain merchants associa- - tion of the city which boasts of it's
 prosperity recommends $500 week
 as fair and equitable" Comment is
 unnecessary.
 In conclusion let us recall the words
 of Lincoln: ITO secure for each labor
 er the worie product of his labor. or
 as nearly so as possible, is the worthy object of every government"
 | HUGH CALLAHAN.