The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-07-05
sOpeka Merchants Want WOm-
ems Working Time Changed.
EDITION Welfare Commission
To Order New Schedule.
.lEEP OPEN SATURDAY NIGHT
they Want To Use All Clerks
Until 10 in Evening.
tlsO Ask for Longer Hours
Just Before Christmas.

The merchants of Topeka have
urned against the 9-hour day law for
sorking women in the city and will
ppear before the welfare commits
ion this afternoon to ask for spe-
ial ruling or to secure a complete
evision of the order of the commits
ion
Practically every large business
louise in the city has stepped in back
Z the fight and promise to fight the
0iing to a finish. According to the
Petition being presented this after
loon, the merchants of the city want
permission to employ women until 10
fclock Saturday nights and to permit
hem to work until 10 O'Clock for
even working days preceding the
christmas holidays.
The petition was drawn up this
norning by Frank S. Thomas, repre-
enting the Santa Fe Watch company,
md was approved by the Topeka mer-
hants at a business luncheon at the
chamber of Commerce this noon.
The Petition.
Following is the substance of the
petition to be presented at a joint
meeting of the Merchants association
i,f Topeka and the welfare commission
E. If the state:
referring to the matter of work
ng hours for women, and the state
aW governing the same, and also the
ontemplated hearing of the COM
plaints of the merchants of the state
1 IF Kansas at an appointed session of
zour honorable commission, we re-
F. jpectfully submit the following re-
quests on the subject:
"First-We ask for a ruling of your
honorable commission that any female
person legally employed in any kind
N9f an establishment where the Sani-
airy conditions, accommodations and
general surroundings are in accord
With the laws of the state of Kansas
,hali5be permitted to work from s
o'clock a. m. until the hour of 10
f o'clock p. m. on each and every Sat
lrday, allowing one hour off for din
her and one hour off for supper.
Longer Xmas Hours.
'Second-We ask for a ruling OF
POUR honorable commission that any
female person legally employed in any
SindA.of an establishment where the
sanitary conditions, accommodations
and general surroundings are in ac-
eordr with the laws of the state OF
Thansas shall be permitted to work
FROM O'Clock a. m. until the houl
IF 10 O'Clock p. m. on the seven work
ng days next preceding the twenty
fifth day of December in each ant
esrerT year, allowing one hour off FOL
tinner and one hour off for supper.
The ruling of the Welfare Board
the merchants declare, is not in ac
cord with the intent of the Legislature
when,it passed the act. Not only doe!
he regulation affect the merchants O
Topeka nor have they alone expressed
a desire to see the law amended anC
revised. but merchants from all owe
the state are against it, whenever the!
are directly affected. A few, men o
the state are in favor of the orde
who are in no ways hindered by it
execution.
The merchants association, in thei
NsessiQn this noon further suggested
thatlt should stand the expense of ;
violator of the law at Holton, in or
dec TO establish the constitutionalit,
of the act. No definite act was takel
lon this matter, however.
Plead War Times.
Under the drain of war times. it wa
pointed out, the merchant must Sc
Practically every business house will
do cttsiness on a smaller margin o
profit than ever before. To even max
a living 1t will be necessary 10 kee
Iopen the hours that are demanded b
1.-The spending public.
In the towns and cities of the state
the association claims, the receipts o
Saturday nights business total a
Nmuch as the total for two or thre
week. days combined. The rura
population of the state have only tn
night in which to purchase their sup
IpIiesand Saturday night is the popu
lar night and practical time for thei
coming to town.
DEL. NJ. Powell stated this after
noon that to keep a woman employee