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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
U
S. Department of Labor
O1iEN'3 IZTEAU
Washington
News Letter No. 20
January 23, 1923.
ACTIVITIES AFFECTING WOLEN IN INDUSTRY.
California
The 16 minimum wage rate for women in the mercantile industry has
been sustained by the Industrial Welfare Commisoion in accordance with
the recommendation embod in the report fr-m a vklqe board made up of
employers and employees in that industry. This rel;ort was unanimously
in favor of the retention of the ,r.16 minimum. Statistics of the Industrial Welfare Commission indicate that 31,189 women are employed in
stores in California and that of tlois number about 6 per cent, or 1909
women and minors, are being paid less than y16 a lo.eek as regular aspprenticeo. In 1914 about 62.5 per cent of wol:!en and minors in this industry received less than ol0 a week. Lrs. Edson is quoted as follows
"The Commission's decision in the mercantile classification is based upon a series of hearings conducted throughout the state. The investigation revealed an altered employment situation within the past year. ti
year ago the state was dealing with an unemployment question and employers were demanding that the minimum wage be cut so that more girls could
be emnloyed. At the present time employers, who a year ago were demanding a cut, aFe hOW asking that the minimum of O16 a week be retained."
The Industrial Welfare Commission will now proceed to fix the minimum -wages for women and minors in other industries. It is expected that
the minimum wage will be set for the general manufacturing industry sometime in January, also for the fish canning industry and needle industries,
Later the Board will proceed to fix the minimum wage for the fre.).it canning industry., laundry industry, '6elephone and telegraph offices, general
and professional offices, hotels and restaurants, and the textile industries. (San Francisco Examiner, December 30, 1922.)
Indiana.
The Indiana League of Women Voters will support the ei:,ht-hour bill
which is to be preeented by the State Federation of Labor.
Kansas.
The Legislative Committee of the
two plans--either a women's bureau or
welfare commission plan. A statutory
sideration instead of giving power to
la-L,e hours.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
League of Women Voters is studying
a modification of the industrial
eight-hour day also is under conthe Industrial Commission to regu-
- 2 -
Idassachusetts.
Minimum 'Wage for Brush Industry.
The Minimum Wage Commission of the 1-)epartment of Labor and Industries
approved provisionally the determinatiors of the Brush Makers' Wage board
and a public hearing was held January 9. The 4age board submitted a unanimous rebort providing a minimum wage of 0.3.92 a week . for women employed a
year or more in the industry, and rates of 49.60 and l2 a week for beginners according to their experience. These rates on an hourly scale represent 20/, 25/ and 22i, respectively. The Board recommended that these rates
become effective March 1, 7923. The present rates have been in effect since
August, 1914, the decree for the brush industry being the first entered by
the Minir,um Wage Commission.
A second wage board was formed by the Commission in 1921 for the purpose of revising rates. This board submitted a report in the spring of 1922
providing a minimum wage of 0.4.40 a week. The Minimum Wage Commission did
not approve this report, but referred the matter to a third board which has
just reported.
Punch Press Regulations Adopted.
Rules for safe-guardinF power press tools have been adopted by the Department of Labor and Industries to become effective February 1. These
rules provide for guards for presses, for adjustment of tools, and specify
approved forms of safety appliances to be used in the operation of the power
presses.
New York .
Minimum Wage and an Eight-Hour Day.
Reports from New York indicate that not in a number of years has legislation for minimum wage and an eight-hour day for women workers looked so
promising. Both measures appear in the proram of the new administration
and the Governor in his message to the Legislature on January 1 asked for
their immediate enactment. The Governor asked for the support of the women's organizations and a steering committee of the Women's Joint Legislative Conference has been a7pointed composed of 'miss Frances Perkins, Yrs.
Clara Iiiortenson beyer, representing the Consumers' League, Miss Rose
Schneiderman, representing the Women's Trade Union League, ndss .i.lary Dreier,
- elle Swartz, who are to direct and have power to act in all legisand Niss R
lative matters.
The
of Labor
ture. A
its work
Enlargement of Women's Bureau.
enlargement of the Women's Bureau of the New York State Department
also received attention in the Governor's message to the Legislamuch larger appropriation is asked for the bureau in order to makO
more effective. This will also be made a matter of executive order.
Fee Paying Employment Agencies,
The Division of Women in Industry of the Department of Labor has just
completed a report on fee-paying employment agencies in New York State.
This report will probably not belpublished but will be used as a basis for
legislation, not only to increase the number of public employment bureaus
in the state, but also to place under very much closer supervision the feepaying bureaus now in existence.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- 3 Legislative Program of State Federation of Labor.
The following were among the propoeele submitted by a committee representing the executive council of the state Federation of Labor to the Governorelect at a conference held December 15, 1922:- Exclusive insurance in the State
fund under the workmen's compensation law; adequate appropriations and equipment for the State Labor Department; increase in the number of factory inspectors; creation of a real bureau of women in industry; restoration of legal counsel to the Labor Department; nrovision in the law itself for important bureaus
of the Department including, among others, a bureau of inspection and a bureau
of employment; separate administration of and increase in number of referees
and staff of the Workmen's Compensation Bureau to secure more speedy disposition of compensation claims; provision for appointment and removal of referees
by State Industrial Board instead of the Industrial Commissioner; eight-hour
work day for women and minors in industrial establishments; minimum wage
law
for women and minors.
Women Voters' Legislative Program.
The New York State League of Women Voters will introduce
into the Legislature 12 of the so-called "equalizing laws":- The right to serve
on juries;
the right to hold public office; equal right to guardianship
of children;
equal right to be appointed administrator; equal provisions
as to inheritance
of real estate; the same age for making a will of person
al property; a married
woman to have the right to choose her domicile, for voting
purposes, to control
her earnings in her home, and to have the right to collec
t wages if she is
working for her husband outside the home; equal penali
tics for sex offenses;
equalization of dower and courtesy; the father made
equally liable with the
mother for the support of an illegitimate child.
Penneerlvania.
The Industrial Board in answer to the request made
by the York High School
for interpretation of the rule regulating employment of minors
as elevator operators, decided that the rule does not apply to industrial
school apprentices.
The petition of the DeLong Took and Eye Company,
Philadelphia, for modification
of the industrial home work rulings, particularly with
regard to securing
health certificates, was denied by the Industrial Board.
The L. K. Liggett
Drug Company, Germantown, was denied permiss
ion for women employees to work
seven days every other week. Exemption form
the provisions of the industrial
home work rulings was denied the Rayburn .
dianufacturing Company, Philadelphia.
Texas.
Report of the 31.1reau of Labor
Statistics.
The following is a summary of the
report of the Bureau of Labor Statistics
for the period from February, 1921 to
September, 1922:
Inspections were made in 105 cities
and towns end a total of 2,623 establishments were inspected. Employed in
these estublishwents were 81,642 men and
51,105 women, a total of 132,747.
•
In conformity with the law requir
ing the Bureau of Labor Statistics to collect and compile statistics "relating to
all departments of labor," 1792 concerns made full reports to the Depart
ment. Employed in these establishments
were 152,089 men and 34,148 women. h
total of 121,034 men and 13,958 women received More than ea5 a week. .Receiving
less than this amount were 20,210 women
and 29,057 men. Receiving less than
0.2 a week were 13,322 women and 9,470 men,
and receiving less than 0 a week were
6,134 women and 3,196 men.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- 4 In 115 laundries reportinL, 1,136 men and 660 women received more than
015 a week. Receiving lees than v15 were 176 men and 2,627 nomen; 90 men
and 2,19? women received less than c12, while 21 men and 1,110 women received less than O.
In 73 five-and-ten-cent stores reporting 2,623 women received less than
012 a week, 1,626 received less than 0, 1147 less than 48, and 357 less
than ?r./. Of the 387 men employed 245 received less than v15 a week.
Dry-goods stores reporting numbered 297. Receiving less than 15 a
week were 4,190 women and 978 men; less than ?2.2 a week, 2, 194 women and
568 men; less than 0 a week 788 women and 297 men.
In the 56 textile mills and garment factories reporting 2,683 employees
received more than c15 a week. Receiving less than 15 were 2,081 women,
and 1,269 men; less than ,12, 1,369 women and 639 men; 614 women and 124 men
were paid less than 0 a week.
Eight telegraph and telephone companies reported 2,753 women and 2,816
men receiving more than W.5 a week; 2,716 women and 867 men received less
than e15; 1,179 women and 576 men received less than 012 while less than 0
a.week was paid to 151 women and 395 men.
In the 70 hotels reporting 1,131 women and 1,099 men received less than
15 a week; 1,047 women and 865 men received less than el2 and 519 women and
488 men received less than y9.
There were employed in the 35 candy factories reporting 647 women and
157 men receiving less than 15 a week; 582 women received less than ,12,
404 less than e9, and 278 less than 08 a week.
/Linimum Wage.
A minimum wage bill is part of the legislative program of the State
League of Women Voters.
Vermont.
During the year ending June 30, 1922, Miss Jean b. Pinney, factory inspector, states in her report that she visited 127 factories end work-shops
where women are employed. Conditions as a rule were found good. To quote
from her report "Where bad conditions have been found to exist they have
nearly always been willingly corrected in 30 far as possible by the employers. This is not by any means saying that conditions are ideal in Vermont.
They are far from it. Often the mills and factories are old buildings,
lacking approved modern methods of heating, lighting, and sanitation. There
are few rest rooms or lunchrooms--out of the 127 places visited I believe 3
had rooms that might be dignified by the name--frequently there is not even
a cloak room, and the workers have no place to hang wraps except on nails
on the wall in the workroom. The toilet arrangements are very often poor,
and proper facilities for washing seldom exist. But on the other hand,
there are a good many comparatively modern factories--I have in mind several
of the newer textile mills which might serve as models for their kind --where
working conditions approximate perfection. There are a goodly number of the
older mills which have been remodelled, and I believe that there is a steadily graving number of employers who are coming to see that increased comfort
for their employees means increased production from their plants.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
"The law gives the Colesissioner of Industries jurisdiction only over the
women in manufacturing and mechanicel establishents. The women in mercantile
establishments, hotels, restaurants, hospitals, telephone exchanges, and sundry other businesses hare no 7rotection from the lees as to hours, or other
conditions. This is a situation which should be remedied by legislation. The
hours worked by women in stores in the larger towns are of course within the
weekly limit of 56 hours prescribed by the statute for manufacturing and mechanical establishments, but in the smaller towns and more remote districts
where stores are kept (yen every night in the week this limit is often exceeded. The women working in hotels anJ restaurants often have long shifts, and
in the small mutually owned independent telephone companies, where the exchange
is located in a private house, the operator is sometimes on duty for 20 hours
out of the 24. Sanitary conditions in some of the stores of our largest cities
are frequently not what they should be, and there is at present no legal remedy
for any of these problems." (Biennial heport, Commissioner of Industries,
Vermont 1920-22.)
West Virginia.
The League of Women Voters will work for legislation providing a 9-hour
day, 48-hour week, and one cly's rest in seven.
Canada.
Ontario
The Ontario Minimum 'sage ,eoard opened at the end of November a public
hearing in connection with the fixing of minimum wages and maximum hours for
female workers employed in factories for drugs and toilet articles, in the
manufacture of cereals and in the sorting and packing of teas. (Labour
Gazette, Canada, December, 1922)
Quebec
Shortly before the opening of the present session of the Legislative ASsembly of the Province of Quebec a delegationfrom the National and Catholic
unions submitted to Premier Tascheraau a program of legislation which it was
hoped would be considered by the legislature. Among the proposals made was
one to establish a 50-hour week for women and children employed in the textile
industry. (Labour Gazette, Canada, November, 1922)
A delegation of the Quebec Provincial Executive of
the Trades and Labour
Congress of Canada recently submitted to the Government
of Quebec, among others,
a request for legislation establishing minimum wages
•
for women, and mothers'
allowances. (Labour Gazette, Canada, November, 1922)
Chili.
The Labor Bureau has been making an
inspection of the Santiago factories
as to hygiene, wages, social welfare,
observation of labor laws, and general
labor conditions. Each case reported adversely
has been taken up individually
by the head of the Bureau, and as a result
many improvements have been made.
In connection with the observance of the law
requiring factories employing
more than 50 women operatives to maintain
day nurseries for infants, one factory was found which opens its nursery for
children up to 5, or 6 years of age.
(Bulletin, ran American Union, December, 1922)
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
-6
rg,land.
•
Domestic 3ervice.
Lieut.-Col. Nall asked the Minister of Labour whether able bodied spinsters are allowed to draw unemployment benefits whilst vacancies in domestic
service are available; and what steps are taken to prevent women and girls
bir Montagu 3arlow replied that
drawing benefit after refUsing a situation
benefit is only paid to women who are neminally employed otherwise than in
private domestic service. Further, such women who are suitable for, and who
refuse, domestic service are not granted benefit. Viscountess Astor, evidently weary of the continual ignorant attacks on these unemployed women,
asked for an explanation to be given to the House that these women cannot be
taken into domestic service unless they are trained, and Mr. Thorne suggested
that if domestic service were made more humane more girls would go into it.
(Woman's Leader, December 15, 1922.)
Legislative Program of Women's Organizations.
Preparations for the new session are now in full swing among women's
organizations. The National Union of Societies for Equal Citizenship has
a long program. The Guardianship, Maintenance, Cue,tody and Marriage of Infants Bill is being redrafted by a small committee of eminent lawyers and
others, and will be introduced into the House of Lords by Lord Askwith next
Session. A great deal of evidence has already been heard by the Joint Select
Committee of both Houses of Parliament which was considering this Bill in the
summer and very interesting new evidence has just been received with regard
to the satisfactory working of equal guardianship laws from British Columbia
and the United States of America. The N.U.S.E.C, has also in preparation a
bill to enable a women to obtain a divorce on the same grounds as those on
which a man can. (Woman's Leader, December 22, 1922.)
Finland.
Vocational Education for Unemployed Women.
The Government has decided to grant subsidies to the local authorities
for the organization of vocational courses for uneeloloyed women. The grant
will consist of: (1) One-half of the instructors' salaries; (2) one-half of
the allowance paid to the pupils up to a maximum of 8 to 12 Finnish marks per
day per pupil according to the number of children whom she has to support;
(3) a sum not exceeding 50 marks per pupil for the necessary equipment. The
Government grunt is civen on condition that the local authorities expend an
equal sum in addition to meeting the general expenses (premises lighting,
heating, etc.)
The courses may be of from one to three months' duration; the hours are
eight per day or forty-five per 7Tet. There must not be less than ten and
not more than fifteen women in each class. All
the courses so far organized
have been in dress making, and the grants which have been allotted amount to
56,000 marks. (Industrial and Labour information, 24 November, 1922.)
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Irish Free State.
Formation of an Association of Trained Nurses.
A meeting of trained nurses was held in Dublin on 8 November for the purpose of discussing the best means of protecting the rights of members of the
profession. An association was formed with the following objects: (1) To protect the interests of Irish trained nurses for their mutual benefit; (2) To
provide headquarters, with office and nurses home; (3) To secure that the interests of trained nurses will receive the attention they merit; (4) To provide sickness and unemployment benefits; (5) To secuee competitive positions
for Irish trained nurses throughout the country; (6) To secure Governmental
assistance for the organization of the nursing profession. (Freemen's Journal,
Dublin, 9 November, 1922; Industrial and Labour Information, 1 December, 1922)
Japan.
New Labor Department Created.
The Japanese Cabinet Council, on 8th September, decided to create a Labor
Department in which all the department which have hitherto dealt with labor
questions will be concentrated. The new Department will thus take over the
functions of the Department of Social Affairs of the Home Office, the Labor
Department of the Board of Agriculture and Commerce, and the Factory and Mining; Departments. It will be attached to the Home Office. An appropriation of
6,500,000 yen for carrying on the work of the new department will be asked for
in the next Parliamentary session. (Ministry of Labour Gazette, London, November 1922.)
A vocational school for women has been established in Puebla where the
following classes are given: Embroidery in white and colors; upholstery; the
making of linen articles; oeving; dress-making; and book-binding. (Bulletin,
Pan American Union, December, 1922.)
Peru.
Labor and Social Welfare Council.
On August 13 took place the formal inauguration of the new Labor and
Social Welfare Council. Of the 22 members, 7 were elected by the labor unions
and represented the miners, factory employees, -corkers in small industries,
maritime workers, land transportation workers, agricultural workers and commercial employees. (Lulletin, Pen Areerican Union, Lecember, 1922.)
Roumania.
The Minister of Labour and Social Welfare is preparing a bill for the
reorganization of this department. The scheme provides, among other thinF,c,
for the establishment of a Superior Council of Labour, consisting of employers, workers and specialists in labour questions, which shall act as an advisory body to the Minister on ail questions concerning labour. (Universul,
1 November, 1922; Industrial and Labour Information, 15 December, 1922.)
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Salvador.
Among the labors of the Women's committee for the relief of flood victims,
is the establishment of a trade school for girls who were sufferers from the
catastrophe. For the present the school, which will furnish the pupils with the mid-day meal, will teach only the trade of dress-making. Later it is planned to include other occupations in the curriculum and to open the school not
only to those 7ho are flood sufferers, but to others efho need to learn to be
self-supporting. Funds from Mexico have helped to make this school possible.
(Bulletin, Pan American Union, December, 1922)
Switzerland.
The Secretary-General of the League of Nations has been notified of the
formal ratification of the Draft Conventions concerning unemployment, the employment of women during the night, the night work of young persons employed
in industry, and the minimum age for admission of children to industrial employment. (Industrial and Labour Information, 10 November, 1922)
NOTES
National Council of Catholic Women.
Women,
The Second Annual Conference of the National Council of Catholic
giving unreheld in Washington, D. C., November 21 - 2E passed resolutions
-Lureau of the
Women's
States
United
the
of
served endorsement of the trogram
sani"proper
day",
-hour
"eight
an
Department of Labor for a "living wage",
and
rest
for
"facilities
and
equipment",
tary conditions", "safe and standard
on
the
disseminati
for
committees
recreation"; urging the formation of special
in
of
women
problems
the
to
of accurate knowledge and information pertaining
industry and the appoj_ntment by each Provincial Director of the National Council
these resolutions and
of a special representative to old in the carrying out of
of the effort in
progress
to report to the Netional office of the Council on the
to all worthy
Council
the
each province; pledging the sunport and cooperation of
in
women
industry and
agencies engaged in the betterment of conditions affecting
copies
to
forward
calling upon the Executive Secretary of the National Council
the
to
Department of Labor,
of these resolutions to the Women's Bureau of the
by the
proper Committees in Corgress and to the constituent bodies represented
opposiactive
the
thet
pledged
Conference
The
convention.
delegates to the
tion of all Catholic wwen be stimulated against the passage of the so-called
Equal Rights Blanket Ameedment asserting that it will seriously jeopardize
in
the remedial industrial legislation for women in industry now existing
in
of
such
legislation
passage
y
indefinitel
many states and will postpone
states where such laws do not exist and that it will affect seriously the whole
attitude of men and women to the obligations assumed as husband and wife and
the unity of home and family life. (National Catholic Welfare Council Bulletin,
December 1922)
PERSONNEL
New York.
Mr. Bernard L. Shientag has been appointed to succeed Mr. Henry D. Sayer
an Industrial Commissioner.
Miss Frances Perkins has been appointed a member of the Industrial Board.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
U. S. Denartment of Labor
WOE-NIS BURAU
Washington
::.arch 7, 1923,
' News Letter No. 21.
ACTIVITILZ 217CTING WO= II: INDUSTRY.
Alabama
The Alabama legislature, which convened January 9, ha_s now adjourned to meet
again in July.
Introduction of the hour bill under consideration b:o the Lague
of Women Voters has been postponed until that time
Arizona
The c1.6 minimum wage bill for women which was introduced in the legislature
by Representative Roca McKay has been signed by Governor Foont and will become
effective on Kay 11„
There is a romor to the effect that the business interests
of the State will circulate an initiative petition to refer the minimum wage law
to the people at the next general election, on the ground that it is unconstitutional.
(New York Women's Wear, :Eebroary 15, 1923.)
Colorado
Fending Legi.slation.
A bill has been intreduced in the Senate providing that the enforcement power
of the minimum wage law be transferred from the Industrial Commission to the Labor
Commissioner, Another Rouse bill orovides that the enforcement of the 8-hour law
for women be given to the Labor Commissioner,
Minimum Wage Law a Dead Letter.
The sixth report of the Industrial Commission of Colorado, 1922, makes the
follming statement concevnng the minimum wage iaa for .a:;men and minors: "Colorado
has what is generally termed a '11.:1.11mum Wge Law
Ts ]vor up to the present time,
has been practically a dead letter, by ::ea6on
Cl the fact t1-..at no appropriation has
.
been made for carrying out
s provisions: sce. the,; prevision is made for the
payment of the salary of a se:I-e±a!:y. Wi.to,t the pr0000 appropriation to carry on
the work contemplated by the ac, it
to Jake the law effective, and
this Commission has been criticised for a situation whicil it can neither remedy nor
prevent.
The Commission has not had a sufficient appropriation to properly carry
on its work under the Compensation Law and the Industrial Relations Law, and has
not been able to divert any of tho appropriations for such purposes to the Minimum
Wage Department,
The Commission has recommended to the Legislature the providing
of a sufficient appropriation to make the Minimum Wage Law effective."
Connecticut
The Consumers' League of Connecticut has introduced a bill for a 50-hour reek
and a 9-hour day, backed by the Conneotioot Federation of Churches,
the League of
Women Voters, and many local WOMGIVS orgarizations.
The hearing will be on March 2,
The Connecticut Federation of Labor has introduced a bill
for a 48-hour week
and an 8-hour day, and a local union in Waterbury has
introduced one for a 44-hour
week and 8-hour day.
The hearings on theoa two bills have not yet been
set.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
District of Columbia.
Workmen's Compensation.
ng compensation for workers in private employ
providi
bill
ll
The Underhi
bill when the
in the District of Columbia was substituted for the Fitzgerald
. The
January
s in
latter came up for a vote in the House of Representative
d
provide
House,
the
Fitzgerald bill, unlike the Underhill bill, which passed
the
and
tions
organiza
for an exclusive State fund, and was supported by labor
Hearings on the Underhill bill
Amnrican Association for Labor Legislation.
of Columbia, but
have, boon hold before the Senate Committee on the District
thus far no action has been taken by the Committee.
Minimum Wage Hearing.
the District of Columbia
The constitutionality of the Minimum Wage Law of
States larch 12.
will be argued before the Supreme Court of the United
Illinois.
branches of the Illinois
The women's 8-hour bill hEs been introduced in both
bill is to amend the
The
7.
legislature and is scheduled for joint hearing March
leaving the law
thus
8,
to
10
present hour law by changing the ra,ximum hours from
Joint Committee
a
form
which
a seven-day week. There are. 18 women's organizations
its passage.
for
working
for the Women's Eight -Hour bill, and which are actively
of Rockford.
A 9-hour bill has been introduced by Senator Hicks
Indiana.
9 Representative
The general assembly convened January 4, and on January
State Federation of
the
by
ed
sponsor
was
Schwartz introduced an 8-hour bill which
ble'to all lines of
applica
week,
6-day
Labor. It provided for an 8-hour day and a
. One section called
workers
l
clerica
and
employment for women, including executives
of this provisbecause
and
vomen,
for
for the repeal of the nressnt night work law
ion of
the
Federat
Vuters,
Women
ion, the bill was not endorsed by the Lecze of
for
tion
legisla
women.
ocive
Women's Clubs, and other organizations favo:ing pro.
- the
reportdivided
a
en
The bill was reported out of committee January 16
Throu7,11
passage.
for
minority
majority report for indefinite postponement, and the
of the
favor
in
not
tion but
the efforts of those persons interested in such legisla
uted for the majority report
provisions of this bill, the minority report was substit
an amendment prepared
and the bill passed to second reading. The same group had
mercantile establishments,
providing for a 50-hour week, applicable to factories,
not including executives
and
only,
es
exchang
ne
telepho
laundries, restaurants, and
attempt to introduce
,
an
.
However
shments
establi
and clerical workers in these
out the enacting
strike
to
a
motion
as
this amendment on second reading failed,
clause prevailed.
by Senator Holmes,
The proposed amendments were then introduced in the Senate
ee has made
Committ
the
yet
and referred to the Labor Committee on February 9. As
no report.
