The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-01-15
SIGNS FIRST BILL
OFFERED BY WOMAN
Gov. Smith Makes Mrs. Sam
ynis's Game Season Exten-
: sion Measure q Law,
GIVES HER PEN HE USES
Speaker Sweet and Republican
1Ieaders Confer With Women
on Legislative Programme.
SsscsoI DsspotcA 20 THE Suy.

ALBANY, Jan. 1&.--Gov. Smith signed
as law to-day No. OF 1919. the bill
introduced by Mrs. Ida B. Sammis, Re-
publican Asssmblywoman from the
Second Suffolk district. extending from
January 15 to January 81 the open
seasop for Long Island shooting of duck.
geese and brant
This was the first bill introduced by
Mrs Sammis In the first year a woman
ever served In the Assembly. Gov.
Smith gave her the pen he used to sign
the bill. Passage Of the bill has been
awaited eagerly by sportsmen, who were
anxious to have the New York laws
made similar to Federal statutes.
sweet Confers with Women.
by the Women's Joint Legislative Con-
ference. Of which Miss Mary Dreer Is
chairman. was given preliminary
going over to-day in the room OF Speaker
Sweet. Senator ]. Henry Walters.
president protein OF the Senate. and
Simon L. Adler Republican leader OF
tine Assembly, discussed various phases
Of the bills.
The women's programme calls for the
passage Of minimum wage legislation,
health insurance, which would give those
unable to work at least IS a week; an
eight hour workday for women, pro-
hibit women under 81 from operating
elevators. limit to nine hours a day the
work of women in transportation service
and put women Office workers under the
name protection as women employed in
factories and mercantile establishments.
Before the women entered the confer
ence they had the pleasure of seeing the
Senate pass the resolution OF Senator
Ross P. Graves of Erie calling upon
United States Senators wadsworth and
Calder TO do everything in their power
- secure the passage OF the Federal
suffrage amendment pending In Congress-
worth. for he has opposed tho Federal
suffrage amendment while Mr.. Calder
approves it
The only negative votes were cast by
Senators Henry NJ Sage of Albany and
John knight Of Wyoming. whose district
includes Geneseo. Senator Wadsworths
horne.
During the debate on the suffrage reso-
tuition various Senators showed that al
though similar one was passed last
wear Senator Wadsworth did not change
his position on the suffrage proposition,
and other Senators declared that the
people arc beginning to lose confidence
In their representatives simply because
OF their failure properly to represent the
p'oopio, SieiHS w ousWOItn . OppOeltfOn
to suffrage despite the fact THAI New
York has voted women the right of su-
frase.
See Prohibition Bene6ts,
Speaker Sweet. Senator Walters and
Assemblyman Adler gave the women two
hours for a discussion OF their legisla-
tive programme. The Speaker let it be
known that he thought much Of the
H.
zion would be done away with with the
coming of prohibition, which would re-
move the evils the proposed legislation
seeks to cure.
Mrs Swartz explained that womens
working hours were limited by the eight
hour bill because it had been found that
many women who worked nights went
home and passed most OF the day at
tending to family duties.
Why not legislate them into bed"
suggested Senator Walters
Miss Helen Mccormick, who repre-
eented the Kings County District Attor-
ney's o<fce during an investigation Of
working conditions among women en-
ployed on the street railroads and sub
ways, declared that the cure for the
immoral conditions found lay in prohib-
iting the employment of men or women
under twenty-one, and providing that
women conductors should be paid from
the time they report for work at car
barns instead OF hanging around half
the day waiting to be put TO work. Her
bill provides they shall receive pay from
the time Of reporting. she said
Then the effect Of the bill will be TO
prevent railroads from employing
women" said Senator Walters
Senator Walters pointed out how i'm
possible It would be for New York State
employers to be saddled with the cost
OF compensation insurance, which they
now bear. minimum wages. health, sick
mass and old age insurance and similar
legislation and continue to compete with
other manufacturers in States which
have no such expensive laws.
Speaker Sweet promised the women
to study the women's programme thor
oughly. but he would make no prom
ises
Some OF the bills. I am afraid we
are not UP to yet" the Speaker said.