Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-10-10
though the average wage receAykdss.Ssy,
tnsmassassats least $3.50 per week less.
Needs Of Grand Forks Girit ssa

Needs OF Grand Forks Girl. ,sss
II IL interesting to note the rklf-
Ition OF this difference. to the partic-
fsuiar iterns OF expenditure.
frOurteen OF these girls testified TO
the purchase OF winter coats, the aver
age paid fOrsa BAT being $3.50. The
/: Fargo average&it will be recalled, was
x5l.stS Six Of the. girls also testified TO
average cost 81: yss.55 per coat a 8 :
Twelve testified on the item Of suits.
he expenditure f6t that being am avs
erage Of $56ssl0 per suit. as compared
with an average of $Al.25 at Fargo.
twenty girls gave definite testimo-
. ny on4the shoes item, reporting the
purchase of$78S pairs for the year at an
average cost. OF $3.50; in. ,other words,
me Grand Forks girls were wearing
out about halt OF one ;pairnot4shoes
more per year, but saved the differences
o. purchasing less expensive shoes,
On the hat question there were only
10 n testified. as compared with
~ at Fargo. but two or three of>the
10 required a few extra. hats, and the
average cost was about Is per cent
The hosiery question: was as seri-
u n Grand Forks as in Fargo. and
ills going to, prove somewhat diff
, cult for n or two Of the witnesses
to; accommodates themselves to the
average Of III pairs per year, In 4 &
that should be established as the MIN
1mum need of the average working
FIJI. There was q saving on the aver
age price paid per. pair, being $1.65
insteadsof 31.7b. which MAJ help a
little, however. -, y
on the part Of employers OF the
state, testimony was introduced show
ing reductions in many of the items
or living costs from hast year, the: per-
centaRe OF reductions, according to the
testimony, running from 20 per cent
IS. 40 per cent Several lists OF the
Items consid cred as necessaly>in tie
n OF clothing per year were a'so
submitted to the. commission, together
with the prices conside erred reasonable
for the several items - (:
Interesting Facts Brought Out.
The hearings, thus far have dig
closed many things in the way Ut
sidelghts which will bear considerA-
Q In the determination Of minlmuhi
wage schedules. There were girls who
had never bought . $25 dress, and
fhrew them away when stsi-SS got tired
or them. There were girls who
couldn't have dental work done; be-
cause they. couldn't affird 1t. ana 9TH
ers. who: gave a tenth Of their earn
I n to church work. kept their per
4onal appearance up to the average,
n still saved a, little. There were
sirls who said they, wouldn't lookt3at
4 garment that had been marked
down, and others who made 1t 3. prac-
tee to make purchases after the rush
season was over. There. were some
whose needs were supplied with, four
pairs OF stockings a year, and others
who required three pairs a month. :.
By way Of suggesting the one great
drawback to any minimum wAke
schedules reference should be made
to two OF the .Grani Forks witnesses
who. testified Thursday. Both work
ed for the n concern, doinE Tie
same identical, work, and being IA the
same classification, that is. having the
same person Immediately superior to
them in the position. One OF them
q had four years Of experience, the
other has had seven. Yet the one
with the lesser experience was receiv-
Ing $3.50 more per week for her work.
Nothing that was brought out in the
four days could be moro illustrative
their interests pay employees what
they are worth, and do so; that the
matter of wages is dependent upon
something besides the question III
days and months OF, experience; and
that. unless sufficient leeway+is given
for the recognition Of ability and am
bition. those who, want to be some
thing more than mere. machines: those
who have the desire and the will to
Look ahead, and to 60 ahead. viii, be
seriously retarded by restricting min.
imun schedules! A load 81 sand can
not be levelledl up. tits always level
led down. And minimum schedu' es,
being designed az. Jewellers, bfink
about exactly the same sort OF atre-