GIFT OF 
 
 UUCUMfc^TS 
 DEPT. 
 
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 PUBLIC DOCUMENT SPECIAL 
 
 REPORT 
 
 OF THE 
 
 DEPARTMENT OF LABOR 
 
 ON 
 
 The Conditions of 
 Wage-Earners in the State 
 
 Printed in Compliance with Statute 
 
 CHARLOTTE MOLYNEUX HOLLOWAY, 
 
 Industrial -Investigator 
 
 HARTFORD 
 
 PUBLISHED BY THE STATE 
 
 1918 
 
THE JOURNAL PRESS 
 MERIDEN, CONN. 
 
 
 PUBLICATION 
 
 APPROVED BY 
 
 THE BOARD OF CONTROL 
 
INDUSTRIAL REPORT CONTENTS 
 
 Letter of Transmitted. 
 
 Investigator's Report to Commissioner. 
 
 1. Women and Others in Industrial Plants. 
 
 2. Effects of the Influenza Epidemic on Industry. 
 
 3. Safety Precautions. 
 .4. Welfare Work. 
 
 5. Housing. 
 
 6. Americanization. 
 
 7. Young Mothers in Industry. 
 
 8. Lunch Rooms in Factories* 
 
 9. Sanitary Work as t'o Disease. 
 
 10. Bonus Systems, etc". 
 
 11. High Cost of Living. 
 
 12. Vocational Education. 
 
 13. Child Labor. 
 
 14. Unnecessary and Undesirable Employment of Women. 
 
 15. Greater Increase of Health Vigilance over General 
 
 Industry. 
 
 16. Savings. 
 
 17. Recommendations. 
 
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL 
 
 To his Excellency the Governor and the Legislature of the 
 State of Connecticut: 
 
 I herewith submit the report of the Industrial Investi- 
 gator of the Department of Labor and Factory Inspection 
 on the Conditions of the Industrial Wage Earners of the 
 state during 1917 and 1918. 
 
 Respectfully, 
 
 WILLIAM S. HYDE, 
 
 Commissioner of Labor and 
 
 Factory Inspection, 
 Hartford, January 15, 1919. 
 
REPORT OF THE INDUSTRIAL 
 INVESTIGATOR FOR 1917-1918 
 
 To THE HONORABLE WILLIAM S. HYDE, 
 
 Commissioner of Labor and Factory Inspection: 
 
 The report of the Industrial Investigator, is herewith sub- 
 mitted to you for your approval and subsequent transmis- 
 sion to his Excellency, the Governor, and the General As- 
 sembly of the State of Connecticut. 
 
 It is somewhat delayed owing to the unsettled condition 
 of industrial affairs during the years 1917-1918, and to the 
 belief that the sudden collapse of the European War in 
 which the United States was associated with the Allied Pow- 
 ers, justified its not being closed until there was some evi- 
 dence collected as to the manner in which business would be 
 adjusted as to after war standards and stability. 
 
 The uncertainty and inconvenience of railroad service 
 was a most annoying obstacle to speedy transaction of busi- 
 ness in 1918 and the necessity of spending much time in 
 obtaining and verifying individual statements of workers 
 regarding home life and its demands, particularly the effects 
 of the high cost of living, food, rent and clothing; the de- 
 mands of industries previously investigated for attention 
 to certain difficulties, and .the answering of the appeals of 
 individual workers for help in their troubles, consumed 
 much valuable time. 
 
 The report aims to be a concise statement of the facts 
 and conditions in the state. It has covered a number of 
 industries which technically speaking cannot be classed as 
 factories but which played their part in no mean manner in 
 furnishing aid to those factories. Much which was most 
 interesting and of undoubted although not immediate value 
 was eliminated. Health statistics have been turned over 
 to those who can put them to immediate advantage. It is 
 hoped that sufficient is recorded to convey a clear idea of the 
 work and affairs of the industrial workers and the industries 
 of the state in the most momentous epoch of Connecticut's 
 history. 
 
6 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 Thanks are given to Mr. Shiras Morris of the Hart 
 Hegeman Co. of Hartford; Mr. Henry S. Sargent of the 
 Sargent Co. of New Haven, for suggestions as to financial 
 statistics; the Scovill Mfg. Co. of Waterbury, the Cheney 
 Brothers of South Manchester, the Travelers Ins. Co. the 
 Hartford Rubber Works, the Merrow Machine Co. and Mr. 
 Charles F. Murray of the Cigar Makers' Union, all of Hart- 
 ford; and Mr. L. 0. Pethick of the Winchester Repeating 
 Arms Co. of New Haven for special courtesies. 
 
 Unfailing courtesy and valuable aid, altogether volun- 
 tary, were received by the Investigator from all the firms 
 and industries with the exception of six, five of which were 
 in Hartford and one in New Britain ; a most wonderful rec- 
 ord of patience and co-operation on the part of men whose 
 minds were occupied with vast business affairs and who 
 were harassed by a multitude of petty as well as serious 
 annoyances. 
 
 CHARLOTTE MOLYNEUX HOLLOWAY. 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 
 
 WOMEN AND OTHERS IN INDUSTRIAL PLANTS. 
 
 In 1915-16 when the demand of the fighting nations in 
 Europe for ammunition was heavy, and many plants in the 
 United States were supplying their needs, a large number of 
 women entered the ranks of munition workers. 
 
 Before 1910, women were mostly employed in the textile 
 industries. Since then they have rapidly become numerous 
 in brass, silver, copper and iron works. It is during the 
 past six years that they have become an important factor 
 in filling shells, priming, drilling, milling, bending tubes, 
 etc., in short in doing work formerjy held as man's special 
 province. 
 
 Not only have they gained entrance into many places of 
 this sort but they have tasted the sweetness of high wages 
 and are loth to relinquish the work which gains such re- 
 ward. This is indicated by the demonstration of the women 
 workers of Great Britain who were discharged because 
 their work ended with the armistice, and because it was 
 held that whatever employment of that character was to be 
 had in the future should be given to the soldiers who were 
 returning penniless after four years of war. 
 
 To quote from the cable : "Five hundred of these women, 
 all richly dressed, marched to the government offices de- 
 manding that they be retained in employment." 
 
 Such a proceeding was not duplicated in America, for 
 however much we are becoming metamorphosed, American 
 women are of somewhat different fibre. However this 
 country is becoming so radically changed from its tradi- 
 tions, and Bolshevikism and Prussianism under the form of 
 new systems are taking hold of so many elements, it is hard 
 to say what will happen in the transition period from the 
 height of activity to the sudden plunge into inertness which 
 came upon the country in November, 1918. The intelligent 
 observer who has been making a component whole out of 
 detached happenings cannot fail to see there is a dangerous 
 spirit of unrest and a tendency to insist that the ceasing of 
 the war makes a demobilization of labor rather than a 
 shifting. 
 
 Nor can this be laid exclusively at the door of the foreign 
 born. When the peace parades drew into their ranks thous- 
 ands of workers, many of those marchers who only knew 
 
8 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 enough English to count money were among the most sin- 
 cere rejoicers over the stopping of carnage although they 
 knew it meant pecuniary loss. 
 
 It is a significant, though not at all a sinister fact, that 
 1918 finds women taking more active interest in labor meet- 
 ings and demonstrations than ever before. The reason is, 
 they have never before been so largely concerned with the 
 question of wages. And they have the right to feel they 
 were a vital force in the winning of the war. 
 
 It was not merely since our entrance into the war that 
 women munition workers were helping liberty. Sunday, 
 Dec. 21, 1918, the New York Sunday Times published this 
 excerpt from an article in the London Chronicle: "The 
 indirect help of America which was available to the Allies 
 in the shape of finances, food and war supplies was at least 
 an evidence that America, though neutral, did not favor Ger- 
 many." Women were a large part in giving that indirect 
 and vital aid. 
 
 December 3, 1918, in Paris, Marshal Joffre said in con- 
 versation with Dr. Horatio S. Kraus of New York : "It was 
 the weight of America, her moral and material resources 
 and not the least her very considerable army thrown into 
 the balance at the critical moment that turned the scales and 
 won the victory." 
 
 'And it was the splendid enthusiasm and production of the 
 great army that stayed at home which made it possible for 
 the army of two million abroad to do its work so effect- 
 ively. 
 
 The true patriotism which called women from all sorts 
 of homes into war work cannot be too greatly extolled. 
 There was a democracy of endeavor which cannot fail to 
 have good results. Its effects will be more apparent later. 
 
 The demand for greater production led to an increase in 
 the numbers of women night workers. It also led to the 
 employment of women who would not have been considered 
 available a year before. Women of fifty toiled along side 
 of girls not yet out of their teens. The ranks of other in- 
 dustries, notably such textiles as were not necessary for 
 war, were quickly depleted. Women filled the places vacat- 
 ed by men in offices, stores and factories. They also en- 
 tered work created expressly for them. 
 
 In passing it should be recorded that despite the fact the 
 dry goods stores of the state, more especially in Bridgeport, 
 suffered severely by the exodus of women workers to the 
 munition plants, they aided cheerfully in furnishing help. 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 9 
 
 In that city, the stores had displayed in their windows 
 conspicuous signs exhorting women to enter war plants. 
 
 Apart from the women always accustomed to work were 
 hundreds of women of leisure who eagerly started into the 
 factories to do their best for the freedom of the world. 
 
 Even before our entrance into the war there was exag- 
 geration of the number of women working nights. Among 
 people who were paid for having accurate knowledge, 
 the impression either prevailed or was allowed to prevail 
 that a great number were so employed. 
 
 The truth is, that in the state at the close of 1916, but 
 eleven factories employed women at night, and in 1917, the 
 added number was not great. When the second draft was 
 ordered the possibility of having to utilize woman labor 
 more extensively both day and night confronted manufactu- 
 rers as a near probability and they began to deluge the De- 
 partment of Labor and Factory Inspection with letters of 
 inquiry as to how they could arrange the hours for their 
 night workers. 
 
 The manufacturers of the state have been scrupulous 
 about finding out the limits to which they could work 
 women. When emergencies arose, such as the making of 
 gas masks, they endeavored to have the emergency law 
 invoked to effect a temporary lifting of state regulations 
 that workers might be allowed to work as long as they 
 were willing ; this work should be performed with the under- 
 standing that it was overtime to be paid for accordingly. 
 The State authorities could see no way that the laws could 
 be temporarily set aside and the result was that the manu- 
 facturers to whom every hour was vital submitted with con- 
 siderable grace. They also lost time and production by 
 the enforcement of the 8-hour law on government contracts. 
 In many places where firms were doing part government 
 work and part individual orders, this was a source of con- 
 stant trouble and dissatisfaction. Where it was wholly 
 government work, it was less disturbing although reducing 
 production by 11 hours a week in some concerns and in 
 others by 7. 
 
 The matter of most serious moment in this connection 
 was the lessening of production. Women workers in the 
 main were ready and willing to labor 10 hours a day if they 
 could achieve the task. The difficulties made by the short- 
 er work day were largely offset by the splendid services 
 of women of leisure who entered the factories and made 
 most apt pupils and cheerfully toiled at any task so that it 
 helped production. These women did not demur at any- 
 
10 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 thing; physical discomfort and weariness were met with 
 brave and smiling faces and they, proved conclusively their 
 metal and worth while as conclusively speeding the work 
 and adding to its excellence. It is the testimony of the men 
 in the places where they labored that in a surprisingly short 
 time they became experts and their work showed not only 
 they were willing with their hands, but that their hands 
 were directed by intelligence. 
 
 In the brief eighteen months of our participation with the 
 allied powers in the war for the destruction of might makes 
 right the women of America as a whole, and of Connecticut 
 as a large part, showed in their achievements in war supply 
 work a determination and patriotism that were wonderful. 
 They did, at the entrance of the war, without the compulsion 
 either of laws or necessity, what the women of France, 
 Italy and Great Britain were doing at the end of two years 
 and nine months, -and bear it in mind that Connecticut 
 women workers were not given equal pay with the men as 
 were some of the women of Great Britain, nor were they 
 pampered by continual gifts of "war bonuses" to keep them 
 in good humor. They were the stuff of which heroes and 
 martyrs were made. While the men workers in some plants 
 showed a regrettable disposition to interrupt labor by 
 strikes, the women were more faithful in all respects. It 
 is not to be supposed, however, that all of the women work- 
 ers in this state, more than in any other, were actuated by 
 absolute patriotism without regard for pay in entering this 
 work. Conversation with hundreds of them in different, 
 plants showed they were all keenly aware of the monetary 
 value of their work and many of them finding that one plant 
 paid more than another did not hesitate to go there. But 
 they had the woman-characteristic of sticking to their job 
 rather better than the men. 
 
 Not only in the ranks of manual laborers, but in the cler- 
 ical, agricultural, postal, telegraphic, insurance and railway 
 service, police work, elevators, etc., have women taken 
 places as men were mobilized. Pre-war conditions of wom- 
 en having been in some of these occupations, made their 
 general entrance less exploited than their increase as muni- 
 tion workers. Really, there has been so much prominence 
 given in the talk and books of those dealing with women's 
 munitions work that justice is hardly done to the thousands 
 of women who were working in other than war tool produc- 
 tion. It is less a rarity to see a woman inspecting cartridg- 
 es than to witness her lowering a railway gate, running an 
 elevator, or swinging a policeman's club. In one way, the 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 11 
 
 rather matter-of-fact manner in which women took up these 
 unaccustomed callings resembles the French rather than 
 any other nation. The French women knew this work 
 must be done and they proceeded to do it as quickly and 
 quietly as possible. 
 
 In France there was no appeal to the popular imagination, 
 no creation of superfluous bureaus to provide places for men 
 and women who should have been in the trenches or the 
 factories, no sending forth of an army of paid lecturers 
 to show other countries what it was doing. The French 
 method as described in the Bulletin des Usines de Guerre 
 appeals to the real democratic mind; at first there was a 
 reluctance in employing women and it was thought that 
 workers could be imported from the colonies in sufficient 
 number to get out the work needed, but the rapid advance 
 of the enemy checked this and women were working in 
 large numbers in 1915; inspectors were appointed to see 
 that the women workers in the factories were well cared 
 for and treated ; where it was necessary to transport them 
 from one locality to another the intending employers were 
 requested to have proper provision made for their housing 
 and comfort and they were guaranteed they would not be 
 cut down on their piece work. The French government 
 has not and apparently does not intend to make all the re- 
 ports of its inspectors public property, evidently acting 
 under the belief that as long as the workers were properly 
 treated and their comfort and sanitation cared for, there 
 should be as little exploitation of individual establishments 
 as possible. 
 
 Munition was the first necessity in. France when women 
 entered the work in large enough numbers to become dis- 
 tinct factors. There were 44,162 in 1914. In January, 
 1918, there were 399,631 or 23% of the entire workers. 
 While the British and Prussian government pursued the 
 plan of a tight hold on, and in pursuance thereof took control 
 and oversight of, munition plants, France from the first held 
 aloof as far as possible from government domination and 
 although it took some interest in 1917, the factories were 
 almost wholly controlled by their owners and managers. 
 
 So rapid and efficient was the output that Great Britain 
 appointed a commissioner to study French production, "to 
 report the causes which contributed to the enormous in- 
 crease which has taken place in the production of munitions 
 in that country not-withstanding that one-eight of the coun- 
 try and five-eights of its metallurgical activity are in the 
 hands of the enemy." The commission says in its report: 
 
12 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 "It is remarkable that this fact is due to private enterprise. 
 No factories have been subsidized by the government nor 
 have loans of any kind been made to the owners. The own- 
 ers have at comparative prices taken orders from the 
 government and on the strength of these orders have pur- 
 chased land, built factories, procured machinery and now 
 depend on the contract prices for reimbursement of their 
 outlay and gaining the profit to which they are entitled." 
 
