Denver labor bulletin., 1918-08-24
The Open Forum,
WORKING GIRLS OVERTIME.
1155 West Colfax Avenue,
Danvar Colo Auu 1S 1913

Denver, Colo., Aug. 1S, 1918.
Editor Denver Labor Bulletin:
l think there is need for further
agitation of the eight-hour day for
suggest that you write an editorial
on the subject for The Bulletin.
Not long ago l was talking with
lady acquaintance who told me of
number of instances that had come
under her observation of girls and
young women working all day and
then putting in two hours or more in
the evening at arduous toll, thus wear
ing themselves out for their selfish
employers. This is deplorable.
/ looked up the eight-hour law in
the Colorado statutes, Mills Revised
Edition, Vol. II, P. 1888, and found
tel or restaurant, also in manufac-
turing, mechanical and mercantile es-
Establishments, are to be employed no
more than eight hours out of the
twenty-four. But there are others.
How about scrub women, the seam
stress in the tailor shop, the domestic,
the assistant in physicians office,
the assistant in a dentists office, etc. -?
1t is true, alas, that some girls
budding into womanhood and some
young women allow themselves to be
imposed upon because they fear they
will lose their jobs; so they work over
time, more than eight hours. Some
employers are open to criticism when
office or shop until or 9 o'clock in
the evening after working all day,
say, from eight to ten hours.
Young women workers should have
their evenings free for rest and recrea-
ton; they should have leisure for self
culture and have opportunity to en-
gage in altruistic activities, Red Cross
work, ETC., if they want to. There is
too much monotony in the daily grind
of tasks; the girl should have the
evening free to herself to recuperate.
Otherwise she is too much of slave.
Work thru the day and in the evening
also makes Mary a dull girl. There
is social side to her nature, the crav-
ing for play that is unsatisfied when
she is kept at her work from early
in the morning until 8 or 9 in the
evening.
The young woman who overworks
loses her charm and vivacity; she can
not exert so much influence in her
circle of friends or in the home, diff
fusing joy and sunshine. Moreover,
she should quit work before she gets
tired; she should have reserve of
strength; she should save her vital
ity for the years to come when ma
ternity will make heavy drain upon
her youthful vigor, so that she may
transmit a good constitution to her
offspring. In general, it should be
said that the girl in her teens or the
woman little past twenty should not
do that which is not good for her in
the long run. She may reap a tenn
porary benefit when she earns half
dollar by working overtime in the
evening or on Sunday afternoon, but
working ten or twelve hours out of
i, the twenty-four is the pace that kills
Sooner or later her health breaks un-
der the strain.
l am acquainted with young wom-
an who is willing to work twelve hours
day. She begins her toilsome tasks
at in the morning, and she ought to
quit at or before that hour, and yet
she frequently stays in the office
where she is employed until or 9
in the evening. I consider it an i'm
position for her employer to ask her
to stay and work twelve hours or more
out of the twenty-four. Is there not
some official whose duty it is to inves-
tigate such case and bring to pass
a reform? If so, kindly tell name and
address. Stamp enclosed for reply.
| Sincerely yours,
| EUGENE PARSONS.