The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-04-23
FILED
HERE BY
UNION
Women Accuse Hotels and
Mercantile Establishments.
Call D. C. Conference.

Wage cuts OF from 81 70 5U
per cent are being made by Wash
ington employers as the result Of
the minimum wage decision Of the
Supreme Court.
This startling charge was made
by the National Women's Trade
Union League today. It will be
supported by evidence at q later
date, league officials say.
Charges In Statement.
As an immediate result Of the
Supreme Court decision says q
statement issued today by this or
ganization, wages in some In
stances have been cut to $6. So, and
So q week. Even before the Su.
preme Court decision. when the en-
forcement of the law was interfered
with by injunction, some hotels re-
duced wages, and now the reduc-
tons are in full swing, by one
method or another, I'm mercantile
establishments as we'll"
In many plants where there have
been no wage slaslnes 80 far, EN-.
ployers are preparing to lay off
hundreds of women who later will
be replaced at lower wages. it is
charged: in other establishments the
minimum sales requirements are be-
ing increased as a condition of hold
ing the present wage rates.
Controversy Becomes Bitter.
The National Women's Trade
Union League makes these specific
allegations In the face Of assurances
from merchants and other employ
ers that the minimum wage de-
cisions would not be followed by
wage scale reductions. The contro-
versy thus opened promises to be
sharp and bitter.
To find some means of stemming
the tide Of wage reductions, which
may extend to all the States which
have enacted minimum wage legis-
lation, the Trade Union League has
called a conference of women's
organizations to be held in Wash.
ington May IA. State labor officials
and other interested groups also
have been invited to attend.
"As the decision of the Supreme
Court" the statement says, sis be-
lieved to invalidate the minimum
wage laws of thirteen States, the
effect upon the wages of 1900. 900
women workers in those States may
be anticipated from the effect in
the District of Columbia.
THE results will also bear down
ward upon the wage standards of
women in all other States in future.
The Importance of the problem, in
our Judgment. calls for the best
judgment Of every group of socially
minded men and women in the
country"
Organizations Invited.
Among the organizations that
have been asked to send represen-
tatives to the conference in Wash.
ington are the National League of
Women Voters, the Young Women g
Christian Association, the National
Council Of Catholic Women, the
Council OF Jewish Women, the
American Association Of University
Women, the National Congress of
Mothers and Parent Teachers Asso-
Citations. the National Consumers
League, Girls Friendly Societies,
National Federation of Business and
Professional Women, National Coun-
Gil Of Women, Women's Christian
Temperance Union, American Home
Economics Association, General Fed.
Grafton Of Women's Clubs, the
American Federation Of Labor, Fed.
eral Council of Churches of Christ
in America, the National Catholic
Welfare Council. National Confer
ence Of Social Work. American AS
ISOLATION for Labor Legislation, and
others: also the State labor official
of minimum wage States.
The National Women's Trade
Union League, which Is calling the
conference, is a federation of work
ing women and allies of the labor
movement, with its executive board
composed as follows: Mrs. Maud
Swartz, OF New York, president
tmefnber of the Typographical
Union): Miss Rose Schneiderman, OF
New York, cap maker. vica presi
dent; Miss Elisabeth Christman, OF
Chicago, gloveworker, secretary
treasurer: Mrs. Sarah Green, OF
Kansas City, waitress; Miss Agnes
Nestor, of Chicago, gloveworker
Miss Pauline Newman, of Philadel
phia. waistmaker: Miss Julia s.
O'Connor, of Boston, telephone oper
ator; Mrs. Raymond Robins, of the
Chicago Women's Trade Unior
League: Miss Ethel M. Smith, OF
the Federal Employees Union.