 Some interesting conclusions can be drawn from this 
 statement of the business-like and quiet manner in which 
 France with the enemy in its land applied common sense 
 to business propositions. 
 
 The testimony coming from a country whose first act was 
 to create numberless bureaus and commissions and divi- 
 sions and government control, has great weight. 
 
 Night work for women was not looked upon with any 
 great favor by the French government, which adopted it 
 only through great necessity. It was not until the end of 
 1916, when all the women accustomed to wage earning were 
 employed, that a call was made for those who were at home, 
 wives and widows of soldiers, receivers of allotments, and 
 refugees. Then all factories ran night shifts when the 
 women worked the same hours as men. These were ten 
 hours and sometimes twelve. There was a break of from 
 one to two hours in the middle of the day and one hour for 
 midnight. 
 
 The British commission said that the women and men, too, 
 for that matter, used the rest periods in singing and enjoy- 
 ing themselves and went back to their work refreshed, show- 
 ing no signs of fatigue. When the work was progressing 
 some time it was ordered that one day of rest weekly should 
 be given all women workers. That day was Sunday, as a 
 general thing, though another day could be substituted.. 
 Wages were regulated by women doing women's work 
 being paid the normal rate for the district for that kind 
 of work. Women on new work caused by the war were 
 paid on the basis of the rates for the sort of work most re- 
 sembling it previously. Women doing the same work as 
 men,if they did it wholly, received the same pay as men. The 
 French did not establish training schools and camps for 
 women's instruction as did the British. That sort of work 
 was done directly in the factories. 
 
 Numberless French reports convey most interesting de- 
 tails respecting the methods pursued during the war, the 
 summary being that all was done with as little exploitation, 
 multiplication of offices and expenses' as possible. Factory 
 
WAGE^EARNERS IN THE STATE. 13 
 
 inspectors and a department created checked tendencies to 
 overwork; restrictions on night work for women were im- 
 mediately made and inspectors were ordered in June, 1916, 
 not to allow the employment of girls under 18 or of women 
 between 18 and 21 unless there was absolute scarcity of 
 other labor. Particular stress was laid on sparing women 
 who had young children. In February, 1918, orders were 
 given to abolish all night work for women as soon as pos- 
 sible. Many young women were working at night; "when 
 either the father or mother or both parents work on a night 
 shift they demand that their young sons or daughters work 
 with them as in this way it is easier to arrange the family 
 life with respect to meals, sleep and the proper oversight of 
 the young people." 
 
 It was noted by the British Commission that all work ex- 
 cept tool room work, setting up and floor labor was paid at 
 piece rate, the rates of men and women being the same. 
 However, it was discovered by the government that employ- 
 ers had been cutting the piece work rates on account of the 
 dexterity of the workers, and an order was given that this 
 must cease. It is recorded with significant stress by the 
 commission : "No general demand for advance in wages has 
 been made by the working people since the commencement 
 of the war." This Elysian state did not continue all 
 through, though, for the advance in the cost of living 
 brought some strikes in the close of 1916 and by August of 
 1917, rates had been fixed so that women received from lie 
 to $2.70 a day for day work. Piece work rates were left un- 
 changed. 
 
 Before the war broke out, England out of 4,500,000, had 
 3,235,000 women working in textile, clothing, food, paper, 
 printing and metal business. Clerks, agricultural workers, 
 civil service, government and transport service, other oc- 
 cupations and the 1,750,000 in domestic service brought up 
 the aggregate of women accustomed to work for wages to 
 5,000,000 as a conservative estimate. The outbreak of the 
 war was disastrous to those working in the clothing, mil- 
 linery, dressmaking and laundry business. 
 
 In the Unted States these trades were also somewhat af- 
 fected, but in this country by far the greatest trouble was 
 their desertion in droves to enter the lucrative munition 
 works. In Great Britain, as here, the clothing workers 
 were the first to resume and increase as the demand for 
 immediate delivery of soldiers' wear became imperative. 
 In England and the rest of the British isles a public cam- 
 paign was at once started to have women enter munition 
 
14 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 factories. It was well met. But this, however, cannot be 
 called an increase of women workers as long as it was from 
 habitual wage earning women that the places of men con- 
 scripted into the army were filled. It was rather a transfer 
 of labor. 
 
 Practically the same shifting of labor from non-essential 
 to essential war industries in the state of Connectcut can be 
 seen by analysis of the factory report of the factory division 
 of the Department of Labor and Factory Inspection of this 
 state as well as from the figures which will be elsewhere 
 given in this report. Popularly it is supposed that labor 
 has increased about 60% in the state. This has been fos- 
 tered by the desertion of one branch of labor for another 
 that is more the center of public attention. So much atten- 
 tion has been focussed on the munition plant that it might 
 readily be thought by those outside the state that it was the 
 one industry going in Connecticut. Quite the contrary. 
 There have been many other concerns which contributed 
 essentially to war work and to prosperity. Another factor 
 not taken into calculation has been the abandonment of 
 dress-making, teaching, millinery, cooking, waitress work, 
 domestic service to gain the profits and greater freedom of 
 the factory. This swells the aggregate. 
 
 To take the figures of the Factory report which will dif- 
 fer somewhat from the figures of this, as they were taken 
 at different times and do not comprise as many industries 
 as the Industrial report has grouped together: In 1913 
 there were employed in the factories, pure and simple, 
 127,297 men and 43,380 women, or a total of 169,677 ; in 
 1914, 176,214 men and 67,002 women, or a total of 243,406 ; 
 in 1915, 238,267 men and 67,092 women, or a total of 305,- 
 359 ; in 1916, 244,616 men and 75,981 women, total 320,597 ; 
 in 1917, 269,151 men and 79,360 women, or a total of 347, 
 511 ; in 1918, 355,994, of whom 269,007 are men and 86,991 
 women. The increase from the close of 1913 to the close of 
 1918 was 41,710 men, or 32.76% ; of women 44,611 or 105%. 
 The increase from our entrance into the war in 1917 to the 
 close of 1918 is from 268,151 men to 269,007, 856, or over 
 3%, and from 79,360 women to 86,981,, or 7,627, or prac- 
 tically 10%. From 1913 to 1914 the increase in the number 
 of factory employees was 48,917 men and 24,712 women; 
 from 1914 to 1915 62,053 men and no increase of women; 
 from 1915 to 1916, 6,349 men and 4,889 women ; from 1916 
 to 1917, 23,535 men and 2,279 women; from 1917 to 1918, 
 856 men and 7,627 women. In all, the increase in the total 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 15 
 
 number of factory workers from 1913 to 1918 was from 
 169,677 to 355,994, or 186,317, or 109.21%. 
 
 This increase in factory workers was due to the fact that 
 the state produced not only war supplies for outside but 
 over 45% of all the munitions used in the late war by us, and 
 about 70% of the other essentials which were necessary for 
 the successful carrying on of the war. From the beginning 
 of 1915 there was a steady influx of labor from other states 
 to Connecticut, the men coming from Vermont, New Hamp- 
 shire, northern New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, from 
 Kansas and from Canada. Very few women came in com- 
 parison with the men. Much of that labor returned even 
 before the war ended. 
 
 This was caused by labor disputes over bonuses which 
 were offered and w-hich agents for manufacturers persuaded 
 men were to be granted on altogether different terms from 
 those actually prevailing. Much trouble over the bonus 
 system developed in the largest ammunition factory in 
 Hartford and as a result hundreds of the employees left in 
 1917, returning to New York, Vermont and New Hamp- 
 shire. 
 
 Since the armistice has been signed there has been a rapid 
 cancellation of contracts, it being stated in a dispatch from 
 Washington that $55,000,000 contracts were to be cancelled 
 in this state. Before the ending of the week of December 
 15th thousands of men had been released from work. Wom- 
 en have not been relieved in as great numbers, but women 
 who went to work simply for patriotic motives, who were 
 working part time and whose ages prevented them from con- 
 tinuing in work, left as soon as the armistice was a fact and 
 others are now returning to other occupations. There is no 
 scarcity of positions for women in clerking, housework, 
 nurse maids, laundry, office work of various kinds, insurance 
 companies, etc. In fact, there is not likely to be so great 
 and lasting a displacement of industrial workers as there 
 is to be a gradual transfer. The high percentage attained 
 in factory employment, it must be carefully emphasized, was 
 caused by the lowering in other employments. These em- 
 ployments are necessities, more than 87% essential to the 
 community. 
 
 In the factories themselves, many engaged on war work 
 contracts are to be immeasurably benefited by return to 
 private work and their own supervision. It is asserted by 
 many, and observation in a few cases bore out the asser- 
 tion, that the knowledge they could go higher than the own- 
 ers and managers of the factory has not resulted in steady 
 
16 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 application, production and efficiency. Instead of allaying 
 dissatisfaction it has in some cases with certain grades of 
 people, by no means unintelligent, caused them to be on 
 the qui vive for something of which to complain. One 
 result was the hedging around of a worker with so many 
 restrictions he preferred to remain where he was rather 
 than to go through the ordeal of changing, and thus labor 
 was in that respect stabilized. On the other hand, the pos- 
 sibility of appeals, the knowledge of higher wage rates ob- 
 tainable and of retroactive decisions really made a labor 
 turnover, if we accept its scientific definition as being the 
 loss of man power, through laying off, sickness, drunkeness, 
 etc., as well as through being discharged and quitting. 
 
 One effect of the high wages and constant raising was 
 that men who were making the first would take a number 
 of days off instead of working continuously. The number of 
 days lost in this way has been considerable and in many in- 
 dustries caused the need of overtime, whereby some of the 
 culprits were gainers on account of being paid more for a 
 situation they had helped to create. 
 
 According to a survey made in the interval from the llth 
 of November, 1918, to the 6th of January, 1919, the as- 
 surance may be made that there is no special cause for 
 long continued alarm over the industrial situation in Con- 
 necticut nor fear that conditions of serious labor unemploy- 
 ment, slacking of industry and general depression are to 
 prevail a great length of time. In fact, it may be asserted 
 that the attitude taken by some that is to be the state of 
 affairs is productive of uneasiness, restlessness and direct 
 mischief both to the employer and the employed. There is 
 no special cause, either for gloomy foreboding as to the fu- 
 ture of any other state. There has been gross exaggeration 
 of the number of men discharged from war plants and the 
 number of employed in the various cities. It was stated 
 that in Bridgeport alone in the week ending January 4th 
 there were about 17,000 idle as a result of discharge from 
 the munition and other war plants. A careful and detailed 
 examination disclosed just 5,000 who remained idle. What 
 is true of Bridgeport is true of other cities. 
 
 One of the state employment agencies in the last fortnight 
 of December placed several hundred men with a large iron 
 concern, and another state employment agency sent not only 
 men to this concern and others of a similar nature, but also 
 sent a large number to a federal employment agency which 
 was seeking to help out the situation. The largest concern 
 employing men and women in the state is in New Haven, 
 

A TYPICAL MODERN FACTORY. 
 J. & J. Cash, Ltd., South Norwalk. 
 
 A CLUB HOUSE ON THE SAME PREMISES. 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 17 
 
 the Winchester Repeating Arms Co. That concern rose 
 from 16,640 in July 1916, of whom 2,717 were women and 
 100 boys, to 14,702 men and 5,549 women in November, 
 1918. The largest employer in Hartford had 3,100 in 1916, 
 5,353 in February, 1918, and on November 1st, 1918, had 
 6,500 men and 1,500 women. The normal capacity of the 
 New Haven concern will be about 11,000, of the Hartford 
 not less than 2,600. The accretion to the man -power of 
 these concerns was made up of more than 75% labor from 
 other institutions. Even clerks from insurance and bank 
 offices and teachers were among the workers as well as wom- 
 en who had never worked anywhere before. Added to this 
 was a large number from the typewriter concerns, the 
 laundries, stores and typists, the school classes, tobacco 
 workers, farm hands, trades, and unskilled labor. Students 
 who were exempted from the draft were working in large 
 numbers and quit in October when the colleges opened. 
 
 In Waterbury the labor situation will not be so acute as 
 in other towns for the qoncerns there have an abundance of 
 orders to be filled, apart from their war work, and will have 
 to attend to the waiting list, while it is a certainty that other 
 orders will come in every day. 
 
 On the 19th of October, 1918, the State and the United 
 States employment agencies being unable to help the Water- 
 bury manufacturers by furnishing any men, application 
 was made to the United States Ordnance Department 
 through Mr. Darragh of the Washington Department, and 
 1,000 soldiers were sent from Camp Devens to the Chase 
 Metal Works, the American Brass Co. and the Scovill Com- 
 pany. Two weeks later forty-two more soldiers from Camp 
 Upton were detailed to the Scovill Company. These men, 
 1,042, have returned to camp and their number has to be 
 deducted from the amount of unemployed. 
 
 In regard to unskilled labor, much of which was employed 
 in the factories, there has been an acute shortage all over the 
 state, but notably in the manufacturing centers for the en- 
 tire year of 1918, reaching its climax in July. The wages 
 that unskilled labor, and inefficient labor at that, commanded 
 were more than skilled labor could draw a year before. It 
 was not uncommon to pay $4 and $4.50 a day for 8 hours' 
 work. Colored stevedores were receiving $33.24 a week 
 of 48 hours on the New London docks from the New Eng- 
 land Navigation Co., the week of January 25, 1919. The 
 state highway department, unable to secure unskilled labor 
 on its road work had to employ jail help for which it paid 
 $3 a day to the institution. Even with this many roads 
 
18 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 needing attention and many projected undertakings had to 
 go by on account of the scarcity of ordinary help. 
 
 Farm help has been and will be needed. It must be borne 
 in mind that the unskilled laborers, embracing the ordinary 
 sort and agricultural workers, are not protected by union 
 rules, but have to rely on the law of supply and demand for 
 the high or low wage rate. Apropos of the common laboring 
 man not being unionized, it is also fair to state that a very 
 large proportion of tradesmen, highly skilled as well as 
 moderately proficient/ are not members of labor unions 
 either, and the labor union in fighting for continuance of a 
 high wage rate and lower hours is fighting for the benefit of 
 men who have never evinced any interest in becoming mem- 
 bers. 
 
 In the endeavor to have their contracts filled employment 
 managers accepted material which they would have turned 
 away at the first glance in former years. Bootblacks were 
 utilized in some cities. A little instruction made the labor- 
 ing element proficient at such tasks as milling, drilling and 
 carrying cores and patterns. 90%" of these workers went 
 into the war work for the higher wages. The other sort of 
 labor was also actuated by the wage question, as the fre- 
 quent strikes, walkouts and demands proved. Before the war 
 began in Europe wages of machinists ranged from $16.50 
 to $21 and $25 a week, and the latter was considered high 
 pay. The $16.50 man received $35 and $40 during the war 
 period and the $25 man often as much as $50 and more, 
 over 100% advance. 
 
 Women were advanced in considerably less degree. Girls 
 who received $8 a week in dry goods stores or telephone 
 office, or $12 as stenographers and typists, thinking it good 
 pay in 1914, now draw from $13.50 to $22 a week. Domestic 
 help forsook the houses to join in the work, not so much for 
 the greater pay but for the greater freedom and because of 
 the patriotic flavor. The latter class of help, many of the 
 insurance, bank, office and teaching class, the recruits from 
 the laundries and other forms of industry will all be grad- 
 ually reabsorbed. At present there is a disinclination to 
 return to former work, fostered by the belief that wages 
 will be kept up, willy nilly. The statement of Mr. Gompers 
 and others that they must be kept up has held many a work- 
 er from a steady job which would take him away from the 
 ranks of the unemployed. 
 
