El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-11-19
FL PASO WAGE
HEARING OPENS
Telephone and Mercantile
Establishment Employees
Give Testimony.


D telephone company and Of the White
= House and Popular stores as TO wages,
= working and living conditions in tele-
/, phone companies. mercantile estab-
= lishments. laundries. factories. etc. TO
Z fix the minimum wages I'm each indus
try in the entire state for women and
: minors. The commissioners present
5 were T. C. Jennings. state labor COM
{ missioner. chairman, and J. II. Fowler,
I employers member Of the Industrial
= Z Accident board c. ID. Watts. investi-
gator FOR the commission. acted as
secretary. and ". K Hall as stenOg-
Z rapher. Anne Webb Blanton. state
superintendent Of schools. the other
member Of the welfare commission,
was not in attendance
Witnesses Protected.
wednesday was given up 10 taking
testimony Of women and minors. and
chairman Jennings made the state
ment at the opening Of the morning
session that all witnesses would be
thoroughly protected against any dis
elimination by employers on account
Of any testimony given by and that
such was the law He also stated that
I " nile all testimony would be under
I oath there was great latitude given as
90 the mode OF taking such and that
I II would not be under the strict rules
. Of evidence.
Four witnesses. all women. were
: examined from the Tri-State Tele-
} phone company operators, and four
each from the White House and Pop
I ular mercantile establishments 4
recess was taken at noon until D. m.
Miss Lena Boles, operator OF the
Z Iri-State Telephone company. testi-
I ned In substance as follows: Il
I average $50 a month. which IS a sal
I larry and the "differential" Actual
b Of "a fnH
] allowing seasonable clothing SO as 20
| preserve health. food and proper
room, etc, would, 7 think require SIS
a week am here alone and board
and room average S1250 a week
Room is $50 month. ] eat at the
company's Cafeteria, where meals are
cheaper and better than anywhere
else.
Il am spending within IS Of
my wages Tor board and room.
without the cafeteria girl
could not live on the wages. The
least / could get board outside
would be so TO $50 a month
can call for help on my mother
IL 1 have to-"
Miss Alice Cronan Of the same
company said she was getting $3.50 I
one week and $3.50 the next as an 7
operator She testified that the min I
imum wages were S11 a week. She I
said she lived az home, had no board /
20 pay. did not contribute TO support ]
OF the family and that she had had
seven raises OF wages in the time
she had been working, all at the rate
oL ~ cents week. except one.
which was 81
Room and Board Prices.
Miss 2 kessell, telephone operator.
tesllLled- have been working two
ana halt years and get So one
week and $3.50 the next live al
nome and contribute 81 a week 70
the FAMILY / have not been abe 10
save ana nave kept no account Of my
expenses The girls who do not live
az nome tell me il costs $50 10 $40
month for room and board. only.
Miss sadie Rlchens testified. ct
I've oeen a telephone operator IS
months and get SIS one week and
$3.50 the next I turn an into tbe 3
-aLnlly Tor support I have not fig
ureu now much it would cost 10 main
am girl alone The company fur
nlsnes US free medical attendance
ana paid my wages for a month when
was SICK month I can get a
5000 meal at the companv's cafeteria
loE ~ cents The company has been
good TO me
The following persons have been
CHOSEN 70 meet with the welfare
commission at 2-30 o'clock Thursia,-
ana az the same hours Friday and
Mrs. T. ". Lanier. Miss I.uta D.avo
4lrs- Chas- Stevens. Mrs C. Is. KELLY
MIS-. Julia A Sharpe. Mrs. Tas No
y1oIIin; MIS- J. C. Worthington, Mrs.
Other. women officially connected
with the movement viii also he
present at the meeting.
Urges Wage Basis.
bliss % Davis salesWoman. OF the
mite House mercantile estab 1ssh-
i1enL testified. in substance. today.
7 have worked three years. sfarfe5
az SIS a week and make. with com
missions, SIS now. SUPPORT NV
'nolner and We get along nicely. NV
salary is $50 7 think a working
woman should earn enough to live
and save a little. / am
not saving any more than I did asI
have Increased as n5'Bc5
1r more than my wages in the last
Two years. can save 81 or 81 a
week Mother and I live about "a
eneap as I could alone. I think. in
king minimum wage, It should be
living alone"
Mrs. " c. Hall: Il have been a
5alesWoman at the White House II
months and get SIS a week and COM
Missions which is percent over cur
'equlred quota live at home and
meet expenses. eEceut when nv hrrs-
land Is sick I think girl ought TO
rave SIS to $50 a week TO live re-
'pectablys and that the minimum
hould be based on the circumstances
4 the girl living alone
@Medium priced goods are hest
economy and wearing apparel has
Increased Mt least so percent IN
price In the past two years. A
business which taxes human en-
erEy should provide the means 70
restore IL or IL Is taking more
than belongs to it,
Miss Anne Martin: I work at the
q nite House and get s13 a week and
COMMISSIONS, about So. live at home.
III wages going into the family. IL
tarted at SIS week and 10 took me
bout nine weeks TO learn the busi-,
.ess- Employees get 10 percent dis
cunt on small things and 20 percent
n ready 20 wear"
Miss H. Medina had worked over q
ear as saleswoman at the White
ouse, gets $l2 a week wages and 50
q commissions.
Miss Cuau.lupe Rudella: Il have
cen a salesWoman nine years at the
opular Dry Goods house and get
~ a week, which I turn into tne
lmily support"
Miss Delfina Look: "I have baen
aleswoman at the Popular ~ years
tarted at $3.50 a week and now EetI
lo-bO- i support my mother and
lece- lt Is difficult TO meet ex-
enses some time, but am satisfied.
. pay one percent Of our vases in-f
mutual aid association at the
ore ana get free medical attention
lu mealcines when sick Employees
-ay with the firm wei. I have notl
cen able to save anything. Threei
lOnLnE ago my WAGES rraro -.feaF