Senate bills,
The opposition manifested at the hearings on both the House and
onal women's
came from the Eanufacturers' Association, and from business and professi
organizations.
Iowa.
inA bill providing for a 9-hour day and a 50-hour week for women workers was
,25
c
from
of
fine
a
are
on
troduced in the House February 13. Penalties for violati
to ?1.00, or thirty days in Jail for each offense. The bill, which does not cover
1 :omen 1 s Bureau of the
professional women or executives, has the backing of the :
Trades and Labor Assembly.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- 3 Massachusetts.
Recess Commission Reports on Minimuel Wage.
The Special Comedssion on UnemPloyment, Unemployment Compensation and the
Minimum Wage has reported recommending that the minimum .eage law be retained
for the present, amended to nrevide that minimum wa,se boards appointed by the
Minimum Wage Commission shall not exceed seven. In concluding its report the
Commission says, "While there is evidence that the conCition of women working
has been improved, the good results accruing from the law have not been sufficient
to justify the Commission in recommending at this time an extension of its provisions. It is for this reason, therefere, that the Coremissicn recommends that
the law be continued for a period of possibly five years, and that the Department
of Labor and Industry be authorized and directed to gather, in the meantime, such
information and facts as will mak.e'it possible to determine more accurately whether
the legidation is justified or regaired. Mth almost united opposition of employ.r.
ers throughout the Commonwealth, the Commission is ccmpelled to recognize the fact
that the mininum wage law is extremely enpe:mjar among rti2A ereoloyers in the Commonwealth, It is also recognized that the nnimael Viago Commission is somewhat
handicapped in administering he le:a because of the existing antipathy to it. In
some cases, advertising an employer may penalize him sevemly; in other occupations
advertising may not affect an eleployer apprecably. This oisuation has led some
employers to inore the decrees, but the cases of non7-orpliance have not been as
numerous as they might be assureed to be under a recomndatory law."
New Wage Rates for Brush Facteries,,The Minimum Wage Commission of the Department of Labor and Industries has
entered a decree fer brush factories, establishing a minimum rate of 0.3,92 for
experienced employees and special rates of c12 and 0.60 for learners and apprentices. The new decree will go into effect March 1.
Rules and Regulations for Pqneh Press Tools.
Rules and regulations for safeeguarddn power pre:es tools effective February 1, were approved by the Commissioner and Asecciate Commissioners of the
Department of Labor and Indust-siee, with the kssistant Commissioner dissenting,
on the ground that adequate provision is not made for guarding slow speed presses,
on which some of the most serious accidents occur.
Michigan.
A bill providing an 8-hour day for men and women has beendbfeated in the
Michigan legislature. A similar bill has been introduced at several sessions by
Representative Holland and always defeated. The bill this year received a few
more votes than in previous years.
Missouri.
A minimum wage bill submitted by the drafting commatee of the Minimum Wage.
Commission which was created two years ago was defeated in the House February 21,
after hearings before the Childrea's Code Committee. The bill is permissive, not
mandatory, a provision made necessary by the wording of the State constitution,
The Senate bill has been reported favorably by the Labor CoLmitteP, is now on the
calendar for engrossment, and is said to stand a very god chance of passing the
Senate. In that case, it is hoped to have it referred to a diffsrent committee
in the Housed Minimum wage legislation is opposed by the Associated Industries
of Missouri, while the caLe2aigl for the bill is being conducted by the Missouri
Woman's Legislative Committee, with the backing of other organizations.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
4
Nebraska.
A bill providing a 0.2 uinimu.i weje for women v,as recommended for passage
In the house of Representatives by a vote of 58 to 40, but was defeated on the
third reading by a vote of 44 to 39.
New Ha shire,
A bill limiting the hours of work for women to 48 per week has passed the
House of Representatives and is now before the Senate Committee on Labor,
New Jersey.
A bill prohibiting night work for women passed the Senate February 20, by a
vote of 11 to 6, and is now in the Judiciary Committee of the Assembly. A similar bill last year passed the Assembly and was defeated in the Senate.
A bill providing for a minimum wage commission has been introduced, and is
in the Judiciary Committee of the Assembly.
New York.
Commissioner Shientag has reestablished the Bureau of Women in Industry in
the Department of Labol'. The Cormissioner's letter to the Governor was as follows:
"My restoration ofthe Bureau of Women in Industry will mean very little unless
it is given adequate facilities to deal with the problems especially affecting the
health, welfare and safety of working women and children. This bureau should be
equipped to ;obtain all the facts relating to the conditions under which women and
children are employed; to study industrial processes with a view to reducing the
strain and fatigue to which women workers are subjected, and to be in a position
to recommend improved standards of employment for women and children, either by
voluntary cooperation of employers, or by remedial legislation when necessary.
For this important work I shall ask for an increased appropriation for the Bureau
for the year beginning .July 1, 1923, and for a pro rata deficiency appropriation
for the next four months, The Bureau will then have the necessary trained investigators and facilities to carry on its work, and will produce results that I am
sure will be worth while, rot alone to the working women directly affected, but to
the entire community," (New York Evening Post, February 16,
1923.)
Pending Legislation.
A joint hearing will be held February 27 on the bills providing an 8-hour
day and a 41-hour week for women in industry and authorizing the creation of a
commission with power to fix minimum wages for
women and minors employed in
factories and shops. There has also been introduced
in the legislature a bill.
to create a bureau of women in industry which shall be in charge of a chief, with
six investigators all of whom shall be women and at
least one of whom shall be a
licensed physician.
Ohio
The effort to secure minimum wage legislation in this sesssion of the legislature has met with an adverse report from the Senate Labor Committee, which has
rejected the minimum wage bill and recommended for passage a resolution providing
for a fact finding commission to investigate the minimum wage question.
Oklahoma.
A bill for a minimum wage for women has been reported out by the House Committee on Labor and Arbitration. As a result of a hearing attended by representatives of the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, the bill was amended to
make
the minimum wage for experienced workers l3,50 per week instead of c/15,
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- 5 Telephone Company representatives
and for beginners 0.0.50 instead of 0.0.
said thc 0.6 minimum would have adecd 3600,000 to their expenses in this state.
The amended bill will give the Minimum Wage Commission power to increase the
minimum for cert ain industries and certain localities where it is shown the
(Tulsa Tribune, February 17, 1923.)
1.3.50 minimum is not sufficient.
Rhode Island.
The
There are seven 48-hour week bills before the Rhode Island assembly.
one which is said to be receiving the most support at present calls for a 48-hour
Hearings have been held on the various bills
week and a possible 10-hour day.
One bill
during the last two weeks before the House Judiciary Committee.
would prohibit night work between 6 p. m. and 6 a. m.
Several bills hove been introduced calling for one day's rest in seven.
Another bill provides that no woman shall knowingly be enployed within four
weeks before confinement and four weeks after, and still another has been introduced in the Senate providing thrt the same restrictions as to age and hours
of work shall apply to home work as well as to factory work.
South Dakota.
Bills calling for an 8-hour day and a minimum wage of 316 per week for
women in the industrial world of South Dakota have been introduced in the
The bills were prepared through the efforts of
house of Representatives.
the Women's Progressive Club of Sioux Falls, and do not apply to domestic or
They provide for apprentice rates until girls develop capabilifarm help.
(Sioux Falls Argus-Leader, February
ties sufficient for the minimum wage.
10, 1923.)
Tennessee.
Measures tending to admit women to a fuller political equality have been
introduced in the present session of the General Assembly.
The League of
Women Voters is responsible for the bills.
They make it mandatory that women
shall be on every se]leo ooard in fle, 5tete, equalize women's rights with men's
in the guardianship of thetr childron
r'lquire '.ha4, women shall bo elected
on the State executive committees of the pell'Aml parties in the same proportion as are men.
Texas.
According to the Dallas News of February 8, the House and Senate Labor Committees have reported the same minimum wage bill, though the House Committee
recommended an important amendment, to the effect that any decision of the
The Senate
Commission may, in any and all cases, be appealed to the courts.
bill restricts appeals to law questions only, declaring that the findings of
the Commission on facts is conclusive.
The bill is designed to take the
place of the old law held inoperative.
To meet the criticism of the former law that it did not permit zoning, in
order to fix different minimums, in different parts of the state, the bills
provide for the creation of local wage-boards of nine members, three.representThese arc aping the employers, three the employees, and three the public.
fifty emof
pointed by the Commission upon its own motion or upon petition
to deexamination
ployees in any single industry.
This board makes a local
termine whether a minimum wage should be adopted there.
Wisconsin.
There have been introduced in the legislature, but not yet acted upon, bills,
providing (1) an 8-hour day for women, (2) an 8-hour day for men and women, and
(3) regulating the hours of women workers in hotels.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
United States.
Reclassification of the Federal Civil Service.
The bill for reclassification of civilian positions in the federal civil
A similar bill
service has been reported out of committee to the Senate.
has already passed the House.
It is hoped that the Senate 'All will be passed
and the differences between the two bills adjusted in conference before the
If final action is not taken on the reclassiadjournment of Concress March 4.
fication bill, legislation will again be necessary to continue the present "bonus."
Amendment Sought to Compensation Act.
As a result of the decision of the Comptroller General, which was made
publicFobruary 3, emergency legislation amending the United States Employee's Compensation Act is being sought by the organized employees of the government, and it is hoped will be enacted before the adjournment of Congress
March 4.
September 23 last the Comptroller General ruled that the federal compensation Act "provides compensation for such disability only as is the result of
a personal injury of an accidental nature, or at least, of a personal injury
which is referable to some particular event capable of being fixed in point
of time."
Last month, after a conference with the Comptroller General, the
Compensation Commission sent him a number of "typical compensation cases on
which awards have been made by the Commission from time to time," and which
"illustrate the practice of the Commission under the definition of the term
'personal injury', as applicable to disease as well as accidental injury, provided the disease is found to have a direct causal relationship with the naOn January 29 the Comptroller General handed
ture of the employment."
down a further decision in line with that rendered last September.
After
discussing at some length the several cases laid before him by the Commission,
he set forth the general principles underlying the position taken by him in
"Vocational or occupational diseases" he defined as "diseases
this matter.
17)rought about by the peculiar nature of the employment and conditions inherent in the vocation or ocL:upation it3elf.
Such dfLscases as tuberculosis,
pneumonia, and influenza are not peculiar .J.o any particular class or classes
of vocation or occupation, but prevail in E-al walks of life, in or out of
any service or employment, the susceptibility of individuals depending in
large part, at least, upon their bodily condition and resistance.
If it be
assumed that the compensation law was intended to cover vocational or occupational diseases, there would be no ground for extending it ordinarily to cases
of tuberculosis, pneumonia, or influenza."
Going beyond this class of diseases and considering the scope of the federal compensation law, the decision proceeds:
"I think it beyond question that
the term 'personal injury sustained while in the performance of his duty' as used
in this statute, was not intended to cover diseases generally, and I think it
was not intended to cover generally what are designated as vocational or occupational diseases.
The requirement that the administrative notice shall state the
day and hour when the injury occurred is entirely inconsistent with the inclusion generally of such diseases.
I am constrained to hold that the term 'personal
injury' was not used in the broad sense of any wrong, daucc7c, or mischief suffered by the employee, but in the narrower sense of direct injury to bodily
.
tissue through some accidental or fortuitous happening, definitely fixed in point
of timeNlcontra-distinction to the gradual organic changes or functional
disturbances brought about by vocational or other diseases."
Taking into account the practice of the Compensation Commission in allowing
compensation in cases of disease as well as of injury, and also the fact that
the awards have been passed by the accounting officers of the Treasury, the
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
•
- 7 Comptroller General announced that such payments under awsrds already
made
would be continued up to the close of the p2es:Jit :ci,7cal year.
No further
awards, however,in,;coses simi3af to t•loc)
(1--;:,rscly by hjm should be
made unless in pursuance of express authorization 1y Congress. (Federal
Employee,
February, 1923.)
Carmda.
Alberta.
The Minimum Wage Board has issued orders effective April 1, 1923 fixing
a minimum wage rate of OA for experienced women workers in manufact
uring industries', laundries, dyeing and cleaning establishments, hels, restaurants,
refreshment rooms, boarding houses, etc., personal sl-firo occupations, offices, shcps, stores, and mail order houses.
The r:ie:; fwr learrers range from
36 to l2 per week with two exceptions.
In the injllnery irdlictry a pkobationary period of one , mon4-.1. for thick no weges are st4,11ated is allwed, after
which for two months ,
11 per week sJiall be laid, Fur dre3smaking, tailoring
and fur-sewing apprentices a probaionary period of on no:1-th for which no
wages arc stipulated is allowed after which Q6 per week shall be paid for a
period of three Lionths.
Australia.
• On 9 October the 1oard of Trade at STIney fixed the basic wage for
adult
women in the state ef Nevi South 'ales at 1 poo.nd, a9 s'oillings, 6 ponce,
a reduction of 1
6 pence pr 7Ceh.
s a result of replies to questionnaires, the Beard had come to the conclusion that the proportior of minimum
wage earners compelled to live in boarding houses was comparatively
small,
and that there had been no increase in the cost of board
and lodging during
the six months immeiately preceding the dccfsion.
The Womcn's Service Club,
the Women's Reform League, and the Printing E..7-ployees' Unjon
have protested
strongly against the decision of the B:Jard, stating t - at it
is impcssible for a
girl to live on the, basic wage as new laid dowq.
Wmcon trado union officials
lay stress vp:7'n the fa,A that the mon!'s OftP71.1 rag a is
3 ncunds, 18 shillings,
and claim that there su c,..
be equal ps.y
(F.;inoy Telegraph,
10-11 October 1922; Industrial and Labour InforialVen,
29 December, 1922.)
Austria.
By a decree of 28 September 1922 (B. G. El.
No. 725) the following labour
legislation has been made applicable to the
Burgenland (former Hungarian territory coded to Austria in accordance with the Peace
Treaty): Act of 19 December
1917, concerning child labour; AA of 14 LIav 1919,
colice:sning night work of
women and young persons in industrial establis
hments; Act of 15 May 1919, concerning works councils; At of 30 July 1919,
concerning workers' annual holidays; Act of 18 December 1919, concerning
boards of conciliation and collective
agreements.
A decree dated 22 September (B. G. Bl,
No. 723) extends to the Burgenland
Austrian legislation for the protection of
life an hoah of workers in industrial. establishments.
(Industrial and Labour Information, 19 January 1923.)
Brazil.
A preparatory session of the first Brazilian Feminist Congress was held
in Orsina de Fonseca School, Rio do Janeiro, on the 15th of November.
All
women who are interested in improyeinents, morally, soci-dly, and politically,
for women, were invited to attend.
The Congress proper was to be inaugurated
first
the
of
January.
(Bulleti
n,
Pan
American Onion, February 1923.)
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- 8 4MPIIIP
HunrTarv.
Action of the Government on the Draft Conventl.ons.
The Hungarian Government is corsi..7'.cog the steps to be tal:en in regard to
the Draft Conventions adopted at the volous sossions of the 11.nternational Labour Conference.
In the 7icantmo, it io endcavoring, as far az possitAe l to
adapt bills already prepared, to the Thoaft Conventions in question: and particand women employcd
IL
ularly the bill for the protection of chrson, you_og porsons
conform
Tho tfo-ms of t,his
in manufacturing and certain oth -1. ocoupations.
:nrs on this crestio
almost completely to the provisios of. the Draft Co',-Iv,
The bill has been s41;m3to to the representaadopted at Washington (1919.
tive industrial organizations, and it is expeotcd that Fal.liamont will soon be
(International Labolr Thformation, 19
in a position to take action on
January 1923.)
Dill for the Restrion of Night Work.
A bill has recently been submitted to Pm:lam,i-nt t,mpowoi.ing the Minister
hcurb of 9 p, m. and 6 a. m.
of Trade to prohibit by decrec wof': 'ootweoo
ilight work fL3 d ,nod nocessary on acin any branoh of industry except
count of the natuo-o of the industry, or in the intcfests of the public violfare.
No such prohibition sholl be issued in re,ipeot of work tl•,s, objcC:, of
which is to satisfv o,oeptional or periodically rec,:rring requiremelyto of the
community, or of vrn-k rendered recossary by fo::ce majcure, or in or:5.er to prcDcoroes iosued lor the purpose
vent destruction of pc.fisha.ble materials. etc.
conditions of compotition
unequal
If prohibiting nigilt work shall not establish
Labour In(International
for iJb
in the same industry or trade.
formation, 19 January 1923.)
Panama.
Senora Ester Nicra do Calvo sponsored a b:M in the National Assembly for
the political equality of Panama's women, cu,d hts urged all the T7c.ors of her
Sr,noru do CalNo yoolooiod
moasiire.
sex in thc country to s,Ipport
held in 3altimoic laot April.
Uomea
of
Conferenoo
Panama at the Pan Au..erican
NOTES
The National Conference of Social Work will hold its fiftiiqhanniversary
session in Washington, D. C., May 16 to 23, 1923.
The National League of Women Votcrs will hold its fourth annual convention
in Des Moines, Iowa, April 9, to 14, 1923.
JEW PUBLICITIONS.
Andcrson, Adelaide Marv.
Women in the factory:
316 p.
1922.
An administrative adventure, 1893 to 1921.
London,
California. Civil service commissjon.
Rcport of the Ca2iffornia state nivil service comCost of living survey.
of living in California for selected family
cost
thn
mission rclativo
committee appointed for the purpose...
special
Prepared by a
groups%
84 p.
Sacramento, 1923.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
are
Colorado.
Industl-ial Commission.
Sixth report, 1921/ 22.
Denver, 1922.
173 p.
Bureau of labor.
Connecticut.
Thirtieth report, 1921/22.
Hartford, 1922.
71 p.
Connecticut.
Foctory insnuction duilrtment.
Hartford, 1922.
Eighth biennial report, 1920-22.
123 p.
Industrial conference of the state of New York.
Proceedings of the sixth annual industrial conference, Buffalo, L. Y.
November, 21-23, 1922.
188 p.
Albany, 1923.
Louisiana.
Laws, statutes, etc.
Labor laws of the state of Lou:.siana: 1922.
New Orleans, 1922 (?). 137 p.
Prepared by the Bureau of labor and statistics.
Massachusetts. Department of labor and industries.
Rules and regulations for safeguarding power press tools.
6 p.
(Industrial bulletin 17).
Minnesota.
Industrial commission.
First biennial report, 1921/22.
Minneapolis, 1923.
Boston, 1922.
153 p.
National industrial conference board.
Changes in the cost of living: July 1014-November 1922.
(Research report 57.)
37 p.
cember 1922.
New York, De-
U. S. Federal board for vocational education.
Vocational rehabilitation: its purpose, scope, and methods, with illustraWashington, Govt. print. off., 1923, illus.
46 p. (Bulletin
tive cases.
80, Vocational rehabilitation series 7.)
Women's Bureau.
Department of Labor.
Preliminary report: Women's earnings in Ohio in September 1922.
Mimeographed.
18 p.
Department of Labor and Industries.
Washington.
114 p.
Olympia, 1922.
First report, 1921/22.
Women's news service inc.
Women of 1923: international.
224 p.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Philadelphia, John C. Winston Co., 1923.
ler-211111.•
r,
o' "%Floor
S. Perte e•
citosoio
Wasr / gton
. 1923.
News Letter No. 22
ACTIVITIES AFFECTING d0r2E:: IN LIDU5TRY.
Core:'icut
Nina Hour Bill Defeated.
ur week was der day and 50
The Consumers' League bill providing a 9-hou
to 15. It ha!1 .eviously failed of
feated in the Coenc.te March 27 by a vote of 1r,
passage in the House.
Bill to Increase Number of Inspectors.
l• a bill to increase the
The House Con-nittee on Lrbor nas reported Yavorab
of labor and factory innurber of depoi.ies to be appofnted by the co=loioner
ih.n two and not more than three
spection from Line to ten provid:_ng Volt "no'. loss
shall be women." This alloys an increase of one vjoi h..
District of Celuelbia.
if
argued before the Supreme
On Vrednel3Jay Farsh 14 the minimum wage ca#t was
was not poesent and therefore but
Court of the United Ftates, nr. Justioe Brans
,io F3ankfurteo presented the case for
eight membero of the Court were oittin.
.VJ 7o. Brewster, chairman of the Inappellants but yielded seme of his time to
the appe2lees was handled by Challen
or
The case
dustrial Comniosion of Oregon.
Court of Appeals in allowing a rethe
B, Ellis and Wade H. Ellis, The action
vele questioned closely
hearing cf the case was alTuld at lengt and both sidos
ns are now before the
questio
two
on this ratter by tie. „Te.stioes of the souet. The
constitutionality
the
and
Supreme Court .-. tha<the julsisdictio of the lower court
of the minimum wage law.
California, Washington,
Briefs unholding .he law were flied by six states Oregon, Kansas, Wisconsin, and No York.
Illinois.
hearing on the
Lisagreement between the oLmittee chairman caused a joint
the
Tuesday folloving,
Cn
n..
confesio
in
women's eight hour b111 Marc 8 to break up
House, succeedthe
in
bill
the
ced
O'Neill, vho introde
March 13, Mrs. Lottie Holn
a vote of
ed ia bringing it out of ..mmittee with a favorable recomLendation on
reading
20 to 3. Eight members -re absent., When the teasure came up on second
the author
consideration of it was ostponad until April 10 by a vote of 58 to 67,
insufthat
stating
Browne,
Lee
O'Veill
ntative
of the motion to nostt ne, Repoese
nts.
ficient time had be, allowed to prepare amendme
Iowa.
A public he in on the bill for a 9-hour day and 50-hour week for women workers was held MO h 10 and the bill reported out of committee March 16 vithrecommendation for a sage. It was scheduled to come before the House Farch 24 or 26.
In addi on to the support of the Women's Bureau of the Trades and Labor assembly the sill has the support of some fifteen women's organizations including
the Womeps Christian Temperance Unon and the State Federation of Women's Clubs.
bill exempts women in executive positions ani establisments engaged in
T
or curing of perishable fruits or vegetables during the harvesting season.
cann
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
IMOD
4WD
Kansas,
Contrary to newspaper report, word has come from Kansas that the work of the
Division of Women and Children has not been abolished, but has been left Practically as it has been the past two years. An effort was made, however, at this
session of the legislature to cut off the appropriation.
Massachusetts.
Miss Ethel Johnson, Assistant Commissioner of the Department of Labor and Industries, has issued, in mimeographed forr, tables showing the condition of principal woman-employing industries in Ilissachusetts. These tables cover the ten years
from 1911 to 1920, or the period since the enactment of the 54-hour law and the
48-hour law.
:annesota.
Hour Law Reported from Committee.
A bill providing a 9,1-hour day and 54-hour week has been reported out of committee to both Senate and House. Existing law does not limit the number of hours
women may work in hotels and offices anywhere in the state, nor in restaurants
and telegraph or telephone establishments outside cities of first and second class.
Minimum Wage Law to be Amended.
An amendment to the minimum wage law which will make it possible to enforce
the law without sending the wage orders by registered mail to all employees affected passed the House without a dissentini7 vote.
Woman Menber of Industrial Commission.
A bill providing for a woman member of the Industrial Commission passed the
House amended to read that the Governor may appoint a roman at the expiration
of
the term of any one of the three commissioners now in of:ice.
Blanket Bill Defeated.
The blanket bill of rights was defeated in the House by a vote of
78 to 30.
Missouri.
Minimum Wage Bill.
The bill to establish a minimum wage commission has been engrossed
and now
goes to third reading in the Senate.
Eight Hour Bill Killed.
The 8-hour bill, reported from the House Committee
unfavorably but favorably
from the Senate Committee, was virtually amended
to death in the Senate.
New Hampshire,
Hour Bill Defeated.
The Senate has defeated the bill for a 48
-hour 'week and has passed a joint
resolution asking the General Court to appoint
a commission to investigate the
question.
New Jersey,
Night Work Bill Passed.
The night work bill passed by the Senate
and amended in the House to become
effective December 31, 1924 - 21 months
hence - was signed by Governor Silzer March
21. The bill provides that no woman
shall work in a factory, laundry or bakery
betTeen 10 p. m. and 6, a. m. Canneries are
excepted.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
-3
New _York.
Status of Wage and Hour Bills.