 The thoughtful laboring man, whether skilled machinist 
 or tradesman of some other class, whether union man or 
 non-union, must be able to forecast the inevitable situation 
 
WAGE^EARNERS IN THE STATE. 19 
 
 and see that war rates cannot be maintained with war bon- 
 uses, etc., or without them, though he undoubtedly will also 
 see that return to the rate of wages current in 1914 is not 
 a prospect which he desires to face, inasmuch as the cost 
 of living will not proportionately descend. Much work at 
 high rate is still to be had in and out of the state. Many 
 areas have insufficient help today and will need workers for 
 the whole of the year on the contracts which are to be 
 finished. Other industries in the state which have deferred 
 orders are now going to take them up and demand for Amer- 
 ican production is bound to be great instead of small for 
 export trade. 
 
 As stated before, the hard cold fact of figures as embodied 
 in the factory and the industrial report of the state shows 
 that there has not been such an increase of workers in the 
 state as popularly held. Out of state workers are leaving 
 for other fields. The typewriter industries in Hartford 
 reabsorbed a large proportion of the men and women who 
 left them helter skelter for munition work or who were let 
 go to aid the war work. Several of these concerns are still 
 hiring women and men. 
 
 An element which is going to cause some serious situ- 
 ations is undoubtedly the introduction of women in men's 
 jobs. Miss Mary Van Kleeck said on Thursday, December 
 5th, 1918, "It is not to be assumed these women went into 
 the work for patriotism. Not more than 5% of them did 
 that. They were after the money." While the investigator 
 would increase the percentage of patriotic women more than 
 Miss Van Kleeck's allowance, she was right in the main. She 
 is now addressing gatherings of women in the Middle States 
 and elsewhere urging them to form trades unions in order 
 to retain their pay and protect themselves. It has been the 
 policy of the officials of the United States Department of 
 Labor at Washington to encourage the forming of trades 
 unions. ^ 
 
 Labor unionism has a hard problem before it if these 
 women do not take the advice of Miss Van Kleeck and num- 
 erous others. The refusal means the cutting down of the 
 man's pay, for rather than be out of work the women will 
 work for a lower wage and will do just as good work at that 
 rate as men do at a higher. 
 
 Whatever the outcome, there is one conclusion which can 
 be deduced from the ordinary proceedings of the business 
 and social world for the time elapsing from the Declaration 
 of Independence to the entrance of our country into the war^ 
 We cheerfully and gladly threw aside all our traditions and 
 
20 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 practices and welcomed any ruling, whether bureaucratic 
 or autocratic, that added to the chances of winning the war. 
 Consequently, every experimenter and socialist and longer 
 for position started a new commission, division or bureau. 
 The war is over. These excrescences should at once be 
 lopped off and the United States return to the plain, com- 
 mon-sense method of business and government that enabled 
 it to be the financial and moral savior of the world, and to 
 the freedom of individual rights that made the millions of 
 bureau-ridden Europe come here to draw a full breath and 
 amass education, self-reliance and a full purse. 
 
 Work that may profitably and equitably be left to the 
 skilled or unskilled laborer who may need work is that 
 which has been proposed to the highway commission to be 
 done by prisoners from the state prison, jails and refor- 
 matories. It might have been possible to do this with more 
 or less success while the war was raging and there was a 
 demand for men across and at training camps, but there is 
 no excuse for it when free men are available. The em- 
 ployment of prison labor at the expense of free labor is un- 
 American and should not be permitted. 
 
 The state has to guard against too great a departure 
 from former usages and too eager adoption of transconti- 
 nental methods which prevail there because there is no 
 chance for any other. The question of the economic situa- 
 tion had better be left to the employer and the employee. 
 Each is vitally interested and can manage to get together 
 better without rather than with overseers. While labor 
 may think that some of the recent enactments were dis- 
 tinctly -to its advantage, in the opinion of the writer they 
 were simply war measures which should be annulled now 
 without waiting for the signing of peace. The laborer is 
 not only worthy of his hire but he should have the privilege 
 of vending it and selecting his own environment. That he 
 can ever market it at a price which can be received without 
 the co-operation of others is not possible nor will a fair 
 minded laborer so desire. Economic sabotage would be a 
 calamity as bad as socialism under the guise of another 
 name. 
 
 What capital and labor need is more individual liberty, 
 not action under centralized and remote authority. A man 
 should have a right to govern his own business as he governs 
 his own home with decent regard for the rights of others 
 and willingness to help them and others. A man's factory 
 or shop ought to be and is his own personal property in 
 which he has the right to shape a policy and whose inmates 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 21 
 
 he should have the liberty to choose. They in turn should 
 have the right to remain if he treats them equitably or 
 leave if he is unjust, and they should have the right to value 
 their labor as he has the right to reject or accept their terms. 
 Local conditions, the law of supply and demand must be the 
 arbiter. Outside conditions enter in as comparative because 
 it would be as manifestly unjust to ask a man in Brideport 
 to labor for what would be a fair compensation in Saybrook, 
 as it would be for a man in Saybrook to demand what he 
 would receive in Bridgeport. The general wage rate as 
 fixed by unions and capital cannot vary much but it has to 
 vary some according to the law of demand and supply. 
 
 Nor could an arbitrator from Kalamazoo have full com- 
 prehension which would enable him to pass with judgment 
 on a situation in Clinton. Should the eight hour law be 
 extended it will afford employment to more, doing away 
 with the need of overtime. As far as exemplified, this 
 centralized ruling has been productive of these conditions : 
 Dissatisfaction, incompetency, discourtesy, expense, it is 
 distinctly un-American and we are too early from the war 
 to be willing to have Prussianized systems foisted on us 
 no matter how filtered. The doctrine of individual rights 
 was fought for in 1775, reiterated in 1865, and should be 
 confirmed and cemented indissolubly in 1919 rather than 
 insidiously disintegrated. 
 
 There is only one fair way to fix wages, efficiency. Labor 
 unions and manufacturers should understand this, and also 
 if they wish to have justice they want to be able to have 
 representatives of the people say who shall legislate for the 
 people. It is absolutely impossible to put private enter- 
 prises, great and small, under the control of a monopoly, 
 whether a government or a trust, and have no serious re- 
 sultant evils. The evil in the first place is the fostering 
 and development of a great political machine which makes 
 the control of the enterprise secondary to the question of 
 the advantage to which it may be turned politically. The 
 trust has the disadvantage of smothering competition, but 
 it has the redeeming feature of serving the customer more 
 expeditiously and more cheaply than could a dozen of its 
 united parts if standing alone. The government control has 
 no record of expeditious, satisfactory and cheap service in 
 any country in which it has been tried. 
 
 One proof of the exodus of the transient worker is shown 
 in the numerous "rooms for rent" signs which are displayed 
 throughout the rooming house section in the big industrial 
 centers. It must be borne in mind that many of the more 
 
22 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 than 70,000 men who were drafted either for over-seas or 
 camp service will never come back to their former occupa- 
 tions, having gone on the long journey to the bourne whence 
 none return. Some have obtained employment in other 
 states. Others have decided to rejnain over-seas and a num- 
 ber will be retained in the army and navy which prudence 
 forces us to enlarge. 
 
 Further, our immigration is at a standstill and is likely to 
 be for at least five years. There will be no influx from 
 abroad but rather an exodus from here. The American 
 Federation of Labor at its meeting in December, 1918, re- 
 ceived from its secretary, Frank Morrison, a resolution ask- 
 ing Congress to ban immigration for a period of five years. 
 That resolution is hardly necessary or wise. It is likely to 
 be a serious question where we are to get the labor for our 
 public work rather than how we are to reject it. The war- 
 ridden countries need all the labor they can obtain. Steam- 
 ship companies are already beset with inquiries from men 
 and women who wish to return to their native land and who 
 believe they can get along well there under the increased 
 demand for work and increase in wages. Many of these 
 people have been earning phenomenal wages for the past 
 four years and they are eager to return to Italy and Poland 
 to enrich their home land. 
 
 Returning and disabled soldiers and sailors have to be 
 helped and placed. The other class of workers temporarily 
 out of place or shifted will be harmed rather than helped 
 by any endeavor to standardize wages at present or by too 
 much interference. In the opinion of the investigator the 
 employer and the employee have been sufferers from too 
 much interference and as long as it continues there will be 
 lack of mutual understanding and co-operation. 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 23 
 
 THE EFFECT OF THE INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC ON 
 THE INDUSTRIAL WORKERS OF THE STATE. 
 
 The most unexpected evil which affected the industrial 
 workers of the state in cutting down their ranks and halting 
 their production, and also seriously menaced men and wom- 
 en in every class, was the epidemic of so-called Spanish In- 
 fluenza which swept over the state in the fall of 1918 and 
 which has continued in a lessened degree through the month 
 of January, 1919. 
 
 Fortunately it came too late to greatly cripple the war 
 work of the great army that stayed at home. Had it come 
 three months earlier it would not only have periled the suc- 
 cess of the American army but also have hampered the Al- 
 lies from winning through our help. Its cause and charac- 
 ter have not yet been scientifically determined. However, 
 this can be frankly stated and should be stated with empha- 
 sis: It found existing health regulations easily conquered. 
 Its spread and effects were in no small part attributable to 
 carelessness, over-confidence and under estimation of its 
 danger at the critical period when a masterly grasp would 
 have checked its advance. 
 
 Three hundred thousand people of the conservative esti- 
 mate of one million and a quarter in this state were victims 
 in a greater or less degree. Over 6,000 died. 
 
 Proper power delegated to boards of health, proper equip- 
 ment and promptness on the part of boards of health, proper 
 enforcement of health regulations would have resulted in 
 the saving of lives of thousands some of whom would have 
 been of great benefit to the state. 
 
 Some individuals attacked were careless of others' safety ; 
 some were ignorant of means of defense and delayed con- 
 sulting medical skill until the disease had a firm hold ; others 
 were too weakened to make resistance. A pitiably large 
 number were so circumstanced that protection by isolation 
 was out of the question. Many were succumbing before 
 they realized they were in danger; Connecticut, like many 
 other states, lacked, at the outset and in some towns, all the 
 way through, prompt and efficient coordination of one lo- 
 cality, whether city or village, with its neighbors. Much 
 precious time was wasted in questions of authority and in 
 
24 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 making preparations which should have been existent be- 
 fore the emergency arose. 
 
 A few boards of health were torpid and wobbling, but it 
 would be unjust to make a sweeping criticism of all. The 
 majority did splendid work from the beginning. In many 
 towns there has been too much of a niggardly and restrict- 
 ive policy for the boards to accomplish as much as they 
 should. 
 
 It cannot be guaranteed that the disease has had its run. 
 Analyses have not yet offered hope that science can success- 
 fully prevent its becoming recurrent. Its sporadic returns 
 have been both violent and deadly. 
 
 All industrial concerns had their work interrupted. Sev- 
 eral were menaced with complete cessation. One corpora- 
 tion had over three thousand on its sick list out of a force 
 of fifteen thousand ; another having seven hundred and fifty 
 employes had thirty-five deaths in a week. 
 
 The epidemic started possibly a week before the official 
 date, September 10, as many at first assumed it was the 
 usual fall cold, and failed to report. September 18th, 1918, 
 the state board of health made the cases reportable and a 
 systematic endeavor was made to control the situation. 
 From September 10th to October 31st, the number of cases 
 in the state was 87,097 and of deaths 5,022, or a little over 
 5.7%. The entire number of cases up to the end of Nov- 
 ember as given to the writer, December 3rd, 1918, was 
 93,620 and of deaths 6,265. It is worth noting that it was 
 generally believed by the first of November that the plague 
 was well on the wane, yet in this month the cases showed 
 6,523 and the deaths 1,243, or over 19%. December 7 
 showed the total number of cases reported as 102,797. Jan- 
 uary, 1919, reported an outbreak of the same in localities 
 widely separated. 
 
 It has to be remembered that many were ill who recov- 
 ered and who never had the cases reported. The fact that 
 so many physicians and nurses were absent from the state 
 on account of war work made it more difficult to combat the 
 disease. However, the state board of health is undertaking 
 a campaign which will undoubtedly build up a strong and 
 capable organization all over the state for the curbing of the 
 plague if it become recurrent. 
 
 The death rate was higher in Waterbury than in any 
 other town, being 7.5 per thousand. New Britain came 
 next with 6.4 and Hartford had 4.2. Willimantic's rate 
 was not figured out as this report goes to press, but the town 
 was sorely hit. New Haven, Bridgeport and many of the 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 25 
 
 small villages where manufacturing industries were carried 
 on were afflicted, although in the case of the latter it might 
 be assumed comparative isolation from traffic and travel 
 would have been a safeguard. 
 
 One of the cities which felt the force of the disease in the 
 beginning was New London. However, at no time was its 
 industries so crippled that they had to cease running. The 
 first act of the acting mayor and the health physician was to 
 order closed churches, theatres, schools, halls, all gathering 
 places of people, a measure of wisdom when one remembers 
 the immense floating population of this railroad, naval and 
 army base. Hundreds of men daily cross the ferries, hun- 
 dreds come from the naval station, the state pier, the sub- 
 marine base, and from the island and mainland forts. The 
 cases and losses at the government bases were cared for by 
 its own physicians who largely kept their own counsel. 
 
 The story of the work done by one great manufactory in 
 the city of Waterbury is here given because Waterbury was 
 the manufacturing town most stricken and because it con- 
 veys a lesson that all may con. Waterbury is a hive of 
 metal industries in addition to its other forms of occupation, 
 and has plants whose business success is unparalleled. All 
 of these have emergency and rest rooms for men and wom- 
 en, and more than half have graduate nurses and regular 
 physicians in attendance. The others have facilities in their 
 emergency rooms for treatment of about everything that can 
 happen in work shops. Where a physician is not regularly 
 in the establishment, he holds clinics on certain days or else 
 has the hurt and ill come to his office. 
 
 The Scovill Manufacturing Co., averaging about 14,000 
 employees, has a hospital with a large operating room, a 
 waiting room, rest rooms for men and women, a superin- 
 tendent's office and clerical aid. The staff consists of two 
 physicians and surgeons, a head nurse who is assisted by 
 three women nurses and two orderlies and there is a visiting 
 nurse. In addition, since it devoted so much of its work to 
 munitions for the United States, there has been a physician 
 whose whole duty consisted in observing the effect of oc- 
 cupations on the individual workers. 
 
 It has made a policy for years under the management of 
 Mr. John H. Goss of exercising a strict surveillance over 
 the health of its employees, carrying out a system whose in- 
 ception and success were largely due to the head nurse, Miss 
 Nora O'Brien. Each employee is physically examined with 
 a view to giving him or her a line of work to which he or 
 she is specially fitted. The examination is not for the pur- 
 
26 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 pose of grading the applicant in a class which gives him a 
 lower wage earning capacity, but for his own protection and 
 that of his employer, who as a result of placing him where 
 an incipient affection will not be developed or where a well 
 developed one will not be aggravated, protects his health and 
 enables him to earn as much as he can. He frequently 
 earns as much and sometimes more than a man who is 100% 
 physically. 
 
 The advantage does not end here. The man is required 
 to report at regular intervals at the hospital, where he is ex- 
 amined and he is studied and cared for so that he really 
 has for nothing the benefit of treatment he probably would 
 never have been able to afford. Also the employer derives 
 benefit by lowering his labor turnover, getting a steadiness 
 of work that otherwise would be lacking and having the 
 assurance that he can reasonably figure on having his work 
 done at a certain time. In addition to this the head nurse 
 and her assistants have the help so impressed with the 
 truth that prevention is nine-tenths, that as soon as an ac- 
 cident, however trivial occurs, the injured come to the hos- 
 pital for treatment. 
 
