New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1918-04-03
WOMEN IN WAR INDUSTRY

At the last Executive Meeting of the
Committee on Women in Industry, held
in Washington, D: c., the following
standards were urged for War Work
done for the government, such as the
manufacturing Of Ammunition and Mu-
milton, of soldiers uniforms and all camp
equipment. This Committee urges these
standards for government contracts in
order that women may be protected
whenever, in the present emergency,
it is found essential to secure the largest
output in the shortest time. They
have in mind constantly the health and
welfare of the women workers. especially
the unorganized workers who have not
the power of organized labor. These
recommendations are not theoretical.
They are based on the best industrial
experience and practice now being fol-
lowed in many sections of the United
States. We cannot, in this time of war,
afford to ignore the industrial standards
that have grown out Of long experience
both in this and other countries. This
war will test, as nothing ever has before,
the nations strength. These standards
are published to awaken the people to
prevent unjust profiteering at the cost
of women and children.
i 1. Tenement House Work. No gov
eminent work shall be done in room
which is used for living purposes or in
any room having direct connection
Herewith in any dwelling or tenement.
e., Child Labor. No child under the
age Of 16 years shall be employed on
government work.
8. Protection of Mothers. No wo-
man shall be employed during period
Of two months prior, or two months
subsequent to childbirth.
; 4. Wages. Wages shall be deter
mined as follows:
(a) The wages shall be the rate
established under the latest collective
agreements for the locality, for every
industry and occupation in which such
agreements exist.
b) Whenever there are no collective
agreements, the minimum wages paid
shall be based on the cost of living for
the locality and shall be subject to in
crease as the cost of living increases.
(c) Whenever women are employed
for work customarily done by men they
shall be paid the same rates as are paid
the men. If the processes are not iden-
tical, an adjustment Of wages shall be
made according to the skill and output
Of the workers. But in no case shall
the wage scale for any department or
process be reduced for the reason that
women are replacing men.
(d) A wage Adjustment Committee
shall, when necessary, determine rates
of pay as above specified, and shall
adjust wages from time to time as
rendered necessary by any increase in
the cost of living and shall act in all
disputes concerning wages. On every
Adjustment Committee there shall be.
at least one representative of wage
earning women.
5. Hours of work. Adequate steps
shall be taken to safeguard all employees
from fatigue and overstrain, and to this
end
/, (a) Each employee shall have one
days rest in seven. .~. -
(b) The working day shall not ex-
coed eight hours. i
4 (c) Where work is carried on both
day and night, women shall be employed
only on two shifts and they shall be al
lowed a period of rest at night of at
least s hours No women shall be
employed continuously for more than
four hours without time off for meal.
The meal time shall be not less than
80 minutes and relief. of at least 10
minutes each, shall be allowed in the
middle of each working period.
6. Seats. Wherever the nature of
the work allows, seats with backs shall
be provided and their use permitted.
Wherever women must stand at their
work, seats readily accessible shall be
provided and time shall be allowed for
their use at stated intervals.
Z. Extra Heavy and Extra Hazar-
dous Occupations. The employment of
women at extra heavy and extra hazar-
.dous occupations shall be restricted and
safeguarded. Preference shall be given
to older men, not subject to military
service.
5. Dangerous Trades. No woman
shall be employed in any dangerous
trades except under the regulations Of
the Divisional Committee on Industrial
Diseases and Poisons, Of the National
Committee on labor, and she shall not