Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-07-20

Washington, July 2o@Iiow much
farther win a dollar 20 now than II
would go I'm 1912 This sounds like a
school boys arithmetic problem. but
Il Ia causing all sortB Of worry 10
. gray haired employers. earnest young
3 store clerks, and bewildercd members
J of the public. SO far. nobody's answer
p agrees with any other.
The factions that arc struggling
with higher mathematics as applied 70
4 rent. summer dresses and carfare are
. tho members Of the minimum wage
= board and advisory conference In this
e city.
In Kansas n similar group recently
gave an opinion that n salesgirl can
live on s1l a week. This rate has be-
= come tho minimum wage there. but II
: In being fought by tho women inyoiY-
ed. Miss Alice MacFarland OF the
: Industrial Relations Court submits
u 1893 as the minimum wagef for Kan
sas. compatible with health. Employ
ers insist that living costs arc ma
terally cheaper than a few years ago
and that Sf1 is ample. obYlously'
somebody's answer IL wrong.
Most people regard these minimum
: wage contests in different States from
"a a casual and impersonal point OF view.
The issue seems 10 remote-wnether
girls In stores and factories shall be nj
- lowed money to buy three
or four IN a year: whether II so suit
y should last them two years.
e. Yet the Issue does concern the pub
r lie vitality. II Is pretty well proved
"a that the girl who is healthy, properly
fed. and reasonably contented In the
Of worker who is cheerful and efficient
y. A saIesgirl's Crouch IS more often due
to a poor lunch or financial worries
q: than to improving Then,
too. tho worker who does not make a
lv living cannot spend, and this affects
lic business.
he But aside from any personal inter
NJ est in the minimum wage. the public
ia being asked TO take an altruistic
Interest in tho matter. Women. es-
z pecially, and women's organization
y are being urged 20 look into the mini
as mum wage question. and 10 work foi
ne a fair deal for employer. employe, and
ne the public. The Women's Bureau d
ng the Labor Department advocates this
~ women's bureau Interested.
- While Il ia working directly for wo
fkfH y WttA1A1H Aty tAA-6A R41 y ~ 1880
10 DO fair and impartial in It's att
~ tude toward tho minimum wage. IT
workers have made numerous survey
Of living conditions and have submit
ted evidence TO wage conferences. I
=, some cases the bureaus budget ha
been called too generous by tho en-
- ~ployers involved in the wage cor
ny troversy. In other cases. some item
A--x - LTD -. ALc Lrf~n1Ta af iu~t
IVY or cost than the employers allowed
the budget they submitted.
The Woman's Bureau believes tbs
two women representatives. Of th
W. public should DO in every wage cor
70 ference. rather than two men and or
and woman. = also says that more W
men should attend the bearings Of u
wage conference, because women kno
G. more than men about buying and whit
an a girl can live On.
eat For instance" a Woman's Bures
representative says. Mrs. EewtC
ted. Baker was once on the Washtnstc
d. minimum wage board. She was Il
first person 20 bring up the point tn
ian II a girl In expected TO wear a suit ~
b q. years some provision hould be ma
IN for reclining Il. No girl, she sai
por- could wear an inexpensive suit stead
neal for two years. without a repair b
The men at the conference had new
thought Of this and one was inclin
politely but firmly 20 discount I
idea. But any woRan would uph'
Mrs. Baker
. Washington has for several wee
been debating the question whetf
Ni"s the minimum wage for store employ
up should be reduced from $3.50
eau sI5.25. The conference has subm
was ted It's recommendation that the pr
Iinee ent rate OF $3.50 be continu
e4cN and this Is practically sure Of bel
~ confirmed by the wage board.
At a hearing the other day J
= - priced suits were exhibited by buy
80 from different department stores. 7
le'e' men fingered the material and s.
that the suits locke pretty goo
"a, The women around the c~Onferei
a. table held up the skirt to see how "
H each was. A cheap skirt, they 81
often runs too narrow for any bu
=. very slim person 10 wear IN comic
The women asked whether such 81
- were always in stock in all sl
~. - They asked girls 20 put on the CO
-ra. because It was explained some 6
ments that look all right on a r
are badly tailored.
The same thorough tactics were c
sa.o ried ou with the different articles
GARD n g,-,,. - -aroba cboas ..ocl.I,
sue serge dress. "dress-up Dress" C
. We shirt waist. gloves, and sunni
Wa dresses were all submitted TO a Il
degree examination. AS cross
aminers Of the buyers the VOL
Kill members Of the conference put
: you men in the shade. They expressed
i4caso pert. neutrality-suspicious. opinions q
- say which garments shown We're {
1e u values and which were attractive
~ shcddy.
Must Shop For Bargains.
A representative OF the Won
znot Bureau. who approved the values
\ not. good man Of the articles exhib
q pointed out that one factor sh
Bara be considered. and the factor was
Hot.