 This apparent digression is made for the purpose of show- 
 ing how systematically this concern takes care of its help 
 and how well equipped it was to do the work which it did 
 and which undoubtedly was the means of saving Waterbury 
 from a terrible calamity. When the epidemic swooped 
 down on Waterbury it raged from end to end, regardless of 
 race, condition or residence. The factories were not spared. 
 Each day found the list of those who thought they could fight 
 off the incipient illness decreasing. The family physician 
 called in after the disease had frightened the sufferers 
 found himself handicapped at the beginning by lack of the 
 usual remedies, notably quinine. In many cases he wa% 
 afraid the weakened heart would not recover from adminis- 
 tration of the usual remedies. Prohibitionists will prob- 
 ably never know how much whiskey was used there and 
 all over the state, and at army and navy bases. Remember, 
 the work was not now to care for the factory's afflicted but 
 for the sick of the whole city. The resources of the Scovill 
 plant being exhausted, outside accommodations were se- 
 cured and the city opened two places as hospitals and the 
 Country Club of Waterbury gave its spacious home for the 
 use of the convalescents. The young men who had volun- 
 teered at the call to act as grave diggers did not stop at this 
 service, they went right into the places where the sick were 
 treated and into homes. All kinds of services they gladly ac- 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 27 
 
 cepted, they washed floors and they washed faces, they 
 washed dishes and they washed babies' diapers, they even 
 fed the little ones from nursing bottles with tenderness and 
 skill. They helped save thousands of lives. 
 
 While the city was frantic with fear, there stepped into 
 the breach a woman other than the factory force, taking 
 charge of the isolation hospital opened on October 5th. She 
 knew more about the city, its needs, its lacks, its equipment 
 than any other person. For years she had been fighting the 
 tuberculosis plague fearlessly and well. Of an intensely 
 patriotic race, Mary Gormly had volunteered to go to France 
 and was ready for the journey when the call came nearer 
 home. Almost single-handed she fought for the cause, 
 sparing not herself, neither sleeping nor eating, until over- 
 wrought nature gave way and she fell a victim as truly a 
 martyr to duty as any vaunted heroine of history, for she 
 gave her life with all that life had for others and what more 
 can man or woman do? 
 
 One after another, Chase Park House, Temple Hall, the 
 Country Club, the Day Nursery, the Elks' Home, and other 
 places were turned over to the work. Now began the bat- 
 tle in earnest, the city under its Mayor and Board of Health 
 and all the volunteer associations, the associated factories, 
 The International Silver Co., The Lynch Realty Co., The 
 Farrel Foundry, The American Brass Co., The Chase Co., 
 and others of smaller extent. Boston sent nurses. The 
 Rotary Club made a canvass. The Scovill Manufactory by 
 general consent took command of the battle, its head nurse 
 aided by the physician who was studying conditions, with 
 the help of the regular force of the factory. 
 
 Finding volunteers from outside were impossible to obtain 
 in time, the head nurse went into the munition shops and 
 called on the women there for aid, asking that those who had 
 any hospital training, those who had cared for the sick out- 
 side their own homes, those who had cared for the sick in 
 their homes and those who were ignorant of such work, but 
 willing to aid, step forth. Out of the eager volunteers forty 
 women were selected and divided into classes, graded ac- 
 cording to the call, and these women did valiant service. 
 Other factories took similar action. 
 
 In going through the city to the homes of those who were 
 ill, the factory workers necessarily met with cases of illness 
 other than their own people. No one was caring for them. 
 Tenements were entered where a dozen persons were sick 
 in four or five rooms which had neither heat, light nor toilet 
 facilities. Some homes had an abundance of food but no 
 
28 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 one to cook it or care for the sick. Others were shockingly 
 bare. In some places the sinks were choked with filth, the 
 toilets were broken and unsafe and in others they were 
 locked up. In some places father and mother lay dead and 
 children were starving. As the workers went along women 
 would cry out from windows begging for help and food. 
 For several weeks the factory furnished food and blankets 
 and other necessities to 258 families, and when the writer 
 visited Waterbury on November 4th, 1918, it was still em- 
 ploying a force to attend to these matters and sending out 
 blankets for the children who were out at the Country Club 
 recovering. It also had its force of nurses doing outside 
 work. 
 
 A pitiful, yet a heart and mind opening scene was that 
 presented at the Country Club ; the glass enclosed verandas 
 were filled with cots, all occupied by children, every bit of 
 space was utilized to shelter some sufferer drawn back from 
 facing the long journey; all through the big rooms, glowing 
 with soft light and caressing their worn bodies with grate- 
 ful heat, were scattered men and women, babies and older 
 children; some in groups, laughing and rejoicing in re- 
 covery, others wanly smiling, unable to laugh for they were 
 thinking of their dead. One woman sat, saying nothing, 
 but tightly clasping with long skeleton-like fingers a wee 
 pale baby while her eyes never left its face ; even though she 
 knew death was driven away, she feared to relax her vigil. 
 Another was seated at the piano, playing with the touch 
 and enjoyment of the born musician and around her a rapt 
 circle fascinated by the old fashioned melodies. 
 
 Up and down the long rooms were racing six children, 
 the oldest perhaps ten, and the youngest, whose chubby little 
 legs ambitiously sought to hold up his body, might have been 
 as many months. He howled in sheer joy as- he thought he 
 was chasing his brothers. A bright young nurse, one of 
 the imported from Boston, captured the ringleader and the 
 musician stopped and soon had the entire brood encircled. 
 They were all hers. Yes, indeed, she had been sick and 
 everyone of them, but praise be to God, and to the kind 
 people, they were getting well. Oh, you should see them 
 eat. Dear, dear, but when we were leaving the house I 
 thought I saw death grinning over my shoulder. She 
 stopped and looked at them as they watched us with atten- 
 tive eyes. She choked up, "I'd die for any one of them 
 and to think that God left them all to me while so many poor 
 women have their hearts struck." "Do you work at Scovill's, 
 or does your husband work there?" "My husband? He's 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 29 
 
 dead. He was taken from me when she was born. No, I 
 don't work there, but a niece of his does and they heard I 
 was smitten with all the children. They took care of me. 
 Oh, many's the mother that died with her babe and many's 
 the home that is broken up." 
 
 Seated at the table was a bright-looking young man, one 
 of those who had volunteered, and who had succumbed to 
 the disease. He was now pretty well on the road to health. 
 He was modest about telling of his work but when asked 
 how he had done the things he did, said : "Gee, it was pretty 
 tough, some of it, but it had to be done and you wouldn't 
 want to ask any fellow to do it, so you had to do it yourself." 
 Over in the corner sat a youngish Italian man. His labor- 
 hardened face was illumined by bright, unusually big eyes 
 which were constantly fastening on the door. When his 
 gaze was intercepted he flashed a bright grin which swiftly 
 passed into the same intent anxiety. His name was Pete, 
 he had been brought there from a wretchedly poor home 
 wherein his wife and children lay dying. His was an extra 
 hard case and even now he was in great danger. Day after 
 day he had been asking nurses and doctors for news from 
 home and day after day he received the same reply. They 
 were all well and soon would be better. "Why no come see 
 me?" "Oh, give them time, Pete, you know they've been 
 pretty sick." "Yes, yes, me great trouble. Me very sorry. 
 Hope to see my wife soon, then I walk away better." "We'll 
 have to tell him, poor fellow, but it is a tough thing." Wife 
 and children were dead. 
 
 Scenes as bad as these and some even worse, took place 
 in other cities. Willimantic had cases where the doctors 
 had to rush from one patient to another. Hartford had a 
 case in a house on Capitol Avenue where a dozen people 
 were all ill without succor and the conditions were deplor- 
 able; in one city, only the delay in getting the undertaker 
 prevented a young mother from being buried alive. 
 
 The moral of this reference to the epidemic can be easily 
 fastened on without the aid of hooks and eyes. Only the 
 fact that the war was ending prevented it from being an 
 international calamity, as it was. It meant a serious loss of 
 lives and of millions of dollars in production. It has cost 
 cities much money. That money should have been spent 
 in prevention. That such a menace to health and industry 
 may repeat itself is probable. That preparation should be 
 made to prevent such a repetition happening is an impera- 
 tive duty. The state, and every city and town in the state, 
 should set to work at once systematically and intel- 
 
30 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 ligently to meet such an emergency. It will cost money but 
 it is the people's money and it should be used to protect them 
 rather than have to be spent in fighting the disease after it 
 has attacked them. Boards of health are expensive and in- 
 jurious adjuncts unless they are properly supported, for 
 the fact that a city or town has a board seems to lull the 
 people into a sense that it is the board's business to do this 
 or that. But the board of health can do nothing unless it 
 has power and money. It is unjust and picayune to crit- 
 icise its failures if those be due to a niggardly and sus- 
 picious policy on the part of town or city or to the using the 
 board as a part of a political machine. It deserves criticism 
 if it Becomes a political machine itself and should be prompt- 
 ly put out of business. 
 
 A rather careful survey of the situation created by the 
 late epidemic justifies the conclusion that more power and 
 means should be given to every board of health in the state. 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 31 
 
 SAFETY PRECAUTIONS. 
 
 Safety precautions gained more attention after the out- 
 break of the war. Munition plants and factories whose out- 
 put entailed the using of dangerous or health affecting acids 
 and combinations were subjected to more rigid inspection. 
 Orders were given by both the Department of Labor and 
 the Department of Factory Inspection requiring that chemi- 
 cals, acids, explosives and like combinations be stored out- 
 side the buildings at a distance sufficiently remote to protect 
 the workers. The factory inspectors also looked diligently 
 after the conditions of machines and were particularly in- 
 sistent on the safeguarding of health of polishers, grinders 
 and buffers. Orders were uniformly quickly obeyed, the 
 manufacturers being most anxious to have safety the first 
 consideration. 
 
 Considering the crowding of more machines and seats 
 into space and the narrowing of many passages to accom- 
 modate the increase of workers, the industrial investigator 
 insisted in all factories visited on having clear signs or 
 lights directing the way to the various fire escapes so that 
 no one, however inexperienced or obtuse could fail to under- 
 stand their purport, through means of the red letters and 
 red color. Many girls were employed who wore their hair 
 either confined with a bow at the base of the head, hanging 
 loosely, or in braids. They were ordered to have it done 
 up while at work, both because of the possibility of danger 
 when near machinery and also because in such places as 
 candy factories and kitchens, it was desirable on the ground 
 of neatness. 
 
 Since women have gone into work, in brass and copper in- 
 dustries and on heavy machine work, handling oil covered 
 tubes, cutting and bending pipes, standing on a floor that is 
 unavoidably greasy and sand covered, it was thought much 
 better for the safety and health of the workers that they 
 should wear a large apron or a uniform and in all cases 
 have heavy soled shoes. In 1915 the investigator suggested 
 to munition workers, notably in Bridgeport, the wearing of 
 thick nets which should confine and protect the hair. Since 
 that date the work of women in munition plants was ex- 
 tended from cartridge making, drilling, milling, filling, 
 assembling and inspecting, to many other heavier branches 
 
32 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 and a protective garb while at work in the factory became a 
 necessity for health and safety. It has been the general 
 custom of workers to change their dresses to older ones; 
 some changed their shoes but the majority did not. A few 
 made no changes whatever. The heavier and more dirty 
 work, however, required a different style. At first there 
 was considerable opposition, added to by the jests of men 
 who nearly created a riot when the overall uniform was 
 adopted in a Bridgeport plant. So much trouble was caused 
 that the welfare supervisor wished to make a compromise 
 on a large apron of the bungalow style, only fitting more 
 closely, something after the sort that is worn in laundries. 
 However, those who had adopted the overalls found them so 
 handy and comfortable that they won out in the end, though 
 they never attained the popularity that safety and con- 
 venience warranted. Had the war continued there is no 
 question but that their use would have become general. 
 Nevertheless, there are still many places where women have 
 to work in dust, grease and steam, and where the wearing 
 of a work uniform is a distinct advantage, saving time, 
 lessening the fatigue caused by caring for ordinary clothing, 
 the binding of which prevents ease and freedom of move- 
 ment, and what is of some importance to the manufacturer, 
 adds to efficiency and production. 
 
 In the French, British and German factories the garb was 
 used from the early days of the war and was of much aid 
 to quick and efficient production. The women were actually 
 obliged to wear a work garment adapted to the particular 
 work in which they were engaged. In chemical works the 
 uniform was fireproofed and goggles were worn over the 
 eyes; in airplane work, especially doping, sleeves were 
 tightened; fastened at wrist; with an apron over the uni- 
 form ; a cap was also worn. In metal processes, trousers or 
 knickers with a tunic, leggins and gloves were approved 
 garb; where grinding and dust were to be feared, 
 breathing tubes were used. The material of the garments 
 was either heavy or medium woolen, heavy or thin cotton, 
 according to the temperature of the place where the work 
 was to be done. Gloves had been used in munition and brass 
 working plants before the more general use in Great Britain, 
 but the workers have never been partial to them, as they 
 thought they could not work as quickly. 
 
 It is a fact that women will not take care of themselves 
 as well as men in the matter of eating regularly and partak- 
 ing of nourishing food, especially where they are on piece 
 work. Unless there is a complete cessation of power, many 
 
WOMAN OPERATING A DRILL PRESS. NOTE THE ROLLED-UP SLEEVES, THE CAP 
 AND THE LARGE PROTECTIVE APRON. 
 
 Courtesy of Travelers Insurance Co. 
 
WOMAN OPERATING TAPPING MACHINE. NOTE OVERALL UNIFORM. 
 
 Courtesy of Travelers Insurance Co. 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 33 
 
 of them will hurry through their lunch and return to the 
 machines. Where they are assembling or inspecting, they 
 usually cut the lunch hour when the work is paid other 
 than by daily or hourly rate. They are also less careful 
 about calling attention to breaks, defects or accidents to 
 their machines. Even when they know there is something 
 wrong, they begrudge the time required to have it adjusted 
 and keep on to finish up, with the result that often they 
 cause a greater injury to the machine and occasionally one 
 to themselves. When they are hurt, if it be a trifling injury 
 in their opinion, they will not go at once for treatment but 
 try to manage until near the closing hour. In one factory 
 there were several women who had lost forefingers and 
 parts of their thumbs simply, as they admitted themselves, 
 because they had stuck their fingers and thumbs in to help 
 along. The latest case of this sort was on March 6, 1917. in 
 Bridgeport, when the management of the factory ordered 
 that type of machine taken out and today it is impossible for 
 anyone to get caught no matter how the hands and fingers 
 are used. 
 
 Today there is not a factory or small working place in the 
 state which the factory inspectors have not equipped with 
 emergency kits. There still are, however, many factories 
 where an emergency hospital could be used with great bene- 
 fit. It need not be an elaborate affair but it should have 
 the means of attending to an accident until trained help ar- 
 rives. Every factory employing help should have more 
 than one physician in the neighborhood ready to come at 
 short call. The sight of a man pinned by a giant screw pin 
 tight to a gauge machine with his fellow-workmen power- 
 less to help him while he writhed in agony waiting for a 
 physician and ambulance from a hospital to arrive ought to 
 be enough to compel general precaution against such a con- 
 dition being repeated. 
 
 All machines requiring guards have them today. There 
 are also skirt rails placed on machines where women are 
 sewing. 
 