An effort made by the minority leader I.arch 28 to have the House Committee
discharged from further consideration of the minimum wage bill and the s-hour
Both bills have passed the Senate. The house
bill failed by a vote of 73 to 71.
has before it a resolution calling for the appointment of a commission to investigate generally the question Of minimum wage ane an 8-hour day for women, and carrying an appropriation of (15,000. The commission would consist of four senators,
five assemblymen and five additional members to be appointed by the chairman of
the commission, of whom two would represent women wage earners, two the employers
and one the public.
The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce has endorsed both the minimule wage and the
8-hour bill.
Amendments to Hour Law.
Amendmentuto the labor law have been introduced to permit the employment of
women under 18 years of age in canning establishments during the summer months;
to provide that no woman under 18, instead of 21, shall be employed in a factory
between 9 p. m. and 6 a, in,, nor in a mercantile establishment between 10 p.m. and
7 a. m. and striking out the provisions relating to the hours of labor of women
in newspaper offices.
Emergency Appropriation for Labor Department.
The emergency appropriation bill to enable the Labor Department to function
until July 1 has been passed by Houses of the legislature and signed by the
Governor.
North Dakota.
Eodification of the eight-hour day for women, voted by the state Senate, will
not, be opposed by members of the Workmen's Compensation Commission, according
to S.
S. McDonald) a member. The amendments made by the Senate permit nurses on duty with
patients to be employed more than eight hours in one day and the same provision
is made with reference to court stenographers, help employed
during the legislative
seseions, by hotels and restaurants When banquets are served,
but limits the employment to 48 hours in any one week. Permission to exceed
the eight hours in cases
of emergency must be obtained from the Workmen's
Coeipensation Commission. (St. Paul)
Minn., Dispatch, February 23, 1923.)
Ohio.
Newspaper reports from Ohio state that as a
reeult of a House caucus the
Walther minimum waee bill, identical with the
Burke bill defeated in the Senate,
will not be taken up in the House, The
Burch resolution providing for legislative
investigation of the subject of minimum wage
was adopted by the Senate and is at
the head of the House calendar.
Pennsylvania.
Wage and Hour Le:O.slation.
A bill limiting the hours of work for
women to 48 per week was introduced in
the House March 19. A minimum wage bill
also is under consideration for introduction in the present session of the legislature,
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
WEI
IPS
Industrial Court Planned.
A court of industrial relations is provided for in a bill introduced in the
House of Representatives today by Representative Parkinson of Waynesburg. The
court would have three judges and have jurisdiction over mining industries and
those engaged in the manufacture or transportation of clothing or food products or
articles entering into their manufacture. Industries not specifically provided
for would be permitted to submit by mutual agreement controversies arising between
employers and workers. (Washington, D. C., Star, March 271 1923.)
Increased Demand for Women Employees.
The monthly report of the Employment Bureau for January shows greater demand
for women in every line of work than has been shown at this time of year for three
years past. Employers filed request for 2,988 women in January compared with 1,413
such requests January a year ago, and 2,194 requests January, 1921. There are fewer
applicants this year than last, however, more women applied in January of this
There were 3.766 applicants among the women last
year than in December, 1922.
month. Opportunities for women in employment exists in the cleriOal field, in
hotels and institutions) machine shops and factories, as day workers and in domestic service, where the greatest call is found. General employment conditions show
a larger number of applicants during January than at any time since September with
18,956 persons applying for jobs and 17,502 persons asked for by employers.
(Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, Bulletin of Information February,
1923.)
Rhode Island.
Legislation.
'
The bill for a 48-hour week and 9-hour day has passed the House by a vote of
70.-21 and is now before the Senate. The bill provides that the 48 hours may be
worked in five days of 9 hours and 36 minutes each.
The only woman member of the legislature introduced a bill prohibiting the employment of women four weeks before and four weeks after childbirth. The bill is
now before the Senate after passing the House amended to read "nay" instead of
4shall".
The no-night work bill sponsored by the Comsuners' League would prohibit 'women
from working between 10 p. m. and 6 a. U. in any factory, manufacturin or mercantile establishment.
South Dakota.
Both houses of the legislature heve passed the m inimum wage and hour bills,
the Senate unanimously and the House by votes of 82 to 10 and 72 to 12, respectively. The minimum wage is set at 012 per week and the hours at 10 per day and 54 per
week except for telegraph and telephone workers. Both laws go into effect July 1,
1923,
West Virginia.
A bill limiting hours of work of women to 8 per day and prohibiting work
alto:
ten o'clock at night is now before the legislature.
Wisconsin.
The Assembly has passed by a vote of 59 to 29
a bill limiting the working hours
of women to 8 per day and 44 per week.
Another bill passed brings women hotel employees within the scope of the hour law. Bills
providing a basic 8-hour and an 8-hour
day for state employees also have passed the
Assembly.
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1
4. 5
United States.
vhich passed
One of the fundamental principles of the Reclassification Act
for equal
payl
equal
of
that
is
Congress
just before the adjournment of the last
definitions
L
principles'
lay
into
work irrespective of sex. The Act which writes
eml)loyment,
of
system
merit
genuine
designed to set up in the government service a
Service
promotion and dismissal) is considered the most important piece of Civil
years
four
of
result
the
is
legislation since the original Civil Service Act. It
supEmployees
Federal
of
of earnest effort on the part of the National Federation
Comof
Chalber
ported by seven national organizations of women, the United States
merce the National Civil Service Reform League, the American Society of 7,ngineers
and numerous other organizations.
The salary schedules which become operative July 1, 1924) are of particular
impertance to the thousands of women now massed in the low paid groups - library
workers, tanslators, clerks, and the clerical mechanical workers in the printing
and sewing trades in such departments as the Bureau of Engraving and Printing,
the Government Printing Office, and the rail Equipment Shop.
ITnder the Reclassification Act the Lajor services are divided into grades
according to requirements and qualifications with opportunity for advancement within
the grade as well as from grade to grade or class to class, A central classifying
agency is created to coordinate salary scales and establish or revise the efficiency
ratings upon which salaries and advancement depend.
Canada.
Saskatchewan.
An amendment to the Minimum Wage Board order covering hotels, restaurants and
refreshment rooms provides that the minimuu rate for an experienced woman for a
week of seven days shall be 0.5 instead of 016.50 and forkitchen employee :)13
The minimum rate for learners for a seven day week is now to be
instead of 014.50.
013 instead of ;44.50. The amendment became operative Larch 15) 1923.
Argentina.
The head of the National Department of Labor has suggested a bill to the
ninistry of the Interior for regulating the labor of women and children in street
tmdes. The bill prohibits all women from working 1- etreen 9 p. m. and 6 a, m, and
requires the Department of Labor to keep a list ef all women over 18 engaged in
street trades. Women are absolutely prohibited frola street vending when they have
with them nursing babies or young children) or are in an advanced state of pregnancy.
(Bulletin, Pan American Union) March, 1923.)
Germany,
In Berlin, the substitution of Lon for women workers was, in some cases, partied,
ularly difficult, because the women could not at once be absorbed in their former
occupations. Many women could not go back to the readp-made clothing and lingerie
industries because the rough work in the factories had unfitted them for fine sewing,
Others had suffered injury to health as a result cf the heavy munition work. One
particularly strikingAewmpon was that many woner had injured their eyes to such
an extent by night woi exiDlosive factories that according to the resalts of
medical examination, it was impossible to find employnent for them. The collective
agreements were partily responsible for this, as employers were averse to paying
the higher wage rates fixed for older %,orhers. (Lunders, Elsa, Women's work in industry since the war. Industrial and Labour Information, 9 February, 1923.)
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Juan.
The question of the prohibition of night work in the cotton spinning industry
is attracting a great deal of attention in Japan, partly owing to the fact that
the spinning industry is suffering from depression and a restriction of output has
been felt to be necessary by the entrepreneurs themselves) and partly to the fact
that the Government is contemplating the amendment of the existing Factory Act with
the object of prohibiting the employment of women and young persons during the
night.
Public opinion disapproves of the suggestion to restrict output with a view to
maintaining the level of prices, but will in general welcome any steps aiming at
the adoption of as many as possible of the principles embodied in the International
Labour Conventions and at the amelioratioll of the conditions of work of women.
The present Factory Act, which came into force in 1916, prohibits the employment of women and young persons under 15 years of age from 10 p, m. to 4 a, m.,
but allows an exception, for a period of 15 years from the date of the enforcement
of the Act, in the case of workers employed on the shift system. It is assumed
that the Government intends amending the Factory Act to shorten the remaining period of eight years during which night work is still permitted.
The employers have as yet made no definite statement as to their attitude, and
even at the meeting of the Association held in Osaka on 23 December
to discuss this
question, no agreement was reached. (Osaka Asahi, 5-15 December, 1922;
Industrial
and Labour Information, 16 February, 1923.)
Poland.
As the result of a memorandum submitted in 1919 by the Federat
ion of Catholic
Domestic Servants to the Ministry of Labour, insisting
on the need for special
legislation on domestic service, the Ministry drafted
a bill after having conducted
an inquiry among those concerned. This bill was
submitted to the Council of Ministers on 9 February,1921, and finally approved by
theR „
Y,I 25 ray1 1921. At the third
reading the Diet referred the bill to the Legal
Committee and the Committee on the
Protection of Labour.
As it was not finally approved by the constituent assembly,
it jill bc, laid before the new Diet.
In its present form, as approved by the above
committees, the bill contains the
follo,:iing provisions:
Persons are regarded as domestic servants who
are employed in a household for
a certain period and are not paid by the day.
Persons employed in agricultural
occupations do not come within the scope of
the bill,
The working conditions agreed on by the two
parties must be specified in writing, and copies kept by both the employer
and the worker. Unless otherwise stipulated, the agreement is valid for a month,
and can be cancelled after two weeks'
notice. Agreements valid for three months
or more can only be cancelled after a
month's notice.
The agreement may be cancelled without
notice by the employer under any of the
following circumstances: (a) If the servant
fails to enter on his duties on the
date fixed; (b) If he fails to carry out
his duties in spite of yarning repeated
three times;. (c) If he insults his employer
or his family; (d) If he neglects the
children entrusted to his care; (o) If he
is intoxicated or is guilty of immoral
conduct; (f) If he is guilty of any crime
or breach of the law; (g) If, for a period
of more than three weeks, he is unable to
work on account of illness.
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servant: (a) If he is inThe agreement mey be cancelled without notice by the
made to him; (c) If the employer
sulted by his employer; (b) If unla'eful requests are
observe his obligations; (e)
changes his residence; (d) If the eLiployer fails to
near relative of the servant;
a
or
wife
In the event of the death of the husband or
(0 In the evont of his marriage.
hours, with an interruption of
The effective working day may not exceed 12
holidays. The arrangement o-2 hours
two hours on week days, and 6 hours on Sunday3and
agreement; and must be such as to enable
ot work must be specified in the written
,ious obligations on Sundays and holidays, He shall
the ser7ant to fulfill his reli-3
night, which may only be interbe allowed at least 8 consecutive hours of rest at
never for more than one
and
journey,
rupted in case of illness, accident, or a
in the care of children
engaged
permanently
night in each case. Domestic servants
in excess of these
work
All
or sick persons are not covered by this provision.
four times a
allowed
be
only
limits must be paid for at overtime rates, and can
month, at the rate of at most 3 hours each tine.
after one year's
Domestic servants are entitled to two weeks' holiday with pay
are entitservice. If this holiday is spent aenay from the home of the employer they
to
led, in eddtion to their ordinary wages, to a special indemnity equivalent,
than
more
not
of
a
holiday
to
entitled
further
ere
They
three times their wares.
relative.
near
a
of
death
or
illness
serious
the
of
event
10 days, with pay, in the
If a domestic servant leaves after one years service, he is entitled to an indemnity equivalent to at least a fortnif6ht's 'wages, provided he has not been dismissed for his own fault.
If the employers' dwelling contains a room intended for a servant, it must be
used for this purpose. The room must contain heating facilities, and in other respects satiFfyhygionic requirements. •
If a dorestic servant is incapacitated by sickness or accident, for thich the
employer may be considered responsible, he is entitled to an indemnity, If there
is no sickness fund in a locality where he is employed, the following provisions
apply: (a) If the sickness is due to conditions of uork, the employer must provide
for the treatment of his servant at home or in hospital, during the whole period of
his illness, or until the payment of the above-oentioned indemnity; (b) If the sickness is not due to wprking conditions, the emplo:er is only liable to pay the cost
of treatment for three weeks.
The bill contains special provisions as to tte work of young persons. lanors
may not be engaged without the approval of their parents or guardians' The employer
must see that provisions of the law concerning continued education are observed.
Hours of work must not exceed eleven per day, and the work must end one hour earlier
;liners are entitled to annual leave after six months serthan that of adults,
Publications of the Constitutent Assembly, and communication
the
of
vice. (No. 3126
of
Labour and Social Welfare; Industrial and Labour Information,
from the Ministry
26 January, 1923.)
Russia.
As a general rule women may not be employed on night work, overtime, or in unhealthy industries. The night work of wonen may, however, be allowed temporarily
in certain branches of industry, on tho proposal of the trade union concerned, approved by the Comnisariat of Labour.
Woleen may also be allowed to work overtime
in cases where the local inspector of labour and the trade union concerned are agreed
that it is impossible to carry out the work with male labour alone. Pregnant women
and nursing mothers may in no case be required to work overtime nor during the night.
Provision is made for 8 weeks leave before and 8 weeks after confinement, for
women engaged on manual work, the corresponding periods for women engaged in
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intellectual work being 6 -ee'as both before and after confinement. After a miscarriage manual workers are allowed 3 -.:eeks leaves intellectual workers 2 weeks
leave. Full wages are payable during all such leave. Nursing mothers are entitled
to half an hourts interruption of work at intervals of 3 hours, for the purpose of
nursing their children,
In no case may ',omen he employed on work consisting solely in lifting and movThey may only do such work as a subng objects weighing more than 10 pounds.
sidiary occupations occupying them for at most one-thrd of the working day. Moreover the maximum weights that may be moved by women are established in various
branches of industry. (Organization of industry and labour conditions in Soviet
Russia, International Labour Office. Studies and reports) Ser b B: Economic
Conditions, No. 1), Julys 1.922.)
Spain.
The Spanish Official Journal (Gaceta de ::adrid) pl,blised on 15 Julys 1922,
the text of two acts authorizing the Goveree.aeft to proceed with the ratification
of the Draft Convention concernini, unemployment and the Draft Convention concern(International Labour
ing the employment of women before and after childbirth.
1923.)
February,
office, Official bulletin, 14
International.
Women Workers in the Postal Services.
It will be remembered that the Congress of the International Federation of
Postal, Telegraph and Telephone Workers held at Berlin in August, 1922,discussed
the conditions of service of women in the postal, telegraph and telephone services.
(Industrial and Labour Informatior, v. 31 No. 1)) p. 451.)
' The Congress had before it a report presented by rise Else Kolsnorn on an
inquiry undertaken in accordance with a decision of the Congress of Novembers 1920;
on the
of the marriage of women officials, n&ht rork of women and certain
other questions. According to the 3ulletin of the International Federation of
Postal, Telegraph and Telepho.le Workers, the report contains the following particulars as to the regulations in force in various courtr5ee.
1:arriage of Women Officials,
In Austria, Czechoslovakia, Germany, Netherlands, Italy and Sweden women are
not compelled to resign from the civil service on marriage. In Luxemburg and
Switzerland they must resign on marriage but in the latter country the regulations
vary according to the grade.
In the Netherlands women v.Inos not being already entitled to a pension leave
the civil service on the occasion of their marriage or within a short time after
it are entitled to a bonus, In Czechoslovakia, Germanys Italy, Luxemburg and
Sweden no bonus is payable under these circeustances. IA Austria contributions towards the pension fund are refunded to women who retire on maneiage. In Switzerland the contributions paid into the insurance fund (5 per cent of the annual
salary)are refunded. In Belgium, Denmark and Great Lritain marriage bonuses are paid,
The German Union of 'Women and Telegraph Workers considers that the employment
of married women in the civil service should be exceptional and generally speaking
of a temporary character only, The Union advocates the payment of a bonus to
women civil servants on marriage to compensate then for loss (of pension rights, etc.,
the bonus to vary in amount according to length of service. It recommends that
measures should be taken -- if possible, uniform
measures in all countries -- to secure the retirement of married women civil servants. After a certain period they
should cease to be entitled to a bonus or should receive only a reduced sun. Those
who return to the civil service on widowhood or if divorced should be required to
refund the whole or part of the bonue which they have
received.
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- 9 Night Work of Women,
are employed on night
In Czechoslovakia, Germany, Netherlands and Russia women
prohibited for women civil
work under the same conditions as men, Night ,7ork in
Switzerland.
servants in Austria, Italy, Luxemburg, Sweden, and
opposed to the proThe German Union of Women Post and Telegraph Workers is
made a pretext for
be
hibition of night work for women on the ground that it may
similar duties.
payment of a lower wage. Similar rights, they consider, involve
Other Questions.
received by
Liss Kolshorn, in her report, also gives an abstract of the replies
the
the Secretariat on various other questions including regulations concerning
employment of women in civil service before and after confinement; distribution
telephone
of women employees :in the various branches of the postal, telegraph and
of men
pay
of
rates
in
difference
service; exclusion of women from higher posts;
servants;
civil
women
of
training
and women employed in similar work; professional
participation in bodies representing the staff.
apprOved
In conclusion Miss Kolshorn submitted the following demands which were
by the Congress:
salar(1) Men and women civil servants should be treated alike with regard to
standard
same
the
ies and promotion in cases where the work done is the same and
of education and training is required.
(2) Women should not be obliged to resign on marriage.
fe:r the
(3) Women who resign on marriage should receive adequate compensation,
(Bulletin
dependents,
surviving
to
loss of their own pension and pensions payable
de la Federation Internationale des P. T. T., November, 1922; Industrial and Labour
Information, 16 February, 1923.)
NOTES
Wage Increases in the Textile Industry.
The New York Times of Larch 31 states that as a result of vide-spread announcement c of wage increases in cotton and woolen mills elsewhere in New England, it was
indicated that the manufacturers of Fall River probably will offer a 12+ per cent
increase to 36,000 operatives in Ill cotton mills in negotiating with the Textile
Council on the latter's demand for a 15 per cent advance, New Bedford manufacturers,
the Times says) are awaiting adjustment in Fall River before'aCting themselves, and
any settlement in Fall River is expected to apply to the 24,000 cotton workers in
New Bedford,
Approximately 15,000 textile workers in Rhode Island will be affected by increases April 30, In most cases the amount is not stated) otherwise, it is 12Jz'per
cent. In Yainesome 5,000 cotton mill operatives and in New Hampshire over 13)000
will receive a 1* per cent increase April 30.
Massachusetts'woolen mills were apparently the first to announce a 12.J2- per cent
advance covering 20,000 employees and effective April 30, New Jersey woolen wills
have also posted notices of Wage increases which will affect about 12,000 operatives.
The amount of the increase, although not made known, will compare favorably it is
understood, with the percentage of increase granted by the New England woolen concerns,
Several mills in the onth also are reported to have announced 10 per cent wage
increases.
The third annual eonvention of the Workers Zducation Bureau of America will be
hold in New York City April 14-15, 1923,
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Ow0
—10 of the United States and
The Association of Governmental Labor Officials
Virginia, ray 1-4, 1923.
d,
Richuon
Canada will holfl. its tenth annual ueetins in
; April 17) under the
The Midyear Safety Conference will be held in Chicago
Section) the Chicago
ring
Enginee
joint auspices of tho National Safety Councills
Safety Council) and the Western Society of Engineersc
PERSONNEL
Pennsylvania.
International Labour Office
Rcyal Meeker has resigned his position with the
appointment as Commissioner of
at Geneva, whcre he has been tin years, to accept
Labor and Industry of Pennsylvania.
PUBLICATIOES.
Canada, Department of Labour
Report IC:2172c, Ottawa, 1923.
115 pz
Great Brit,ain, Industrial fatigue research board,
Atmosphoric conditions in cotton weaving. '..,ondon, 1923.
Textile ser.6)
36 p. (Report 21,
Joint board of_sanitarv control.
64 p.
Twelftn annual report, .,.922, Nov York, 1923.
TV George M. Price, and
gs,;.
buildin
factovy
in
Contents: — Fire hazi.rds
.
4 into the seating
inquiry
an
:
posture
and
Rudo:'.ph Po Miller. -- rdeating
M,
and Theresa
Price
George
By
trades.c
conditions in the womens garmelit
Wolfson,
Lazard, Max.
Compulsory labour service in Bulgaria. Geneva 3922. 158 p. (International
labour office. Studios aad reports. Ser. 34 Eeoaomic conditions, No. 12)
Luders) Elsa,
Woments mrk in industry sinco the waro
Industrial and Labour information, v. 5, No. 6) 9 February, 1923, p. 20.22.
t unemnloyment compcnsLtioni
Massachusetts. Special commission on unem2L.9ymeiLi
and the minimum wage.
Report, February 9, 1923. Boston, 1923. 78 ps
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r-
U. S. Department of Labor
MI.ZNIS BUREAU
Wt.Ohingt on /
April 26) 1923.
News Letter No. 23.
ACTIVITIES AFFEC • R.1 WOMEN IN'INDUSTRY.
California,
The Industrial Welfare Commi siorf order reestabl' Ina-'the minimum wage rate of
0.6 a week in the mercantile indus
became effectiv. April F.?. This order varies
slightly from the order of 1920 in that it reduces the et for learners for the
second six months frcm 012 to 011 and for the third six moriths from 014 to 01.2 and
adds a fourth poriod of six months tith a rate of 014. The 1923 order also fixes
for women or minors employed as elevator operators a rate of 012 for the first three
months and for messenger or errand bevs the vase established is 010.56 for the first
three weeks and C12 thereafter, with 25 cents an hour for part-time work. The standard hours for all merceiatile empoyment as before/A.:3 net more than 48 per week and
8 per day. Ydninery werkrocm e.ppec-%eices are n t covered in the recent order nor
are women workers in food caterins depertmeets
District of Columbia.
CinApeil 9 the decision was harded dov by the Supreme Court of the United States
declaring the minimum lea.e law of the Dist _et of Columbia unconstitutional on the
ground that it interfered with freedom of contract and was a price fixing law and
that "in principle, there can be no diff rence between the case of selling labor and
the case of selling goode." The opini . written by Justice Sutherland) was concurred in by Justice McKenna. 1,IcReynoids VanDevanter) and Butler. Dissenting opinions
were written by Chief Justice Taft a a Justice Holmes, Chief Justice Taft spoke
also for Justice Sanford. justice .andois did not sit on this case.
It is not known definitely at his date ./hat effect this decision will have on
the state minimum wage laws or ju
what action will be.taken by the women workers
affected or by the organizations speaking for them which have struggled fer twenty
years to secure such legislativ protection for working women.
have been initiated, Governor Hart of Washington
Certain movements, howev
State has proposed a conferel e of Governors to crystalize sentiment for a constitutional amendment which we d permit the States to enact minimum wage laws, with no
possibility of their later unification through Supreme Court action, On April
20 the Consumers t League ailed a conference in New York which was attended by members
of minimOwage boards ad industrial commissions of various States. No report of
this conference has b n given out,
The National Wo, /its Teade Union League as soon as the Supreme Court decision
became known, armoi ced its plan for a nation wide conference to "examine the possibilities of reme y and if possible propose a. course of action." This conference
will be held in yfashington, D, C$2 May 14 to 151 immediately preceding the Social
Workers Conferaiice and to it are asked state labor officials having the enforcement
of wwee lawsOlumerouo national weleent's crganizations, and other groups.
The Cakland, California; Post-Inquirer is authority for the announcement that
on April 12 in that State a group of senators presented a resolution calling upon
Congress/to initiate an amendment to the constitution empowering the Stetes to enact
minimuillwage laws,
iready according to the National Women's Trade Union League some girls in
District of Columbia stores ara suffering wage cuts, in some cases as much as 50
peecent, some of them are being laid off and with others the minimum sales requirem9tts have been increased. The Merchants and Manufacturere Association) which reresents the majority of merchants, saye,however, that it Anows of no wholesale cuts
//but admits isolated cases. One 5 and 19 cent store has advertised that it will not
if cut the wages of its employees.
y
i
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
(2 )
Whether or not the entire Act is invalidated by this decision is not yet certain. Legal opinion differs on this question especially with reference to that
part of the Act which applies to minors.' The Corporation Counsel of the District
6ti1l has this matter under consideration, although he has announced his belief
that the entire law is invalidated.
