The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1921-04-30

companies pack up and leave the State.
1t denounces the use of natural gas
In making carbon black as 'wanton
waste" The ordinances by Mr. Madi-
son and Mr. Jeffrion are not so strong.
They clothe the Legislature. the gov
ernor and the Conservation Depart
ment with authority to either curtail
or close the carbon black plants.
Forces OF pro and anti-minimum
wage went into verbal clash before the
committee on limitations of the Con
stitutional Convention. Massed on
the side for the establishing Of a min
imum wage for women and girls were
representatives of WOmen's clubs and
a number Of male allies. Opposing
was a delegation from the Manufac-
turers' Bureau of the Association OF
Commerce of New Orleans. and some
members Of the convention from coun-
try parishes.
The debate was on Ordinance No.
1913 introduced by Mrs. J. ID. Wilkin-
son OF Shreveport, and which empow-
ers the Legislature to pass a mini
mum wage bill. It reads: mo law
shall be passed fixing the price OF
manual labor; but this shall not pre-
vent the General Assembly from pass
ing laws fixing a wage to be paid
women and girls"
No action was taken by the commit
tee on the ordinance or on the sub
stitute offered by Mrs. Wilkinson.
Mrs Wilkinson's substitute ordi-
nance for her original one provided
that the Legislature shall have the
right to fix and regulate hours Of la
Dor and to create a minimum wage
commission armed with authority to
provide for the comfort, health, safety
and general welfare Of women and
minors. The commission would be ap-
pointed by the governor and to be COM
posed OF three members, one from cap
ital. one from labor and the third from
the disinterested public, thus assuring
body without bias, explained Mrs.
Wilkinson.
On the fixing of minimum wage
this commission would appoint COM
mittee Of three from the industry at
fected, three from the class Of en-
ployes involved and three from the
public to decide upon it.
A sharp exchange of words came be-
tween Edward B. Benjamin of the
Maginnis Cotton Mills, New Orleans,
and a member of the Association OF
Commerce delegation, and Frank r..
Woods. State Commissioner of Labor.
Mr.. Benjamin asserted the minimum
wage now paid was $12. Mr. Woods
took exception to this, declaring he
knew the minimum wage paid women
and girls to be $3.50 and 81 per week.
and that as a rule this rate of pay
was not increased until the employe
had been in service twelve months.
Mr. Woods added that he also knew
that in many instances the employe
was discharged just before completing
the twelve months Of service.
Il am not taking sides in this mat
ter, but am merely stating facts, let
the fur fly where it WILL" said the
commissioner.
Mrs. Wilkinson marshaled her forces
for the fight and was aided by Mrs.
Joseph E. Friend Of New Orleans, an
other one of the three women dele
gates to the convention. Mrs. A. F..
Storm of Morgan City, president OF the
Louisiana Federation Of Women's
Clubs, urged the committee to give .
favorable report for the ordinance.
James ]. A. Fortier Of New Orleans
urged the adoption Of the substitute
ordinance.
Mr.. Benjamin made an argument
against the ordinance. Joseph Haspel
was the other spokesman of the man
ufacturers' bureau. Other members OF
the manufacturers bureau delegation
were H E. Hornberger, N. 8. Woody,
Charles P. Berry, Charles H. Behre,
Augustine Elmer, Virgil Brown, Charles
r. Mccarthy, Bryan Bell, Frank Jen-
son, J. J. Thomas, and G. C. Merkel,
manager of the bureau. Delegates to
the convention who also expressed OPP
position to the ordinance were DR..
Roy o. Young Of Youngsville, j. D.
Barksdale Of RustOn, and L. o. Brous-
sard of Abbeville.