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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

i

INDUSTRIAL WELFARE COMMISSION
STATE OF KANSAS

OFFICE

STATE CAPITOL BUILDING

P. J. McBRIDE, Chairman
CHARLES HAMLIN
MRS. A. C. MITCHELL

TOPEKA

October 31st,
8.
9 1
1

LINNA E. BRESETTE,
Secretary

Miss Mary Van Kleeck, Director,
Women in Industry Service,
Department of Labor
Washington, D. C.
My dear Miss Van Kleeck:—
7e will give attention to the
launJry at Camp Fun9ton at a very early date and will
!ake a report to you.
I wrote the Y. T. workers at
Fun3ton that I had heard from you and they are very happy
that we will be able to relieve the condition

of the

women workers there.
Sincerely yours
I
'y. Industrial Commission.
LB/A


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WAR DEPARTMENT
RAYMOND B. FOSDICK
CHAIRMAN
LEE F. HANMER
THOMAS J. HOWELLS
JOSEPH LEE
MALCOLM L. MCBRIDE
JOHN R. MOTT
CHARLES P. NEILL
BRIG. GEN. P. E. PIERCE U. S. A.
JOSEPH E. RAYCROFT
ELIOT WADSWORTH

NOV 5 - A.M.

COMMISSION ON TRAINING CAMP ACTIVITIES
WASHINGTON

October 31, 1918.

W. PRENTICE SANGER
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY

1:ary Van Kleock,
Woman in Industry Service,
Department of Labor.
,
- iashington, D.C.
1.7y dear Miss Van Kleeck:
Thank you for :;our letter and enclosure
relatin

to Canm Punston.

I am as you know much interested

and shall be glad to have the result of Miss Bresette's
inspection when completed.


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)
/7—
Sincerely y trs,

Chairnan.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

October 28, 1918.

Miss Linna E. Bresette, Secretary
Iniustrial Welfare Commission,
State Canitol Building,
Topeka, Kansas.
Ay dear Miss Bresette:

laity
Your letter regarding the hours of ;
woqers AatCamp Funsto comas at an opportune time as we
hake been connrr pg w th the Comvission on Training Cam
Activities regarling the possibility of a more adequate
sivervision by the War Denartliant. I m referring to Mr.
Foglia thi information Which you sent. Mean4lile we should
be very glarl to puma yau make a ccunleto intnection of the
launiry, especially with a view to makenganonsteutiteveugegstions which may be useful to the commanding officer. A
cony sent to this office will be brought to the attention
of the War Denartment and will be of assistance in dealing
with similar problems in other camps,
Sincerely yours,

MVK/ALL

Mary Van Kleeck, Director
oman in Iniustry Service.

INDUSTRIAL WELFARE COMMISSION
STATE OF KANSAS

OFFICE

STATE CAPITOL BUILDING

P. J. McBRIDE, Chairman
CHARLES HAMLIN
MRS. A. C. MITCHELL

October 21st,
8.
9 1
1

TOPEKA

LINNA E. BRESETTE,
Secretary

Miss Mary Van Kleek, Director,
Women in Industry Service,
U. S. Department of Labor,
washington, D. C.

My

Subject:

Hours of Laundry Workers
at Camp Funaton.

dear Miss Van Kleek:I know you will be interested in a copy of

the letter which I am enclosing to you from a woman employed in the
laundry at Camp Funston.

I have had a number of similar complaints,

not only from the women at Funston in iggard to their work, but from
the Y. W. workers at Funston, who have complained that the women are
worked long hours in the laundry at the Camp.
You will understand, of course, that we have
no jurisdiction over this.

I have made an investigation there on one

or two occasions but have always come away feeling that I had not been
able to accomplish anything so far as the hours were concerned, and as
the Officer incharge has made the statement that,"There are no hours
for anyone in “Tar time".

I am very well received over there and would

like very much to send you a complete inspection from the laundry if it
will help to remedy conditions there.
Best wishes to you, I am
Sincerely yours,
k
)
cly. Industrial Telfare Commission.
LB/A


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Army City, K3n338,
Sept. 25th, 1918.

Yr. Arthur Capper,
Topeka, Kansas.
Dear Governor:
1 am writing you in regard to the Kansas labor
law. Do we have a law in Kansas in regard to eight hour per day
labor for women? If so would you please advise me of such.
I have been working for a living in the Camp
Funaton laundry, and since August 5th the laundry has run every day
except onq Sunday and I have missed work only 2 days since August
5th and I have never worked less than10 hours per day, except 2 days,
and from that up to 13 hours several days.
Last Saturday I worked 8 hours and wanted off but
the manager wanted me to work ten hours, but I went home, and because
of it, he will not let me work there any more. Is this right? Women
cannot work so many hours and work every day.
Would you please write a letter to me that I may
giire it to my employer? My work has been satisfactory, and this is
the only cause for my being turned off.


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Federal

Yay I please hear from you?
Yours respectfully,
(Signed)

Mies Lena Whitehead,
Army City, Kansas.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

October 28, 1918.

Mr. Raymonl B. Fosdick, Chairman
Coalmission on Training Camp Activitiez,
lent, 19th and G Streets,
War De-art,
Washington, D.C.
My dear Mr. Fosliok:
We have just received the nclosed letter from
Miss Linna E. Bresette, Secretary of the Inclustrial Welfare
Commission of Kansas, senling a copy of a letter from a laundry
worker at Camp Funston. I an sure that you would wish these
facts to be brought to your attention. I am replying to Miss
Bresette that we should be glad to have her make tia inspection
of the laundry to .11.ich she refers and to send her recommendations
so that they may be taken up at once with your office.
Sincerely yours,

Eric.2
MITK/ALL

Mary Van Kleeok, Director
Warlan in Industry service.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

imam xi

INDUSTRY SRRVICE

August 1, 1918.