 It has been suggested to the investigator that a recom- 
 mendation be made for fire drills in large factories. There 
 is a minimum of danger from fire in every large factory. 
 The chances of a fire breaking out in a business house are 
 much greater. Added to this there is no factory which has 
 not provision for fire in some form though all have not in 
 as great degree as they should. Some cling to the antiquat- 
 ed fire buckets filled with water. These receptacles are 
 
34 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 generally stowed in out of the way nooks so that if there 
 was a sudden demand for them, it would waste precious 
 time to find them. The investigator, having asked about 
 fire precaution in one concern, was an interested spectator 
 of the attempt of the foreman to locate water pails which 
 he knew existed "somewhere" in the factory. Four men 
 were sent out to discover their location. It consumed just 
 thirty-three minutes to exhume the pails from under stair- 
 ways, back of boxes and out of dark corners. If this "pro- 
 tection" is to be allowed to continue every entrance should 
 have a sign in red letters telling where the water pails can 
 be found. Many printing offices and tobacco shops, always 
 rather small places of business, have very inadequate pro- 
 tection, either pails or extinguishers. 
 
 Where the owners and managers are up to date, the 
 sprinkler system protects even moderately sized plants. It 
 is an investment which makes a good return in the increas- 
 ing sense of safety and decreasing danger and also insurance 
 rate. Even with the system there should be extinguishers. 
 The large factories have hose and hydrants and fire compan- 
 ies. The Winchester Repeating Arms Co. of New Haven 
 employed experienced men under the direction of a former 
 fire chief for years, even before the beginning of the war 
 work. Where there are neither firemen, hose nor sprinkler, 
 there should be fire extinguishers in preference to the anti- 
 quated fire pails. The former are readily distinguished and 
 much more effective. They are easy to find as they have to 
 be hung up. It would be a good safety measure for insurance 
 companies to insist that the extinguishers take the place of 
 water pails. 
 
 It was stated to the investigator that fire drills are re- 
 quired by law in New York factories. Connecticut fac- 
 tories are given the benefit of the suggestion. The objection 
 which is most tenable against their institution is the loss of 
 time they would involve. But loss of time and production 
 while something to be avoided are not as deplorable as loss 
 of life. 
 
 For the calming of those who are afraid the recommend- 
 ation will not be immediately followed, it is well to direct 
 attention to the fact that catastrophies from fires are ex- 
 ceedingly small in the manufacturing concerns of the state. 
 An easily arranged substitute for the fire drill is having the 
 workers on each floor made familiar with the fire escapes 
 and the ways of reaching them. This is already under way. 
 An excellent help in every department or room would be a 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 35 
 
 portable extension ladder whereby a flame high up could be 
 easily reached. 
 
 Far more needful of attention than the regular factory 
 buildings, are numerous structures which have been util- 
 ized as factories, printing offices and shops by small con- 
 cerns which only occupy a floor or two, or even part of a 
 floor. These places house from nine to ten hours a day 
 thousands of men and women who are almost without pro- 
 tection. In many of them the floors are old, like tinder, satur- 
 ated with grease and roughened with splints so that swift 
 progress over them means hurting the feet. The stairways 
 are none too good, the lighting has to be fought for, the fire 
 escapes are in obscure corners or reached through devious 
 pathways leading into some other building. Generally the 
 sprinkler is absent. Many of these buildings belong to 
 estates and it is like searching for a needle in a haystack to 
 find the owner or someone who will acknowledge the re- 
 sponsibility for spending money for improvements. There 
 are more of these places than one would fancy are compat- 
 ible with existing insurance laws and building inspectors. 
 It would not take an X-Ray to discover them in any large 
 city. Added to this, the accommodations for the help in the 
 line of places to "wash up" are usually bad. The arrange- 
 ments for toilets are travesties. They are a constant care 
 and exasperation to the factory and other inspectors. To 
 have them in decent condition it is necessary to camp there 
 permanently and there is no time for that sort of thing. 
 Orders that are within the province of the department are 
 given and are carried out only sufficiently to comply with 
 the requirements of the law. In a short time the work has 
 to be done over again. 
 
 City boards of health, building inspectors and insurance 
 companies should all unite in a vigorous campaign against 
 these menaces to life and safety. In going through plants 
 which are really well safeguarded, the investigator noticed 
 some fire hydrants which were obstructed by trucks or 
 heavy cases and some elevators, notably for freight, where 
 the user was not always careful to have them well protected. 
 In factories where the covering is a part of the flooring, 
 every such part should have a railing about it or be indicat- 
 ed by a white danger line. 
 
 A habit which prevailed in many plants is for the worker, 
 man or woman, to shade the electric light with a piece of 
 paper. This should be stopped. The light should be prop- 
 erly protected so that it will not dazzle the worker's eyes 
 
36 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 or fall improperly on the work. The use of the paper is 
 dangerous and likely to cause a fire which might be hurtful 
 to the worker, though it could not spread through the build- 
 ing. On a par with this is the custom of many women to 
 wear paper confined with rubber bands about their wrists 
 to save their sleeves. If they have to use this protection 
 for cleanliness, it should be fireproofed. But they ought to 
 have the regular overall uniform. 
 
 In one factory in the state where men are exposed to 
 danger in boiler rooms, asbestos suits are being furnished 
 for their use while working. These consist of trousers, 
 coat, hood and gloves. It is hoped other firms will follow 
 this one's example. 
 
 Every plant has a foreman or foremen. If it be large it 
 has a number in each department. Besides looking after 
 the output, it would be an easy job to look after the con- 
 ditions of the room, department or floor every day, for a 
 daily inspection would only occupy a few minutes. By this 
 defective lighting, broken places in floors and worn treads 
 of stairways, a frequent and dangerous condition, could be 
 noted and remedied without compelling a factory inspector 
 to go through the routine of issuing orders. There is an 
 abundance of work for the inspectors without attending to 
 small yet most important details which can be readily and 
 quickly cared for by plant foremen. 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 37 
 
 HOUSING CONDITIONS 
 
 When the abrupt ending of the war in Europe thrilled the 
 hearts of the people of the United States with joy and 
 thanksgiving, the hum of the saw and the stroke of the ham- 
 mer were heard in many industrial centers as the builders 
 toiled to complete housing for the war workers. Peace 
 ended the haste in some places ; in others it stopped oper- 
 ations completely, but in many localities though building is 
 proceeding more leisurely, it is still going on and will be 
 continued and increased as in these towns there is to be no 
 cessation of building of ships and other needs of the United 
 States even on a peace basis. The shipbuilding industry 
 throughout Connecticut will expand instead of contracting 
 as it is inevitable that this country will extend its foreign 
 trade. 
 
 Congestion of factory workers will be relieved, but inas- 
 much as general building operations, particularly the build- 
 ing of homes, were interrupted by the request of the govern- 
 ment, there is certain to be an increase in the number of 
 dwelling houses in such towns as Hartford and New Haven, 
 even if the factory workers are not to occupy them. Others 
 than they have been cramped for room and many large 
 business enterprises which deferred their extension until 
 after the war will start building as soon as permitted by 
 release of material and workers. 
 
 In New Haven, Mayor FitzGerald in January 1919, rec- 
 ognizing the need of keeping the workers busy, authorized 
 the expenditure of $8,000,000 for necessary work for the 
 city's improvement. 
 
 But no matter what building activity goes on in the 
 future, there will be no great industrial housing construc- 
 tive building as in 1917 and 1918 with which the record of 
 how munition and other labor was cared for is concerned. 
 
 The state of affairs was serious in the centers of work. 
 Owners of old buildings, however ramshackle, took no pains 
 to renovate or improve them but rented them at prices which 
 were out of all proportion to former rents or to their ac- 
 commodations. In some places tenants who had lived for 
 ten, fifteen and twenty years in a house and had made it at- 
 tractive and homelike were warned to get out and im- 
 mediately the rent was doubled and tripled on their sue- 
 
38 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 cessor. Localities which would have been tabooed by re- 
 spectable people were filled with strangers who knew noth- 
 ing of neighborhood ethics and were glad to have a roof 
 over their heads. Workers who came from Kansas, Cali- 
 fornia and Montana often had to enlist the services of police- 
 men to find a room to shelter them overnight, and if they 
 were fortunate enough in securing one, they paid enough 
 for it to hire a nice little flat in ante bellum days. In some 
 cities old houses, minus electricity and modern heating ap- 
 paratus rented for $125 a month and the owners wanted 
 more. These places, however, were profit-makers for the 
 tenant who had in one specific case 45 lodgers paying $1.25 
 a week, giving him a total of $225 a month. In general, 
 however, the advances in rents were not extortionate, when 
 the landlord's side was presented to the various housing 
 committees appointed to consider the situation. The land- 
 lord had to pay more taxes, more for the upkeep, more for 
 material. With plumbers, carpenters and painters work- 
 ing eight hours and receiving the rates that they did, an 
 advance of 10% or 15% did not cover the landlord's added 
 expense. While in the case of the tenant, the high cost of 
 living was cited and brought into the matter, it should be 
 remembered that the high cost of living affected the land- 
 lord also as did the increase of coal, gas and electricity 
 which had to be factors in houses rented furnished or un- 
 furnished with heat, light, etc. 
 
 The Secretary of the Chamber of Commerce of New 
 Haven, informed the investigator that New Haven could 
 not be said to suffer from congestion in the sense that other 
 cities were affected. The rents in New Haven did not ad- 
 vance as they did in Waterbury and Bridgeport, where the 
 raise was estimated at a flat 60%, but it did advance some. 
 One reason for the rise was the cessation of building. An- 
 other, of course, the increase of the cost of living. In New 
 Haven there was nothing like the difficulty in getting ac- 
 commodation for factory workers as there was in other 
 towns. A large concern there which owned many houses 
 even sold a row of them to a private owner. 
 
 Previous to the entry of this country into the war the 
 munition plants in Waterbury, Bridgeport and New Haven 
 had built many houses, purchased some and rented others 
 for their help. Too much emphasis cannot be placed on the 
 truth that the plants of the state were engaged in the pro- 
 duction of war goods, some of them since the outbreak of 
 the war in 1914 and had increased their help and accom- 
 modations before April, 1917, so that there was not so much 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 39 
 
 to be done after we entered the war. In Bridgeport, the 
 Remington Union Metallic Cartridge Co. and the Reming- 
 ton Armory had invested in 1915 over $2,000,000 in hous- 
 ing for its help. This is given in detail in the Industrial 
 Report of 1915-1916 and need not be repeated here save to 
 add that its building operations did not cease with this ex- 
 penditure, and that it had dormitories in Bridgeport and 
 Stamford for its women. Added to this, other concerns 
 built houses. All these houses were attractive, well 
 equipped homes. Further, the plans for increased housing 
 for Bridgeport workers through government aid are too 
 well known to be dwelt upon. 
 
 In Waterbury in 1915, the largest employer of labor 
 there, the Scovill Mfg. Co., had purchased large tracts of 
 land and had built and was building attractive six-room 
 houses, thoroughly modern in equipment, which it sold to 
 its workers at $3.000, actually less than the cost price. At 
 that time the cost of labor and material was far different. 
 Since then the company had about 150 brick houses built 
 which it offered to sell to its own employees at $4,200 for an 
 inside house and $4,700 for an end house. The purchase 
 price was applied in the form of rent, practically, and these 
 houses were to be paid for at the rate of $30. a month for 
 the inside house and $32 for the outside house. Through 
 its employment agency in 1918, it listed rooms, tenements 
 and boarding places where the worker from out of town 
 could be sent. In addition to this, barracks were built in 
 healthy, well lighted localities for men workers who were 
 given a lighted, sanitary room for 50c. a week, and had the 
 privilege of cooking their own meals in a kitchen remote 
 from the sleeping rooms. 
 
 South Manchester, Bridgeport, Bristol, Waterbury and 
 later than these, New London, all gave serious consideration 
 to the housing of workers. The first four had the houses 
 in occupation and have been building more. The latter, New 
 London, is now building, but unlike the others, the work is 
 being done with the co-operation of the federal and muni- 
 cipal governments. 
 
 South Manchester through the Cheney Bros., silk manu- 
 facturers, has for several years had accomodations for its 
 workers and during the past year extended them greatly. 
 The houses are substantially built and well planned. 
 These houses are representative in every way. 
 
 The New Departure Co., Bristol, and the growth of the 
 housing in that hustling little town, are examples of first 
 
40 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 class providence in anticipating and filling the needs of the 
 workers. 
 
 But it is not really, after all, what has been done sporadi- 
 cally or through exigency that can be considered the real 
 housing problem solution. Housing that is to stay for steady 
 industry such as that which exists in the cotton and woolen 
 villages of northeastern Connecticut and the houses of the 
 employees of such large concerns as the Cheney Brothers, 
 the Waterbury, Bridgeport and Bristol plants is not all 
 that affects the workers. This housing has to be held a 
 permanent feature and the occupants are not transients but 
 stable workers. Yet, the housing question, as it touches on 
 the every day workers in all phases of industrial life, is the 
 thing. 
 
 There will always be a class that has to earn its daily 
 bread and house its family under the rooftree of a landlord 
 as there will always be the landlord to furnish the rooftree. 
 According to the high cost of living which is to continue for 
 some years more there will be increase in the tenant class, 
 and the health, comfort and general welfare of that class 
 is a charge on the community in which it lives. 
 
 Man is entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happi- 
 ness, but he will have precious little chance to catch that 
 elusive third in the series unless he has some help while 
 he is chasing that symbol of comfort, three dollars. 
 
 In this era when we are gravely and effectively concerned 
 for the welfare of every nationality that can be made out 
 of a combination of consonants, it should not be forgotten 
 that charity, or rather, justice, should have some concrete 
 evidence that we are interested in giving them help. 
 
 We cannot make very lofty idealized Americans out of 
 people we allow to live in ill-kept, ill-smelling, ill-lighted, 
 ill-ventilated tenements, lacking bathrooms and having apol- 
 ogies for closets that are an offense to the senses. When 
 the walls are covered with dirty, greasy wallpaper which 
 even in its youth would have given indigestion to an ostrich, 
 the ceilings cracked, the floors rough and split, the back 
 stairs, veranda or stoop blocked with refuse and old rags, 
 the hall redolent with the odors of relays of cooking, the 
 front entrance like the leaning tower of Pisa; the boy or 
 girl who is growing into maturity under these surroundings 
 will have uncommon mental and spiritual stamina to resist 
 the tendency to slovenliness of thought and action. Youthful 
 immorality is bred in these congested regions. 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 41 
 
 Added to this when the head of the family, or at least, 
 the male provider, has to pay a rent out of all proportion to 
 the value he receives, the home conversation and atmosphere 
 is bound to be anything but enlivening. We are engaged 
 in many good crusades against the employment of children 
 in occupations hurtful to their growth or morality, but we 
 have not paid much attention to the environment of the 
 children who constitute the larger number of the children 
 of the country nor shown any comprehension of the fact that 
 on the impressionable and vividly receptive mind of the 
 child the place in which he lives has a wonderful effect. If 
 there be inherent a strong character and personal ambition 
 such as is often found in the Jew, Pole and Italian, the con- 
 trast between his own and the homes of other children whom 
 he meets at school is bound to make him determined to rise. 
 And he does. But if he does not possess that trait he is 
 bound to become more or less injured. 
 
 Housing conditions have not been considered as affecting 
 the children, but there is an important relation between 
 them. The development of physique and mind should pro- 
 ceed with some coordination. A stunted and diseased body 
 is rarely the tenement of a great soul, unless the stunting 
 is the result of accident. A fine physical development means 
 naturally a vigor of body that assists the brain, and in the 
 majority of cases, a better quality of mind, although history 
 shows some of the greatest minds were in defective bodies. 
 But the majority has to be considered. Physical, moral, 
 social and mental development should proceed together. 
 
 The housing of the child comes to be an important ques- 
 tion. Statistics show infant mortality which could have 
 been reduced at least 60% through air, sunlight, sanitation. 
 This is a serious commercial loss to every community, a loss 
 that is increased by remembering that adult lives have been 
 lost and vitality and usefulness impaired by the war. There- 
 fore, in building houses the fact that they should shelter the 
 potential human forces of the state and country, that they 
 should be the health protecting homes for the children of the 
 state, ought to have paramount consideration. 
 
