Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-07-20
HQskin Letter
MINIMUM WAGE FOR WOMEN.
By
J. HASKN

representative says, Mrs. Newton
Baker was once on the Washington
! minimum wage board. She was the
first person to bring up the point that
il q girl is expected to wear a suit
two years some provision should be
made for refining it. No girl, she said,
could wear an inexpensive suit steadily
for two years. without a repair bill.
The men at the conference had never
thought of this and one was inclined
politely but firmly to discount the idea.
But any woman would uphold Mrs.
Baker
Washington has for several years
been debating the question whether the
| minimum wage for store employees
| should be reduced from $3.50 TO
S15.25. The conference has submitted
it's recommendation that the present
rate of S16.50 be continued, and this
is practically sure of being confirmed
by the wage board.
At a hearing the other day low
priced suits were exhibited by buyers
from different department stores. The
men fingered the material and said
/ that the suits looked pretty good"
! The women around the conference
table held up the skirt to see how
Wlue edtH WAS. y tHtbp shiit, tH's
said. often runs too narrow for any
but a very slim person to wear III
comfort. The women asked whether
such suits were always in stock in all
sizes. They asked girls to put on the
coats because it was explained some
garments that look all right on a rack
are badly tailored.
The same thorough tactics were car-
ried out with the different articles of a
girls wardrobe. Shoes. stockings. serge
dress. "dress-up dress, coats. shirt
waists, gloves. and summer dresses
were all submitted to a third degree
examination. AS cross examiners of the
buyers the women members of the con-
ference put the men IN the shade.
The yexpressed expert. ba~sed-on-ex-
perience opinions as to which garments
shown were good values and which were
attractive but shoddy.
Must Shop for Bargains
A representative of the women's bu-
reau, who approved the values of a
good many of the articles exhibited.
pointed out that one factor should be
considered, and the factor was one
that wage boards have not generally
thought of. She said that she believed
most Of the satisfactory exhibits TO be
the best buys of the particular stores
from which they That is. only
one store showed shirt waists at $3.50.
Another store exhibited q silk dress at
$3.50. But the store employe with
little time for shopping ought not to
be asked to make a complete round
Of the stores to hunt out these ex-
ceptional values. the expert explained.
The minimum wage employe is ex-
pected to buy as cheaply as she can
without sacrificing wearing values.
But her budget should not be made up
from exceptional cases of unusual store
values, nor from bargain prices. The
clerk can rarely attend bargain sales.
She has no surplus funds to buy a win
ter coat cheap in May for use next
winter. And such bargain counters as
she does reach are apt TO be piled with
plaids and gay colors which employees
are not allowed TO wear in most shops.
These things women bring up at the
wage hearings.
The encouraging feature of minimum
wage legislation to the persons working
for it is that a broader viewpoint is pre-
vailing. Small amounts, very small of
course, are being allowed for vacation.
dentist and Doctors bills, recreation,
and c~arfare.
The c~arfare item, eight round trips
a week, was contested in this city.
The girls could and should walk to
work. an employer on the board held.
A public health woman doctor answered
that while walking might be healthful
exercise it is impossible to force people
to take exercise by cutting down wages.
> "A girl. or you. or l." she said. will
ride to work to save her energy and
skimp on her lunch.
The public health doctor also scored
sandwich and pie lunches and advocated
Il substantial luncheon for the woman
who must go back to work all afternoon.
Ito the suggestion that government
workers who make higher salaries aver
age 10 cents for lunches in one bureau
the doctor retorted that no girl should
be kept from buying a substantial lunch
BY lack Of money. She may choose to
save the money for something else. but
she should have the chance to take care
of her health.
! The discouraging side of the minimum
wage legislation. as pointed out by the
] labor department. is that in almost
every case such legislation represents
In compromise. In consequence the
wage set is never quite as high as
welfare experts wish it.
In California the minimum wage fol
some industries has recently been re
) duced from SIG to SIS, and the genera
!. tendency is for employers to seek re
, auctions. They claim cheaper living
! costs. The woman's bureau reports
that while some items, clothes. for ex-
ample. may be cheaper, other expenses
remain at high levels, and the best mini.
mum wage schedules now in force are
, none too liberal. but IL they can be
maintained without reduction a few
years and if the cost of living drops
the employees may have a real minimum