Illinois.
By a vote of 89 to 56 the 8-hour bill, introduced by Mrs. Lottie Holman O'Neill,
passed the House April 25. It must now go to the Senate where it has not yet been
reported out o4comr.iittee.
Uhen the bill came up for second reading April 10, fifteen amendments were proposed all of which were defeated, teio by roll call votes of 119 to 24 and 83 to 54.
The first amendment, one of five offered by Representative Lee O'Neill Brown,
and the one defeated by the largest vote was practically a substitute bill providing,
according to industry, a 9-hour day and 54 or 58-hour week or, in the case of canneries, a 10-hour day and 60-hour reek, and in the case of emergencies or seasonable
work a 70-hour week with no daily limit. Overtime was provided for emergencies at
the rate of time and one-half but no reference was made to overtime pay for "season.,
able work".
Indiana.
'
The Department of Women and Children reports that for the year ending September
30, 1922, "of the 932 plants inspected, 570 employed women in the production or service department and 460 employed women in offices.
Of the Women who were employed
in the shops 84.3 per cent worked more than 8 hours per day and 73.7 per cent of the
men worked more than 8 hours per day. Of women in clerical work 25.4 per cent only
worked more than 8 hours per day...One hundred and three plants reported overtime
ranging from 30 minutes on an 8-hour schedule to all night overtime at lest one
night in the reek."
The Department reports also on a survey of canneries in Indiana, probably the
first in the history of thd state. The investigation covered 164 equipped plants of
which 141 were in operation. These employed 6,132 males and 6,143 females at the
time of inspection. "Of the total number of women in canneries, 47 per cent worked
10 hours per day, 64 per cent of these working 10 hours per day and 60 hours per
week. •The longest hours reported were those of one firm employing 34 women for
over 13 hours a day and 80'to 82 hours per ueek. Another firm had 164 women working
13 hours a day and 78 to 80 hours a wee!:; 75 women worked 13 hours a day and 74 to
76 hours per week; 38 worked over 12 hours a day and 74 to 73 hours per week; 123
worked 13 hours a day and 64 to 66 hours per reek."
In conclusion the report says in regard to hours, "Though long, exhausting
hours were the rule, there were noticeable efforts to standardize and shorten the
day of the canning factory employee. Five plants had operated at least one season
on an 8-48 hour schedule for women and children and not over a 10-50 hour schedule
for men. Another never permittod women to work longer than 9 hours and men 10
hours. If the usual force of employees absolutely could not handle the day's work
then a new shift was employed. With six plants having accomplished so much, it is
not unreasonable to expect at least a measure of restriction on overtime by the
other plants."
Iowa
The S-hour bill was defeated in the House April 5 by a vote of 81 to 25. As
reported to the House from the Committee on Labor the bill had been amended to exclude women workers in merc.watile establishments, hotels, rests.trsztai, telephone
or telegraph establishments and clerical positions. Other amendments provided that
numerous industries could work theli women employees ten hours a day three lays a
week during specified peak months.
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1
Massachusetts.
Minimum Wage Law Not Changed.
The Senate has accepted without debate the adverse report of the Committee on
Social Welfare on the bill to repeal the minimum wage law. They also rejected the
bill providing that public members of wage boards shall be appointed by theGovernor.
At a hearing on that section of the report of the Recess Comminainn on Unemployment and Minimum Wage, held before the Social Welfare Committee March 29, counsel
for the Associated Industries and for the Manufacturers'Protective Association stated
they had no objection to the recommendation in the majority report that the law be
continued for a period of five years while further investigation as to its operation
be conducted. Representatives of a number of women's organizations spoke in favor
of the minority report, which recommends that the law be made mandatory.
Attempts to Repeal Forty-Eight Hour Law Fail.
The various bills introduced this session for the repeal of the forty-eight how
law, the return to the fifty-four hour lam, and the repeal of night work regulations
have been reported adversely.
Wage Beard to be fcrmed for EstablishmentsManufacturing
Druggists Preparations, Compounds and Proprietary Medicines,
The Minimum ;age Commission has voted to form a rage board to recommend minimum
rates for women employed in the manufacture of druggists preparations, compounds
and proprietary medicines,.
The occupation includes the manufacture of medicinal end toilet preparations)
druggists' supplies, ointments and tinctures. Approximately 1,300 women and minors
under eighteen years of ace are engaged in the work in Massachusetts. The greater
part of this number are employed in filling, labeling and packing the containers
for the manufactured product.
An investigation of the rases of women in the occupation made by the Commission
in 1920 showed ih part thet of the women 18 years of age and over 82.7 per cent had
average weekly earnings under 015, 68.4 per cent under ;:13 and 40.7 per cent under
011. Of women who had one or more years of experience 72.5 per cent had average
weekly earnings under (J5, 53,8 per cent under C;13 and 24.5 per cent under Cll.
Lighting Code Adopted.
The Department of Labor and Industries has recently adopted a lighting code for
factories, workshops, manufacturing, mechanical and mercantile establishments. This
code will go into effect January 1, 1924.
lannesota.
A new hour law passed by the legislature before its adjournment on the 19th of
April, provides a 9-4-hour day and a 51,-hour week for all women workers excepting
domestics and nurses. Telephone operators in towns of less than 1,500 inhabitants
also are exempted. The law is to take effect July 1, 1923.
The present law limits hours to 9 a day and 54 a week in mechanical er manufacturing establishments, telephone or telegraph offices in cities of the first and
second class only, to 10 a day and 58 a week in mercantile establishments, restaurants, lunchrooms, eating houses or kitchensoperated in conLection therewith in cities
of the first and second class and to manufacturing and mechanical industries outside
such class of cities. Mercantile establishments outside cities of the first and
second class have a weekly limitation of 58 hours.
New York,
Investigating Commission Created.
A dispatch of April 18 reports the passage by the Assembly, by a vote lf 78 to
.62, of a resolution to create a joint legislative committee to inquire into the necessity for minimum wage and 8-hour legislation for women and minors. A later dispatch
however, states that Speaker of the House Machold and Senator Nathan Straus, Jr., came
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•
to an agreement relative to the hour bill and that Senator Straus has reintroduced
his bill amended so as to permit women to work 10 hours a day for five days a week.
According to a statement in the Brooklyn Citizen of April 19 such a bill rill pass
the Assembly.
Outer Wear Knit Goods Industry Investigation
Summary of Findings.
The workers are of mixed nationalities bt Americans and Jews are in the majority. Seventy per cent of the workers are romen. Few children are employed. The
work is largely highly skilled.
The employers are with comparatively few exceptions small proprietors of Jewish
nationality who own their own shops and do contract work for jobbers. They usually
manufacture the entire product. A few, however, perform the first operations en
goods which are completed by another manufacturer.
Home Work: Sixteen shops gave out work to be done in the tenements at the time
of the investigation, It is safe to assume that in the smaller plants the giving
out of home work is a customary practice.
Physical conditions are unstandardized but in general comply with the Labor law.
A thoroughly modern scientifically planned workshop is extremely rare and is not
typical of the industry as a whole.
Hours: The basic hours are short, in most cases being under 48, but the amount
of overtime is excessive. Six establishments employing women reached 60 hours a week
and over, a direct violation of the Labor Law. Time and a half is paid in comparatively few cases and even straight time is not paid in many eases of overtime work.
Waes: The median basic wage of all the 1,624 employees included in the investigation was from 324 to 25.
The median basic wage for men was from 05 to 040, and for women from 021 to
t22 a week, One hundred and thirty-two women, or 10.5 per cent, received under 015;
36 received less than 012,
A comparison of the basic to the actual earnings for those employees where both
wage rates were listed showed the actual earnings to be higher, (due to the amount
tf overtime), the average basic wage being 3254 92 while the average actual wage was
029,58.
Seasons: Whether or not a wage is adequate depends upon the number of months
the worker can count upon receiving it. The outer knit wear industry is highly
seasonable. The length of the season varies with each prnduct and to a considerable
extent with each shop. Until the wage rates of workers are computed a full year,
no fair estimate of wage earning can be reached. (New York Department of Labor,
Special Bulletin 117. March, 1923.)
Ohio.
The Burch resolution providing for a legislative investigation of the subject
of a minimum wage law was adopted by the House April 3 by a vote of 70 to 44. It
had previously been passed by the Senate by a vote of 19 to 16, The resolution provides for a fact finding commission of six members, three senators and three representatives.
Pennsylvania,
Hour Bill.
A hearing on the hour bill introduced by Representative Jacob Mathay was held
April 10 before the House Committee on Labor and Industry. The bill was reported
the same day and is now to second reading. The Mathay bill reduces the hours fixed
in the earlier law from 54 to 48 a reek and from 10 to 8a day and provides also that
women rho want extra time off one day a reek may work 8-3/1 hours on the other six
days,
The bill does not cover domestics, nurses or women canning perishable products.
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Minimum Wage Bill.
A bill providing for the establishment of a minimum wage board in the DepartMent of Labor and Industry has been introduced by Miss Gertrude MacKinnon and referred to the House Committee on Labor and Industry..
Rhode Island,
The bill providing a 4-8-hour reek and a 9-hour day for women is still before th
Senate Committee on Special Legislation,
All bills for one day's rest in seven have been killed and the bill for prohibition of night work is still in committee.
Vermont.
Office of Woman Factory Inspection Retained.
Unsuccessful effort was made during the session of the legislature just passed
to repeal the Act of 1921 by which it was made mandatory that the Commissioner of
Industries appoint a woman factory inspector. This effort was based on the claim
that the law should make n3 sex distinction, that the matter should be left to the
discretion of the Commissioner. The bill was defeated 21 to 7 the opposition to it
being led by Miss Edna L. Beard, Vermont's first woman senator. Various organizations opposed the bill including the State Federation of Women's Clubs, the Women's
Joint Legislative Committee, and the League of Women Voters.
Seating Bill Rejected.
A bill calling for standardization of the seating law passed the House but was
rejected by the jenate. The present law does not apply to factories and manufacturing establishments.
West Virginia.
The bill providing an 8-hour day for women, no night work and a six-day week
which was introduced by 1rs. Gates, the only woman member of the legislature, has
met with defeat. The bill is said to have had the endorsement of all the women's
civic organizations of the state.
Wisconsin.
Bill' Defeated,
The Olsen bill for a 44.4,te'.:r vmek f r I.Tmen, the Tucker 8-hour bills and the
Weber bill for an 8-hour day in public work have all been defeated. The Assembly
also reversed its vote on a bill to increase the hours of state employees from 7 to
8 per day.
Canada.
Labor Legislation in 1922.
Many Acts directly or indirectly affecting labour were passed during the year
1922, by the Parliamciat of the Dominion and by the Legislatures of the provinces,
A Bureau of Labour was established in Alberta, consisting of a Commissioner of
Labour with other officers, who will prepare or collect information and statistics
affecting labour, administer such acts as may be assigned to the bureau by Order in
Council, and discharge any further duties which may be delegated to him by the
Minister of Labour. The Manitoba Act of 1915, establishing a Bureau of Labour attached to the Department of Public Works was amended by a provision that the bureau
may be transferred to some other department; and in the same province a Department
of Public Welfare was created.
In British Columbia office and clerical workers, formerly excluded from the
Workmen's Compensation Act as not being exposed to industrial hazards, and farm
labourers, were made admissible to the benefits of the Act.
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Alberta enacted a Minimum Wage Act during the year, being the seventh province
of the Dominion to enact minimum wage legislation. The Nova Scotia Minimum Wage for
Women Act (1920, chapter 11) and the Quebec Women's Minimum Wage Act (1919, chapter
11), however, have not yet taken effect. The wages and hours of work of women and
young persons in industries coming u.n'or the Alberta Factories Act had since 1920
been subject to "investigation and determination" by an advisory committee appointed under the provisions of that Act, but by an amendment of 1921 the power to "determine" wages was withdrawn from this committee. The new Act supersedes the
"advisory committee" by a board constituted on similar lines to the boards of
Manitoba, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Ontario. The Ontario Minimum Wage Act
was amended to enable the board to fix the maximum number 4t working hours per week,
as woll as the minimum wages, of female employees; rates of 7:ages for time worked
in excess of the established maximum may also be fixed by the
In Ontario an Act was passed to provide one day's rest in seven for employees
in hotels and restaurants which employ more than tTo persons, the rest day if possible
to be on a Sunday. Municipal councils in British Columbia were enabled to order the
closing of shops on ordinary week days after 5 p.m, instead of after 6 p.m., but the
right to petition municipal council for the passing of an early closing by law was
restricted to merchants rho are entitled to vote at civic elections. (Labour Gazette;
Canada, March, 1923.)
Alberta Minimum Wage Award Delayed for Six Months,
Alberta's new minimum wage for women of C14 a week which was to have come into
effect on the first of April, will not be generally applied until September the first.
Recently, on behalf of the Minimum Wage Board appointed last year to investigate
and recommend a minimum wage for women, Chairman A. G. Brovning, Deputy-AttorneyGeneral, announced that the Board had decided to suspend the application of the act
for five months in regard to manufacturing industries, laundries, dyeing and cleaninL;
establishments, and shops, stores and mail-order housos. In all other respects the
recommendations of the Board as announced in the extra edition of the Alberta
Gazette, January 17, 1923, came into effect April 1.
Although no statement has boon made on the matter, it is expected that the Board
will hear further representations from employers and employees in the trades and
businesses mentioned if so desired between now and the first of September.
The order of the board establishing the 014 a ,../cek rainiraun for female employees,
camo into force April 1, in hotels, restaurants, rooming and boarding houses, personal
service occupations, and for female employees in offices. The regulations and
special rates in regard to probationary periods and apprenticeships in many of the
occupations also came into effect on the first of April as provided for.
China.
According to the Chinese press, a Bill for the protection of -orkers has been
drafted by workers' associatione in the various provinces
and is now before Parliament. The object of the Bill is te.regulate hours of work, provide measures for the
protection of workers against accident, introduce old age
and invalidity pensions,
guarantee freedom of association, etc:
The workers' associations have requested
Parliament to insert the provisions
of the bill in the constitution of the Republic
which has not yet been finally drafted. (Communication of the International Labour
Office; Industrial and Labour Information, 29 March, 1923.)
Czechoclovak,Republic.
Factory inspection, which is regulated
principally by an Austriam Act of 17
June, 1883, an Hungarian Act No. 28 of 1893, and
a Czechoslovak Act of 27 January,
1921, is organized as follows: The territory
of the Republic is divided into twentyfive inspection districts, in addition to
which there arc three special inspection
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offices, one for the construction . of waterways and two for building. All these services are subordinated to the Central Inspection Office, under the Ministry of Socia.
Welfare at Prague.
•
The inspection staff was increased in 19211 the number of inspectors being
rai-sed from 62 to 58, that of special buildinR inspectors from one to fur',and of
women inspectors from four to six, The inspectors visited 18,325 firoes, 151 972 of
uhich were subject to accident irourance, 6,946 were factories, and 5,374 were firms
rhich made no use of meter power,
The nomber of persons employed by the firms
visited was 666,560
: of w'stoel 211,215 were of female sex, among these ':hore were
221 81 young persons an 1i,83 gLrls bet-een 14 and 16 years of age...0no thouband
nine hundred and 41 women. Were illeRally employed on night woriz....Further, 41 399
women, or 2.1 per cent of all women e!oployed in the firms visited by irspectors,
were illegally employed aftor 2 p,m. on 3nturday, chiefly in textile works in the
country. (International Labour Review, February-March, 1923.)
Finland.
Although Finland has not adopted the Draft Convention concerning employment of
women during the night; the goveonroInt considers that effect should be given to
'The recommendation concerning nignt work or women in ai-;riculture and it is proposed
to incorporate its principles :In a bill relating, inter eiia, to the prrtection of
women and children in agriculture which is being prepared by the Cemittee on
Agricultural Labour. (International Labour Office, Official Bulletin, 21 February,
1923).
Japan.
Bill Amending the Factory Act,
The Bureau of Social Affairs has draftf1d and sutolitted to the chambers of commerce and other employers' organizations a Bill amending the present Factory Act,
which is to be brought before the Parliament during the pre -et seesion.
The principal changes affecting women which the Bill makes in the present Act
are sunmari7ed below.
•
01 The sccpe of the Act, which is at present restricted to factories "in which
at least 15 wcrkers are regularly employed" will be extended to cover factories
in which 10 workers ere reLoler7y
(2) The age up to vjhich the c2a.oeo providing special protection fo-- young
persons apply (the prohibibon of night weq-k, etc), wilI be raised from 15 to 16,
this provision to cone into force three years from the date of promul:ation of the
Act.
(3) The maximum hours of employment of women, under the present Act 12 hours
per day or, in factories engaged in the manufacture of sin yarn by machinery, etc.,
13 hours per day, are to be reduced to 11 end 12 hours
de7,i respectively. No
limitation is proposed in the boors of wer:7: of adult rule ,
00rkero.
(4) The time during uieich the ersployolent of v,oie; nd yeens, persons during the
night is prrhibited is chared folm 10 p.n.-1 am. te 10 p.o0-5,ae m. (or, by special
sanction of the administreeLive oothoritieo l 11 p.m,-6
(5) The period during which the night work cf women and young persons shall continue to be allowed in untlertakings working on the sllift systeel is to be brought to
an'end three years after the amending Act comes irto force, instead of in. Argust,
1931pas at present fixed. (Tckyo Asahi, Osaka Asahi and Osaka Eainichi, 8 January,
1923; Industrial and Latour InCoemation, 2 ve..rch,
Employers' views of tLe'faetory Act Amendment Pill are given at some length in
the issues of March 16 and 23 of Industrial and Labour Information.
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Poland.
A Bill on Hoyle Work.
The Pill on home work, sulemitted to the Diet by the anister of Labour
and Social elfare on 12 May 1922, has now been referred to the Commission of
Industry and Commerce. The object of the Dill ic to render the conditions of
home work as far as possiole similar to working conditions in factories,..
Employers who give out home work must keep a complete list of the workers thud employed. They must issue to each of them a card giving details as to
wages, materials supplied either by the employer or the employee, tho date on
which supplies have been furnished and on vihich the Manufactured articles are due,
xx7xxxxxxxxxxx7.xikx)txxxxxxxxxxx.txxxxXxxx!Kxxxxx
and the date on which
wages are raid, Einimum wage rates for home work may be introduced wherever home
Workers fail to earn as much during legal hours as•rorkers of corresponding grades
and average skill employed in factories. Such rates are to be fixed by special
committees consieing of at most 5 representatives each of employers' and workerst
unions and 5 members desigrated by the Minister of Labour. The committees are to
be appointed for two years and will be entitled to make recommendations on the
general conditions of home work, and especially on the working conditions of
Womeh, young persons and childron and on the housing of home workers. The
decisions of the committees will be submitted for apprcval to the factory inspectors, whose decisions in turn may be laid within a period of a fortnight before the Minister of ..Labour, who will 'decide in the last instance. The minimum
rates will remain in force for the period determined by the committee, but either
party will be entitled to demand their revision. The Minister of Labour and
Social Welfare, in agreement with the Minister of Industry and Commerce and the
Minister of Public Health rill be empot:ered to prohibit home work where.7er this
may seem called for, in order to protect the interusts of the workers or consumers. Home work is subject to supervision by the factory inspectors.
(Publication No. 3532 of the Constitueht Assembly, Industrial and Labour Information, 2 March 1923.)
Bill concerning the Protection of Women and Young Persons.
In 1921 the Ministry of Labour submitted a Bill concerning the protection
of women and young persons to the Constituent Assembly,
The Assembly was not able
to vote on the Bill before the end of the session, but
it will shortly be submitted to the Cabinet in order that it may be laid before
the present Parliament.
The adoption of this Bill will fulfil the provisions of
the Berne Convention of
1906, to which the Polish Government 'gave its adherence
in 1922 (Gazette of Laws
of the Polish Republic. 1922, No. 19, p. 156).
The first chapter of the Bill lays down that special protection
, in
addition to that provided by the Hours of Work Act of
13 December 1919 (Gazette
of Laws, 1920, No. 2, p. 7) is to be given to women
and young persons employed
in the industrial and commercial undertakings
referred to in section 1 of the
above-mentioned Act. Women and young persons
may not be employed on work which
is particularly injurious to health, exhausting
, or dangerous. The Ministry of
Labour and Social Welfare is instructed to draw
up a list of such kinds of work
in agreement with the Ministries concerned...
Women's work is regulated by Chapter III.
The employment of women in
mines is prohibited, The provisions concerning
their nightly rest are the same
as those which refer to young pPrsons. The
nightly rest of adult women may,
however, be reduced to 10 hours in seasonal
industries and in undertakings where
such a measure has been s:,awn to be necessary,
provided that the permission of
the factory inspector has first been obtained,
and that the exception is not
allowed more than 60 times a year for each
woman.
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Ali undertakings employing women of any age must provide them ,;:ith
special'sanitary accommodation and*cloakrooms. Undertakings which employ more
than 100 women must have bath rooms and a creche. Women who are nursing their
children are entitled to tWo half-hour breaks, which are included in their hours
of work. A pregnant Woman is entitled to leave her employment if she produces a
medical certificate stating that her confinement will probably take place within
six weeks, and employers may not employ a ,:;omah for a period of six weeks after
her confinement. The employer may not give notice to a woman or dismiss her
during this period.
Employers who contravene the Act are liable to imprisonment for not
more than six weeks, or to a fine, or to both these penalties. (Information
supplied by the Labour Protection Department of .the Polish Einistry of Labour,
Industrial and Labour Information, 23 March 1923.)
NOTES
An order of the Industrial Commissioner of New York, Mr. Shientag,
effective February 13, 7922, reads as follows:
There is hereby established a Bureau of Women in Industry in the
Department of Labor, to which is assigned the present staff of the Division
of Women in Industry. The hcad of the Bureau shall be known as the Director
of the Bureau of Women in Inlustry.
NEW PUBLICATIO13.
Indiana, Department of women and childron;'
Report for the year ending September 30, 1922, including a report on
Indiana canneries.. 'Indianapolis, 1923. 33 p.
Reprinted from year book.
League of nations.
Publications.
InternatiOnal labour office.
Geneva, March 1923. 64 p.
National leafr,ue of women voters. Committee on women in industa.
Childbirth protection. Washington, D. C., 1923. 11 p.
By Irene Osgood Andrews.
Uncle Sam and the women care.
By Mary Van Kleeck,
Washington, D. C., 1023.
8 p.
New York, (State) Department of Labor.
outer wear knit goods industry. New York, 1.)23. 19 p. (Special bulletin 117)
Prepared by the Bureau of women in industry.
Tennessee, Bureau of workshop and factory inspection.
Tenth annual report, 1922. Nashville, 1023. 101 p.
U. S._ Debartment of labor. Bureau of labor statistics.
Proceedings of the ninth annual convention of the Association of governmental
labor officials of the United States and Canada, held at Harrisburj), Pa.
May 22-261 . 1922. Washinuton, D. C., Govt. Print, Off., 1923, 158 p,
(Bulletin 323.)
West Virginia. Bureau of labor.
Sixteenth biennial report, 1021-1922. Charleston, 1922. 150 p,
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*WARM.
U. S. Department of Labor
1,701.121.:'S BUREAU
Washington
ews Letter Yo. 24.
June 6, 1923.
ACTIVITIES AFFECTI:G
7.70-1.21i In
INDUSTRY.
California.
On L'eay 4 the State Industrial Welfare Commission issued an order sustaining the
minimum wage of $16 a week for women werking in laundry and dry-cleaning estaoTishments. The required period of apprenticeship in these industries was reduced from 6
to 3 months. A wage of 33 1/3 cents an hour fer the women in the fruit and vegetablepacking industries was sustained in the same order. It is estimated that over
20,000
zomen were affected altegether. A dissenting opinion was filed by Paul A. Sinsheimer
cf the Industrial 7elfare Ccmmission stating that the estimates of cost of living were
too low and proposing an increase to 0.7 or $17.50 fer the laundry and dry-cleaning
workers. (San Francisco Chronicle, May 6, 19231 and San Francisco Examiner, Lay 5, 1921)
The Governor has called a special election for i.:onday, October 15)on the 48-hour
measure which was initiated last winter, under the initiative and referendum law. The
bill provides a 48-hour wee'.: for women and children in industry. A local paper points
out that such a law would necessarily moan a 49-hour week for men in all industries
where women are employed end takes the attitude that ITaine manufacturers could not
meet outside competition if the short week were forced upon them. Eaine, according to
this paper, will not be ready for a 48-hour week until such a standard is set up in
all the ether northern States. (Portland Express & Advertiser, May 21, 1923.)
