The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1920-05-31
CAlNFUl WORK .
BUREAUS aim
Women's Section of De-
partment Has
Policy
lRy Universal Seryicel

(By Universal Service)
I WASHINGTON.-Now that con
gress has taken steps to perpetuatt
the women's bureau in the depart
ment of labor, this bureau is charged
with the responsibility of develop
ing policies and standards which
shall promote the welfare of womer
in gainful occupations, improve theil
working conditions, increase theil
efficiency and advance their oppor.
tunities for profitable employment
Realizing the need for definite
statement of standards which should
be met in establishments where
women were employed was one Of
the first tasks" said Miss Mary
| Anderson, director of the women's
bureau, "and we Immediately formu-
lated and published statement oil
such standards and one of the fun
damentals is equal pay for equal
work for men and women.
"These standards have been &C.
cepted and endorsed by many organ
izatiOns interested in industrial con-
ditions as they affect women and are
in very wide use. Our immediate
plans are governed by requests that
come from all parts Of the country,
and altho the results to be obtained
are the same in many communities,
the conditions vary in each locality.
and many different appeals have
been made to our bureau for the So
luton of some particular problems,
such as the wage study of women in
Rhode Island: the wage study in
Georgia, and we have been asked by
Kansas to make study Of wage and
hours. We are now working in
Manchester, New Hampshire, in
vestigating the workingwomen's re-
sponsibility toward the family life of
the country.
The question of equal pay re-
CARELESS of sex is very important,
and to know to what extent the wom-
men as well ass the men are support
ing the family life and are respon-
sible for the family life of the nation
is a necessary education.
much has been said about the
pin money idea acuating woman's
determination to work. This is not
true. 1t is an economic necessity,
for women have to work, and the
function of this bureau is entirely
concerned with the women in dustry.
1--WE have formulated the charts
and summaries on the labor laws for
women turnout the country and we
found that recently the women in
gainful occupations comprised 81 per
cent of the population. l think we
are very near 33 1-3 per cent now.
. 1--WE get all of our investigators
thru special investigation, examina-
tons in the civil service and have a
director of field Investigations at
the head of this extensive service.
However, there is very much larger
field from which information must
be drawn If the bureau formulates
the policies of woment employment
First, we must decide whether
women are 'hindered or helped by the
of laws limiting the hours
they may work in day or a week.
Are women entitled to receive a |
wage based as a mans wage is, on
the cost of supporting dependents?
What adjustments should be made |
In laws regulating hours and condi- |
lions Of work to prevent discrimina-
ton against women. While at the |
same time giving them protection? |
What conditions under which women
are working are mare harmful to
hem than to men?
The effect on the employment of wo-
men Of the eight-hour law now en-
acted in Massachusetts, will be shown
lpon the completion of an investiga-
ion affecting these women before
Ind after the passage of this law.
rhe work that lies ahead is a con-
inued examination of these condi-
ions and of women themselves.
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