Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1924-04-04
WOMEN'S TRADE UN-
ION LEAGUE NOT
FOR ESSINGTON

Agnes Nestor gives her views Of
Essington's attitude toward Labor in
the following letter to tie State Fed
March 26, 1924.
Dir. John Il. Walker. President,
Illinois State Federation Of Labor,
Illinois Mine Workers Bldg,
Springfield, Illinois.
Mr.. Dear Mr.. Walker:
In reply 10 the inquiries received
through your office and from other
trade unionists with regard to the at
titude Of Senator Essington, Repub-
lican candidate for Governor in the
primaries, | can tell you that he was
not only opposed to the Women's
Eight Hour bill, but he broke his word
with regard to supporting an amend
ment which would have given some
measure of relief to the working
women in this state.
After a canvass was made in the
Senate and it was ascertained that the
8-hour bill, as passed by the House,
could not get the required majority
vote in the Senate, another canvass
was made to see whether enough
members would support a 9-hour day
and a 48-hour week to be certain of
its adoption. There were enough
agreed to Support it and Senator
Essington was one, and after it was
introduced by Senator Barr, Senator
Barbour introduced another amend
ment for a 54-hour week and Senator
Essington supported Senator Barbour.
When | asked him after the session,
why he failed to vote for Senator
Bars amendment, after promising to
do so, he flippantly said-"that was
before | knew of 54-hour week and
| like that so much better" The next
day Senator Hicks introduced an
amendment in the form of an entirely
new bill, providing for a Commission
plan and fixing the hours under a
schedule of 56-hours week and g.
hours a day. Senator Barr offered to
amend this schedule to a 50-hour
week and Senator Essington voted
against it. When the vote occurred
on the Hicks amendment Senator
Essington voted for it. We presumed
he liked 56 hours even better than 81.
The adoption of Senator Hicks
amendment complicated the whole
procedure because so many members
who really opposed our legislation, all
voted for it in order to defeat any
chances for this legislation at that
session. An effort was made to work
out some procedure whereby relief
could be given to the working women,
but all efforts failed and we hold the
Hicks amendment responsible.
May | recall to you that Senator
Essington after getting the support
of the Illinois Joint Labor Legislative
Board in his 1921 campaign for re-
nomination as State Senator on his
record for opposing the State Con-
stabulary bill and was reelected, he
went to Springfield and reversed his
position and supported the State Con-
stabulary bill.
In his printed platform he has
very carefully evaded any definite
declaration as to what he will do for
the women workers of this state, al
though he knows the S-hour legislation
for women workers is vital issue. He
states he is for limited hours for
women in industry-we have limited
hours at the present time-it is the
TEN HOUR DAY-What does he
mean? According to his votes on our
bill in the last session it is difficult to
know what he does mean. He stood
for a 54-hour and a 56-hour week
under this platform he may stand for
a go or 65-hour week. 1t could mean
anything and from his past record, we
are justified in expecting little or
nothing from him.
Fraternally yours,
(Signed) AGNES NESTOR,
President