New-York tribune., 1919-01-12
Women's Municipal
League to Help Voters
Will Sift Mass of Bills and Sc.
lect Measures for
Approval

AZ 80 laws w lllCucy, loSlSIdtlVC
chairman Of the Women's Municipal
League, with her team of co-workers.
has been following the various sessions
of the Legislature from their begin
ming to their end, and is now turning
her attention to the matters which will
come up before the state Legislature
now assembling.
The assembling Of the present Leg
| lslature is time Of deep interest TO
New York women" Mrs Whitney said.
"Our concern in its work is no longer
academic. We have had a share in it's
election, and it is obviously our duty
alertly and intelligenty to follow its
movements.
"For the average voter, unattached
to any civic organization, this is no
easy matter. In the great mass of
matters which come up for considera-
ton many measures are purely local
IN their content. Sitting the whole
mass to find and place before the pub
nc matters of general civic interest
is heavy task, but the members of
the Legislative committee of the
Women's Municipal League are trying
to do it for league members.
"The league welcomes gladly this on
portunity to add its weight to The pro
! mitigation of a 'woman's programme, ,
that is, certain bills which have been
formulated and indorsed for presenta-
ton to the Legislature by organiza-
tlons which are specifically interested
IN woman.s welfare. The programme
also has the Endorsement of the New
orH State Federation of Labor, and
the minimum wage bill has been an
proved by the Associated Manufact-
urers and Merchants of New York
State. The transportation and elevator
blils are of special interest because
lhese are new occupations for women,
ana at present women are working in
them without any of the legal safe
guards that have been built around
other employments.
1--WE shall be called upon to throw
our weight into the balance when these
bills come up before the state Legislat-
ure. All league members must be
prepared for this responsibility. Please
give these bills your earnest thought.
your careful study. Make use of all
information given out by the organi-
zatlons which are behind the bills. and
be ready to act, by writing letters, by
Joining delegations, etc, if during the
progress of the bills through the Legis
lature such individual action becomes -
necessary.
Bills Protecting Women
The bills called "The Woman's Joint
Legislative Programme" follows:
L. transportation bill, limiting the
nours OF work Of girls employed in the
transportation service to nine hours a
Gay, ntty-four hours a week, prohibit
ing night work and employment of
minors under twenty-one, and provid-
ing suitable toilet and rest room facili-
tles, and one day of rest in seven.
z. An elevator bill, limiting the hours
OIL work OF elevator girls to nine hours
day, hfty-four hours week, pro-
hiolting night work, and providing
seats IN elevators, and one day of rest
| in seven.
3. An eight-hour bill, reducing the
hours for women employed in factories
and mercantile establishments from
nine to eight hours day.
d. An Office workers. bill, providing
the same protection to office workers
as girls in mercantile establishments
now enjoy (namely, nine hours day.
fifty four hours week, and one day
OF rest in seven, no night work between
10 p. m. and a. m.) This excludes,
however, those employed in profes-
s'onal offices and in telegraph and rail-
road Offices.
5. A minimum wage bill, creating a
minimum wage commission which shall
establish wage boards in the different
industries; these boards, after investi-
cation into the cost of living and the
standard of living in that trade, to fix
minimum rates which shall be suf4i-
cent to meet the necessities of life
and maintain health and efficiency.
] 6. health insurance bill to conserve
4 the human resources OF the state by
/ establishing for employees and depen-
dent members of their families, sys-
ten Of mutual health insurance funds,
Under the supervision Of the Industrial
Commission, and establishing Bureau
Of Health Insurance in the Labor De-
/ partment.