:r.aesachusetts.
The Minimum Wage Administration.
Ethel Johnson, Assistant Commissioner of the Department FA Labor and Industries has issued a statement regarding the effectiveness of the Massachusetts Minimum
'age Law.
."The great majority of employers have complied and are complying with the proviiens of the decrees. This is because the decrees have been recosnized to be reasonable in the requirements made; because in the majority of instances they have been
based en the unanimous or practically unanimous findings of the wage boards made up cf
representatives of employers and employees ih the occupations in question and because
there has developed the force of public opinion to'suppert the work. . . .
"There are in Massachusetts approximately 5,000 firms employing between 75,000
and 80,000 women and cirls in the sixtesn occupations covered by minimum wage decrese.
r)f this number, there, were at the close of the fiscal year 1922 approximatsly 375
lirms with cases of nen-compliancs. Only .5P of thsse firms, however, hav- -efused to
:omply with the decrees."
The following analysis of cases pending December 1, is given:
Number of firms that made adjustment
following inspectiens
Number of firms with cases pending
Adjustments premised or possible 226
40
Adjustments doubtful
c.ijustments refused
Information inecmplete
68
(Reinspecticn necessary)
up
breught
cases
cf
number
Total
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Firms
306
373
involving
Empleyees
121 r,
7,465
)('(:4
441
'Al
1743
186
36,641
-2Ww)klv Payment of WaRes.
The law requiring weekly payment of wages has been extended to cover janitors,
-orters, watchmen, and employees in the theatres, moving picture houses and dance
halls.
The effort to include domestic help in the provisions of the act was defeated.
;7orkmon's Compnsation Act.
The waiting time under the Workmen's Compensation La* has been reduced from ten
days to seven days by an act approved March 23, 1923. .
Another act provides that failure to make a claim under the Workmen's Compensation laws) shall not bar proceedings if the dnsurer has executed an agreeMent in re.rd to compensation with the employee, or made a payment for compensation under this
law.
___of the Recess Commission on Unemployment and Minimum .
1 7ne..L.
The majority report of the Commission on Unemployment and Minino)ed Wage recommended
further investigation of the effect of the present minimum wage law, and proposed that
-..he wage boards should be limited to not more than seven meMbers. The minority report
recommended the enactment of a mandatory minimum wage law.
The committee report, "ne legislaticn necessary," on these recommendations has
been accepted in both branches.
licurs of Women and ilinors and Palle Eehi!
,iticn of Children.
The various measures intrOdueed tc repeal ex* weaken the 43-hour law and to permit
night work in textile factcries have boon reported adversely, and these reports accepted in both branches. Simnel- action has been taken on the bill to permit the
exhibition of children under fifteen years of age.
'arimum Wage Inspection Tables._
Wage tables based on the inspection work under the minirum wage decrees in
Taseachusetts 1922, 1923 have been compiled for the fellcwing occupations: earning
and rate tables for Laundries, Men's Furnishings, Hosiery, and Knit Goods, Muslin
Underwear, Wholesale Miinery, Corset, Minor Confectionery, Office and Other Building
eaners, and Wcmen's Clothing Occupations, also earning and rate tables for Retail
ores by population and by type of store.
Wages of Women Employed in the Manufacture of Druggists' Preparations,
Proprietary Medicines and Chemical Compounds.
The investigation made by. the Commission regarding
the wages of women employed
en the manufacture of Druggists! Preparations, Proprietary Medicines
and Chemical
.empcunds show the average weekly earnings for women in this occupation weekly rates
,
for those on time rats basis, rates for adult women, earnings'
in relation to experience, age living arrangements, marital condition, and dependency
of employees.
Tables with explanatory text have been prepared for the
use of the wage board which
is being formed for this occupation.
::ineeseta.
An industrial survey including conditions and wages of women workers is now under
way in the Twin Cities, as a basis for an appeal to the Minnesota Industrial Commissin for higher wages and a shorter period of apprenticeship for girls under the mini
rum wage schedule. Ir. D. E. Virtue, director of beton Guild, is chairman of the
committee incharge, elected at a meeting of representatives of :inneapolis women's
organizations. (Minneapolis Journal, May 6, 1923.)
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New Jersey.
The Consumers' League of New Jersey has recently made a survey of living corts
for female factory employees in the followin Nevi Jersey cities: Elizabetn;
Jersey City, The Oranges, Hoboken, West Hoboken, Passaic, New Brunswick, Riverside
and Camden. The amounts necessary to secure the standardized menu of twenty-one
meals,in the various cities were: Newark, 06,65; West Hoboken, 011.20, The Orange
s,
07.50; Passaic, 07; New Brunswick, 06.65; Riverside, 06.50; CamCen, 06.50; and
Elizabeth, 08.40. Boarding house charges ran7ed from 37 a week in Riverside to 315
a week in The Oranges. The minimum weekly clothing allowance was placed at 02.88
for
Elizabeth and 04.40 for West Hoboken, with other cities falling within that range.
When allowance was made for sundries, health, and savings, the minimum requir
ement was found to be highest in West Hoboleen where it amounted to 021.60
a week.
The survey was made to secure data to be presented in support of a minimu
m
wage bill. On the basis of the facts obtained the League expect
s to advocate a program of municipal housing in the industrial cities of the
State. (Elizabeth, N.J.
Journal, May 7, 1923.)
New York,
Legislation
The minimum wage bill was defeated by one vote in the Assemb
ly after having
passed the Senate. The original bill had been amende
d, eliminating the clause
which made non-compliance a misdemeanor, in order
to avoid the objections raised
by the recent decision of the United States Suprem
e Court.
The 48-hour week also lost by one vote in the Assembly,
having previously
passed the Senate.
Bills aiming to make workmen's compensetion uore effect
ive did not even get to
a vote.
The bill legally creating the Women in Industry
Bureau of the Department of
Labor, passed both houses.
Activities of Bureau of Women in Industry.
Two studies are at present being made by the
Bureau, one an analysis of the
wages of women in five industries: Paper
box, mercantile, shirt and collars, confectionery, and tobacco, the other dealing with
the cause of women's work accidents
and their social and economic influence.
SiLate Industrial Commissioner Slaientag has
announced plans for alterations
in the State DeT'artneeLt of Labor Building which
will make possible a hearing room
devoted entirely to the cases of women
claimants under the Workme:.- 's Ccmpensat ion
Law. The aim of the Commissioner is to
have only women employees in charge of this
room.
Pennsy]vania.
The Wiathny bill providing for an 8
-hour day and 48-hour week wso killed in the
House by a vote of 86 to 77. Thn bill
permtted nine hours of work on one day in
order to permit a Saturday half holiday,
and excepted domestics and nurses from
its provisions. (ilailadelpnia Evening
Public Lodger, May 9, 1923.)
Rhode Island.
The bill providing for a 46-hour week
for women and miners was killed in th,.
Senate by a vote or 20 t^ 37.
The Matherls Aid Bill has passed
both houses and become law.
Wiscorelin.
Olsen hour bill, amended tc provide
for a 9-hour day and 50-hour week,
passed bsth hruses of the lerLislal.,ure.
This action folAowed the failure of earlier
bills which attempted an 8-hour day and
48-hour week. (Milwaukee Journal, April
20, 1923.)
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1
MOW
The Killian bill establishing a 10-hour day and
week for hotel workers
was passed and signed by the Governor. The passage- of this bill marked the end
of a ten year fight in the State to make hour laws applicable to hotels, (Fuluth,
Minn, Herald, May 11, 1023).
United States.
Acting Attorney General Seymour has expressed the opinion that the United
State
employees compensaticn commission has full authority to grant compensat
ion to
government employees who contract occupational diseases. This is in
opposition to
the earlier ruling of Comptroller General McCarl that such
persons were not entitled
to compensation under the lay.
Canada, Ontario.
The minimum wage board has issued orders establishing the minimum wage for
women in textile factories and in t.le manufacture of drugs, chemicals, etc., medicine, non-hazardous chemicals, etc. In each case the wage for experienced adults in
Toronto'iS C12.50, in other cities of 30,000 population 011.50, in cities and town-s
with 5,000 to 30,000 population, 011.00, and 01,00 in the rest of Ontario. The
orders governing the textile industry took effect on August 1, 1922; while the
orders governing the miscellaneous group of industries named above became effective
on February 1, 1923. (Labor Gazette, Canada, April, 1923.)
France,
Draft Decree Concerning the 8-hour 1.)ay in Retail Trade.
The Minister of Labour has recently submitted to the Council of State a draft
Decree respecting the application of the Eight-hour Day Act of 23 April, 191; to retail trade in goods other than foodstuffs in towns with a population exceeding
100,000.
The text of the draft provides that in undertakings or parts thereof covered
by the provisions of the Decree in which the weekly rest is allowed in rotation,
hours of work must not exceed eight per day, while undertakings in which a rest
period of at least one del per week is allowed to all workers collectively must
adopt one of the following methods for the application of the Act of 24 April, 1919:
(a) Limitation of working hours to eight per working day in each week;
(b) Distribution of the weekly working hours unequally bet;
4 een the working
days, subject to a maximum daily limit of nine hours, in such a way
as to allow half a day's rest to all workers collectively on one
working day in the week.
A Decree may be issued, on the demand of organizations of employers
or workers
in the industry in a district or in a particular locality, and
after consultation
with the organizations concerned and reference to agreement
s between them, where
such exist, authorizing a uniform system of distribution
of hours of work in all
*ndertakings in the locality or district in question.
The draft provides that workers shall not be employed
otherwise than as laid
down in a timetable showing the% distribution of working
hours in each day, This
timetable must be displayed in every workplace to which it
applies, or must be shown
in a special register kept up to date and placed at the
disposal of the factory
inspection staff,
The following permanent exemptions are allowed:
Daily working hours may be extended beyond the limits
fixed in the processes
and subject to the conditions specified below:-(1) Work of stokers employed in connection with the power
supply, lighting and
heating, the lifting apparatus, etc.:--one hour at most.
(An hour and a half
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
-5 on each day following a day on which work has been suspended);
Work of engine-men, electricians and workers employed on maintenance
work:--one hour at most;
Work of persons employed in cleaning places., etc.:--one hour at most;
Work of persons employed on general work (cleaning, packing) errands):-one hour at most;
Work of managing stoff, heads of departments, foremen, inspectors, etc.:
one hour at most;
Work of timekeepers, etc: one hour at most;
Work of carters, motor-drivers and other workers employed on transport
work: Work of delivery-men, night watchmen, fire brigade, persons in charge
of medical services and otherAgxrangements made for the benefit of the
manual and non-manual workers in the undertaking and their families:—
four hours at most.
The exemptions specified above apply to adult workers of both sexes,
except (1)
and (2), which are applicable only to adult male worker
s.
The period of uninterrupted rest between two working days must in
no case be
less than 12 hours.
The draft further makes the following provisions for temporary exempt
ions.
Working hours may be temporarily extended beyond the limits fixed in the
following cases:—
(1) Urgent work which must be carried ovt immediately
in order to prevent
impending accidents, for salvage purposes or to repair injuries to
machinery or plant or buildings of the undertakings:--unlimite
d extension on any one day chosen by the employer, and on
subsequent
days not more than two hours boond the limit fixed
for the majority
of the workers in the undertaking;
(2) Urgent work with which the undertaking
has to deal (exceptional influx
of work):-- maximum, 150 hours a year. In 1923,
1924 and 1925 this
maximum may, however, be increased to 200 hcurs.
In the caoe of workers employed in packing and
forwarding, the maximum may be
increased to 300 hours per annum in 1923-1924-19
25.
In no care ma'; the period of uninterrupted rest
between two consecutive working days be less than 12 hours, except by special
sanction of the departmental
factory inspector, (L'Ecno de Employes, March, 1923,
Industrial and Labor Information, 6 April, 1923).
Germany.
Emp]oyment of Women in the Textile Industry.
The German Textile Workers' onion (Deutscher Textilarbeiter-Verband),
which
has a total membership of 728,342, two-thirds of whom
are women, recently instituted an inquiry concerning the position of women in the
textile industry, The main
object of the inouiry was to meet the attacks made on the
8-hour day and the 46-hour
week which is usual in this industry.
As far back as 1907, the date of the last industrial census
, more than half
(51.2) of the members of the textile workers' union
were women and girls. The proportion is now two-thirds. As all married women have househ
old duties in addition
to their industrial occupation it is necessary that they
shoeld have on at least
one day of the week sufficient free time to attend to such
household %:ork as cannot
be done in the morning or evening before or after working
hours, The burden of
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
-o household duties falls particularly heavily on married woemn in industrial emploYment. In addition to their work in the factory these women have their duties
as housewives and mothers. The longer the working hours the heavier the burden
for the married women in industry.
The inquiry aimed at ascertaining (1) the number of textile undertakings in
Germany classified according to size) and the number of workers employed classified according to sex and age (adults and young persons under 16); (2) the number
of married women employed in the textile undertakings covered by the inquiry) including widows and women divorced or living apart from their husbands; (3) the
economic position uf the married women in the industry (age) number of children)
reason for undertaking industrial work) husband's occupation) and other particulars.
Number of textile undertakings and number of persons employed.
The Union was unable With the means atits disposal to include all textile undertakings in the inquiry. Every effort was made) however) to make it as comprehensive as possible and members of all unions and workers not belonging to any union
were included amongst the workers covered by the inquiry. Home work undertakings
were excluded) and only a small number of undertakings employing from
1 to 5 workers
were included because in many cases the workers employed in these
undertakings are
all members of thJfamily of the owner. For this reason the number of
mall undertakings covered b the inquiry was much less than the number of these
undertakings
given in the official statistics.
The total number"of undertakings covsred by the inquiry was
8)999 employing
805)127 workers -- 3002076 men (374) and 504:,.151 women (62,65)
. The proportion
of women workers is lower than would appear from the trade
union membership figures.
This is due to the fact that the trade union fgures include
homel workers) who are
almost all women,
The total number of textile undertakings with mOve than
200 workers has increased
considerably in recent years; according to the inquiry2
there are 965 such undertakings employing in all 474)966 workers. The corresp
onding figure for 1907 was
'ot,H:o the same area) i.e. excluding Alsace-Lorrain
e.
Number of Married Wcmon.
The number of marrtnd women employed in the textile
industry has increased
proportionately more than the number of women in general
. According to the 1907
figures 20% of all women workers in the textile industr
Y were married.
The recent inquiry) however) shows that one-third
of the women workers in the
industry are or have been married. Of the married
women 57,4% had children of
school age (51,1% had one child) 28,4% two childre
n) 1% three children and 7,6,
.
1
four or more children,) According to the inquiry
there were 1)310 families with
four children) 469 families with five children)
11'71 families with six children)
53 with seven children or over of school age,
Reason for Taking Up Industrial Employm
ent.
The chief reason given for the entry of married
women into industry was that
the husband's earnings were insufficient, The total
number of women in the inci.otry who were the sole wa:e earners of the
household) i.e, widows or women
diverced or living apart from their husbands)
was 132 581 . or 29.5;%
The Textile Workers' Union innists that in the
reg'ilation of hours of employment end other labor conditions thsse facts should
be taken into consideration,
F.C1 that steps should be taken to rrevent injury
to the heolth of women owing to
rAcossive work in the factory and in tho
home, injury which endangers the health
of the next generation.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
The Union considers that the results of the inquiry show the impossibility
of increasinghours of work beyond eight rer.day and indeed indicate the urgent
necessity of a further reduction, (Dor Toxtilarbeiter, 9-16 March) 1923; Indus
trial
and Labor Information) 6 April) 1923),
Italy,
Legislative Decree No. 692) relating to hours of worl.
: of workers and employees
in industrial and commercial undertakings was proLnulgated
and published in the
Gazette Ufficiale Df 10 April.
Eight hours a day and 43 hours a week were established as the
normal maximum
for wage earners and salaried employees in induFtr7lal
and commercial undertakings
of all kinds. The decree is not applicable to domEetic
servants, the managing
staff of undertakings) nor commercial travellers. Separ
ate regulations are to be
made for public offices and public services.
Enforcement is by fine,
The decree is to go into operation four months after promulgati
on and provision
is made in the decree for presentation to Parliavent for corxe
rsion into an Act,
(International Labor Office, Official Bulletin) 25 April, 1923),
lre'd o
Dr. Puig Casauranc, deputy for Veracrus, is prepang a bill
to protect the
health of women in industry and in domeotie service, vieich
he expects to introduce
into the Chamber of Deputies, The "Chair Law" proposed by
Doctor Margain in the
Second Mexican Child Welfare Congress for the T:anefii, of women
in factories and
stores will be part of this bill, which will also contain provi
sions regarding
women in domestic service. (Bulletin of the Fan American Union
, Hay, 1923).
Roumania,
Provisions of Existing Legislation and of the Draft
Labour Code concerning the Protection of Women and Children. Under the existing legislation (Act of 1912 conce
rning the organization of
crafts, credit and social insurance) the maximum hours
of work of women must not
exceed eleven per day. Subject, however, to the
authorization of the Ministry of
Labour this maximum may be exceeded where the
men workers work for more than eleven
hours and the stoppage of woman earlier would :
,.nterfere with the working of the
'undertaking, The employment of women and girls
under 17 years of age on work which
might injure their health or which is too heavy
for their phveical stength in prohibited,. There are no regulations specifying
the work covered by this provision
of theAct,
The employment of women is prohibited for
six weeks after childbirth, and a
woman worker may not be dismissed for absen
ce on this ground. In addition women
are entitled to a - maternity benefit for a
fortnight before childbirth on presentation cf a certificate ieued by an olficial
doctor.
With regard to young persons, the Act provi
des that maximum hours of wcrk in
industrial undertakings must not exceed eight
per day in the case of yeung persons
between eleven and fifteen years of age and
ten per day in the case of those between
fifteen and eighteen yeee7s of age. Night
work is prohibited for boy apprentices
under fifteen years of ago and for girl
apprentices under seventeen years of age,
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
The Draft Labour Code recently submitted to the Committee on Labour
Legislation
contains a number of provisions con0erning the protection of women
and children which
are intended to amend existing legislation in conformity with
modern requirements.
Part III of the Draft Code prohibits the employment of children under
fourteen
years of age. Besides the prohibitions concerning the employment
of women before
and after childbirth the Code provides for certain relaxation
in working rules for
women during pregnancy, for the payment of a maternity allowa
nce, for free medical
attendance, and for extra rest periods to enable mothers to nurse their
children.
The employment of women and young persons under eiJ:;hteen years
of age at night
is prohibited (nightly rest period of at least eleven consecutive
hours), and also
the employment of young persons under sixteen years of age and of women
:;.n underground) dangerous or unhealthy work. (Industrial and Labor Information,
27 April
1923),
NOTES,
Association of Governmental Labor Officials.
The Association of Governmental L.lbor Officials of the United States
and Canada
held its convention from May 1 to 4 in Richmond, Virginia. The
following states
were represented at the convention:
Arkansas
1
New Jersey
1
Connecticut
8
New York
2
B. of C.
1
North Carolina
1
relaware
2
Ohio
1
Georgia
4n,
Oklahoma
1
Illinois
3
Oregon
1
Louisiana
1
Pennsylvania
4
Massachusetts
1
Virginia
12
Minnesota
2
West Virginia
1
Maryland
1
Wisconsin
1
New Hampshire
1
U. S. Dept. of Labor
10
North Dakota
1
Canadian Federal Dept, of Labor 1
Ontario 2
Resolutions on the following subjects were adopte
d:
1, The appointment of a comnittee to recommend standa
rds of
collecting, compiling, and presenting statistical
data to
increasethe value of the reports of the
various state cffices,
2, The adoption of a federal amendLent which
would make possible
a federal 48-hour week law.
3,
The encouragement of congressional action in
submitting
amendments regarding child labor and minimum
wage legislation
•
for
4,
Steps toward amalgamation with the Association
of Public
Employment Services,
The Bryn Mawr Summeori,School.
The third session of the summer school for AtErie
R industry will commence on
June 15. The school will again be limited to approx
imately 100 students.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
•AI.
-9
be
Profiting by the experience of the past two aummers, some changes are to
s of
made in the curriculums The work offered has been grouped into three division
Art,
and
History
re,
Literatu
(II)
subject-Matter; (I) Modern Industrial SocietY,
(III) Introduction to Science. Each student will do work in the First Division
and in 'either II or III. Work on Psychoicgy and Economics will also be open to
advanced and second-year students, English composiLion Will be included in the
work of each student. Courses in Appreciation of Music and Informal Nature Study
may form part of the leisure hour program.
The . activities of the students have not been limited to the summer months on
nal
the campfis. In 40 different cities they have been carrying on this educatio
d them
organize
work. In cities where no workers' classes existed these girls have
active
been
and have in some instances conducted them themselves, They have also
(Bryn
funds.
ip
fellowsh
raising
in
and
in recruiting ney applicants for the school
Mawr Alumni Bulletin, April, 1923),
Minimum Wage.
A1F of L, Conference
women members was
A conference of representatives of several unions having
1923. A "Permanent
26,
April
held in the A. F. of L. Duilding, Washington, T), C.)
Wage Earners" was
Women
of
s
Conference for the Protection of the Rights and Interest
earners
wage
women
formed. It pledged itself to cooperation in organizing the
The conworkers.
in the ristrict of Columbia, and urged organization among these
fuller
for
ce
conferen
ference also went on record as supporting the movement for a
wcimen workers.
consideration of action to improve the standards and life of
under way,
is
District
the
in
An organization campaign among women
.
Conference on Women's Wages and the Supreme Court Decision
Union
The conference called for May 15 and 16 by the National Women's Trade
the
of
view
League to consider the condition confronting 'wage earning women in
of
Supreme Court's decision invalidating the minimum wage law of the District
Columbia, brought together representatives of 27 organizations, including trade
ed in
unions, the churches, women's organizations and various other groups interest
special
women's problems and labor legislation. Prominent attorneys present by
adopted
on
conclusi
its
at
ce
conferen
invitation joined in the discussion. The
consideraa statement requesting all organizations there represented to give earnest
their
for
organize
to
workers
tion "to the significance of the movement of women
employers",
own protection through the establishment of collective agreement with
provided for
also
It
and "to possible methods of cooperation with this movement,"
meetings
the
d during
a joint committee to study the legislative proposals presente
and report to the delegates by November 11 1923,
the conference and referThe following legislative proposals were discussed in
red to the committee:
All proposed methods
(1) Restriction of power of the U. S. Supreme Court.
to be studied.
insuring
(2) Amendment of the Federal Constitution fcr the broad purpose of
of
labor,
rights
the
and
ion
protection of social legislat
(3) Amendment of the Federal Constituf.ion which will give to the States
and Congress the power to enact minimum wage legislation,
Court
(4) Minimum wage statutes to come within the limits of the Supreme
'decision,
Western Sentiment Regarding Minimum Wage,
The following resolution was passed by the President's Council of Women's
Organizations, Tacoma, Washington:
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- 10 Since the Supreme Court of the United State S has declared the minimum
Wage laws of the District Of Columbia unconstitutional, and since this
decision- plaCes'in jeopardy the minimum wage laws of the various states of
the'Unton, including our own, wel the President's Council of Tacoma Women's
Crganizations, in regular assembly, therefore petition the President of the
United States that 11Q urge upon Congress an amendment to the Constitution
of the United States which will authorize adequate laws to abolish child
labor and to establish minimum wage laws for the protection of wcmen.
PUBLICATIONS..
C,msumers' league of eastern Pennsyl7abe.a.
Vacations with pay for factory workers.
Japan,
Philadelphia, 1923.
Department of finance.
The Twenty-second financial and economic annual.
Maryland.
Pepartment of labor and statistics.
Thirty-first annual report.
Baltimore, 1922.
Massachusetts.. Pepartment of labor and industries.
Annual report for year ending Nov, 30, -Y922.
11 p.
Tokyo, 1922. 239 P.
