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https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis /, )e, Co • Nove,nber 4, 1918. Mrs. Samuel Sample, Titusville, Pa. My dear Mrs. Semple: Subject: Emnloyment of . .vor:Len at the Theo-lore F. Bauligg Clothing Company, Philadelphia. On October 22nA we sent a Jia4orandum to tne Acting Coanissioner of Labor calling hts attention to comlitions in this factory as brought to onr attention by the office of the Acting Quartermaster General. The statement *as mai() in tht memortndum that allitional information would be filed. The ftttacched copy of a memoranium from the Acting Quartermaster General containing this information and indicates that further invustigation by the Quartemaster's Department, the Woman in Industry Service or the Pennsylvania Board is rot necessary. May I ask Outto bring this to the attention of the office of the Board? Sinosrely yours, Enc. MV/ALL https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Mary Van Klc ,ick, Director Wanan in Inaustry Service. October 30, 1 10.. Dr. Malcolm Keir, Inc trial Relation Branch, Office of the Qlartormaster General of the Amy, Watlhin6tQl, li. C. My dear Dr. Knir: T wl.:11! to acknn.,710d„; your vf,w,c;r -indu'r; of October 15th to Miss .Van K1-193k, in regard to the illtwal oTployment of -vomen at tho Blo;11;?, ClothIng Co',A.Ary, shich cwn.,1 durirTlg her absence from the city for a few days. It will he 'brought to her attention upnr her return. Ver:: truly your., IMPNicratary to Miss lk,r Kleeck https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Address reply to QUARTERMASTER GENERAL Washington. D. C. OC T WAR DEPARTMENT 8 A.f. OFFICE OF THE QUARTERMASTER GENERAL OF THE ArMY 230.14 JE WASHINGTON M Answer Refer to File No.__... _ October 25th, 1918 No: From: Acting Liartermaster General. Southern B1dg., Miss Mary Van Kleeck, Women in Industry Service, Washington, D.C. To: of women at the Theo. F. Subject: Concerning the illegal employment St., Philadelphia. Tasker 707-9 Baulig Clothing Co., On October 9th I sent you a memorandum concerning the 1. employment of women beyond the number of houes set by the law of Pennsylvania in the 2neo. F. Baulig Clothing Co., of Philadelphia. This information came to our office through four affidavits filed by I told you that if any further inwomen employees of that company. formation came to us we would transmit it to you. On Monday, October 21st, a full hearing was given to the 2. Clothing Company and its aggrieved employees before Baulig F. Theodore In this hearing it was brought out the writer, acting as arbitrator. that the company had not enforced promptness in the morning from its piece-workers, but permitted them to report for work as it was convenOf course the majority of the ient for them between 7:30 and 8:30 A.M. 8 o'clock, but when intime, regular the at for work reported people by the management. Simthem to said was nothing tardy were dividuals they had finished when home go to allayed were employees ilarly the were stragglers coming there result a as that so work, of eight hours in the intermittently quitting vorkers and in between 7:30 and 8:30 of acsystem has no company the Since late hours of the afternoon. women that time actual the checking for or work counting for overtime workers permitted part their on carelessness this were at their machines, until and through vork morning the in 7:30 who so desired to come in at the shop closed, wnich may have been beyond the eight hours set by the contract as a basic day. The aggrieved employees failed to prove that the company had ever refused to pay them for overtime work or had ever insisted upon or permitted women to work more tlan b4 hours a week. Although the employees failed to make the point the company has guaranteed that they will insist that all employees report for work at a specified time and that they will discharge any woman employee who attempts to work beyond the eight hours specified in the contract as a basic day. Another contention of the a- grieved employees was that 3. women workers were forced to carry bundles weighting 25 pounds. The arbitration hearing disclosed that seven men or boys were assigned to the The girls required task of carrying bundles for approximately 70 girls. was it the intention of the Although this aid once or twice each day. girls the needed help in carrying company to have men available whenever bundles, it sometimes happened that a girl had to wait for four or five minutes before a man could get to her machine. As a consequence sole of the https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis impatient at tile delay in their piecework earnings, carried -2- The nearing brought this to the attention the bundles themselves. have issued orders that no girl under any they and of the management bundles ana that any foreman meeti4, these circumstances is to carry of tnis order is to aischarge violation in a bundle a girl carrying . that girl immediately It would seem from the foreFoin2' that the grounds for 4. the comi4aint against the 3aulic- Jompany had been removed by the actherefore any further investigations of tile company itself and o, LenartInent of Labor is unnecessary. State the or yours by office, our tion https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis By authority of the Acting Quarten]aster (Aneral. Industrial ',Ielations Branch, Clothing & Equipae Livision, e •. October 22, 1918. Acting Commissioner Le vi R. Palmer, De-partment of Labor, liarrisblzg, Pa. 