 It is true, we need to house adults. That has been the 
 prime thought in all discussions. But we have also to 
 think of the growing children who are to take their places 
 and see provisions are made so that all families, whatever 
 the color of the nationality, should have in the words of the 
 greatest American citizen of this century, "A square deal." 
 Thousands of children in the state of Connecticut are born 
 and live in stuffy, small rooms, minus sufficient light and 
 
42 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 sunshine and without proper sanitary conditions. Were it 
 not for the fact that they escape for several hours daily when 
 they are old enough to go to school, to the warmth, light and 
 better conditions of the latter there would be a larger death 
 rate. And in passing, it may be said that schools can be 
 improved also with regard to their health conditions. 
 
 Anyone who is interested or who doubts the statement of 
 existing conditions in tenement houses where are born and 
 live or die as circumstances decree, thousands of children, 
 and whence come sometimes the leaders of the nation, has 
 only to walk through the poorer quarters of any city and 
 see people living in houses where a scientific breeder of pigs 
 would not allow a hog to remain. Not simply to meet an 
 exigency, but to comply with an imperative demand should 
 there be inspection, improvement and securing of good con- 
 ditions in the older houses and the construction of the newer 
 to furnish them. 
 
 Many plans of housing have been presented by experts 
 for building of homes for workingmen and their families. 
 Some of them are exceptionally good and some are like other 
 plans proposed by experts and theorists, uncommonly fine 
 on paper and absolutely no good in fact. Some of these 
 plans arrange for houses of four rooms in some cases and 
 five in others saying the restriction of rooms was to prevent 
 the family having lodgers, and to keep the family really 
 a family. There is much truth in that statement and much 
 to commend it, but a four room house having a kitchen, a 
 combination living room and dining room and two bed 
 rooms is not sufficient to accommodate a growing family 
 and simply means the needs of the family will be met by 
 utilizing both kitchen and living-dining room for bedrooms 
 with the use of the unsanitary couch which is quickly con- 
 verted from a bed to an ornamental article of furniture and 
 whose bedding receives no airing or sunshine. 
 
 Eixe rooms are the least that any family can get along 
 with sanitarily after it comes to be a family of more than 
 two. The recent epidemic where whole families were lying 
 ill without space for isolation, where sick and well slept to- 
 gether and where when nurses were brought in, their first 
 task was to devise some means of preventing the practice, 
 afforded an object lesson which ought not to be forgotten. 
 Another consideration to be held in view is that unless these 
 houses are built for the migratory class of workmen, they 
 will soon cease to be sufficient accommodation, for families 
 cannot be restrained in size even if a building is, and as soon 
 as he is uncomfortable the workingman will move away. 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 43 
 
 Compressed quarters are an incitement to a change rather 
 than to a steady occupation, and as a matter of business, the 
 employer who is putting up such for permanent use should 
 think of the labor turnover he is thus encouraging. Build- 
 ers of houses for speculation cannot afford to sponsor such 
 huts. The workingman resents having his limitations as to 
 expenditure for rent advertised and he resents living- in 
 such small quarters. 
 
 A conclusive demonstration of this was shown in a cer- 
 tain section of the state where a manufacturer, ten or 
 twelve years ago, put up numerous houses of this sort for 
 occupancy by his help. He finally sold them in a job lot 
 before all the doors had fallen off and while the window 
 frames were still left. 
 
 The group house has been favored largely and has the 
 advantage of saving space but the group house is open to 
 the objection that only the ends have full circulation of air. 
 The detached house is the best type in every way. It af- 
 fords a little space about it wherein the inmates can stretch 
 their arms and legs, have a little garden and expand their 
 muscles and gather life and vigor while filling their lungs 
 with good, free, pure air. As far as possible the building 
 of new houses for industrial use or for rent to tenants of 
 any occupation should plan to avoid the tiresome sameness 
 and unhealthy cramping. 
 
 Children were never made to be placed in rows like nine- 
 pins, and as they constitute the real wealth of the state, 
 they should be permitted a fair chance to expand. 
 
 The workingman's family of the $16.50 a week class, or 
 even lower wage, naturally has to consider the rent in pro- 
 portion to the amount of the monthly wages it consumes. 
 Therefore, planning for such a family means getting the 
 most possible of social and home atmosphere within four 
 walls for the least amount of money. The kitchen, the bed 
 rooms and the bathroom are first consideration. The kitch- 
 en, because in a tenement or house for this money-grade 
 worker, cooking, working, washing, sewing and mending 
 are all done by the mother in this room. Where the mother 
 stays, the entire family hover about. It is the sitting room 
 and often the reception room. This, however, should be 
 guarded against. The man may be willing to smoke his 
 pipe with his friend while his wife entertains the other 
 man's wife in the parlor, but nine workingmen out of ten 
 are as keen as their wives for the dignity and consequence 
 attained by having a "best room." They are going down 
 the grade when they forget this. The wife may be willing 
 
44 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 to use the dining room-parlor combination, but if she had 
 to give up the parlor idea, she would rather eat in the kitch- 
 en despite the fact that she knows she can not eat as 
 heartily because "she is filled with the smell of the cooking." 
 Eating in the kitchen is not confined nowadays to the $16.50 
 a week class. It is followed by many people who have to 
 do their own work, whatever the size of their income. 
 -HThe living room or parlor is a desirable adjunct for the 
 young people, who are thus within the home rather than 
 wandering about in dark streets, and are within the reach 
 of their parents, though not with them, j 
 
 The living room is often an aid as well to social better- 
 ment and ambitions. 
 
 The bathroom as a name covers more plumbing and land- 
 lord sins than the biggest mantle that Charity ever spread. 
 In apartment houses where $48 and $50 a month are charged 
 for five rooms it frequently has ventilation only by an air 
 shaft through which floats down or wells up the conversa- 
 tion, criticism and innermost secrets of the other denizens, 
 it has thus served to create feuds compared to which the 
 Montague-Capulet affair was a mere fracas. The shaft also 
 serves to poison the air. In some places there is no pre- 
 tence of ventilation, the "bathroom" being an afterthought 
 embodied in putting up a partition and cutting down the 
 cubic space of the kitchen or a bed room. Often the kitchen 
 serves as an aisle of approach through which all the family 
 promenades to the goal. It is distinctly bad to have this 
 room connected directly with the kitchen and bed room. 
 Bathrooms should be reached through a separate passage, 
 communicating with the different rooms, thus insuring 
 privacy and sanitation. 
 
 Men who hire houses pay the rent. They are entitled to 
 some decent place. Good housing built simply for specula- 
 tion has proved a good investment wherever tried out, as 
 reported by the City and Suburban Homes company of New 
 York which is giving a 5% dividend annually to its stock- 
 holders on the $6,000,000, it has invested in houses, be- 
 sides paying good salaries to all its employees and keeping 
 up a high standard of the houses. 
 
 When a corporation builds houses that are attractive 
 and home-like and do not advertise the occupation of the 
 owner, these are the ones that are sought. Where the cor- 
 poration, whether manufactory or real estate, makes it pos- 
 ible for the dwellers to buy these houses on the monthly in- 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 45 
 
 stallment plan and restricts the neighborhood to a certain 
 grade of improvement and morality, there is the advantage 
 of establishing homes and stability, insuring a livable resi- 
 dential neighborhood and increasing the attractions of the 
 city as a home place for people who may be desirous of new 
 business locations. 
 
46 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 WELFARE WORK. 
 
 Welfare work and betterment of conditions all over the 
 United States as well as in the state of Connecticut began 
 to take form between 1900 and 1918, when its activity has 
 been much exploited. At the start it was urged by labor 
 unions and sympathetic bodies. 
 
 Since it had headway, the Factory Department and the 
 Labor Bureau have been hammering away every year seeing 
 it was kept up and extended. Its first showing was made 
 in employers associations, either death or sick benefit, or 
 both, as exemplified in such union work as the Brotherhood 
 of Trainmen and Locomotive Engineers associations and 
 other railway organizations, carpenters' unions, etc., then 
 the forming of benefit associations in factories and busi- 
 ness places either wholly of employees or with employer 
 and employee working together. Tuberculosis associations, 
 firms paying for sick employees at sanitariums, pension 
 systems, bonus, reduction of working hours, increase of 
 pay, group insurance, compensation law, employment of 
 nurses and doctors, rest, lunch and reading rooms, athletic 
 associations, picnics, club rooms, etc., are all forms of wel- 
 fare work. 
 
 Welfare work in all countries has received a great impetus 
 since the beginning of the war as it became plain that plant 
 efficiency and production were largely increased by the com- 
 fort and content of the worker. In some countries where 
 whole families were engaged in gainful occupation, where 
 people of leisure were unable to procure domestics and 
 were too helpless to do the work themselves, or where it was 
 thought economy of food, fuel and time might be .achieved 
 there was starting of community kitchens. 
 
 Like the majority of these schemes, it was practically 
 made in Germany and put into practice in Sweden, Norway 
 and Denmark in 1916-1917, and in England in 1917, where 
 communal kitchens were held with considerable success, 
 there being about 500 in operation by the middle of 1918. 
 One element of their popularity in England and Germany 
 is that in pre-war times, even the poorer classes, the vast 
 numbers herding in lodgings, and the medium middle class 
 were in the habit of patronizing pastry shops and having 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 47 
 
 dinners brought into their abiding places, excellently cooked 
 and at reasonable price. 
 
 For people who were tired or 'had not the means of cook- 
 ing or who did not care to buy a variety of articles, it was 
 a good plan. Where the government paid part of the support 
 of the communal kitchens high grade chefs and good mate- 
 rial were the rule. In the war time, to the poor, the busy 
 munition workers, the middle class and the rich who wanted 
 to save trouble, the communal kitchen afforded a solution of 
 the feeding problem reasonably satisfactory. 
 
 That this, like other old world customs, would ever have 
 become popular except in the sections of populous cities al- 
 ready familiar with the soup kitchen idea is a question. 
 There is something about the communal feeding plan which 
 savors of disfavor in the mind of the independent American 
 citizen. In the first place he is essentially a believer in 
 home cooking, and second; the idea implies a vague public 
 philanhropy and he is too spirited to stand in line and sit 
 around a board to receive his dinner in a basket, forwarded 
 to him, as it suggests the method used in feeding animals 
 in a zoo, and outrages his sense of personal sovereignty. It 
 may do in Germany and other places where they do not care 
 as long as they receive the food. 
 
 Every individual plant of any magnitude has dining 
 rooms for men and women, and often separate ones for the 
 foremen and the clerks. These rooms have tables and many 
 of them are fitted up with conveniences for reading. Meals 
 are served at cost, excellently cooked by men or women, 
 the majority of whom are hired by the company, and a few 
 of whom have paid for the privilege of catering. The em- 
 ployees have the choice of several courses, there is an abun- 
 dance of food, and where there are plants which do not 
 serve the food they have coffee, cocoa and milk for their 
 workers. These are the small places where the greater 
 part of the men and women live close by. After eating, 
 the men sit around the tables playing cards, reading papers, 
 smoking or talking. These men would not be patrons of 
 a community kitchen for several reasons. When the meas- 
 ure was described as a war expedient affording relief and 
 saving time, it impresed the investigator as having desirable 
 features, and being worth while ascertaining the opinion 
 of some of the people in the production centers who were the 
 ones who might reasonably be supposed to profit by its 
 existence. 
 
 The first one interviewed was a Polish woman of 51, 
 married, husband living and working, mother of two sons 
 
48 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 working in New Haven, one son in the army, four daugh- 
 ters, one of whom is an experienced stenographer receiving 
 $80 a month ; one a teacher of physical culture in California, 
 and the older two who have not been able to have any edu- 
 cational advantages and who married young, have hus- 
 bands and children and were working in the factories since 
 the outbreak of the war. Of the two sons at home, one was 
 a molder averaging $45 a week ; the other a machinist, not 
 an expert, making with bonus and overtime an average 
 of $38 a week. Both were married and lived in flats for 
 which they paid $35 a month, furnishing their own light. 
 One had two boys, neither of whom was at work like his 
 father; and the other had three girls who were to be 
 "brought up fine." The point on which all were unanimous 
 was that education was the greatest good. 
 
 This family may be readily taken as a representative 
 type of the decent, ambitious worker. The mother was 
 making cartridges and stopped reflectively as the question : 
 "I can't say I'd want it. No". With decision, "I would not. 
 I bring my lunch and get warm coffee or cocoa here, but 
 if I did not, I would not like to go there if we had one". "I 
 wonder if you would mind telling me why you would not 
 like it?" "Why not is hard to say at once, but I know at 
 once what I do not like. I would not like to go where there 
 are many people waiting to get food. I would not like to go 
 unless I was neat and was satisfied with myself. I would 
 not like to have anybody tell me what I must eat and to 
 have it planned for me. I think today while I am working 
 what I will have for my husband tomorrow. I will plan so 
 that we have a nice, warm breakfast, a good lunch, and at 
 night a fine dinner. There will always be something to eat 
 if we want it, and there will be something for my friends 
 and children, and my grandchildren if they want it. If I 
 have a weakness in my stomach, I can take a bite of food 
 maybe. I think we have all been not at all stuffed with 
 food this year." 
 
 "But you could get your noonday lunch 
 
 "I cook and bring it here and it does not cost me as it is 
 part of what I have for my breakfast and what I am going 
 to have for my dinner.. Besides when I was a little girl a 
 bad time fell on my town. We had to go and have soup 
 and bread given to all in our town. We felt much ashamed. 
 I would not like to go anywhere to have food given to me." 
 
 Another woman who had been listening interrupted ab- 
 ruptly "I like to have time when I am tired, but it does not 
 

 f -I' 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 49 
 
 hurt me to cook. I want what I like to eat. I have been too 
 long eating what someone else thinks I should like to eat." 
 
 A young married woman had a different reason. "I 
 like my husband, he is a good man, he makes good money, 
 he gives it all to me. I like to get what he likes and to 
 cook it for him and to see him and my children laugh be- 
 cause they are happy for they are eating good food with 
 each other. Besides if my children are hungry I have 
 something to make them happy." 
 
 Another, a married woman said, "Children eat and then 
 they stop. Pretty soon they want to eat some more. What 
 then?" 
 
 "Suppose I went to one of those", said a bright faced in- 
 spector in Bridgeport, "I would not go unless I changed my 
 shoes and combed my hair and freshened up. And I 
 wouldn't like it unless all my own bunch were with me. 
 Not for me." 
 
 "I don't have to have anything of that. I have a decent 
 home and wife." said a man shortly. 
 
 "I guess it would be all right for anyone that liked it." 
 sad a young unmarried man politely, "but it wouldn't touch 
 the spot with me." 
 
 "Oh, boy, not for me", said a man in the biggest concern 
 in Shelton, "When we have our eats, we sit around and 
 play cards and have a good time." 
 
 "I like kiddos around me, and the smell of cooking", said 
 a man of 35. 
 
 Of 50 young women rooming and boarding 15 said they 
 would go once anyway. The others wouldn't think of it. 
 
