New-York tribune., 1919-02-14
City Club Asks
For a Bureau
To Fix Wages
Reconstruction Programme
Suggests Commission to
Enforce Living Salary
Insurance Changes Urged
Wants Workers Protected
Against "Four Great
II yards 8 of Industry

Urging good pay, housing, education
and security against the uncertainties
OF modern industrial life for wage
earners, the City Club will soon pub
hsh its reconstruction programme
One Of the measures urged as part of
Its programme is a commission to fix
Il living wage for women and children
N THIS state, payment of wages lower
than those fixed to be made illegal.
The first of the clubs proposals is
the enactment of insurance laws to
safeguard the workman from the "four
great hazards which continually beset
their lives, namely, accident, sickness,
old age disability and involuntary un-
employment"
"1n all the leading countries Of the
world" the report continues, "includ-
ing our own, the device of social insur-
ance for meeting this need has been
tried, and where tried has been uni
versally approved. The time is now
ripe in this city and state for the fur
thcr development and extension of the
social insurance device for the greater
security and conservation of our wage
earners."
Changes III Compensation Law
The programme then advocates three
changes in the New York workmen's
compensation law. One of these would
raise the minimum and maximum
weekly compensation from 50 and S15
to SS and Is. respectively. The second
would reduce from fourteen dDys to
seven the period before an injured
workman is entitled 20 benefits And
the third would increase the relative
Importance of the workmcns compen-
sation insurance fund.
The other social insurance measures
advocated by the City Club include old
age retirement allowances. health in
surance and unemployment insurance.
OF unemployment dangers, the pro-
gramme says:
There is danger that the closing OF
war contracts and the rehabilitation
Of the military forces may lead to wide
spread unemployment and suffering
unless immediate steps are taken to
increase the amount of work available
Any severe crisis Of unemploymen mt
might also lead to social unrest of a
most unfortunate character.
Wants Public Project Started
"The City Club recommends that as
an aid in preventing any such de-
preston the state and city Of New
York take immediate steps to begin
as many as possible Of the numerous
projects Of public work postponed on
account of the war."
With respect to providing adequate
housing for working people of the
state, Governor Smith is urged to ap-
point a sub committee on housing in
his Reconstruction Commission, with a
view possibly to state erection or
financing Of proper houses.
The states present system Of taxa
ton is called "inadequate and dscrim-
inatory in that it does not sufficiently
reach sources of revenue other than
real estate"
Abolition of the present personal
property tax is recommended and the
substitution for it of state Income
tax to reach the incomes of residents
of the state from all sources and of
nOn-rcSldentS from sources within the
state. This tax, it is recommended,
should be extended to corporations
Suggests State Wage Board
On the subject Of minimum wage
legislation, the club says:
"It is estimated that there are over
100000 women workers in New York,
the great majority of whom are under
thirty years of age. The working con-
ditions of these women are of peculiar
concern Of the state. They are not, TO
the same extent as men, in a position
to protect themselves through organ-
Zation.
"Thc City Club recommends that a
bureau be established in the Industrial
Commission to have charge of the fix
ing, of living wages for women and
children. This bureau should be en-
powered to investigate wage conditions
and to appoint representative wage
boards composed of representatives OF
the public and equal numbers of EN-
ployers and employees in the various
low-paid trades. Based on the recon-.
mendations of the wage boards and the
Investigations of the bureau, the com.
mission should have power to fix mini
mum wages for different occupations
sufficient to cover the necessary cost
Of living. Payment of a normal WON
an worker at lower rates than such q
minimum should then become illegal
Other recommendations Of the CITY
CLUB are for colonization, erection of
additional schools, raising of salaries
OF school teachers, development of the
port of New York and admission Of
workers to share in the management of
industry.