'Saar :,1r. Pala-4r: The enclosed conies of letters from Dr. .4Alcola Keir for tile Actirg Qu:Artormaster General regarling the earoloyinent of ‘,.-) .en at the Baulig Clothing, Comoary, together mith a cooy of Asr memoranium of Octobef lath, sill explain the„-Ismlves. If you will have an investigation made vie shall be very glad to be of assistance in bringing the facts to the atte rtion of the Acting Ckiartermastar General, if you wish to have us io so. Sincerely yours, Enc. MVIT./ALL https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis t•Liry VAn Kieeck, Director Woman in Industry service. Address reply to QUARTERMASTER GEIERAL 441" 17 A.M. Washingtos, D. C. WAR DEPARTMENT OFFICE OF THE QUARTERMASTER GENERAL OF THE ARMY In Answer Refer to File No 230.;4 GE IR WASHINGTON. October 15th, 1918 No: From: Acting ,Zuartermaster To: Kiss Eary Van Kleeck, "Jbmen in Industry Service, U.S.Department of Labor, Southern Bldg., - shington. Subject: Baulig Clothing Co., Philadelphia. Your suestion that the complaints against 1. the Baulig- Olothing 00., in reference to working:their women employees beyond the legal limits, be referred to T-e only inEr. Lew R.Palmer, is satisfactory to us. from the complail_t a is case onthe have we formation of America, ':iorkers Clothinf7 Amalgamated the local union, to employees their of affidavits attested by three signed overti!:.e. worked frequently the affect that they were This information was supplemented by a personal 2. investigation in which the fact was brought out that overtime often extended for twelve or fourteen hours per day. Je will hold an arbitration hearing on this case 3. next Monday, October 21st, and if any further proof is brought forward regarding the claim for illegal employment of women we will forward it to you at once. B, authority of the Acting Quartermaster General. Industrial Relations Branch, Clothing &! Equipage Division, By: (Dr.Malcolm Keir) Labor Expert. MIC:VC https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis October , 1P18. Arlsorandual Fr,,mt Tot nu'-jectt in Industry Service, 0o-ftrtment of L:lbor !cting 'uirtermaster Gener.1, Industrial 8.el;Aions Br,inch. MOcolv Keir. , 6e4Tee of .i„iiitz of ,111... 10rent of Yi!omen in (ium: ccpm &Ars, ?hiladeipaia. . ilmal&S1211111 h is receivAfd. Tc,ur rinor;1216um of Octhber As you cugget, further obeervation of .thie will ::1::-)bbly be neceesary to determine tbe ground for the complaints. I would, iherefore, ruggest thA if 10.11 'he WOWIP in Indukitil ycla are CommisActing Palmer, R. Lew Mr. to refer this matter nuggestlon tits with 9ioner of L;Ahor of Penneylvenin, insctor frnm the WomLales 3urei4.0 make further th,A invetigation. I would ,:roval . If this 21an miett rith your :;•Likt:,(0at your oending UE %my Purther information to tiesit your memorraldum refers and we shall be glad to 34a,rd of I, bor tr.te it u, rtt once wiLh tbe effeetitte work I :ttion inc4Iptry uon whose coo..)er, ref.1 FAIr,7 we eqn rely. MVX MKry Van Kleeck, Director, Woman tn Influstry Service. Address resre QUARTERMASTEI GEIERAL Waehingtoe, D. C. WAR DEPARTMENT OFFICE OF THE; QUARTERMASTER GENERAL OF THE ARMY is Answr Refer to File No. 230.14 CE IR WASHINGTON. October 9th, 1916. No: From: Acting Quartermaster General. To: , Southern Bldg., Washington. Miss Van Kleek, Women in Industry Service Subject: Respecting the illegal employment of women. Recently I sat at a hearing involving a controversy 1. lphia, between the Baulig Clothing Company, 707-9 2asker Street, Philade unions. and their employees over alleged discrmination against During the taking of testimony it was asserted and af2. three of the women employees, that they had firmed by oath by two early as six frequently been compelled to come into the factory as at night, and o'clock six mtil o'clock in the morning and kept thele-u eight o'clock after until in some cases even extehded their workday by the slipped man one when in the evening. It was also alleged that o'clock three until evening watchman and worked from nine o'clock in the case the ,ees emplo011ow in the morning and that upon discovery byl4a4 and rs shoulde his shruced was carried to Mr. Oritzski, the employer, o'clock nine said that "well, the factorrms open to any of them elfter course inaimeny time if they wanted to make extra money." This of cluded more women employees than it did men. Upon my visit to the factory to investigate these asser3. to admit that such tions further I could not E'et any of the people there are three affihave I Proofs only the conditions had ever existed, so has already been company The es. davits from three disgruntled employe discoLtinue any mtst it that manner informed by this Branch in no light look into this to care you If above. such practices as those mentioned facts at our the all with you furnish matter further we will be glad to disposal. Another point raised during the controversy was that women 4. length of the were compelled to carry heavy bundles of clothes the fall Of course the employers, when questioned in regard to this, factory. the girls and claimed that they had men or boys who did all this work for g heavy bundles. while the writer was in the factory he maw no girls carryin its of three Here again we have no proof except the assertions and affidav discharged employees. We are drawing these things to your attention for such ac5. tion as your judgment may direct. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis By authority of the Acting Quartermaster General. Industrial Relations Branch, Clothing & Equipage Division, BY:
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