288 ID.
Boston, 1923.
43 p.
Mississippi. Department of factm inspection.
Sixth biennial report to the state board of health. Jackson, 1922.
36 P.
Klein, Philip.
The burdenuof uneMployment, a study of unemployment relief measures in
fifteen American cities, Russell Sage Foundation. New York, 1923, 243 p.
Swan, Charles A.
Causes of absenteeism among store workers,
Nation's health, v. 5, no. 32 March, 1923.
p. 163-164
United States, repartment of labor, Children's bureau,
Child labor and thework of moth.)rs in the beet fields of Colorado and
Michigan. Washington, Govt. print. off., 1923.
122 p.
Bureau of labor statistics.
National health insurance in Great Britain, 19111921. By Henry J,
Harris, Washington, Govt. print. off., 1923, 103 p. (Bulletin 312)
Women's Bureau.
=4-t industry means to'women workers. By Mary Van Kleeck,
Govt, print, off,2 1923. 10 p. (Bulletin 31)
The share of wage earniLg women in family support.
print. off,1 1923. 170 p. (Bulletin 30)
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Washington,
Washington, Govt.
U. Se
Department of Labor
WOMEN'S BUREAU
Washington
July 9, 1923.
News Letter No. 25.
ACTIVITIES AFFECTING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY.
California.
Earninoof women wage-earners.
A recent report of the state Bureau of Labor Statistics gives data on the earnings of California wage earners based upon the state census of manufactures made
annually by the bureau.
nformation on earnings was compared for the periods of
December: 1918 and December, 1921.
In the first period 77.15 of the women earned
less than $16 while in 1921 only 28.25 earned less than that amount. One half of
the women earned less than 016.70 in the later period, while the median for the
earlier period was only $12.45. The report considers this change in women's earnings
as an indication of the effectiveness of the state minimum wage law. With the men
ItkP increase was much less marked. Very nearly tie pane percentage earned under
$16 and under $18 resT)ectively in each year, although the median in 1921 was $28.75
as compared with 027.15 for the earlier Liete. (California - Bureau of labor
statistics - Twentieth biennial report, 1923.)
Minimum wage.
The minority report of Paul Sinsheimer dissenting from the findings of the commission establishing a $16 wage for the laundry workers, is of interest because of
its discussion of the budget on which that figure is based. It is Fr. Sinsheimer's
contention that the amount shouad be not less than $17 or Q17.50. The yearly budget
allowed by the commission was Q836.30: a figure which counts on a weekly wage of
316 for 52 weeks in the year. It is pointed out that, since the employee actually
does not and can not on the average work 52 full reeks, the budget refutes • itself,
He would alqnkf
sor one week's loss of time on account of illness and one week's
vacation.He/iLe r-x:eunt allowed under the heading of sundries i3 inadequate, due both
to omission of necessary items and to the small allowance made for those ,Tihich are
included. Fr. Sinsheimer estimates that the revisions which he proposes would increase the amount of the weekly wage to $17 or 17.50. (Minimum wage for women in
the laundry industry in the State of California. Minority report by Paul A.
'Sinsheimer.)
Connecticut
The 38th annual convention of the Connecticut Federation of Labor opened on
June 4th. The meeting went on record as favoring a 48-hour law for women workers.
(New Haven Register, June 5, 1923.)
Illinois.
The 1C-hour day for women workers remains the legal standard of the State of
An 3-hour bill
Illinois in spite of attempts to get more progressive legislation.
passed the house, but in the senate this bill met with the Hicks amendment which
removed the 8-hour provision and authorized the State industrial commission to make
rules concerning the 17erking day for the principal industries. Until rulings should
by
commission, women were not to be employed more than 9 hours in any one
be made/the
day nor more than 56 hours a wee::. Even with these changes the bill failed to pass,
being defeated in the senate by a vote of 23 -to 18. It was reported that the chief
opposition was due to the fact that the bill dld not take care of possible emergencies.
(Chicago Tribune, June 7', Richmond News-Leader, June 13.)
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Kansas.
The scope of the hansas Industri
al Court has been greatly limited by the 'decis
of the United States Supremo Cour
t which denies the right of the Kansas c6Ur
t to fi:
rages in a dispute between a pack
ing house and its employees. The opinion indicate
(
that the ordinary business of dealing
in food, clothing and even fuel can not be r(
garded as possessing such public
interest as would justify state regulati
on of wage:
or prices.
Maryland.,
The Maryland League of Woren Voters is alre
ady preparing for a legislative program at the next seesion of the stat
e legeislatuye; a:'..ming to enlist the suppert
of
candidates as they announce themselv
es. Aneng the meacetres advocated by the
orge
niz
tion is an 8-hour law and the estab:Li
shment of a minimum wage commission. (Cnr
istian
'Science Monitor, June 19.)
Massachusetts.
Test of Wage Law Publicity.
The Boston Evening Transcript has pleaded
guilty to the charge of refusing to
publish an advertisement from the comm
ission announcing the refusal of a Bost
on firie
to abide by a minimum wage decree.
A fine of ',I100 was imposed and an appeal
was
taken. The publicity method of enfo
rcement and not the validity of the whol
e
act
is
questioned. (Christian Science Moni
tor, June 7.)
Correction.
In the last number of the News Letter
it was reported that 3,465 women were involved in the minimum wage case
s which were pending. This figure should
have been
4,465.
Nevada.
According to the latest report of the
Nevada Commissioner of Labor there were
only 2214 women employed in the
inrlustrial groups surveyed in the Stat
e. Over a
fifth of these were employed in
mercantile occupations, while only
6
were
engaged
in any manufacturing industry.
The largest proportion was in thos
occu
e
pations whie .
were classed under "public
service",
The average daily wage for the wome
n as a whole was 03e63, an aver
age distirctl:
raised by the high wages of the
public service workers. Among
the women in mercantile establishments and those
in laundries the avora3e earr
ings were 03011. The
small group engaged in manufact
uring averaged 03,35. The aver
age number of hours
worked per day by the women in
all the industries ,as 75, (Nev
ada-Fourth biennial
report of the commissioner of
labor.)
Wisconsin.
Study by a legislative committee
of the causes of unemployment and meth
ods of
its proventiop was proposed in the stat
e leOslature as a sui)stitute
for the unemployment insurance measure which nad
previously been suggested. The
new proposal
would call for a committee of thre
e assel:!ymen and two sena
tors with an appeopeiatioli
of 25,000, to investigate the reasons
ilnderi;J ing the recurring Perods
of business
depression and business expansio
n. (Christian Science Moni
tor, June 8.)
United States.
Thiety-seven states have accepted
by legislative action the provisio
ns of the
Sheppard-Towner maternity and infa
ncy act, the latest additions
being New York and
Wisconcin. The Illinois legislature
voted down similar legislat
ion.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- 3 Australia.
The latest year book of the commonwealth of Australia shows that in 1920-1921
there were 356 women out of every 10,000 of the female population employed in factories, the proportion being almost exactly one-third that for the men. Practicall:
one-fifth of all the factory employees were women, the percentage having varied but
little in the past five years, although it was slightly lower than it had been during the war years. The report suggested that this large number of women workers
wan due not so much to the incursion of female labor into what may be termed men's
trades, as to the activity in those trades in which women are ordinarily engaged,
more especially in millinery, dress-making, etc.
Canada - British Columbia.
The last session of parliament passed laws forbidding the employment of women
and those under 18 at night in any undertaking, as well as all employment at any
time of those under 15 years of age. The employment of women for six weeks following childbirth is prohibited and certain rights are granted during the six weeks
preceding. Hours in all industrial undertakings are to be limited to 8 daily and
48 weekly. Although such action was taken, provision was made that these rules
should not become operative until the other provinces of Canada should have brought
into force similar legislation. (Journal of Comparative Legislation and Internation.
Law - May, 1923.)
England_.
Domestic Service.
The Minister of Labor has appointed a committee to study the problem of domestic
employment and hearings before the committee were started on June 13. Servants,
private employers and those employing servants on a large scale were represented
at the hearing. The honorary general secretary of the Domestic and Hotel Viorkersi
Union appeared before the committee, She gave twelve reasons for the unpopularity
of domestic service, among which were the following; The long hours, restricted
liberty, loneliness, low status, and the drain on health due to constant confinement;
overwork and few rest periods. She suggested a standard minimum wage and some
standard of efficiency, coupled with a six months period of training.
Mr. A. F. Part, managing director of Trust Houses, Ltd., submitted a scheme
for a national service guild of employers and employed which would supply training,
grade the occupations of domestic service, and perhaps set up a minimum wage
standard. He also suggested a scheme of penaions, without government support.
(Manchester Guardian, June 14, 1923.)
Unemployed Varlets.
The General Council of the Tradeo Union Congress has called attention in a
special memorandum to the large number of unemployed women in England at the pr,3ent
time.
According to the official figures in February there were over 240,000 unemployed women and girls registered at the Employment Exchanges, a figure which
Ieaves out of account the women in the uninsured trades, such as domestic service.
It is pointed out that there has been considerable difference in the administration
of unemployment insurance as it affects men and women, since it is ordinarily accepted that men have a particular trade and cannot be expected to take up work for
which they have had no training, while it is considered that women have always open
to them the possibility of going into domestic service. The report makes clear,
however, tht for the vast majority of unemployed women, domestic service provides no .
solution, for many of these women have spent years acquiring skill in a trade to whic
they hope to return with the revival cf business. Their predicament is particularly
serious, since road making and other constructional relief schemes are of no use in
the solution of their problem, (The Women's Leader, May 18, 1923.)
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
-4
Germany,
A Home Work Amendment bill has been brought forward in the Reichstag and handed
over to a committee. This is the first serious attempt to get a legal minimum
wage for home workers. The great difficulty lies in the fact that the majority
of the home workers are women and that practically all of them are unorganized.
The new bill provides that the existing home work beards shall be allowed to
fix a minimum rage for their particular branches of home work and to establish it
for all home workers as a legal wage.
The boards are also to settle all difference
between employers and 6Mployees.
It is expected that the bill will meet with considerable opposition from employers. (Christian Science Monitor, June 18.)
Japan.
Conditohs of Labour in the Japanese Spinning Industry.
The Kyocho Kai (The Association for Harmonious Co-operation) has been making
special investigations into the conditions of labour in various kinds of indust
ries
and has published a report on the spinning industry in a recent number of
its
magazine) a summary of which appeared in the International Labour
Review.
The report has particuler significance duo to the importance of the indust
ry
in Japan) the large number of women employed, the long hours of work,
and the prevalence of night work. According to the fourth Annual Report on Factor
y Inspection,
there were 232,806 workers employed in the manufacture of silk,
cotton, jute, and
wool yarns, with 177,476 or 76425 of these employees women.
The age distribution of
these women was of particular interest. Almost two-thirds
of them were under 20 yea:::
old, while sonewhat less than a fifth of them were under
15.
The report points out that one of the most difficult
problems of the industry
is the recruiting of women workers.
"This is partly due to the increased demand for women
workers consequent on the
rapid progress made in this industry) and partly to
the short period of time which
most of the women work. The recruiting of worker
s is done either through agents
especially sent out for this purpose or throug
h the personal connections of the
workers already engaged. P:ough:y 62 per cent
of the workers are re cruited by the
former method, the expenditure incurred for
recruitment through such agents being
about 30 yen per head, including agentol foes)
expanses in preparing for the new
employment, and the travelling expefloes o the
wroker. In addition, it is usually
the custom that a uum of money) at least about
15 yen) be advanced to each worker
recruited. As an example might be taken certai
n factories employing 14,709 workers
(3)680 men and 11,029 women). Daring the
second half cf 1921 the number of workers
recruited by these factories was 4,060 of whom
49 were not fit :or werh. The cost
of recruitment (including the expense of
sending back those unfit for work) amounted
to 117)427A41 yen, that is 2929 yen per
head,. In addition: a total sum of
10,23.105 yen was advanced to the workers
or about 249 yen per head.
"Thus the recruiting of workers through
agents is very expensive especially
when experience shows that those engaged
in this way de not stay lens in their employment. Moreover) the system of advanc
ing money to the workers at the time of
their engagement1 which was originally
introduced with the ohject of keeping them
at the factories, often leads them to wander
from factory to factory without being
able to pay off their debts."
The labor turnover is very high in the
industry, both among the men and the
women.
The report shows the following inform
ation on hours.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
-5 "In recent years operations of the cotton-spinning factories have been restricted in order to decrease output. Since July 1920 operations were restricted
to 20 hours per day, but after December, 1921, this restriction was abolished;
operations are now carried on for 22 hours per day in many factories and for 20
hours in others. The workers are engaged in two alternate shifts, and the length
of attendance at the factory for each shift is 11 to 12 hours per day, with 30
minutes' rest for meals, and 15 mirutes t rest at 9 a.m. or 9'p.m. and 3 a.m. or
3 p.m. In the silk-spinning and wool-spinn::.rg factories, as in the cotton-spinning
factories, two shifts of 12 hours are gererany adloptod, but in the jute-spinning
factories, owing to bad trade, night work has been abolished and most of the factories adopt the 12-hours system during the day time.
"Four days" rest per month are given where the factory is working on 2 shifts;
but where there are only day operations, while some employers grant 4 rest days,
others only give 2. There is an :i1creasing tendency to EldoPt the Sunday rest system."
Wage payment in the cotton-spinning industry is usually on a daily basis for men
workers and on rieco rate for women, although a mixed system of time and piece rates
is sometimes used. Some silk-spinning factories use the daily wage system for all
their workers and others the piece rate system, while the piece-rate system is more
common in jute-spinning. An inquiry of the Department of Agriculture and Commerce
showed the following figures on average daily wage for the various groups of spinners:
lwpinning; 1.29 yen and
lci33 yen for the man and .95 yen for the wcimon i 6 coi
jute-spinning. (The yen
An/in
1.!:
spinning;
silk
on
groups
two
the
for
.78 yan
(International Labour
money.)
American
in
cents
fifty
to
equivalent
is approximately
Review', May 1923c)
Ten-hour day for Japanese women.
The National Cotton-spinning Association has recently decided voluntarily to
reduce the hours of female workers from 12 to 10 hours daily. This reduction was to
(New York Times, Lay 30, 1923.)
become effective in July, 1923.
Norway.
The temporary Act of 1922 establishing compulsory arbitration expired at the
end of March. The Liberal Government submitted to Parliament a bill to renew the
act, but a change of government took place after the introduction of the bill and it
was rejected by a vote of 65 to 45.1(Industrial and Labour Information, 11 May, 1923.)
Philippines.
An act regulating the employment of women and children in shops,. factories, industrial, agricultural, and mercantile establishments and other places of labor was
passed by the Philippine legislature and approved on March 16, 1923.
The employment of boys and girls under 14 years of age in mines or in places of
labor where explosives are manufactured is forbi(Iden. Nor shall children under that
age be employed in any place of labor on school days unless they know how to read
and write. Young persons under 16 cannot be employed in any place of labor more
than 7 hours doily, or 42 hours weekly, nor can they be employed at all except in
specified occupations considered suitable for them. At least sixty minutes must be
allowed for noon meals for all workers. Seats for women and children in factories,
shops, industrial or mercantile establishments, must be provided. (6th Philippine
legislature. S. No. 101)
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
NOTES
British Labor Women
The British National Conference of Labor Women met at York, England, during Jul
The 5C—odd subjects which the delegates discussed during the two days at their dis—
posal included capital punishment) women police, unemployment, Government grants
for training schemes) relief on loans, education, feeding of necessitous school
children, pure milk, hours of work, trusts) old age pensions, Socialist Sunday
schools and the position of women. (Christian Science Monitor, June 18.)
International Labor Conference.
The 5th session of the International Labor Conference is to be held in October)
1923, and is to convene for one week only. Owing to the shortness of the session
is proposed to take up one subject only, general principles for the organization
of factory inspection.
International Congress of Working Women.
The Third International Congress of Working Women is to be held from August
14-21 at Schoenbrun Castle near Vienna. Various open conferencea
are to consider
such subjects as methods of trade union organization among women, the regulati
on
of wages of home workers, and family allowances in payment for
wages. There will
also be consideration of resolutions to be sent to the International Labor
Conference on questions expected to come before that body in
October,
Workers' Education.
The Brookwood Workers' College at Katonah, New York, graduate
d the first class
of fifteen students this June. A two-year resident
course is offered. The work of
the first year includes such subjects as English
) History of Civilization) Psychologyi
Social Problems) and training in how to study. In the
second year subjects bearing
more directly upon the problems which the students
will meet in the labor world are
on the program: History alle Labor movements,
social theories) Government) Labor
Organization Problems, St
tics and Labor Journalism,
Bryn Mawr Summer School.
The Bryn Mawr summer school opnned on June 16 with
an enrollment of a hundred
students. The students are drawn from 24 states
and 65 per cent of them are American
born.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- 7 PUBLICATIONS&
Australia - Bureau of census and statistics.
Melbourne, 1922.
Official year book.
Berridge, William A.
Cycles of unemployment,
1132 p.
Boston, 1923,
88
California. Bureau of labor Statistics,
Twentieth biennial report. Sacramento) 1923.
Canada
p4
395 p.
apartment of Yobour.
Canada.
Twelfth annual report on labour organization in
CharibPr of rormerre
Cleveland
1923.
Employee representation in industry, Cleveland,
Ottawa, 1923.
315
110 p.
Connecticut. Board of compensation commissioners.
Z4 p.
Hartford)
Report,
National child labor committee.
New York, 1923.
Child labor in the sugar beet fields of Michigan,
78
National consumers' 12ag.os 4
actor - 1909-1922. New Yorkl
The Cave report cn the British trade boards
108 p.
1923,
Pennsylvania. Drtmont of labor.
rg) 1922.
Workmen's cmpensation law of the state. Harrisbu
Plumb, Glenn E. ard William G. Poylance.
ent.
Industrial democracy, a plan for its achievem
794p.
Now York) 1923.
statiStias, .
United Sta:tes-Denartment_of_Labor, Bureau of 1,abor.
industry: 1911-1922.
Wa6e3 and 11rs of labor in the mens c'iothing
n 3Z)
(Bulleti
p.
322
1923.
Washington) Govt. print. off.)
Code of lighting for fac.Loriesy m±lls and other working places,
n 331)
Washington, Govt, print. off,, 1923) 28 p. (Bulleti
Children's bureau
us coal mining communities in
bitumino
jn
The 7olfare of children
off., 1923. 77 p,
print.
Govt.
on,
West Virginia.. Washingt
(Publication 117)
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
359 p.
U. S. Department of Labor
WOMEN'S BUREAU
7Jashinzton
News Letter No. 26
September 11, 1923.
ACTIVITIES AFFECTING WCEN IN INDUSTRY
Alabama.
The League of omen Voters in the State is actively engaged in a
campaign for an 8-hour day and 48-hour week for women in Llabama indust
ries.
An
An attack he.s been launched against the Arizona minimum wage law by
an employer of that State. The case is brought by a confectioner, asking
an
injunction to restrain the officials of the State from prosecuting him for
noncompliance with the law. The case was brought in the federal circuit
court and
the injunction granted.
California.
The constitutionality of the California law has also been questioned
and in this instance the case is brought by a ,Jeman who sought employ
ment as
an apprentice in a candy factory. She was willing tic accept the offer
of 6 a
week, but is unable to because the minimum wage law provided a $9
wage for apprentices. Her claim is that the law dendes her the right to work
for whom she
pleases, the right to select and learn a trade, and deprives her
of the opportunity
to earn a living. She also alleges that the law is discriminato
ry because there
is no minimum wage law for men.
Maine.
The campaign for an 8-hour day for mmen and children in
1,T,aine is now
under way. Under the provsions of the State constitution
legislation can be
initiated by a petition signed by 12,000 bona fide voters
. More than the required number of voters signed the petitieee T.nich we.s
presented to the legislature in 1923, asking for an 3-heur day and 43-hpur week
for women and children.
According to the initiative an eeferenum law of Maine,
a measure thus
initiated must be submitted to a referendqm of the
‘:oters unless it is passed by
the legislature without change. The legisjature of 1923
took no action on the
bill, except to pass a resolve referring it to the
peonle, who will vote on it
at a special election called by the governor for Octobe
r 15.
Laws passed by the legislature of the State do not
become effective
until ninety days after the recess of the legislature
passing it, unless in case
of emergency. A referendum can be invoked during that
time by petition of at
least 10,000 voters, in which event the law is
autonatically held in abeyance
until the next regular or special election, when
it is submitted to the people
for ratification or rejection. The present law
regulating hours of employment
of women and children in Maine as amended in 1915
nnits the daily hours to 9
and the weekly hours to 54. After its eractmert
the opposition secured a
petition of the required number of signatures, and
the law was held in abeyance
until the next election, when it was overwhelming
ly ratified by the voters of
the State.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
-2 :innesota.
The Industrial Commission of the State reports during the year from
July 1, 1922 to July 1, 1923, wage adjustments amounting to $15,559.46. The
largest adjustment made by any one firm amounted to $3,608.45 and involved
1,257 girls. In many instances need for action on the part of the commission
was due to the fact that employers did not realize that they were required to
pay
the full minimum for a week of from 36 to 45 hours, unless they had a learner
permit.
The Wage Order makes no provision for a week of less than 36 hours,
but requires that the full minimum be paid when the employee is offered less
than a full week's work.
New York.
Dr. Leland E. Cofer of New York City has been appointed Director of
the Division of Industrial Hygiene, State Department of Labor.
Oregon.
The Lanufacturers' and Merchants' Association of Oregon has issued a
bulletin the purpose of which is "to plead with ALL mployers of Oregon to
still
acknowledge the authority of the Industrial lelfare Commission's rulings,
and in
no case deviate from them, nor in any instance whore a higher wage than the present minimum is now being paid, to 1'educe such wage to the minimum; but
on the'contrary where production and efficiency justifies it, rather to increace
the ware."
Th- following resolution was adopted by the Directors of the Associ
ation:
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
7FEREAS, the Supreme Court of the United States, has recently
declared unconstitutional the minimum wage law of the Distri
ct
of Columbia, and
"7HEREAS, the law in question is so similar to the law of
Oregon, thot if a test case of same was made, our law
might
be held to be invalid also, and
"WHEREAS, the experience of a great majority (if
not all)
employers of Oregon who employ women, is
that the minimum
wage law of this State has been of
suchmaterial benefit
to both employers and employees, (aside,
from the humanitarian
side of the Tuestion), thut it would
be most unfortunate as
well as a disgrace to the State
to disturb the equitable and
harmonious relations now existing whore
women are employed in
our industries, therefore,
"BE IT RESOLVED, that the Manufa
cturers and Merchants Association
of Oregon pledge to the Indust
rial Welfare Commission their
support and cooperation in mainta
ining the present status of
the Oregon law, and that we will
use every effort to discourage
anyone from testing the validi
ty of the law in the courts, and
will also use every effort to
prevent the repeal of the law by
the Legislature, should such
a thing be attempted, and as an
evidence of our sincerity we hereby
pledge ourselves to be governed
in the future as we have in
the .past by the rulings of the Industrial
Welfare Commission."
-3-.
Rhode Island.
The Eothers' Pension Law passed during the last session of the
legislature became effective on July 1.
Washington.
The following information has been issued concerning the work of
the Labor Department of the State of Washington during the year ending
June 30, 1923.
The Women's Division collected $6,735.09 in minimum wage claims due
women workers.
The Industrial Welfare Commission, which has jurisdiction over the
employment of minors, has granted 1190 permits to boys and 113 to girls. In
all 140 applications for permits were rejected. Figures obtained from 400
payrolls and including 7,259 women show that the average weekly wage from June
30, 1922 to June 30, 1923 for women employed as heads of departments and buyers
was $52.12, while that of all other women employees (excluding minors and apprentices) was $18.59. The report does rot make clear whether these figures
show actual earnings or scheduled wages. (Everett (Washington) Labor Journal,
July 20, 1923.)
Wisconsin,
Pea Canneries.
Pea canning factories constitute a special problem -lith which the
Industrial Commission of the Sate must deal. Material revisions were made
this year n the concessions granted canneries for the employment of women
in emerger ies. The ma:eimum number of hours which any woman over seventeen
may work during any week has been reduced from 70 to 66 hours and the number
of days on which any woman may be employed more than 10 hours has also been
reduced. There was no opposition on the part of the canners to these changes
in the concessions granted them. Thu work has been so organized in 43,
4 per
cent of the canneries that thy never exceed 10 hours a day.
