Evening star., 1938-01-25
MATTRESSES HELD
USING WAGE BODY
Hotel Association Executive,
Appearing as Individual,
Makes Charge.

Union mattresses were accused yes
terday Of attempting to use the
Wage Conference of the District Mini
mum Wage Board as a bargaining
agency to secure higher wages, ex-
elusive of tips.
The charge was made before the
committee by Willard M. Kochen-
derfer. executive secretary of the Ho-
tel Association of Washington.
Mr.. Kochenderfer said he appeared
as private individual without in
structions' from his association but
admitted his views generally represent
ed those OF the h,el management
group.
He appealed to the Wage Confer
ence to establish modest, a low
minimum wage to include an allow
ance for tips and, "by all means, "
meals served to mattresses. Hotel
mattresses are opposed to a minimum
wage generally, he claimed. He de-
clared the mattresses who belong to
the union are few in number" and,
citing the testimony of those who
had appeared as witnesses at the
hearings. he charged 1t was evident
they are attempting to use this con-
ference as bargaining agency"
Defends Tips as Wages.
Mr.. KoShenderfer defended the pol
icy of considering tips in connection
with determining minimum wage
for hotel and restaurant women
workers. Tips as part of remunera-
ton have been recognized, he de-
clared, by the National Labor Rela-
tions Board in the recent case of a
discharged Willard Hotel waitress Or
dered restored to employment.
He also asserted it was the intent
OF Congress that tips be considered
In fixing a minimum wage.
Girls make as high as $l9 a week
in tips at the larger hotels, he claimed,
while the minimum amount was $6.10.
At one particular hotel the tips re-
ceived by 81 mattresses averaged
$l1.63 week." he said.
In some of the larger restaurants,
the hotel secretary said, tips run as
high as $l344 a week.
Mr.. Kochenderfer entered a broad
denial of the claims of some hotel
mattresses that the food served them
was often "unWholesome." He said
it was neeither unWholesome nor un-
palatable and invited members of
the Wage Conference to see for them
selves.
In fixing minimum wage he said
it would be more satisfactory for
the protection of employees" that a
certain amount of wage must be con-
tributed by employers.
Old Law Never Enforced.
The old minimum wage law in the
District, he said, was never effectively
enforced, and "few employers lived
up to the law"
Yet in the Is years that intervened
after it was declared unconstitutional
he said there was apparently not
sufficient interest on the part of any
group, the employees or social organ
izations, to seek its restoration.
Mrs. Ethel L. Best of the Labor
Departments Women's Bureau en-
deavored to give some statistics on
wages and hours but admitted it was
impossible to gather accurate in
formation. The Women's Bureau, she
said, does not accept mere schedules
of hours posted in eating places, be-
cause it is difficult to get an accurate
picture of overtime"
Mrs. Best estimated from check
made in a certain number of res
taurants that the mattresses averaged
$5.35 in cash wages per week, with
meals included. She had obtained nc
information about tips.
BY the 1885 census she said there
were 1,040 women workers in hotel
kitchens and about 2,1sO women
were included among the 6,82s en-
ployes in restaurants, or 40 per cent
In response to repeated questions
about hours she maintained I'VE can't
get accurate information. In one
large group that was checked she
estimated A per cent worked less
than An 1,oirre q u,ook