Evening star., 1918-06-07
FAV0RS MINIMUM
WAGE BOARD BILL
Senate District Committee
Orders TrammelI Bill
Reported.
BACKED BY REFORMERs

The Trammell bill establishing a
minimum wage board with power to
fix minimum wage for women and
minors employed in the District of Co
lumbia was ordered favorably reported
to the Senate today by the Senate Dis
trict committee. The bill has the
backing Of many persons in the Dis
trict interested in reform measures,
and the manufacturers and merchants
association has raised no objection to
it, but has offered its cooperation.
The bill was ordered reported with
out amendments except that provision
was made to pay the members of the
board salaries not in excess OF $1,000
a year. and a limit OF S. a day was
placed upon expense accounts.
The minimum wage board Is to be
composed of three members TO be ap-
pointed by the District Commissioners
One will represent the interests OF
the employers class, one the interest
of the employed class and the third
will be fair and impartial between
employers and employees. The Com
missioners shall make their appoint
ments within thirty days after this
act takes effect.
Board to Have Full Power.
The board is to have full power to
investigate and ascertain the wages
Of women and minors in the District:
to examine books or other records Of
employers. The board is also en-
powered to declare standard of mini
mum wages for women within the
District Of Columbia and what wages
are inadequate to supply the necessary
cost of living to such woman workers
and to maintain them In good health
and to protect their morals. 1t Is also
empowered to declare standard mini
mum wages for minors.
Any person violating this act shall
be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor
and to be punished by a fine of not
Imprisonment of not less than ten
days or more than three months or by
both.
Prosecutions for violations OF the
act shall be on information filed in
the Police Court of the District by the
corporation counsel.
If any woman is paid by her en-
ployer less than the minimum wage to
which she Is entitled under order of
the board she may recover in a civil
action the amount due her. The en-
ployer must pay the attorney fee also.
Other Favorable Reports.
The Senate District committee also
authorized a favorable report on the
following bills:
A bill to regulate the hours of duty
of officers and members Of the fire
department of the District of Colum-
bia. This bill has already passed
the House. and provides for two
platoons. which will be designated as
a day force and night force. The
Senate committee amended the bill
SO as to authorize the Commissioners
to do this. The House bill directed
them to put the measure into effect
Immediately. 1t was explained that
it would not be possible to put it into
effect Immediately, because the Com
missioners must first obtain sufficient
firemen.
Another bill ordered favorably re-
ported was the House measure
amending the act establishing pro-
baton system for the District. The
bill proposes to increase the number
of probation officers and to provide
more money.
A Senate bill amending the law in
vesting in the District Commissioners
the control of street parking.
A bill for the construction of a con-
duit across Michigan avenue north
east for the transmission Of power
from the powerhouse of the Catholic
University of America into the prop
erty of the Sulpician College.
A bill to revive with amendments
an act to incorporate the Medical So
ciety of the District of Columbia
A bill to authorize corporations or
ganized in the District of Columbia
to change their names.
The Keating bill. carrying similar
provisions. has been reported from
the House District committee and
now is on the House calendar.