Homo Work.
The amended Home Work Law provides that any employer who wishes to
employ any home workers must have two kinds of 1.censes: (1) A permit from
the Industrial Commission, permitting him to engage in home work manufacture,
and (2) A license issued by the local health officer of the community in which
the home worker resides. A separate license is required for each of the premises
at which home worl: manufacture is to be carried on and the persons who are to do
the home work must be named herein. A fee of $1 must be paid to the local
health department for each license issued, which is to be paid by the employer
and not the home wcrker. The lanimum Wage Law applies to home work as well as
to factories. The Child Labor Law also applies to home work.
A permit to engage in home work is therefore conditional upon compliance
with these laws. Before an application for a permit to engage in home work is
granted by the commission an investigation is made by the Women's Department
as to the adequacy of the rates paid, etc. The department is at present making
a number of these investigations. The greatest bulk of the home work done in
the State is done in the city of Milwaukee.
United States.
Dr. Louise Stanley, formerly legislative secretary of the American Home
Economics Association and a member of the faculty of the Department of Home
Economics in the University of Missouri, has been anponted director of the
newly created Bureau of Home Economics in the U. S. Department of Agriculture.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
4
A decree of April 30, 1923, created the National Council of Labor,
to consist of 12 members appointed by the President of the Republic; 2 workers;
2 operators; 2 officials of the Linistry of Agriculture, Industry, and Commerce,
and 6 persons of recognized competence in matters under the jlirisdiction of
the
council. This body is to serve the Governmant as an advisory council in subjec
ts
related to the organization of labor and soeial welfare. It is to concern
itself
with such industrial proVlems as the fellcw:Ing: A..erge length of the workin
g
day in the principal industries; syster:,s of remune:cation of labor; collective
labor contracts; conciliation and arbitration, especially to prevent or brirg
to an end to cessations of industr:7; child labor; apprenticeship and techni
cal
education; labor accidents; social insurance; cooperative housing associations
;
pensions to railway workers; loan and agricultural banks.
In connection with the secretary general's office a social museum and
library of sociology and economics are to be organized and maintained.
(Bulletin
of the Pan-American Union, August, 1923.)
Canada-British Columbia,
The award of a minimum wage of c':,14 a week for experienced women in
manufacturing industries was called in question by the erployers
of the province.
It was contended that that wage was set at a time when higher
prices prevailed
and that it vas not necedsa.7 in the present period of deflat
ion. Following
a conferel e with representatives of the employers, labor,
and the general
public to oncider the -latter, the Chairman of the Minimum
Wage Loard announced
that there would be no change in the wage award.
China.
A report to the National Christian Conference of China
states that
new industrial conditions are rapidly developing in
that country. The modern
factory system is making headway.
The report states:
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
"China has all the experience of the West
to build on
and with her eyes open she should he dole
to avoid many
pitfalls and to profit by the good which
is as inherent
in this system as the bad, -such as an
increase in the real
wealth of the country, public and
private, and a consequent
raise in the standard of living and
because machinery has
taken over the heaviest drudgery, the
setting free of human
energy for higher forms of servic
e and of time for selfdevelopment.
But thus far the system has starte
d with all of the traditional
mistakes aggravated by the creato
r ignorance and poverty of the
workers.
(1) Wealth is becoming
concentrated in a few hands and the
masses are left as poor as before
but with the added handicap
of not owning their own tools.
(2) A working day of fourteen
or sixteen hours or even more,
made worse by the necessity of
long trips between home and
factory, is not unusual. Twelve
hours appears to be the average.
-5
(3) China's time-honoured family system breaks down
when whole families are in the factory for day or night
shifts, and the development of a batter home life, which
is one of the deepest concerns of the Christian Church,
is made impossible.
(4) Crave risks come with the use of high-powered machinery
and of certain dangerous processes of manejaeture (cotton
fluff, etc.) when grown people and eliicer of the utmost
ignorance and helplessness are employed, rany accidents
have resulted from over-tired workers fa:ling asleep at
their machines. Sanitary conditions bad enough in themselves
are made worse because so many men, women, and children are
crcwded into each room.
(5) The health of women is seriously impaired both by night
work and by the economic necessity of working up to, and too
soon after, childbirth.
(6) The child labor problem, with its heavy toll on the
minds and bodies of China's future citizens, is at its worst
here; thousands of children from six years of age up are
employed on both day and night shifts of from twelve to sixteen hours. The same arguments which had to be met in the
West are advanced here by both parents and employers: "They
arc better off than at home" - "There are no schools for them
to go to anyway." "?hey must earn money." The fact that
their tiny wage lowers the whole wage scale is lost sight of
in the vicious circle.
(7) Conflict betemen labor and capital has not yet develope
d
in any very acute form but there are many signs that labor
Is beginning to be restless and to seek organiz
ation. Unless
the obvious mistakes are avoided it is likely to
adopt some of
the more reckless measures of the labor movemen
ts of the West
but with infinitely more serious results
due to ignorance.
(The church and the econom2c and industrial
problems of China. Report to
the National Christian Conference.)
Germany.
A recent article on the place of women
in the German trade union
movement traces the history of the organiz
ation of women workers in that country.
In 1892 only 1.8 per cent of the trade union
membership was comprised of women,
while in 1922 this percentage was 21.6,
falling somewhat below the figure
which was reached during the war period.
There are 1,753,576 women members
in the so-called "free" trade unions and
232,250 in the Christian trade unions.
Although women trade unionists in Germany
have the same rights as the
men, it is customary for the women's
subscription to be only half that of the
men's, or at any rate to be lower. The
reason for this distinction is that
women workers generally receive lower wages
than men, in most cases about twothirds of the men's wages. Although the
trade unions are opposed in theory .
to any differentiation between men and
women as regards wages, the difficulties
in the way have prevented the practical
application of this principle in the
large majority of cases.
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AFederal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
-6
11•11
Wage conditions are most unsatisfactory among the home workers and
attempts at organization have met with least success among this group of wcrkers.
A few trade unions, such as those of the leather workers, saddlers, and tobacco
workers, most of whose members are men, have been able to regulate the wage condition of home workers fairly satisfactorily. Among the women home workers,
however, organization is made difficult by the fact that many of them are only
attempting to partially support themseloes while others are ashamed of having
to do paid work at all. (Inte:national Labor Review, July, 1923.)
I:OTES
Workers' Education
A new Labor College is to open in New York City during October owned
and directed by workers through the Central Trades and Labor Council. Although
certain of the International unions have conducted classes for their members,
this is the first general labor school in the city. The courses to be offered
will deal largely with the pxoblems which are encountered by active trade
unionists in the regular routine of organization and the teaching staff will
be drawn from among the members or the teaehe:s 1 union. (N.Y.Call, August 21,
1923.)
International Pedezation of Working Women
At its third congress hold in Vienna. August 14-21, the international
Federation of Working Women elected Mlle. Helene Burniaux of Brussels president,
tl succeed Hrs. Raymond Robins who refused to be considered for re-election.
Miss Edith ]cDonald of London was elected secretary; Mrs. Eaud Solartz, president
of the Women's Trade Union League of America, was re-elected American vicepresident of the International organization.
The Federation 7ent on record as favoring protective legislatien as a
means of improving the condition of women workers in industry. Many delegatos
considered this one of the most important accomplishments of the congress,
It was also decided that an inquiry sheu2d be made into the conditions existing
in industries in which employees do piece work at home.
In its closing session this Congress decided to open negotiations with
the Amsterdam International trade union headquarters looking toward the formation
;I a woman's section of the International Federation of Trade Unions to replace
the International Federation of Working Women. The American delegation was not
in a position to support the proposal, since the American Federation of Labor
of which the American working women are members has not affiliated with the
International organization. Until action s taken by the International Federation
of Trade Unions, the International Foderation of Working Women will continue
under its present constitution.
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es
•
NEW PUBLICATIONS
Batten, Edward
A fair wage.
London, 1923, 90 .
British Columbia, Department of labour
Annual report. Vancouver, 1923,
King
72 p.
Wilford
Employment, hours,'and earnings in prosperity and depression United States, 1920-1922. New York, 1923. 147 p.
National industrial cf,nference board
The immigration problem in the United States.
130 p.
New York, Department of Labor.
Court decisions on 7orkmen's compensation law.
1923. Albany, 1923, 239 p.
New York, 1923,
July, 1921-April,
United States. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Labor legislation of 1922. Washington, Govt. printing office,
1923. 102 p. (Bulletin 330)
- Women's Bureau
Wq.shington, Govt. printing office,
industries.
Women in Kontucky
29)
1923, 114 p. (Bulletin
-Tisconsin. Industrial Commjssjon
Biennial report, 1920-1921.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Madison, 1923, 61 p.
U. S. Department of Labor
WWEN'S 3UREAU
Washington
October 19, 1923.
News Letter No. 27.
ACTIVITIES AFFECTING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY.
California.
decision on the case
On September 22 Superior Judge Cabaniss handed down a
California Minimum
the
that
against the Industrial Welfare Commission, ruling
to the highest
carried
be
It is stated that tie case will
Wage law was valid.
(San Francisco Chronicle, September 23, 1923.)
courts.
Kansas.
living survey of
The Kansas industrial court recently concluded a cost of
was set
As a result of the survey $16.93 a week
wage-earning women in Kansas.
clothing, and
as the minimum necessary to provide respectable lodging, suitable
and charity.
to take care of such items as laundry, sickness, carfare, church,
(Marion (Ohio) Repository, September 25, 1923.)
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Massachusetts.
Minimum Wage for Manufacturing Druggists' Preparations.
A minim= wage of t„13.20 a wec;k for women employed in the manufacture of
druggists' preparations, proprietary medicines, and chemical compounds has been
approved by the Minimum Wage Commission of the Department of Labor and Industries.
The provisions of the
The new decree will become effective January 2, 1924.
decree are as follows: for women eighteen years of age or over who have been
employed a year in the occupation, not less than 413.20, for beginners, not less'
than 0.60 a week, and for those with six months experience, not less than ,;1.0.60
a week.
covered
With the establishment of this decree, seventeen occupations are
by minimum wage rates.
The new decree is based upon the recommendations of a wage board of seven
members.
In reaching its determinations on the minimum wage necessary to enable
a self-supporting woman to meet the cost of living and maintain health, the wage
board prepared the following budget:-
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- 2 -
Item
Amount
Board and lodging
Clothing
Laundry
Carfare
Doctor, dentist and oculist
Church
Vacation
Recreation and self-improvement
Reserve for emergency
Incidentals
Insurance
Total
2.00
.50
.40
.25
.15
.40
.55
.50
.20
.25
$13.20
This is the second decree entered in 1923.
The former decree, for the brush
industry, provides a minimum rate of . 13.92.
Of the six decrees entered in 1922,
two provide minimum rates of 14.00, two, :,13.75, and two, ',13.50.
Violations of Minimum Wage Awards.
The Minimum Wage Commission published in October of the present year, three
paper box firms and twenty-two laundries for failure to comply with minimum wage
decrees for these occupations.
The inspection work under these decrees covered one hundred and seventyseven paper box establishments employing women, and three hundred and thirty laundries.
The establishments advertised represent, in the case of laundries, six
and two-thirds per cent of those inspected employing women, and, in the case of
paper box establishments, one and seven-tenths per cent.
These advertisements appenred in the Boston Herald and Globe for October 3
and 4, also in papers throughout the State where the firms are located.
New York.
The New York State Department of Labor obtained separate reports for men and
women factory workers for the first time this June.
The wages of shop employees
only were tabulate0, since the proportion of women office workers was often sufficient to materially charge the sitaation. The earnings for the men in the State
as a whole were ',?31.5',), while the correspondin7, fglre for the women was 31.6.02.
The wages for the men in New York City and up-state were 02.54 and 01.27, respectively, while the omen's earnings in these lccalities were :18.75 and ,15.04.
The highest earnings for the up-State women were found in shoe factories,
cotton mills, and factories making cameras and other instruments and photographic
supplies and the sugar refineries, but in most of these the average earnings for
Junc fell under q17.
These industries which repetted higher earnings for women
employed so few as to be unimportant.
The lowest-paid industries up-State were
fruit pressing and canning and glove making, ranging from 0 to 'OA.
The highest
wages for women in New York City were found in the women's clothing industry
(c25.04) and in millinery (24,27), while the wemen with the lowest earnings in
that city were employed in the candy and biscuit factories where the average earnings in June were but slightly over OA.
More than one-half of the women workers of the State are in the clothing and
textile factories and in practically all of these industries they constitute one-
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
-3
half or more of the working force. • The average earnings of the women in the
clothing industries were between 2O and 2l in New York City, and just over
up-State.
In commenting upon the difference between the wages of the men and women
workers the bulletin says:
"Thether women are not admitted to the most highly paid trades or whether
they pull down the wages in the trades in which they predominate are questions
It is significant,
that cannot be answered by such an investigation as this.
however, that men's wages are inclined to be lowest in those industries in which
This again may be due to the fact
there is a large proportion of women workers.
work
or it may be due to the fact that
that these industries require less skilled
The only important
the employment of women has a tendency to cause lower wages.
exception to this tendency for lower wages for men in the industries with a large
proportion of women is in the garment trades in New York City, where both men and
women are highly organized.
"On the other hand the wages of women are likely to be highest in the
This is probably because in
industries in which they are numerically important.
large proportion of them
employed
a
few
women
are
the industries in which only a
are engaged on skilled or
they
work,
and
are cleaners or doing some kind of extra
semi-skilled work only in the industries in which they are employed in large numbers.
"In all these comparisons of wages, even for the same industry, there
is no comparison of occupations.
It is not possible to say that the wages of men
are about twice as high as those of women for the same work betause the occupations
of the women in the machinery factories, for instance, are likely to be quite different from those of the men.
From the point of view of income and the cost of
living, however, it males no differeme whether women receive smaller incomes because they are paid less in the same industries or because they have not yet sucFrom the point of view
ceeded in working their way into the higher paid trades.
of raising women's wages it is at least as important to open a way into new trades
as it is to raise waes in occupations into 1.1sioh they are now crowded." (New York
Industrial Commission: Industrial Bulletin, July, August, September, 1923.)
Texas.
The Texas Department of Labor reports investigation of 377 cases of violation
of the State law limiting the hors of women emplo;ees to 9 hours a day between
February 1, 1921 and September 1, 1923.
Of these 24: cases were of minor importance and were adjusted on the basis of immediate discontinuance of the pracIn 28 cases employers were required to pay the woz.en for their overtime,
tice.
while criminal prosecutions were instituted in 107 instances.
(Dallas News,
September 3, 1923.)
Wisconsin.
The new hour law limiting the day's wcrk to 9 hours and the week to 50 became
effective on September 1.
United States.
A recent statement issued by the United States Civil Service Commission shows
27,469 women and 38,821 men employed in the government service in the District of
Outside of the District the men greatly outnumber the women in the
Columbia.
government service, 428,189 men and only 54,052 women being reported.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- 4 -
ENGLAI1D
The Woman Worker and Unemplevment.
An article in a recent number of The Nation and The Athenaeum in discussing the unemployment situation, states that "upon no class of the community has the burden of the depression fallen more severely than upon the
large mass of women workers, who depend for their subsistence, and sometimes
for the support of others on their own earnings."
During the war there was a marked improvement in the condition of women
workers. Their trade union organization improved, and the Trade Board system
was widely extended, raising the wage standard in trades where wages had been
poor. Since the war period, however, they are losing ground. Competition
for jobs is strong and women are afraid to take active part in organization.
Such a situation is naturally reflected in their wages. "In a few industries,
such as the textile trades, where the status of the women workers is high and
firmly established, their wages in comparison with those paid to men are good;
and, in,the industries covered by Trade Boards, wages, though not high, are
perhaps not lower than the prevailing economic conditions necessitate. But in
the distributive trades, and in a large number of miscellaneous .occupations
which are difficult to classify, they have fallen well below the Trade Board
standard, and conditions of very real sweating are coming into being. Wages of
15s. and even 105. a week for adult women are by no means unknown. The best
employers are not exploiting the situation unduly, but owing to the weakness
of the women's trade union organization and the existence of a large margin
of unorganized and unemployed workers, it is becoming increasingly difficult
to maintain an even standard of wages throughout an industry."
The situation of the women workers in regard to unemployment relief
is rather different from that of the men. "It has been taken for granted, often
quite unwarrantably, that they are not wholly self-dependent; and they have
found it in consequence infinitely more difficult than men to obtain uncone
venated benefit under the insurance scheme and relief from the rates. The
domestic service test has been worked far too herd, and without proper regard
for the fact that many women are altogether unsuitable for such work or are
unable, owing to their responsibilities at home, to go into resident domestic
service. 'Ze need to recognize as a community that a large proportion of our
women are now permanently engaged in industry, and that in times like these
they are entitled, as a measure of simple justice, to the same treatment as is
meted out to men."
Industrial D221-ession and Home Work.
A survey of unemployment made by Toynbee Hall in East London during
the winter of 1922, rave special attention to the effect of Industrial depression
upon the home workere, a group not provided for by uneetployment insurance.
During January and February 1922, 105 home workers were visited in the Boroughs
of Bethnal Green, Poplar, Shoreditch and Stepney, a chance selection of workers
being made from official lists of home workers, taking care that the trades were
represented in proportion to the total numbers working in them. Practically
three-fourth were in the garment, box making and boot making trades, while
the remainder was scattered through 12 lesser trades. Seventeen men were found
in the garment, boot and silk weaving trades, but the rest of the workers visited
were women.
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5
The home workers who were engaged in the work at the time were, for
the most part, workers of long standing. Those who had been in their trade 10
years or more, formed 70 per cent of the whole group. Only 25 per cent had
begun home work since 1914 and in almost every instance this was due to the
unemployment of the main bread winner. Only 34 per cent of those visited were
working full time. The workers visited showed evidence of a reduced standard
of living since 1914, in spite of increases in rates.
The industrial depression has not had the effect of increasing the
number of home workers. Rather the contrary situation exists, for very few
young persons are taking up hone work. (Unemployment in East London. Report
of survey made from Toynbee Hall.)
JAPAN
In an address before the International Congress of Working Women
in Vienna, hiss Take. Kato, delegate from Japan, outlined the principal difficulties confronting working women in that country. The three problems which she
points out as peculiar to that country and existing in addition to the usual industrial problems are
(1) the employment of women at hard manual labor, such as
mining, building, etc.; (2) the emfloyment of women and girls in immoral occupations licensed by the government; (3) the :ormitory system for housing women
factory employees.
No satisfactory statistics are available on the number of women employed in Japan, but the president of the'Japanese General Federation of Labor,
estimates the number roughly as 12,820,000, of whom approximately 100,000 are
working in mines.
About 60,000 women work along with men in the pits of the coal mines,
where the temperature remains at about 90 'degrees. The coal is dug by the men
and carried by the women in two shallow baskets suspended from a cross piece,
each basket weighing about 25 pounds loaded.
In the textile industries practically three-fourths of the employees
are women. In the spinning factories four-fifths of the women were housed in
dormitories where the day and night workers sleep in alternate shifts. In
the agricultural industries 46 per cent of the workers were women.
(The
Labor Woman, Sept. 1, 1923.)
NOTES
7omen in Rochester
N. Y.
"The Woman Home Eaker in the City,"
A recent bulletin published by the Bureau of the Census presents the
following conclusions from an analysis of census figures for the city of Rochester:
1. There is little difference in the conditions revealed by this report between
American women and English and Canadian women who are or have been married. The
essential differences occur between women of these nationalities and Italian,
Polish, and Russian and Lithuanian women.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
2. The proportion of women with broken conjugal ties due to causes other than
the death of husband is greatest among Americans and Canadians.
3. Boarding or lodging is also more frec:uent among American and Canadian women
than among women of other nationalities in Rochester.
4. One-third of all American and Canadian and over one-fourth of all English
women who are or have been married are without children in their homes. A little
less than one-half of the women home-makers of these nationalities with children
have only one child.
5. About one-eighth of the Italian, Polish, and Russian and Lithuanian women are
without children in the family circles. One-fifth of the mothers of these
nationalities have only one child each.
6. Approximately an equal number of American-born women and foreign-born women
home-makers earn money to add to the family income.
7. A greater .oroportion of Italian mothers with young children than mothers of
any other nationality work outside the home.
8. The husband is the sole breadwinner for his family in as large a proportion
of foreign families as of American families in Rochester. However, his burden,
as measured by the number of persons in the family, is heavier than that of
American husbands and fathers.
9. Lack of ability to speak English occurs most frequently among Italian women.
Labor Convention
The American Federation of Labor held its annual convention from
October 1-14 in Portland, Oregon. Special attention is to ba given during the
coping year to the organization of women workers.
Working. Women's Congress
Below is printed the text of the resolution adopted by the Congress
in regard to affiliation with the International Federation of Trade Unions,
together with the statement of the position of the American delegation.
"It is agreed that:
(1) The sentence of the eport of the Secretariat referred to the Commission
be adopted.
(2) The Executive Board be directed to open negotiations with the International Federation of Trade Unions with a view to putting the principles into
operation in the following ray:(a) By developing the present Women's Department at Amsterdam and appointing a woman secretary.
(b) By establishing a Women's Committee representing the Trade Union
Eovement in different countries to work with the Department and the
Executive authorities of the International Federation of Trade
Unions in the development of the Trace Union Y.ovement amongst women.
This shall be called together at least once a year, and more frequently
if necessary.
(c) By holding a Congress of Working 7cmen at least every two years,
preferably before the Eiennial Congress of the International Federation
of Trade Unions.
(3) The results of these negotiations and the decisions taken upon the subject
by the Congress of the International Federation of Trade Unions in April, 1924,
be communicated by the Executive Board to all the affiliated organizations and
from their replies the Executive Board shall decide upon the continuance of the
Federation.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
(4) That in view of these proposals the Federation continue for the present
to work under the constitution adopted in 1921 at Geneva.
Statement of American Delegation.
The American Delegation represented in this Congress is not authorized to
vote for a change in the form of the International Federation of Working Women
as proposed and recommended in the report of the Commission on Constitution.
The American Delegation wishes to point out further to this congress that
America is in a different position from the other countries in regard to the
International Federation of Trade Unions at Amsterdam, Your national trade
unions are already a part of the International Federation of Trade Unions, while
our American Federation of Labor is not affiliated with it. We therefore do not
record our vote on this report.
The International Federation of Trade Unions Congress meets in April, 1924,
so that its action on this Commission's proposal can be reported to the Biennial
Convention of the National Women's Trade Union League, which meets in June, 1924,
for our consideration and action."
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
Breckinridge, Sophonisba P.
Home responsibilities of women workers and the "equal wage."
of political economy, August, 1923.
Journal
United States Department of_Commerce, Bureau of the Census.
The woman home-raker in the city. Washington Government Print. Off.
1923. 49 pp.
Department of Labor, Bureau_of Labor Statistics.
Wages and hours of labor in cotton goods manufacturing in 1922.
Washington, Gov't. Print. Off. 1923. 27 pp. (Bulletin 345)
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
U. S. Department cf Labor
WOEEN'S :eUREAU
Washington
November 23, 1923.
News Letter No. 28.
ACTIVITIZS AFFECTING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY.
Arizona.
The Arizona minimum wage law case will be set for oral argument in the Supreme
Court of the United States shortly after the first of the year, in the opinion of John
W. Eurphy, attorney general, who yesterday sent the record on appeal to Washington.
The State is appealing frore the ruling of a federal court o: equity held at Los Angeles,
granting A. Sardell of Noales an injunction against the enforcemert of the law passed
6I
week.
by the last legislature, in which the minimum wage for women is fixed at
(Phoenix, Ariz. Gazette, October 2, 1923.)
Illinois.