 One of the best methods of conserving and protecting 
 the health of women workers is the welfare supervisor. It 
 is not only necessary to look after the health of the women 
 workers but also of that of the men workers. Hitherto it 
 has been held that only a certain class of workers required 
 such aid but where there has been a general supervisor in- 
 trusted with the care of all, there has been a gratifying* 
 improvement and lessening of sickness and labor turnover. 
 Welfare workers were factors in large Connecticut concerns 
 six years ago. In 1914 the Winchester Repeating Arms 
 Co. of New Haven had an admirable system fully developed 
 under Mr. L. 0. Pethick, who was assisted by a corps of 
 women workers who took care of various branches, both of 
 indoors and shop work and outside recreation and looking 
 after the housing conditions. The Sargent Company of 
 New Haven, the Scovill Mfg. Co. of Waterbury, the Reming- 
 ton Arms of Bridgeport, the Hartford Rubber Works 
 
50 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 through the nurse, the Underwood Typewriter Co., the 
 Wiley-Sweet Co. of Hartford, are taken as examples of what 
 has been done by many other plants in this work and which 
 has resulted in 100% benefit. 
 
 Six factories in the state in 1917 had a force of registered 
 physicians employed exclusively by them. A number had 
 hospitals whose fittings were not surpassed, and some not 
 equaled by those of model public hospitals. One hospital 
 has three physicians, two orderlies and three registered 
 nurses with a clerical force doing work in connection with 
 the hospital records. Sixty factories in the state employ 
 nurses, and there is no concern even with less than three 
 employees which the factory inspectors have not seen to it 
 possessed and used emergency kits. Rest rooms, lunch 
 rooms, libraries are coming to be more general. When a 
 regular hospital is not warranted by the size of the plant, 
 a room is fitted up with a couch, hospital appliances and the 
 means of taking care of the sick or wounded until a phy- 
 sician comes. Added to their other equipment for the 
 care of their workers, five firms had a bathroom with 
 appliances strictly up to date for their use. These firms are 
 situated in Bridgeport, Norwalk, Shelton, South Manchester 
 and Stafford Springs. 
 
 Even before the United States went into the war, the wel- 
 fare work that was being done in Great Britain, France, 
 Germany and England engaged much attention here. The 
 British Minister of Munitions' pamphlet on the details and 
 systematic work being done for the men and women in 
 the war plants was naturally studied more than the pub- 
 lications of other nations, French information on the sub- 
 ject being scant as the French government's policy was to 
 do the work with as little publicity as possible. About the 
 first step in England was the appointment of women wel- 
 fare supervisors of whose duties, requirements and re- 
 lative position to other employees and the management an 
 exhaustive detail was published, completely covering their 
 operations until 1917. 
 
 At the National Conference of Employment Managers 
 held in Rochester, N. Y. in May, 1918, Dr. Kristine Mann of 
 the Women's Division, United States Ordnance, outlined 
 a plan for women supervisors which so exactly carried out 
 the ideas put into practice in England that her summary 
 may be quoted to give an epitome of the latter : 
 
 "The woman supervisor should be able to advise mana- 
 gers in rest rooms or canteens of the physical condition of in- 
 dividual girls not as respects disease but as to probable 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 51 
 
 individual power and efficiency; should be able by keeping 
 closely in touch with the worker to observe individual signs 
 of fatigue and to suggest conserving power by maintaining 
 good posture. She should be able to advise the normal girl 
 on diet, exercise, recreation, supplementing the work of the 
 doctor, she should be in close touch with the employment 
 manager advising him in the placing of girls according to 
 their physical capability. On the other hand, she must 
 know something of factory problems from the employer in 
 order that closer co-operation may be affected." 
 
 Somewhat nearer to Rochester than Great Britain these 
 suggested reforms, as far as their practical part is con- 
 cerned, were in full operation in many war plants in Con- 
 necticut, and as this state furnished more than half of the 
 munitions and other materials of war, some of its demon- 
 strated methods might well have been described for com- 
 mendation or criticism. It is only fair to assume that the 
 result of experienced work is as good a criterion as the sug- 
 gestions of the mental factories who guaranteed to turn out 
 employment agents and welfare workers at the rate of hun- 
 dreds after a course of six weeks or six months, assuring 
 the employers that these graduates would be fully capable 
 of taking an intimate and responsibla position in manufac- 
 tories which it had taken years of infinite care and business 
 experience to bring to success. 
 
 In Bridgeport, New Haven, Waterbury, Hartford, South 
 Manchester, New London, South Norwalk, and in lesser 
 degree in other industrial sections there has been develop- 
 ment of welfare work for both men and women for several 
 years. In 1915, the Winchester Repeating Arms of New 
 Haven, the Remington Arms of Bridgeport, the Cheney 
 Bros, of South Manchester, the Brainerd & Armstrong Co. 
 of New London, the Scovill Mfg. Co. of Waterbury, had 
 been for some time seriously concerned in the comfort and 
 health of their workers. The Underwood Company in Hart- 
 ford was already in the work. Other concerns of more 
 modest dimensions all over the state had many of its fea- 
 tures. 
 
 As said in a previous report, Connecticut has an admir- 
 able record in caring for its workers. 
 
 War plants are naturally objects of more interest from 
 the social welfare view, as they were the ones which were 
 the most crowded and the most likely to relax welfare work 
 during the great demand for production. In Bridgeport 
 a most efficient worker, Miss Williams, looked after the 
 Remington Arms employees. The latest visit of the inves- 
 
52 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 tigator to the plant in the end of March, 1918, showed ad- 
 mirable results from her careful supervision. She person- 
 ally followed the history, life needs and housing of every 
 girl under her care, and she also exercised a moral super- 
 vision over the conduct of the men. 
 
 In New Haven, two firms may be taken as a type of the 
 work that was done, one because it did not have as extensive 
 a system, and the other because it may be given as an ex- 
 ample of the broadest and most minute attention to welfare 
 work. 
 
 The first, The Sargent Co., had its work under the direc- 
 tion of Mrs. Soby, who may be cited as an example of the 
 practical matron who directs welfare work. She looks af- 
 ter the moral and physical welfare of the men and women 
 both, seeing they are sent to the doctor as soon as in her 
 judgment there is need of a physician's care and sees that 
 cleanliness prevails and exercises a strict outlook over all 
 sanitary conditions. She follows the women and girls into 
 their outer life as far as in her judgment the factory has a 
 right to do, and personally she has established so close a 
 sympathy with the workers that they voluntarily come to 
 her and confide in her all troubles, grievances, and such sug- 
 gestions as they feel would add to their betterment. Out- 
 side of the shops she has organized many of these girls into 
 clubs, one of which did much good work during the war. 
 The Red Cross classes of the Sargent Company met Tuesday 
 and Thursday noon, devoting an hour to making bandages, 
 knitting and all the other work that helped the Red Cross 
 in furnishing aid to the soldiers. The Sargent Co. under- 
 took much santary addition and welfare improvement dur- 
 ing the year 1918. 
 
 The Winchester Repeating Arms Co. welfare work has 
 been systematized and conducted on a large scale, so that 
 it can be regarded as the model plant for war work concerns. 
 There is a welfare supervisor, Mr. L. 0. Pethick, who has 
 a corps of competent assistants. The state of experimental 
 theory was long passed in this plant. The chief of the Wom- 
 an's Division of the works, Miss Isbell, is assisted by a num- 
 ber of capable women whom the general supervisor has as- 
 signed to looking after different parts of the scheme, such 
 as recreation, gymnastics, basketry, and many forms of so- 
 cial work. There is a large class room where instruction 
 is given to foreigners in English, general education and 
 technical knowledge. These pupils are paid while being 
 taught. At one time the record of the week showed an en- 
 rollment of 611 in 36 classes, 514 men and 97 women. The 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 53 
 
 hospital work is excellent. There are rest and recreation 
 rooms with piano, victrola, steamer chairs and books. In 
 the dining room appetizing and carefully prepared nutritive 
 lunches are served at less- than cost. The morale is admir- 
 ably guarded. 
 
 In Waterbury, the Scovill'Mfg. Company has so demon- 
 strated the advantage of care for its employees that saying 
 more about its work is like piling Pelion on Ossa. Apart 
 from that, however, it has a right to mention as showing 
 the worth of a well organized foremen's club. This club 
 issues a bulletin monthly which is a valuable aid to its own 
 and to other concerns. It is edited and filled by men who 
 are employed in the firm, and it has a suggestion column 
 that contains practical hints for improvement in the plant. 
 Those ideas can be used by other men just as well as by the 
 Scovill Mfg. Company management. The seasoned intel- 
 ligence and wisdom of years of experience are here shoulder 
 to shoulder with the timidity and experience of the young- 
 ster just given authority. The managers and owners have 
 the privilege of membership but are not endowed with, nor 
 do they assume, any more authority than any other mem- 
 bers. The matters brought before the club are freely de- 
 bated and the verdict depends upon their worth, not on their 
 source. As one of the managers said: "If I have what I 
 think is an idea, I take it in the front door, and if it comes 
 out the back door just as it went in or clothed with thought 
 and suggestion, I know it is an idea, but if it dies natural- 
 ly inside the door, I know I was only flattering myself." The 
 foremen's association is a benefit one, and of course there 
 is a general benefit association. There is a fine club room 
 for girls and recreation is well provided. 
 
 One of the practical deeds of the company was the pur- 
 chase of a large number of cattle in the spring of 1917 and 
 the planting of acres of corn to feed them during the winter 
 of 1917-1918. The result was most advantageous and jus- 
 tified the undertaking. F. W. Ineson, superintendent of the 
 Yard-Maintenance, reported on November 4th, 1918 : "Of 67 
 steer, 21 have been fattened, 2 have been butchered for use 
 in our cafeteria and 5 more will be butchered this week. 
 These steer when dressed weighed approximately 600 
 pounds each. We have just purchased 10 nine week old pigs 
 to take care of the garbage collected from cafeterias and as 
 the amount of this material increases, we will put in addi- 
 tional pigs. This year we raised three acres of millet, 317 
 bushels of rye, 2,000 ears of sweet corn and 650 bushels of 
 potatoes. At the Wolcott Fair this year we had an exhibition 
 
54 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 of our produce and received first prize on millet, green corn 
 and fat cattle, and second prize on potatoes." All this tended 
 to insure for the workers guaranteed, good food in the din- 
 ing rooms. Perhaps that is why the countenances of the men 
 riding in the interworks jitney, which is one of the methods 
 employed to quickly convey them through the grounds, wear 
 such a happy and beaming expression. It is to be feared 
 they are not returning from a meal composed of a half a 
 pound of spinach, a half pound of cabbage, a quarter of a 
 pound of carrots, a half pound of grated turnip and a hand- 
 ful of cranberries which was announced by a food expert on 
 November 16th, 1918 in the "New York Mail's" column of 
 comment to be ingredients sufficient for the proper nourish- 
 ment of a man in pursuit of life, liberty and happiness. 
 
 The Underwood Typewriter Co. of Hartford has a welfare 
 system under the care of Mr. Hitchcock, who was formerly 
 with the Winchester Repeating Arms Co. This embraces 
 not only looking after the health and morale of the entire 
 establishment, but also educating those of foreign birth. 
 
 The Hartford Rubber Works has instituted a fine system 
 which is being well worked out by Miss Phelps, the head 
 nurse, who looks after that as well as the purely nursing 
 department. 
 
 The Wiley-Sweet Co. which had much war work to do put 
 in a welfare woman and made a rest room and other im- 
 provements. 
 
 The Colt Patent Fire Arms Mfg. Co. deserves special men- 
 tion because of the manner in which Mrs. Burgess, its wo- 
 man superintendent, brought discipline, harmony and effi- 
 ciency out of a chaotic condition. Confronted suddenly 
 with enormous war orders this firm raked in help from all 
 sides, making a polyglot combination affording a peculiarly 
 hard problem for solution. Mrs. Burgess* first step was to 
 secure absolute cleanliness, both sanitary and personal, and 
 also to have regard for moral conditions. A woman of 
 over seven years' experience in munition work in Canada, 
 she had definite ideas of what to do and her first act was 
 installation of women janitors, paying them $15 a week. 
 The result was gratifying. Conditions which under the 
 work of men would have been virtually impossible of change 
 were made right and a general feeling of satisfaction re- 
 sulted. Girls and women workers were given to understand 
 they could come to her with complaints and be sure they 
 would be protected and helped. In addition she daily went 
 over the works and saw that the safety conditions were 
 good and cautioned the women and men workers not to at- 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 55 
 
 tempt working on defective machines but to report to the 
 proper authorities. 
 
 The Brainerd & Armstrong Co. of New London has had 
 a woman employment manager for years, Miss Wright, and 
 has found her work exceedingly satisfactory. The Stan- 
 dard Brass & Copper Co. of the same city did not begin to 
 employ women on its work until early in the fall of 1918, 
 and when it did had a combined rest and emergency room 
 and a women welfare worker. What was of much value 
 to the women was the action of the manager in setting an 
 equitable rate of pay for their work. 
 
 The Cheney Silk Mills of South Manchester, the largest 
 silk manufacturing concern in the world, has been pioneer 
 in welfare and housing work for years, the war finding this 
 factory in no need of improvement in this respect. It 
 has not only looked after the comfort of help but also after 
 its education and physical culture and the town owes to it 
 a system of development of body and mind which makes it 
 unique among the towns of Connecticut. 
 
 There are several hundred other concerns which have 
 been steadily working out plans and have provided well for 
 their help. In every concern the benefit associations are of 
 much worth. They contribute ideas and give practical aid 
 and comfort to those of their members who need such. 
 Many factories have taken special care of their tubercular 
 workers and several besides their regular contributions as- 
 sume the entire expense of such of their employees as are 
 being treated. Many have added club rooms, dining rooms 
 for men and women, rest and emergency rooms, billiard 
 rooms, reading rooms, libraries, and some, swimming pools. 
 In the factories having dining rooms and lunch rooms, food 
 is served at cost when the whole meal is served, and tea and 
 coffee, cocoa and milk are given at cost even when the work- 
 ers bring their own solid food. 
 
 All this work is a good investment, returning more than 
 50% dividend in decrease of sickness, sullenness, suspicion 
 and inebriety. A man who is fed with wholesome food, 
 housed comfortably, given the opportunity to converse with 
 other men, -the chance to have his grievances heard, the full 
 sway as to whether he belongs to a union or remains out, 
 has proof that his employer takes a personal interest in his 
 well being, is a man whom anarchy and drunkenness cannot 
 reach save in rare exceptions. 
 
 The last years of the war were productive of a wonderful 
 increase in the bonus system. Bonuses were lavishly be- 
 
56 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 stowed for either weekly, monthly or tri-monthly periods. 
 The weekly bonus was the most favored by the employees. 
 In nearly every case the other sort was cause of some com- 
 plication or difficulty. One or two firms refused to pay 
 them unless the provisions were literally lived up to, claim- 
 ing the fact that the bonus was clearly explained, should 
 have been sufficient to guide the employee to abide by its 
 terms. The claim was also made that a bonus was not part 
 of the wages but a decision by a judge in New York state 
 put a different interpretation on the matter. One large 
 firm in particular in Hartford which put a rigid construc- 
 tion on its bonus system as a voluntary offering had a great 
 deal of trouble and interruption of war work on that ac- 
 count. The method which has proved most satisfactory 
 in the opinion of the employer and employee is the method 
 of giving the latter a share in profits, which has been in 
 operation for some time with much satisfaction in Hartford. 
 The cessation of war means the end of all the extra wel- 
 fare work made necessary by the employment in such large 
 numbers of women who were to work not only in the day 
 but in the night. But it should not mean the giving up of 
 the usual regard for health and welfare, and it is hardly 
 likely that it will. It was imperative that the extra thou- 
 sands who were demanded by the war exigencies should 
 have been let go when that exigency ceased to exist. Manu- 
 facturers dependent on the government contract for work 
 for their employees had no alternative but to reduce forces 
 when the work was reduced. But in many cases welfare 
 workers can still be retained if some other work is added to 
 their duties. The choice of a welfare worker is a serious 
 thing. A factory made up of so many different types of 
 character is no place for the theorist or faddist. A large 
 leaven of common sense is the first ingredient of a man or 
 woman who expects to succeed in this line. Above all there 
 should be no disposition to interfere with the medical part 
 of the work where there is nurse and physician in atten- 
 dance. The welfare and medical should coordinate. Sub- 
 ordination of one to the other creates a bad feeling which is 
 quickly discovered and tends to demoralize the entire plant. 
 Several cases of this were discovered in the summer of 1918 
 where welfare workers fresh from the schools where they 
 had been for six months, or perhaps even less, acquiring 
 knowledge, actually sought to impress their importance and 
 directions on nurses who had been doing exceedingly good 
 work for years. 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 57 
 
 There has sprung up during the war period an undue de- 
 sire for "heads," "chiefs," "directors," "executives," this, 
 that and the other and a rather laughable tendency to as- 
 sistant," etc. It is the way the work is done that confers 
 value on the workers rather than the reverse. The more 
 valuable the worker the less time he spends in contemplat- 
 ing his title. 
 
