The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1918-05-05
MAY PASS AT
THIS SESSION
Present Measure Refers to Dis
trict of Columbia, But it
May be Expected
Washington Bureau,
The Pensacola journal.
BY GEO. n. MANNING,

Washington, d. c., May i.-The pas
sage by congress of the minimum wage
bill at this session-and the leaders
fully expect it will pass-wiil have 2
far reaching effect upon the wages
paid to, and the living conditions oil
all the poorly paid women and minor
workers in the United states
It will insure wage for the poorly
paid workers sufficient to support them
independently, and will do away with
the conditions now existing under
which women and children work for
less than enough to support them and
are either insufficiently nourished and
clothed or are partially dependent upon
others for support.
Though the provisions of this bill
will only govern conditions in the Dis
trict of Columbia the advocates of the
legislation claim that the adoption of
the principle by the Federal govern
ment will go long way towards help
ing of the passage Of similar laws in
states where the system is not now in
force; will compel employers to in
crease the minimum wages paid where
they are vefS md sSlli improve
working cosst -. ase have great
beneficial moral inffuencs
The bill provides that minimum wage
rates are to be set by wage boards for
all women and children in each occu-
patton after careful study of the cost
of living and after public hearings,
which shall be sufficient to meet the
necessities of life and TO maintain
health and efficiency 1t creates per-
manent wage board, which in turn is
to appoint a subordinate wage board
20. let NJ a
representative of employers, employees
and the public.
It is aimed primarily to increase the
wage Of the women and children now
working in factories and stores at less
than IS a week under conditions that
are physically and morally injurious
The bill was introduced in the mouse
by Congressman Keating of Colorado
and in the senate by Senator Park
TrammelI, of Florida. The senate and
house committees held hearing on it..
and will both within few days favor
ably report It.
Although the proposed law appears
revolutionary, twelve states have with
in the past six years legislated to es-
tablsh minimum wages for women and
children They are Arizona, Arkansas,
California. Colorado, Kansas, Massachu-
setts, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oregon,
Utah. Washington and Wisconsin The
minimum wage system has been In ef-
feet in England eight years and in
Australia twenty years.
The supreme court of the United
States declared the Oregon minimum
wage law constitutional in April, 1917.
Following this decision the supreme
court OF Minnesota in December 1917
upheld the constitutionality OF the Min
nesota law.
Strangely enough, this bill t.a increase
wages of employees has beer heartily
endorsed by the merchants and man
ufacturers Association of the District
OF Columbia. and the secretary OF the
association appears before the commit
tees OF congress and strongly urged it's
passage The explanation Of this. is
perhaps found in the fact that the larg-
est and most reputable business con-
Germs who usually belong to such or
ganizations pay good wages and have
favorable conditions for their employ
ees and must compete with the small
stores whose labor cost are much less.
1t is usually in the small stores and
small factory that wages are very low
Some really startling conditions in
with the cost OF living OF
women employed in stores. factories
and laundries in the District of Colum-I
bia We're revealed by an Investigation
conducted last year by the United
States bureau OF labor statistics.
The capital of the nation, which had,
believed the wages paid its workers
were above the average, was shocked
TO find that Of 900 women employed al
most half (46 per cent1 we1e earning
less than 50 week. and that 55 per
cent Were entirely self supporting, and
Of these 81 per cent had others wholly
Or partially dependent upon them.
In the face OF these figures on earn
ings Federal officials state that good
room and board can be obtained for
between $50 and s35 month and mol
ess The bureau of labor statistics |