The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-09-01
NEW ENVIRONMENT
ABOUT DEPARTMENT
STORES DESCRIBED
Employees Conditions Bet
tered-Great Business In
crease Noted - Work
Offers Opportunities
BY FRED CUMBUs

| Although nearly all businesses have in
creased greatly in the past few years.
few if any indeed, have increased at an
equal rate the department store dur
ing the past few years This is explain
ed by the fact that these stores do a large
amount of trading in womens apparel
and production of these goods were not
curtailed during the war TO any appre-
ciable extent and as a consequence, while
other businesses suspended or decreased
production, this business continued and
increased all the time.
This increased business has opened new
opportunities for the truly ambitious
young men in these stores as managers
and buyers that few other businesses
have to offer.
These are the opinions of George ID,
Love OF the dry goods economist of New
York, who was in Birmingham last week
opportunities in the department stores
are not confined to men, it was pointed
out. Conditions have changed so much
| in the past few years that it is m
longer considered bad form for a wo-
| man to work in a department store The
superintendent of a local department
| store boasts that the women in his store
are as well taken care of as when they
were in their own homes
In keeping with policies instituted by
the more progressive department stores
| of the east and north. local firms have
undertaken an elaborate plan for better
ing the working conditions of the en-
ployes and seeing that all temptation Is
removed from the path of the women ana
girls. This is made possible by the ad-
vice OF the woman Observation-Disclosures
ent of the firm and by increased pay
that is now given women.
I'VE are experiencing real trouble in
getting men for the higher positions in
the store here said j. l.. Baskin, sup
erintendent of Loveman, Joseph & Loeb.
There are really more chances now at
the top OF the ladder than at the bot
tom in most of the dry goods and de-
partment stores at this time, because
there are so few men who try for these
positions. They are well-paying and they
should drwa aspirants."
In speaking of the employing of wo-
men and girls. Mr.. Baskin said, The
department store is not what it was
several years ago. Women now are wei.
enough paid to support themselves anG
conditions are practically as safe in the
store as anywhere. For the younger
boys and girls who come to work in the
store we have three classes of instruc-
lions a week to improve their sales abili-
ty."
Many firms carry a form of insuran &c
for each employe and in case of sickness
or death the employee is paid a per cent
of his or her salary during the time he
or she is sick or a certain amount in
case of death. An assistant-superinten
emit is employed a kind of moral adj
wiser to the girls and young women en-
ployed by the firm. Even when a girl
leaves the firm a record is kept of he-
whereabouts and what she does
1--WE do not allow flirting with the
girls and young women in our employ
ment now and man who tries is soon
told his limitations" said Mr.. Baskin.
IT told a would-be Lothario last week. If
he didn't get out of the store I would
throw him out"
the employees is mode and where 1t Is
found that a mans or woman's salary
is inadequate for his or her support, ar
increase in salary is forthcoming.
Department stores, as well as the av-
erage dry goods store, were the subject
of cheap jo'-es,' said Mr. Baskin, "but
conditions have now changed. Many of
the local stores are offering summer
vacations with pay and other opportuni-
ties and advantages that were scorned
by them several years ago.
While we are caring for all our en-
pIoyes we would like to do somthng to
attract more of the ambitious young
men of Birmingham who really mean to
make their life work here. Many of our
present managers and executives form
erly were clerks and opportunities are
almost unequaled in any other line OF
work" Mr.. Baskin said