The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1922-02-23
Factory Inspector Evans
Drops in On Alleged
Sweat Shop
bad AS REPORTED"
Inspector Declares Conditions
at Place under Fire Are
every Bad.


Allegations that "sweat shop" ex-
listed in Kenosha where q score of Ke-
nosha women had been employed under
bad working conditions and for wages
far below living wage, were inves-
tigated and found to be true on Friday
afternoon when David D. Evans, one of
the state factory inspectors, swooped
down on the place in question and dis
covered that the complaints made by
former employees of the concern had
not been in the least exaggerated. The
inspector quizzed the owners of the
plant, who admitted some of their
shortcomings and failure to live up to
the law. He also questioned many of
the women employed there and from
them learned that conditions under
which they worked had been most
distressing.
II found the conditions at this plant
every bit as bad as they have been
painted" declared Inspector Evans.
"The rooms were too cold and other
wise not sanitary; an examination of
the payroll showed that there had been
an utter disregard for the provisions
of the minimum wage law; stories told
to me by some of the women still
employed revealed that they were
subjected to indignities which must
be stopped"
Reported to Commission.
He declared that complete report
of the inspection would be immedi-
ately made to the industrial commits
sion with a recommendation that some
action be taken at once. He declared
that the commission might force the
owners to pay additional compensation
to the workers to bring their pay at
least to the rate set by the minimum
wage or let them face serious charges
of violating the law. He also stated
that the commission would without
doubt see to it that the company would
either live up to the law in the future
or go out of business.
| The probe was started two days ago
when one of the young ladies employed
at the plant made a complaint to Sec
rotary Shearer of the Kenosha Manu-
facturers' association and member
of the advisory wage board, who imme-
diately forwarded it to the commits
sion. The Kenosha association has
stood for ideal working conditions. and
backed the movement for investigation.
Exonerates Other Plants.
| While in Kenosha, Inspector Evans
made thorough inspection of all the
smaller garments plants which might
be under suspicion because of the
probe. II feel that should exonerate
those plants which are living up to the
regulations" declared Mr.. Evans. "The
Standard Garment company on Market
street, was found to be up to the law
in every particular; investigation show
ed that it has paid its employees not
less than twelve dollars a week, far
above the minimum wage. The same
is true of the small plant located above
the Union Dye shop on Market street,
l do not feel that these plants should
be allowed to have a black eye be-
cause of another one which alone was
found to be operating under sweat
shop conditions"
| Inspector Evans asked that the name
of the plant under fire be kept secret
until after the industrial commission
had acted on the case, declaring that
this policy was always maintained
in such cases.
Spurred on by Letter.
The inspection was hurried along by
an anonymous letter received Thurs
day evening by Inspector Evans. This
was written by young woman form
erly employed in the plant, who urged
that immediate action be taken. She
told how the rooms were cold and un-
sanitary and how several of the women
employed had been forced to quit work
because of contracting i'll health as a
result. She also declared that the
employees were subject to all sorts
Of indignities if they expected to
hold their jobs"
"a few days ago q girl went to work
here" the writer reported. "She work
ed day and half and went to tire
owner to ask what her wages would-be.