El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-11-21

i a plea for a higher standard Of
wages occupied the Friday morning
session Of the Texas industrial well
fare commission hearing IN the
county court house. which IS being
held here in an effort to Fix a mini
mum was for women and minors In
the different industries.
Among those who testified were:
Henry NJ Walker. manager Of the
free city employment bureau; ". J.
Moran, editor and proprietor OF the
Labor Advocate in FL Paso; Miss
Mary Irwin 8IcDermou. government
social worker. and several workers
OF the International institute, which
is a section Of the y. W @. A. 10
work among Afexicans- The after
noon session was occupied with the
same class Of testimony
The first witness was Henry 81
Walker. manager OF the free city en-
ployment bureau. who said in part
1--WE supply many Mexican women
for domestic service at wages OF rom
S4-70 a week 20 as high as IS. They
turn down the lower wages because
they say they cannot live on them I
think the Mexican women who re-
ceive good treatment stick 10 their
jobs, and work the best I believe
better wages would cause them 20
dress better and would raise the
Mexican standard OF living and in
crease efficiency. Our bureau fur
for service. Recognizing that the
law draws 10 distinction in race. ]
think u would require from SIS 20
$50 a week for a woman to live
comfortably and respectfully. I base
this on what ] hear women say they
years Of observation and travel"
Airs. Mary Irwin McDermou, social
welfare worker for the government
In charge Of q clinic for social dis
eases, said I'VE have had about 425
girls In our care in about two years
and low wages has been an important
factor IN the cause OF immortality
] can say that the number was about
equally divided among American
girls and MeLicans- Not only have
inadequate wages been factor, but
our records show that girls who have
not had a fair chance in life, largely
girls from broken homes and who
have not passed beyond the fifth
grade in the schools, are the ones
who go as-ray. The average age has
been 16 years. AS inadequate wages
are largely the cause OF immortality,
I think SIS a week is Q fair minimum
for respectable living
Pleads For MeEzclns.
Mrs Julia S. Roldan. a teacher ia
the international Institute Of the y.
~ c. A. testified in part: AS teach
er ] am thrown among the Mexican
people. especially the women. from the
highest TO the lowest class Most OF
them are OF the laboring class who
had little or no chance in Mexico. j
am AeNicau- We are a patient, uu-
complaining people, very submissive,
but with the clance as other people
have we viii advance as they do
Mexican girls are just as anxious TO
live comfortably as American girls.
They dress 10 keep up appearances
People do not know whether girl
has had enough TO eat or net but
appearance shows in clothes. seNl-
cans are not satisfied with their liF-
ing conditions as has been sttaed
here they merely do not complain as
do other people Give the Mexican
girl the same chance and she VIII
show equal efficiency with the Amer
-Illiteracy in II Paso among the
Aexicans in FL Paso IS about so per
cent
IT. show what improved conditions
viii do. I wiz tell Of a big industrial
school in which I taus-t in Mexico
City. Five hundred boys from La
Bolsa.' the worst section OF the city
where the thieves live, attended IL
was ordered to give every little boy
a glass OF milk every morning. We
had 10 battle every boy there and in
better clothes they soon developed
pride. An order for every boy 70 poll
ish his shoes brought forth one little
fellow who had no shoes who ap-
peared one morning with his lee-
Thoroughly polished-prldes you see
We have had these boys after getting
used 10 cleanliness and better con-
ditions beg as 10 let them stay at the
school and not send them back TO the
filth and squalor Of their homes"
IfemiEes Expenses
Miss Ly dia Romero, a visitor OF the
International institute. and herself a
Mexican, gave the commission an es-
innate Of what she thought a girl
worker should have in wages to sus-
tain herself comfortably and respect
ably. This aggregated 1855 week.
itemized as follows Room. S--5oi
laundry, SO cents footwear, 81 cents
medical, so cents, religious, - cents
recreation 80 cents savings. 80 cents
food. $3.50.
took the view that the commission
should, in fixing the minimum vases
in the Industries. consider that which
would bring good citizenship
4 believe" he said. that II the
Mexican girl had proper FOOD ana
living her mind would get TO tunc-
tioninc as does that OF her Anglo
Saxon sister Owing 20 the long sup
preston due 10 Door 4lFlus conan
tious with the 1leNicaus ir might
take more than a generation for their
minds TO get 10 functionIng like the
Anglo-SaIon's.
Il believe S1A50 a week IS little
enough for a girl 10 live on respect
ably and that allows nothing for
savings In my opinion a minimum
wage viii rebound TO the advantage
OF the legitimate business man for
it forces the exploiter Of cheap labor
Ito pay somewhere near what the
former IS willing to pay"
AT noon the commission took re-
cess until p. m. when other welfare
workers were to be heard It was
announced that Saturday would be
given over 10 hearing anyone who
might desire 10 come before the com
mission
Employers Give Testimony.
The Thursday afternoon session Of
the hearing was given over largely 70
taking the testimony OF employers In
mercantile establishments, with A.
Schwartz. proprietor OF the Popular
Dry Goods house and II. Coblentz OF