Evening journal., 1919-02-13
WOMEN woRKERs AND TIE MINIMUM WAGE.

WOMEN WORKERS AND THE MINIMUM WAGE.
vxf HEN the Merchants and Manufacturers Assooa-
w ton OF the District Of Columbia welcomes mini
mum wage legislation and helps II TO pass when tho
corresponding organization OF employers for New York
State endorses the principle laid down in the Mini
| mum Wage Bill before the New York State Legis-
lature bin which we understand Is Identical In
sentials with the bill introduced the Delaware Leg
sature and when the American Federation Of Labor
dorses all the bills whether Of the District Of Columbia
as passed in 1918 or Of York. or of Delaware the
question is\pertinent: chow does the agreement come
about2"
II Il were for The presence Of the important fac
tor OF the business man and his support we should be
guilty Of perhaps pardonabe skeptlclsm to the
ing quality Of this industrial millennium Of a demo-
cratic gettngtogether Of representatives Of employers
and employed, and OF the public round the common
tabler
But we cannot ignore the fact that many business
men Of accue comprehension and sound judgment ap-
prove the minimum wage principle. In the words Of the
Senate Committees report of the hearing the Mini
mum Wage Bill for the District Of Columbia which
passed by Congress in September Of last year:
their approval means that such legislation is recog-
nized as being based sound business principles be-
It makes for efficient and contented
labor force"
We have before US the testimony Of Edward A. FL
lene, Of Boston, in the State Of Massachusetts, which
has had minimum wage law since 1912 Before the
United states Senate and House Committees Mr.. Fnene
declared:
I'VE have had the minimum wage in our concern
since March 1912 and the important thing It is
that relatively the cost Of the wages compared with
other costs Of running the business has increased
but. on the contrary, has decreased. We have
found that there advantage In adopt
ing the minimum wage Il is not question |
Of philanthropy; is good business. We easily get
reasonable response out Of any girl. who we'll and
who is free from daily worries. A decent wage then,
seems TO us the basis Of Intelligent work, and we feel
that the minimum wage merely provides the machinery
by which joint action is secured the part Of all In
trade"
The question Of the decent" or "llving" wage for
women is the one which the Consumers League Of
Delaware, which is responsible for the public cam
paign now being conducted in behalf OF the Minimum
Wage Bill has far emphasized II looked at from the
angle of the cost of living the wages Delaware women
are at present inadequate to supply them with the
necessary of living to maintain them in good health
and protect their morals The the and en-
llghtened employer protected from undertaking COM
petitors." the better, think.
Minimum wage legislation is not experiment
Twelve States and the District Of Columbia, in this
country from the Atlantic TO the Pacific. have adopted
minimum wage laws as well as Great Britain Australia
New Zealand and Manitoba. France has made begin
ming and asking for extension of the principle
Seven States are considering minimum wage bill this
year including some Of the largest industrial States in
the Union.
The constitutional aspects OF the minimum wage
legislation argued before the United States Supreme
Court in April i9i7 when the Oregon law was declared
constitutional The supreme courts of Minnesota and
Massachusetts, followed by upholdng the constitutional
ity of similar statutes each the claim that il
vas 'he concern OF the State that women in industry
ouu De found to be getting wage below living level
was vindcated
State ~, Smum Wage Bill good business" for the
citizens ~ Dy implication, considers the welfare Of It's
viii not he s.neai we hope that legislators at
~ w oe Slow to recognize It's rner,s
40 ieave out the business - - ~
we want 1t and Delaware Wants IL, '4' Di' DC sooa'
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