4. study made o:bout four months ago by the ewIr Department of Labor showed
that the earnings of women was about half of that of mon employed in the factories in
that State. It appears from the reports to the Illinois Department of Labor that'the
women are relatively somewhat better off than their New York sisters. (The 202,404
male factory wor!:ers averaged $30.78 per week in October.) The women workers for the
reporting concerns in Illinois number 43,103 in October. Their weekly earnings for
the month averaged 417.94. The highest average weekly earnings for any industry was
recorded 'ey the fur concerns, where operations are particularly active just now. Five
smSll fur concerns who report to the Illinois Department of LaLor paid on the average
e69.28 per week to males during October, and 09.31 per week to females. Other manufacturing industries in which the earnings of male employees exceeded $36 per week,
were dairy concerns and women's clothing, newspapers and periodicals, job printing,
cars and locomotives and ice manufacturing. Female earnings were above the $25 mark
in musical instruments concerns, fur factories and men's hats. The earnings of women
averaged less than
par week in four industries, and were over il5 in all but elevee
out of fifty-four industries. (Iflinois Department of Labor, General Advisory Board,
News Release, November 16, 1923.)
Kansas.
Correction.
The Kansas cost of living survey referred to in tho last news letter was made in
1922 and not
IiIb
as stated by the ff.rion, Ohio, Repository of September 25, 1922,
which was quoted.
Yassachusetts.
Textile Investigation.
Tho Commissioner of Labor and Industrius has concluded his investigation of conditions in the textile industry in Y.assachusetts and
ET the southern States, and submitted
his report to the Governor. In summarizing this report, the Commissioner points out
that the increase in the manufacture of cotton goods has been much more rapid in the
southern States than in Massachusetts; also that there has been a much more rapid increase
the
•in
number of spindles operated in the southern mills than in rassachusetts;
that at the present time, however, the competition between Massachusetts and the southe
ern States is confined chiefly to the spinning of yarn and the production of coarse
and medium grade cotton goods.
The following advantages enjoyed by the southern cotton mills are discussed:
lower wage costs, cheaper power, newer plants and machinery, longer hours of plant operation, freedom from restrictive legislation; and among minor advantages, proxiteity
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
I
- 2 taxes. On The other hand is mentionee
to raw material, lower freight rates, and lower
southern mills.
the expanse for maintenance of villages in the
sion of the existing competition in
discus
The report includes in addition to a
ison cf wages in representative cotton
the industry, the following eubjects: A compar
n States, labor legislation affeeting
mills in Weissachusetts and four competing souther
southern States, ownership of cotton
the textile inthlstry in Massachusetts and the
production of identical goods in Massachuspindles in cotton growing States, cost of
in Massachusetts and southern
setts and southern mills, and relative cost of living
States.
Bread and Bakery Products Study.
women empioyed in the preparation of
The field work for the study of wages of
has been completed, and wage records
bread and other bakery products in Massachusetts
in 21 establishments.
were secured for 1,985 women and girls emrloyed
Cases Occupation.
Study of Jewelry and Jewelry and Instrument
the manufacture of jewelry and
An inquiry into the wages of women employed in
fall by the Minimum Wage Commission.
jewelry and instrument cases is to be made this
occupation, those for 1920, there
According to the latest published statistics for the
approximately 3,092 women and minors.
are 152 firms engaged in the industry, employing
receiving rates less than $14
Of the adult women employed in 1920, 33.5 per cent were
a week for full time employment.
m Wage Law.
Test Case on the Constitutionality of Minimu
came before the Superior
ript
Transc
The case of the Commonwealth vs. The :oston
This case is based
jury.
the
by
d
Court on October 11. A verdict of guilty wae rendere
t of a firm
isemen
sdvert
sion's
Commis
on the refusal of the newspaper to publish the
the case
court
lover
the
In
s.
failing to comply with one of the minimum wage decree
er
appealed
newspap
The
0.00.
was decided for the Commonwealth and the newspaper fined
ted.
was
presen
ent
statem
agreed
and the case was taken to the superior court, where an
the
to
go
now
will
The case
The jury was instructed to render a verdict of guilty.
constitutionality of that secthe
ef
test
a
as
s
husett
Supreme Judicial Court of Massac
the Commission's
tion of the minimum wage law which requires newspapers to publish
s.
notices of firms refusing to•comply with minimvm wage decree
minimum wage law in its
the
ing
uphold
Court
A decision of the Supreme Judicial
decision, however, reThis
1919.
ber
essential provisions was handed down in Septem
law which are called
the
of
ns
sectio
frained from passing upon the validity of those
in question in the present case.
of the
The case is of interest outside of Fessvshusetts inasmuch as the decision
has
spring,
last
given
case
ia
United States Supreme Court in the District of Columb
d
regarde
be
might
which
made it appear that the only form of minimum wage legislation
t:
achuset
(I.:ass
type.
s
as constitutional at the present time is that of the Massachusett
No.
ry,
Indust
in
en
Department of Labor and Industries, News Letter on Women and Childr
2, October 1923.)
.
Texas.
ing
A mimeographed report of the Bureau of Labor Statistics includes the follow
been
have
in a summary of activities from February 1921 to September 1923: Inspections
A
made by representatives of the department in 179 cities and towns of the State.
total of 2,703 employing establishments have been inspected, and4,774 inspections
made therein. Employed in these establishments inspected were 106,174 males, and
73,064 females, a total of 172,239 workers whose safety, comfort, and general welfare
have been carefully looked after. A total of 1,067 orders were issued following these
regard
inspections, requiring employing concerns to make changes and improvements in
female
for
seats
ing
provid
s,
to better guarding of machinery, sufficient fire escape
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- 3 employees, improved sanitexy conditions, Lnd other thirgu that would tend to benefit
and protect the worker.
Special attention was given to 411 cases of female employees being required or
nermitted to work longer hours than the 9-54 hour law permit. Of this number 26C
were found to be of minor importance, and were adjusted on a basis of immediate diacon
tinuance of the practice. Thirty-two were adjusted by requiring employers to pay over
time wages and an agreement to comPly with the law in the future. One hundred and ter
criminal prosecutions were instituted. Of this latter number there were 47 convictions; 12 acquittals; 36 dismissed, and 15 are still pending in the courts. The total
amount of fines, court costs, and overtime payments collected amounted to
,700.CO.
Wisconsin.
The May and June number of 'Wisconsin Labor Statistics," issued by the Industrial
Commission of Wisconsin, and recently received, "presents a study of earnings and houes
of work of 56,456 minor and women employees in selected 7Isconcin industries in April,
1923. By a statistical sampling method it is intended to show representative conditions for different industries. The minimum wage reports of 967 employers, having a
total of 154,159 employees, cover 97,703 men, 28,782 women, and 27,674 minors. Of the
total employee forces 63.4 per cent are men, 18.7 per cent are women, and 17.9 per
cent are minors."
"The minimum wage questionnaire asked employers to rely to four questions uFon
the operation of the minimuel wage law as it affected their own business during the
past year." Eight hundred and sixty-three establishments complied. "In answer to the
question '"Yore any minors and (or) women discharged from work because of the present
minimum wage law', 37 establishments replied 'Yes', and 82 replied 'No'. Some concerns answering 'Yes' added comments such as: To aptitude to learn, not worth the minimum wage', 'not paying attention to business', 'wasted too much time', etc. Entirely
aside from the wage question, there is indication in such replies that the establishment found the discharged employee failing in discipline and service.
"To the question, '17as it necessary for you to rearrange hours for minors and women employees on account of the rinimum wage law', 93 establishments replied 'Yes',
and 770 replied 'No'. Employers in mercantile lines reported nearly one-third of the
cases of change in working time schedule. The explanation frequently offered was that
saleswomen of the store started work later in the morning, and that the time schedules
were arranged to have the working force augmented or reduced in correspondence with
normal changes in the volume of trade throughout the day. In a few instances, employers indicated a decrease of the number of hours worked per week.
"The question, 'Has the minimum wage law caused any change in lines manufactured
by you, or in the kind of business carried on by you', was answered yes by 54 establishments, and 'No' by 809 establishments. In the making of very low-priced specialties, wherein the labor cost is a very high proeortion of the total cost of the
output,
the minimum wage may compel some establishments to discontinue certain lines in
favor
of lines in which profits can be realized. The margin of profit and total profits
from operation vary greatly among employers in the same industry.
"'Proportional to your total working force, are you now employing more or fewer
minors than a year ago?' The replies to this question show 327 establishmen
ts maintained about the same ratio as in April a year ago, and 173 establishmen
ts reduced,
while 197 increased the proportion of minors employed
to total working force."
The bulletin contains 12 detailed tables, and the following "Yomoranda Notes":
1. The Finimum 'Zap Law aims to secure to certain persons, a regulation of
the labor market by establishing a wage point based upon personal requirements to sustain life and a minimum of well being, below which no age contracts shall be made.
2. In general, every industry supports its workers and by force of competition for larger wages has row competitively established wage rates
that are clearly
above the fixed minimum wage. The establishment of a legal minimum wage has had
practically no effect on wages in general. An employer could
not long keep his labor if
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
-4 he paid less than the competitive wage, and since he can get labor at that wage, he
would not pay more.
3. The product of unskilled labor generally has more value than the established legal minimum wage. Since the minimum wage law of Wisconsin went into effect,
studies of wages of minors and women employed in lasconsin industry give no support at
all to the claim that the minimum rage tends to become the magimum wage.
4. The minimum wage law has not effected any appreciable change in the conduct of business by 'nsconsin employers. There has been no general discharge oftrrinors
and (or) mmen from work because of the present minimum wage law. Neither has the
ginimum wage law caused any anprecialde change in lines manufactured by employers, or
in the lines of business carried on by them, nor has there been any appreciable change
in the composition of working forces in different lines of industry.
5. The minimum wage law has not resulted in unemployment for handicapped
person, who, because of inexperience, advanced age, physical defects, or other reasons,
are in fact unable to earn the legal minimum wage.
6. In establishing a minimum living wage the State cannot be held to have
either adopted any wage principles or undertaken wage and commodity price fixing,
either directly or indirectly; that a minimum wage law may give some effect to the
geice of goods heretofore produced cheaply by so-called "deficit workers" is incidental and not a primary object or result of its operation. There is no attempt on the
part of the State to define or legally fix what wages shall be paid for given labor
services by either females or males, or minor, or adults, or in any way to evaluate
labor services and to secure for employees as much as the reasonable value of their
labor may be. All this is left strictly and entirely to the competitive ability of
the parties to wage contracts.
7. The basis of the minimum wage lies in findings of facts with respect to
the minimum cost of living as outlined by the Wisconsin statutes.
L7ANADA
British Colurebia.
Orders No. 16 and No. 16-A of the ::inimum Wage Board, dated September 23, 1923,
and effective 60 days thereafter, fix for egployees in the manufacturing industry a
minimum wage rate of 414 for experienced employees, and for inexperienced employees
rates and periods of apprenticeship varying according to the occupation. The same
orders limit the hours of work to 8 per day and 48 per week.
Ontario.
A survey of the results so far aceieved under the Ontario .inimum "!age Act is
rade by the Board in their Second Annual Report covering the year 1922: At the time
this report was issued five of the Board's orders had been in force for at least a
year, that is, the orders governing laundries, dye works, etc., in Toronto, in other
large cities, and throughout the province; the order covering the confectionery and
paper goods group in Toronto; and that governing saleswomen and others in retail stores
in Toronto. Luring the year 1922 the Board issued 14 new orders, dealing with at
least 60 trades, and covering at least 5:),OCO female workers.
It is claimed that although the orders were issued in a period of falling wages,
the average wages in the occupation covered by the orders have advanced rather than
Our statistics show;" the report states, "that the workers are better off
- receded.
in the trades concerned than they were before the orders went into force. It is reaeonable to infer that without the protection afforded by these orders they wogld have
been much worse off." These claims are stgeported, in regard to the first five orders,
by tables showing wage conditions before each order was issued, and after the order
had been in force for a year. Thus, taking the confectionery manufacturing group, the
average weekly wages of adult female workers rose from 10.99 to e14.20, while the average wages of girls under 18 dropped from ;9.84 to 49.52. The number of young girls
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- 5
legislation tends
who were employed showed a reduction, indicating that minimum wage
tendency toe!ard a
This
labor.
adult
in a measurable extent to replace juvenile with
also in the retail
evident
is
employed
relative decrease in the number of young girls
at the bottou
girls
of
number
the
stores and laundry groups. The decline has been in
under
wages
ç7 or 8 beof the wage scale, many who were formerly employed at weekly
Some
Board.
the
of
orders
of
ing eliminated, or receiving higher wages as the result
Adolescent
the
of
operation
weight, however, must be allowed in this connection to the
school attendance up to the
School Attendance Act, under which children must continue
from the local
age of sixteen years, except those who receive permits of exemption
increases during periods of
authorities. The Board finds that juvenile employment
the children are
trade stagnation, when the family wage-earner is without work and
The Adolescent
drafted into industry in order to provide the necessaejes of life.
effectiveness
its
but
process,
this
School Attendance Act was an attempt to reverse
of the local
practice
varying
the
to
owing
in this direction is difficult to estimate,
appear,
would
It
adolescents.
to
authorities in the granting of employment perleits
have opAct
Wage
lanimum
the
and
however, that the Adolescent School Attendance Act
the
family
supplement
to
children
erated jointly to check the practice of using young
income.
Act, the reSummarizing the benefits which have been secured by the rinimum Wage
women and
of
"thousands
port claims that all the lowest wages have been cut out, and
independence
of
girls have been lifted from unsocially low wage levels into the region
and self-support." This result has been reached without injury to industry; employers
of the better type are protected against their wage-paring competitors; industrial
peace is promoted, since the minimum wage scales have been fixed only after the consent and cooperation of both parties have been secured; the minimum wages do not tend
to become the maximum wage of the class affected - on the contrary, wage increases
are found among the higher paid as among the lower paid workers. The displacement of
workers resulting from the orders cannot be accurately stated, since, as the report
says, "for every girl that lost a job, more thael one did got a job." All that can
be fairly said is that orders of the Board have never been the cause of a general reduction of working force.
The Board makes a practice of annually revieing the cost of living budgets which
form the basis for the minimum wage rates. Five revisions were made during the year
under review, but in none of these did the Board find any justification for altering
its rates. (Labor Gazette, Canada, October 1923.)
Report on Eelployment of Women.
The volume of work done through the women's department of the Ottawa Employment
Office has increased steadily since its inception in July 1919. Eany applications
have been received from clerical workers, stenograp'ners, typists, sales clerks, and
bookkeepers, but there has not been a great demand for this class of worker. About
45 per cent of these applioants are inexperinced, and many of the experienced girls
have been thrown out of employment owing to the reduction in staff of some departments
of the Government. Business has not been brisk in commercial offices, so there has
been little bprortunity of placing these girls elsewhere.
Ottawa, like many capital cities, has few manufacturing establishments, and the
majority of the operatives are French-Canadians who are good workers as a rule, and
quick to learn. There are several factories where men's heavy clothing is made, and
while these firms employ many operators, steady work cannot be guaranteed except to a
few, as the orders are more or leas irregular.
Since the administrative orders of the Minimum Wage Board have taken effect, considerable improvement in wages and general conditions of employment has been noted in
Ottawa and the vicinity. (Ontario Department of Labor, 3rd Annual Report, 1922.
Toronto, 1923.)
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
•
-6
AUSTRALIA.
women
The organized labor movement of the State of Victoria now demands that
the State
by
adopted
schedules
wage
workers shall be paid the same wages as men. The
thc, wofor
rate
the
but
workers,
wace board fix minimum wages for both men and women
men
for
wage
minimum
-fixed
men is always less than the rate for men. Even the State
prohaving
cy
delinquen
is not enough adequately to support a worker's family, this
Federation of Labor,
duced the movement for motherhood and child endowment. (American
Weekly News Service, November 3, 1923.)
ENGLAND.
Domestic Service Report.
1923 to
The report of the committee appointed by the Minister of Labor in April,
waS
service
inquire into the present conditions as to the supply of female domestic
r
Mancheste
the
in
issued on the 29th of October. In a summary of the report appearing
noting:
Guardian of October 30 the following paragraphs are specially worth
disagreement
emphatic
our
express
to
"In connection with this subject we desire
no matter
with the tendency manifested in some quarters to consider that all women,
ly
potential
are
nces,
circumsta
what their age, temperament, experience, or domestic
penbe
should
and
n,
occupatio
fitted for resident domestic service as a wage-earning
in
save
that,
opinion
of
alized for failing to undertake it. We are, on the contrary,
domestic
good
make
to
exceptional circumstances, it is difficult, even with training,
mestic in
workers out of women whose whole upbringing and experience have been non-do
character."
are eligible for
"There is a wide-spread misapprehension both as tu what persons
A section of the
unemployment benefits, and under what conditions it may be paid.
ent benefit at
unemploym
receive
should
public would appear to advocate that no woman
absorb all unto
vacancies
domestic
all, because they consider there are F-efficient
with such an
ent
disagreem
emphatic
employed women. We desire to record our total and
of a profeschoice
their
in
freedom
outlook. "e feel that women should have as much
of
expense
the
at
choice
this
sion -as men - though they must not expect to exercise
r
a
particula
for
trained
the rest of the community - and that women who have been
to benefit subtrade and have paid contributions into the insurance fund are entitled
ject to the regulations governing its payment."
r Guardian says:
In commenting editorially on the latter paragraph, the Mancheste
"The Acts can only be said to shelter idle women if it be called justice to conscript
have been trained
as domestic servants by a policy of stervation unemployed women who
for the tenefits
ions
contribut
in
paid
have
for and have worked in other trades, and
scarcely be
would
it
footmen
of
shortage
they are now receiving. In the ease of a
hall, and the
servants'
the
into
engineers
thought wise or fair to starve unemployed
this matter
in
rights
same
the
have
must
Committee justly insists that working women
virtual consuch
any
kitchen
her
into
takes
as men. In any case, the housekeeper who
'help.'"
such
from
n
protectio
for
script would probably be praying before 1r,;:,
science
Among other things the annittce recomnonds (1) instruction in domestic
instrucadvanced
(2)
more
14;
and
in all elementary schools for every girl beteen 12
girls
who
for
bursaries
and
tion in central and secondary schools; (3) scholarships
suitable
in
l
wish to complete a specialized training; (4) whole-time vocationa courses
l
centers for girls over 14; (5) maintenance grants where necessary for individua
pupils; (6) open examinations with certificates of proficiency.
Women in the Civil Service.
The claim to sex equality in the civil service was oejected by the government
that
comnittee which inquired into the pay of State employees. The committee finds
early
the
t
in
worker
for work which requires continuity of service the woman governmen
and
years of her employment "gives less value than a young man of equal capacity,
your should be paid less." The prospect of marriage also "reduces the value" of the
woman worker to her employer. The committee aeplies the commodity theory of human
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
the ground that due
labor power to women, and opposes "equal pay for the same post" on
"recruiting eduto economic conditions the British civil service has no difficulty in
s up its medieval
cated women of the type required at less rates than men," and bolster
in work "above
position by pointing out that large employers as a rule insist that
man."
routine the average woman worker is worth less than the average
Britain. (American
Great
of
labor
ed
The report is generally condemned by organiz
Federation of Labor, Weekly News Service, September 29, 1923.)
Mary Macarthur Holiday home.
Holiday Home
As a memorial to Mary Macarthur a house known as the Mary Macarthur
is to
home
the
of
object
was opened in 1922 at The Gables, High Onger, Eseex. The
y ill or
actuall
not
are
who
and
provide for .,eorking women who need a rest or holiday,
to
given
is
ce
preferen
and
,
requiring the attendance of a doctor or skilled rursing
is
home
the
way
possible
every
those who are ordinarily in industrial employment. In
to
rules
few
very
having
visitors
managed like a private hotel or boarding house, the
most
the
For
guests.
dent
indepen
e
observe, and being made to feel as much as possibl
trade unionists and
part the women who have been there during the past year have been
industrial workers.
ken to maintain four
The Women's Section of the General Workers' Union has underta
have the first
members
their
beds, and they have )Jlerefore four free places upon which
November
7omen,
(Labor
course.
call. It is hoped that other unions may take the same
1, 1923.)
POLAND.
of Einisters of the
The International Labor Office is informed that the Council
ratification of the
the
ent
Republic of Poland recently decided to recommend to Parliam
child-birth. It
after
and
Draft Convention concerning the employment of women before
ent during the
parliam
by
red
conside
is expected that this and other proposals will be
3 October 1924
n,
Bulleti
l
Officia
Cffice,
coming winter session. (International Labor
RUSSIA.
15, 1922, fixes the hours
The new labor code of Ruscia put into effect November
labor, and boys and girls
mental
workers,
ound
undergr
of labor as 8 a day, except for
six hours. Overtime
exceed
of 13 to 13, in which cases the working day should not
about discharge of
made
are
ions
regulat
work is forbidden, and detailed and stringent
sky, Leo.
etc.
(Pasvol
tion,
legisla
workmen, the maintenance of productivity, social
Commisent,
Departm
Research
,
Service
tion
The new economic policy in Russia. Informa
in
Christ
s
of
Churche
the
of
Council
sion on the Church and Social Service, Federal
America, November 17, 1923.)
NOTES.
meeting in biennial convenResolutions passed by the National Ceuncil of Women
d one endorsing a federinclude
1923,
3,
r
:ovembe
tion in leecatur, Ill., Cctober 29 to
ing the proposed blanket
concern
ion
resolut
ng
followi
al child labor amendment, and the
amendment:
in the next session of Congress
7HEREAS, there is a movement to introduce
men and women in the United
an amendment to the constitution to give equality to
a constitutional provision
States and its territorial possessions, thus making
the protection of women, esso vague and general that all laws pertaining to
be subject to litigation and
pecially labor laws applying to women only, would
the laws now in effect that
ring
interpretation by the Courts, therefore endange
Supreme Court decision, and
by
sh
establi
have taken 90 many years to enact, and to
to be removed through
sought
ities
inequal
17HEREAS, the disabilities and
laws in the several
by
separate
removed
be
the so-called "blanket" amendment can
States,
of Women declare against
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Council
y.
equalit
about
g
bringin
of
this blanket amendment as a method
l organizations of women.
The National Council of 7omen is composed of 38 nationa
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- 8PERSO:ri\IEL
Eroland.
Yies Margaret Bonefiold has been elected chairman of the General Council of the
Trades Union Congress of Oreat Eritain. This is the first time this office has bEen
held by a woman.
NEV PUBLIATIONS.
Arkansas. Laws, statutes, etc.
Annotatsd digest of the labor laws of the State of Arkansas in force at the cloe
of the legislative session of 1923. 1O p.
Issued by the Arkansas Bureau of labor and statistics.
International labor conference. 5th session.
Report on general principles for the organization of factory inspection.
Geneva, 1923. 214 p.
Supplemontary report cn general principles for the organization of factory
inspection. Geneva, 1923. 42 p.
International labor office.
Note upon the mea3ul.os taken to give effect to the 1raft conventions and recommendations adopted by the International labor conference.
International labor office. Official bulletin, v. 8, no. 17, 24 October 1923.
p. 133-176.
I. List of acts, bills, and others measures adopted, introduced, drafted or
in preparation, to rive effect to the decisions of the International labor
conference. II. Tabular summary.
League of nations. International labor conference.
Report of the director. Genova, 1923. 106 p.
Text in French and English.
Lee
Frederic S.
The physiologist in industry.
Atlantic Fonthly, v. 132, no. 1, July 1923.
Ontario. Lepartment of labor.
Third anniZi report, 1922.
Toronto, 1923.
5th session.
p. 5364.
88 p.
Pennsylvania. Department of Lab.or. end_Industry.
FIia collected in 1916-1917, with preface,
Industrial home wr
including brief survey in 1.20, by Agnes L.ary Hadden Byrnos. 189 p.
Prepared through the cooperation of the Department of labor and industry,
The Consumers' league of eastern Fenrsylvanta, and the Carola Woerishoffer
graduate department of social economy and social research, bryn Fawr
Rvan
John A.
Ale sopreme court and the minimum wage.
New York, 1923.
56 p.
Shini Taku.
Industrial conditions among women in China. Extracts from an aderess to the
International conzre3s of -Aorking women, August 1223, in Vienna.
Labor Woman, v. ]1, no. 11, November, 1923. p. 174, 182.
The address in full is being published in a penny pamphlet by the International federation o; women workers.
U. S. Department of labor. Children's bureau.
Child labor on Earyl01 truck farm. Ly Alice Channing.
Print. Off:, 1923.
52 p., pl.
Bureau of labor statistics.
Laws providing for bureaus of labor statistics, etc.
(Bulletin 343)
Off., 1923. 170 p.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Washington, Govt.
(Publication 123)
Washington, Govt. Print.
@FedFRASER