Evening journal., 1919-04-30

tlves are sometimes dlflcult to con-
vince and the bin was finally killed IN
the Senate. However. as one OF the
Senatorial proponents OF the measure
remarked al the time. The corpse still
has a kick IN it.' and already our slo-
gan,has changed TO, Victory only post
poned until 1921
while the league offered but the
one bin to the LEGISLATURE II was vital
~ Interested In two which were in
troduced by the Labor Commission and
were in reality amendments TO three
laws already IN operation-the Child
Labor, Ten Hour and Sanitary laws.
The main purpose Of one OF these bills
was TO coordinate the work Of the in
spectors and TO secure a much-needed
Increase In the appropriation allowed
the commission. While heartily sup
porting these two features OF the bill,
the League Council was strongly Op-
posed 10 one section which would
have taken the responsibility for is
suing working certificates away from
the schools and placed It with the La
Dor Commission.
Every effort was made 10 have the
bin changed before lt was pfesenied
10 the Legislature. but II was not un-
On the measure was In committee that
an understanding was reached between
the Commission and the League where
by the League introduced a substitute
bill which left the Issuing Of working
certificates with the school authOri-
ties. This bin passed the House, but
- f.I ar
Committee on Labor and so never
reached the floor OF the Senate. This
was most unfortunate for the working
women and children OF the State as the
Labor Commission will for two years
be hampered In enforcing the labor
laws by inadequate funds and hence
too small a force OF inspectors. The
second bin referred 10 as introduced
by the Labor Commission provided
that prosecution under the Ten Hour
Law be brought IN the Justice OF the
Peace courts rather than as In the or
iglnal law before the Court Of Cen
eral Sessions. No right Of appeal was
given the Commission. At FIRST repre-
sentatves Of the league strongly op-
posed any change In jurisdiction but
finally agreed not TO oppose the mea-
sure II right Of appeal were given the
Commission. However, In the. closing
days Of the session the bin was with
drawn from the calendar and the law
left as originally drawn by the Con-
sumers' League.
Investigation: Unfortunately the
league has had no Committee OF In
vestigatlon during the past year, any
such work being done through the OF
nce. In the summer the Acting Secre-
tary made a survey OF thirty-seven OF
the leading downtown stores In order
to ascertain the daily hours Of the
women employed, the length OF the
lunch period, and the policy with re-
gard 30 the summer half-h0liday and
vacation with pay. The report was
not published as il was not compre-
hensive enough TO be conclusive, but
the findings were fairly encouraging.
Hours in Wilmington stores are grad
ually being shortened and evening
work where women are employed re-
duced TO Saturday night. The vacation
with pay was found TO be almost uni
yersal. but almost half OF these stores
do not yet give the half-holiday dur
ing the summer months. The en-
couragement and cooperation OF the
consumer is still needed in this sum-
mer half-holiday movement.
Minimum Wage: In the early sum
mer Miss Edith Spruance, chairman OF
the Minimum Wage Committee re-
turned from a stay Of several months
In Massachusetts, where she had been
studying the WORKINGS and the weak
nesses Of the Massachusetts Minimum
Wage Law. This Information and 9TH
er data gathered by the committee
proved very valuable In the campaign
for a Minimum Wage law for Della
ware. Also this committee is to be
congratulated on the large minimum
wage map which from its position over
the Public Library Building entrances
has proclaimed TO the passer-by the
status Of minimum wage legislation In
the different states Of the Union.
Meetings: while undoubtedly the
league Is best known through its legis-
lallve work, iis real foundation is edu-
cation. legislation being but a crystall-
zat'on into action OF the public senti-
ment previously created. 10 Is the
function Of the meetings committee to
90 a large part Of this educational
work. Now that the war activities with
their overlapping committee meetings
are over and people are gradually re-
covering from the reaction which fol-
lowed the signing OF the armistice. the
meetings committee plans to hold more
meetings. but during the past year,
under the chairmanshlp Of Mrs. VIII
lard Jackson. there have been but three
the annual meeting OF just year
ago; 8 Joint meeting with the women
in Industry committee IN the early fall,
whom Mrs. Coleman dupont told a large
audience at the Century Club OF the
work Of women IN England and France.
and the annual meeting OF the National