MIT dear Mr. leediekt
s are much concerned over the conditions affectwoiLon onr.loyed

n the cantonments, and I air writinl to

offer you our co-operation in deLllinrf wit.' this subject.
Miss Denman writer; we that she is now preparinc.; a report.
01 tocr,mther e.s soon
Would if be feasibll And desirable to 0,
lz possible the original committee appointed 137 you to work
out a plan so that we may be prepared to take prorpt action?
It is rrobable that the organizatior of a Vomen's Army
Auxiliary Corps would take a good deal of time, and it has
seemed to me that we mi7ht in thn m3Ftrttme make eur

that

the conditiors were s.fn!,uarded in some other way.

We are

at your service it we can assintnthe Commission in this matter.
Si.loerel7 7curr,„

Director, Women in Incka!ry Service.
Kr. Raymond B. Fosdick,
Chairman, Comis3ion on Trainin3 Carr Activities,
War Departrmnt, 1Jth anl G Streets,
WashinT,ton, D. C.

1111ftwo.pp

WAR DEPARTMENT
RAYMOND B. FOSDICK
CHAIRMAN
LEE F. HANMER
THOMAS J. HOWELLS
JOSEPH LEE
MALCOLM L. MCBRIDE
JOHN R. MOTT
CHARLES P. NEILL
BRIG. GEN. P. E. PIERCE, U. S. A.
JOSEPH E. RAYCROFT

COMMISSION ON TRAINING CAMP ACTIVITIES
WASH INGTON

W. PRENTICE SANGER
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY

July 30th
Ill 1 i
//////'

LIy Lear Miss Van Eleock,
Your letter to Lr. Ilichols has come into my hands,
- idhols is no l'ngrer with the Commission and the ComZ

as

over
mittee's report on women in training camps has been turned
to me.
I am just tack from Prance and England where I collected
material in regard to the English Women's Army auxiliary Corps.
At present I am writing a report on it for
present to the

Ijr. 2osdick to

Secretary of War, and I should like very much

to talk over with plans for starting such an organization in
this country, as soon as I get my material in hand a little
and have thought out clearly how it seems to me the scheme
cir4A
saipsow+t be adapted to OUT needs.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Sincerely yours,

44.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Novenaber

1918.

Mrs. Jens D. Rirrin, Director
Section on Women F..ni Girls,
CCLIVieSiail on TrP.ining Camp Activities,
war,1-21ngt on, D.C.
My Isar Mrs. Rirrin:
The renort of' conditions at Camp Custer
was specific. It cane to us through Mrs. Samuel B. E-.rilAs,
Pxecutive Chaiman of the Department of 'nFr.en in I-.1•1-stry
of the Woman's Committee and from the contazt ev13antly
related to corylitions of emuloyment obtaining in the camp.
Possibly lour report dealt with a different aspect of conditions tigare. I arn writing Mrs. Hurling asking her to
rerort e.t once to you if she has further information. It
rire anxious to
Is to the corrlitions of sutrlo:uent thof.t
lecrat,,
prosentnoa
gall6ttention esreoiRily, az th4re Is at
-provision for surervision of the women in the °mos 's norrs,
Sincerely yours,

MVX/ALL

Mrry Vii Klci, Director
Wolian In inAustry Service.

WAR DEPARTMENT
COMMISSION ON TRAINING CAMP ACTIVITIES
WASHINGTON

LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVIEION
SECTION ON WOMEN AND GIRLS


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

October 25, 1918.

rise rary Van Kleeck,
Director, Women in Industry Service,
Department of Labor,
Washing/on, D.C.
ry dear Visa Van Kleeck:
Yr. Fosdick has called to my attention
the fact that specific reports of bad conditions at
Camp Custer have come to you.
As this is one of the camps of -which we
have a favorable report, I an, much interested to know
what the conditions are of which you speak, in order
that we may check up our report.
Yours sincerely,

/ 1V
10
irector
:H


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

October 30, 1918.

Miss Jane Ri-orin, Dirnctor,
baction on Women azid Girls,
Co.nissio, on Training Camp Activities,
Washingto,l, D. C.
My dear Miss RippirL:
wish to acknowledge your letter of October 25th
to Miss Van Kleeck o4hi eh cams during her u,bse nee frol3 tile city
for a feo: days.

It 'Ain he br oaght to har attention upon her

return.
Very truly yours,

LiP

Secretary to MissVan Kleeck.

COUNCIL OF NATIONAL DEFENSE
WASHINGTON

WOMAN'S COMMITTEE

September 21, 1918.

1814 N STREET NW

Miss Mary Van Hleeck,
209 Southern Building,
15th and H Streets, N. W.,
Washington, D. C.
My dear Miss Van Eleeck:
At the Middle West Conference of the Departments
of Women in Industry of the Woman's Committee, I was requested to call to your attention the conditions surrounding women workers in and in the neighborhood of camps and
I was also asked to inquire of you under
cantonments
whose jurisdiction these women fall.
It was reported at the Conference that conditions
in Camp Custer are bad; also that women are doing night work
at Camp Grant.
Very truly yours,

(Mrs.

amuel B. Harding,)

Executive Chairman,
Department of Women in Industry.
Miss Agnes Nestor, Chairman,
Department of Women in Industry.
H:C.


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