Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-18
WOMEN APPEAL
FOR S-HOUR LAW
Big Delegation Marches to
Caucus Room of State
Senate
MANY FROM THIS CITY
Former Director Cooke Points
Out Benefits Derived When
L. S. Adopted Rule

Harrisburg, March ts.--More than
| 100 representative working women and
social workers from all parts of the
state. marched to the caucus room OF
the State Senate here this afternoon to
appeal for the passage OF the eight
hour law for women.
Half the delegation came from Phila-
delphia at noon and after a conference
with women and trade unionists from
other parts of the state formed in a
body and marched through the Capitol
grounds to the hearing.
James II. Maurer, of Reading. former
Socia list member of the House of Repre-
sentatives, presented the speakers in
favor of the bill. The opposition was
led by officers of the Pennsylvania Manu-
featuring Association and a delegation
from the Pittsburgh Chamber of Com
merce.
All classes of wSmen workers were
represented in the Philadelphia delega-
tion, which came at the invitation of the
, Women's Trade Union League.
Cooke Points Out Benefits
Former Philadelphia Director of Pub
lie Works Morris l.. Cooke, who has been
aiding the government during the war
as an efficiency engineer, came with the
women to tell of the increased efficiency
and greater production resulting from
governmental adoption of the eight-hour
scale for war industry.
Miss F'rieda Miller, secretary of the
joint legislative Conrdittee for labor
legislat ton, brought to the hearing a let
ter from A. NJ. Collins. of the A. NJ.
Collins Manufacturing Company, of Ken
sington. in which Mr.. Collins urged i'm
to e ba n Ia Ia
we have reduced our working hours
from fifty to forty-seven hours a week.
q reduction Of 6 per cent in working
time" he writes. "A most careful COM
parison of production would indicate
that our output is reduced only 3R
per cent"
He added that he is now hoping to
reduce this to a forty-four hour a week
basis.
"Of course, it is a considerable handi-
cap to any manufactures" he adds. "if
others in the same line of business are
not doing likewise. and as we feel that
the shorter working hours have many
advantages for TIE worker we strongly
advocate the passage of this bill so
that all manufacturers will be working
on an equal basis"
Textile Workers Represented
several or the women in the delegation
representing striking Philadelphia tex
tile workers, came to the hearing to in
form the Legislature that they will not
return to work until an eight-hour day is
granted in their factories either by the
manufacturers or through the law.
Among those who spoke before the
committee this afternoon were Mrs Flor
ence Kelley, of the National Consumers
League. DR.. Rachael williams, a Phila
delphia physician: Miss Florence San
| vile, secretary of the Women's Trade
| Union, Alfred Bieber. secretary OF the
Allied Printing Trades Council. Miss
Margaret Burk secretary OF the Mill
merry Workers Union Local, No. A;
Miss Esther Haws. general secretary OF
| the east central field committee of the
/ Young Womens Christian Association.
Mrs. Mary Forrest, representing strik-
ing woolen yarn workers Miss Josephine
Coffin. representing girls working In to-
! bacco factories: Miss Emma Sauselein
woman employed as a car worker by
! the Pennsylvania Railroad and Chris
| Kerker. of the International Bakers
! Union.
Representatives OF industrial clubs r
| Easton. Wilkes Barre, Pittsburgh, Har.
rishurg and Allentown, joined the Phila.
delphians here. Young Women's Chris
tan workers from all parts of the state
were here, too, uring the passage of the
bill.