Evening journal., 1919-02-05
FOR FAIR deal FOR
EMPLOYER, WORKER
Pass or XII Minimum Wage
Bill, Urges Rev. c. L.
Candee
WOMEN'S EARNINGS
GIVEN In DETAIL

In addressing members Of the Cen
tFal Labor Union last nght, the Rev
Or. @. l.. Candee, paster Of Westminster
Presbyterian Church urged their en-
d0gsemenL OF the minimum wage bill
pending in the Legislature and he al
voeated the get=together spirit be
tween employers and workers to whom
he appealed for absolute fair play and
8 square deal on both sides. ANY EN-
nleyer or Industry getting a living at
The expense OF women, girls and min
ors In general, is not deserving Of eiii-
zenship or Of representation in a free
country" Dr.. Candee said.
However, we have learned that Ia
Dor is just as essential 10 the winning
Of the war as capital, and we learnei
that capital was just as essential as
labor We learned also that a human
soul is Of more value than dollars and
cents and cannot be measured on such
a basis.
Il count It great privilege as a
minister Of The gospel TO stand here Ia
support Of the bill. Labor is no lens
or regarded as a commodity by right
minded employers. Labor is life blood
and deserves an honest vase and al
the very least 4 living wage. for those
who work And in order to dignity Ia
Dor the fair wage for the honest days
work should be followed by the hon
est days work for the fair wage; and
we believe II viii be. One Of The masi
decent employers ] ever heard Of guar
anteed The minimum wage 10 his en-
ploycrs before they asked for u and
then found ia response 10 his practical
faith that they responded with such
Increased efficiency that they rePald
him over and over again"
Dr. Candee struck an interesting ar
gument when. in explaining the elas-
tic nature Of the wage boards which
always examined wages in connection
with the cost OF living in any LEGALITY
said, that though he could not enswcg
the workers problems offhand he
could say that speaking as a minister,
the principle OF The minimum Nase
was already In operation in connection
with many churches which set a min
imum below which no minister must
be paid The wage board representing
equally the employers. employees and
the public would decide on The mini
mum below which no woman worker
in industry should be paid
I'VE can look with considerable sus-
picl0n on the fellow who says he can't
support this principle" declared Dr..
Candee, "and we shall know what TO
think Of any opponent who denies that
The woman worker has not a right 10 2
square return for her labor, for the fu-
~ sNasrr
welfare Of our women. We have 10th
ing 20 hide in this campaign. II our
bill isn't right let It be killed, but II
it is right let us have cooperation"
Mss Clara southwiek, executive sec
retary, spoke on "Are The women Of
Delaware earning q llvlng7" speaking
loF The Wilmington district she chal-
lenged the widespread belief that war
lime wages were universally high for
women. Facts resulting from direct
INVESTIGATION in which she had taken
aart dispelled this view.
Out Of 50 visits 30 women and giri
Industrial workers in their homes at
random not by special choice in all
parts Of the city. 80 earned less than
80 In the 50 weeks preceding the visit;
? had a weekly average OF from SO %
sl2: Is averaged 70 10 SIS weekly AMI
only 5 had over SIS. These were work
srs in the prosperous industries. stores
and clerical workers not being m-
sluded in the recent industry study re-
ier-ed to.
"An analysis Of these weekly bud
gets" said Miss Southwick, showed
,learly that in many cases the work
ers were not paying the full value Of
their board the differences being sup
plled by other members Of the family,
3r IL fo- some special reason the work
sr was obliged to pay full commercial
board or IFS equivalent. other items OF
expenditure vital 10 health and hap
piness. fo- life should not mean eX-
istence merely. had to be eliminated or
cut down This is a vicious state OF
affairs which should be remedied.'