 Perhaps it would be well to continue to use "welfare 
 worker" or "matron" or "superintendent." There is -too 
 much supervision and not enough looking into and after. 
 
58 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 WOMEN IN UNNECESSARY AND UNDESIRABLE 
 
 WORK. 
 
 Whatever reasonable excuse of patriotism and need ex- 
 isted for women in night work in the period between 1914 
 and 1919, there is none to-day when the return of thousands 
 from service and the release of other thousands from ei- 
 traordinary war work puts into the field of day labor amp.e 
 force to answer all its demands. 
 
 Employment of women at night gained gradual favcr 
 from 1914 to the end of 1917, and the months of 1918 con.- 
 prised between January and November, saw its greatest 
 growth with the contemplation of making it a still more im- 
 portant factor. Plans were underway for a large increase 
 of this sort of labor and the Department of Labor and Fac- 
 tory Inspection received many inquiries from manufacturers 
 asking for rulings on the matter. These inquiries were 
 made under the impression that the war would continue 
 for at least two more years and men would be drawn from 
 industry in such large numbers as to make the utilization of 
 women's labor at night an absolute need. Yet, even then, 
 there was perception of the grave danger underlying sich 
 employment and certain to be the result. France, in the 
 hour of her most extreme need of production, had become so 
 assured of the evils of night work for women that it took 
 measures to curtail it with the intent of speedy abolishment. 
 
 In America, the loss of health, the danger of mental and 
 moral degeneracy for coming generations have been in the 
 minds of thinking people for several years. The immedate 
 immorality which has been the first thought in the mnds 
 of some did not so greatly disturb those actually famliar 
 with the situation as they knew it was grossly exaggented, 
 the existence of one or two cases being cited as procf of 
 general moral indifference and turpitude. Moral lapse; oc- 
 cur in all communities or collections of people, even Wiere 
 they are supposed to be bomb proof against such derelic- 
 tions. The factories are no worse, and in some cases ar3 far 
 better. The centers of munition work naturally drew 01 all 
 grades and it is not surprising that some were objectioiable. 
 Flagrant immorality was not tolerated in any concern and 
 on complaint to any of the state employees, whose badness 
 it is to look after such matters, evidences of wrongdoing 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 59 
 
 were carefully investigated and brought to the attention of 
 the employers who at once took summary action. This 
 statement does not bear on night work alone. It is equally 
 applicable to day work. 
 
 The demand for workers was so great that grades which 
 under other circumstances would not have been considered 
 because of lack of training, were admitted during the 
 months of 1918. These were used under the direction of 
 skilled workers or were easily taught to do the less impor- 
 tant details. As far as possible in night work the older and 
 more experienced employees were assigned. 
 
 Contrary to general belief men and women welcomed 
 night work and were eager for it, asking for transfer from 
 day to night shifts, and making complaints when others 
 were given the change. A considerable number of men and 
 won.en had told the investigator that discrimination was 
 used in "favoring" certain others by giving them night 
 wort. In truth, during the period before the armistice in- 
 stead of wanting shorter hours, women workers were many 
 of them highly indignant at any attempt to restrict their 
 labor, not so much for patriotism, frankly making no pre- 
 tence of this, but stating they wanted the increased wage. 
 The answers which these workers, both day and night, make 
 to what they quickly distinguished as "all right" and "fool" 
 questions show a markable variance. Many, both men and 
 women, were not only willing to work nights but to do over- 
 time both day and night and on Sundays and holidays. It is 
 a matter of record that United States officers acting as 
 government inspectors in many plants urged the owners to 
 go ahead, nolens volens and work overtime. Manufacturers 
 deluged the Department of Labor with inquiries on the mat- 
 ter and even sought consent at Washington. The attitude of 
 the State Labor Bureau was that it was most difficult to put 
 up bars once let down, and laws for the protection of work- 
 ers should be enforced even when some of them were willing 
 to break them. Especially where the eight hour law was 
 standard in government work were the workers keen to ob- 
 tain night employment. Work then began at six in the eve- 
 ning and ended at six in the morning^ and in case of men 
 sometimes not unti. eight in the morning. Many people 
 think that there is rtstriction of the hours of labor of men 
 to 55. There is not. Only where a factory or shop establishes 
 a uniform schedule it has to adjust its labor to furnish em- 
 ployment to all branches during that schedule, and having 
 one for one set of worlers and another for a second would 
 result in embarrassmen . That is one reason why there was 
 
60 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 objection to employing child labor during the brief period of 
 the protection of this labor under the eight hour a day limit. 
 
 Having three shifts of workers for an eight or six hour 
 limit has not been followed in night work save in a few 
 places. In some, two shifts were employed, but in the 
 majority the hours were six to six or from seven to seven. 
 Night work was desired because the pay was greater, and 
 with overtime, which is time and a half, or in some cases 
 double time, the workers made from $10 to $15 a week more 
 than doing corresponding work in the daytime. 
 
 Night work of a certain sort* will probably continue for 
 some time, despite any endeavor to obtain its abolishment. 
 This is the sort that is employed in public utilities such as 
 telephone companies whose night force has always been 
 largely women. That these concerns now either tempo- 
 rarily or permanently the latter doubtful under United 
 States jurisdiction notwithstanding the assertions of United 
 States officials at Washington that night work for women is 
 undesirable, will remain exactly as they have been on the 
 question of employment of women at night, can be taken for 
 fact. We can add to them the telegraph and railroad oifices 
 for some amount of night work for women, and possibly 
 the postal service. 
 
 Students of fatigue and efficiency, and the nervous, physi- 
 cal and other disorders which night work may entail or de- 
 velop from incipiency have furnished ample information on 
 the subject and there is no need of taking up space to give 
 it minutely. It has been shown that night workers have not 
 the resistance to disease, have not the same power and ex- 
 cellence of work production as day workers, and continuous 
 labor of this sort steadily .undermines the nervous system. 
 The night workers, did not labor every night in the week. 
 They generally started work Monday evening; in excep- 
 tional cases, only, on Tuesday evening, and gave it up on 
 Friday night, in some occupations; on Saturday noon in 
 others, thus having all day or half day Saturday, Sunday 
 and Monday to recuperate. Maybe the rren so employed it. 
 The married women took it to clean house, do cooking and 
 sewing and the hundred and one othe^ little things that 
 make up a housewife's business. If tiey had any leisure 
 time they went to the movies or elsewhere. It never oc- 
 curred to them to spend as much time fa sleep as they would 
 if they were working days. All night workers seem to con- 
 sider that they should devote some d the day intervening 
 between the periods of employment to keeping awake and 
 doing. 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 61 
 
 The effect of the absence from the home of mothers and 
 wives is deplorable. Were it long continued and were it 
 to be allowed to be the custom it would be the destruction of 
 such homes, the drifting into temptation of thousands of 
 children and a serious menace to the state. Night work is 
 not now a necessity. Its tolerance in public utilities is a 
 concession to the fact that it is necessary to retain old and 
 experienced employees and would also be a direct and ir- 
 remediable hardship to dismiss them. But in industrial work 
 there is too great an abundance of labor to cut its chances 
 of employment by having night work for either men or 
 women. Labor for the present and the coming year should 
 have all the opportunity for employment that can be af- 
 forded. And that opportunity should be in the daytime. 
 
 Women have been employed in work which was just as 
 deserving of condemnation as night work but which many 
 of them preferred. A full list of these occupations is given 
 in the report of the Factory Inspection branch of this de- 
 partment. This work is now no longer necessary 
 for women on the plea that men could not be obtained to 
 perform it, and all women who are holding the positions 
 filled by men formerly, if these be men who vacated them to 
 do service for the country, should not be retained if it keeps 
 these men idle. Office work of all kinds has been done by 
 women in the place of men since the entrance of the United 
 States into the war. Auto business, bank, factory, insu- 
 race, laundry, shop, store, telegraph, railroad ticket offices 
 and freight stations, information, care taking, elevator 
 operation in business houses and office buildings, farm work, 
 tobacco where over 1500 women and girls labored the past 
 year, these are not all the occupations in which they figured. 
 These women on the average received about 83% of what 
 the men whom they succeeded were receiving in pay and 
 had practically the same hours. In banks and insurance 
 these were eight on the average. In the other work eight 
 and longer. The laundries paid the highest wages to wom- 
 en taking the places of men. Connecticut had a few women 
 acting as auto drivers and state policewomen in the way 
 of camp patrols but it was not edified by the sight of women t 
 trolley car conducters and motormen, telephone linemen, 
 traffic policemen and other avocations. It did have them 
 as gate-tenders, about a dozen of whom flourished in the 
 state. 
 
 None of these latter functions are desirable for women. 
 The women police who patrolled the camp vicinities are na- 
 turally no longer to be considered, but there is still question 
 
62 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 as to whether or not women should be a factor in railroad 
 work. 
 
 From a study of their success in this and their attitude 
 as affecting the employment of men, the investigator em- 
 phatically says no. A long, unsatisfactory correspondence 
 was held in the spring and summer of 1918 with the United 
 States Railroad Department at Washington, the United 
 States Labor Department, and about half a dozen divisions 
 of the latter to which the letters from the State Industrial 
 Investigator were shunted concerning the long hours and 
 lack of sanitary conditions affecting these employees of the 
 Federal Government who were working 11 and 14 hours a 
 day replacing old men, crippled men and men whose mis- 
 fortunes had come from serving the railway. Women in 
 railroad work have no place. Not that they cannot perform 
 some part of it as well as men, but because it is a none too 
 desirable occupation for men and because the presence of 
 every woman worker in this line means the displacement of 
 a man who has a family to maintain. It would inevitably 
 lead to grave results, economically considered, in lowering 
 the rate of wages of the men. A letter from one of the most 
 important branches of the Federal Department of this De- 
 partment, the summer of 1918 requested help in getting men 
 and women for certain work and specified the wages of the 
 women which were to be exactly half that of the men. If 
 women are going to do men's work, they should receive 
 precisely the same wages. There never existed an excuse for 
 women in the operations of a railroad in this state, such as 
 considered. The men whom they replaced were not men who 
 could be used in war service. They were aged and crippled 
 and the weekly wage they received kept them from being 
 objects of charity. That young, buxom women capable of 
 working at any business which required manual strength 
 should put these men out of honorably earning their living 
 was near a crime. 
 
 There is and will be abundance of work for women. In- 
 stead of having a long and enduring slump there is to be 
 activity in clothing and other trades in getting ready for the 
 needs of our export trade, in taking up again the threads 
 we have dropped. 
 
 With reference to farm work: Women and girls have 
 labored in tobacco fields and warehouses during the season 
 for years. Women as planters, ploughing, furrowing* 
 weeding, doing all the heavy work of the farm, even if 
 aided by machinery, might be endured during the war when 
 women showed a splendid disregard of their comfort and 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 63 
 
 convenience. It has existed to some extent in parts of the 
 South and West, but it is not exactly a desirable or elevating 
 sight in times of peace when abundance of labor to do the 
 rough work on farms can be obtained. The majority of the 
 women so working were Poles and Italians except the volun- 
 teer workers who were college and high school girls and 
 women of leisure. The volunteer class can obtain enough 
 work about its own homes to contribute largely to the family 
 cuisine. But the employment of women as paid farm labor- 
 ers is a little unnecessary and too much like certain habits 
 of the Old World. Americans do not have to emulate. In 
 time of necessity our women will do anything, but this sort 
 of labor is not absolutely necessary at all. And there will be 
 absolutely no justification for the economic crime of displac- 
 ing men and receiving work through accepting a two-third 
 or a one-half rate of pay. 
 
64 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 PROPER SCOPE OF AMERICANIZATION. 
 
 Americanization did not begin with the outbreak of the 
 late war, nor were educational activities in the cities of the 
 state blind to its needs in the previous years. It began when 
 the first immigrant, with straining eyes and steps awkword 
 from "the long confinement of the steerage came down the 
 gang plank from oppression and starvation into the prom- 
 ised land of freedom and plenty. From all lands, all climes, 
 they have been steadily pouring into Connecticut; grand- 
 parents bent beneath heavy loads, fathers, mothers, chil- 
 dren, dumb as animals, hearts filled with joy, forgetting the 
 fatigues of the journey, buoyed up by the mysterious elixir 
 of sense of liberty. Some of these newcomers were bound to 
 be leaders and the nation so generously receiving them was 
 the debtor instead of the creditor ; others were to be follow- 
 ers ever. All were to pass through the crucible of assimila- 
 tion into an Americanism none the less vigorous and ef- 
 fective because of the alloy. The first requisite toward the 
 making and continuing of an American citizen is to be 
 firmly convinced that this goverment developed and holds 
 stability and confidence because the people believe it is a 
 government of the people, by the people, and for the people. 
 Every foreigner should have it properly ground into his in- 
 telligence that by service, conduct and residence for a stated 
 time he becomes as much a part of it as the man whose 
 people were here a hundred years ago. Priority does not 
 count. Intelligence, patriotic service and interest do. If a 
 man comes to the United States simply because he can earn 
 a better living than in Europe, if his interest in this country 
 be merely a pecuniary one, he is not making any return for 
 the protection, liberty and wage earning opportunity he 
 receives. There are many such foreigners in the state of 
 Connecticut, there are exactly 57 varieties of the various 
 stirpes and added to this a number whom the manufacturers 
 in their reports classed as miscellaneous. The greater part 
 of these people realize the value of the exchange they have 
 made. They can come and go wherever the please ; they can 
 enter and leave their homes whenever they desire with no 
 dread of the intrusion of officialdom ; their home is a castle 
 defended by the laws of the state ; they can earn as much in 
 a week as they could in six months on the other side and 
 with far less labor; no official can push open the door and 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 65 
 
 search their homes unless he has a warrant, and club them 
 into insensibility if they resist; they do not have to slink 
 out of the way of petty officials representing an elaborate 
 system of autocracy or bureaucracy. 
 
 Connecticut has a large foreign born element. In making 
 this statement it must be distinctly emphasized that a defini- 
 tion is necessary as to what constitutes an element to be 
 held foreign. Save for the five years limit set for naturali- 
 zation, there is no rigid definition as to what legally dif- 
 ferentiates a foreign born citizen from a native born one. 
 Socially, his habits and assocations may distinguish him. 
 We shall have to rid ourselves of the tenacious old fashioned 
 idea that when a man comes from Belgium, Denmark, 
 France, Greece, Holland, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Russia, 
 Sweden, Switzerland, etc., he is a foreigner for all time 
 whether he declares his intention to become a citizen the first 
 day he lands, and does become one as, soon as the law per- 
 mits, or whether he remains aloof and takes no interest in 
 the state. Even in the first case, by some inexplicable pro- 
 .cess of reasoning he has been held a foreigner no matter 
 what service he renders, and his children and his children's 
 children are also foreigners. On the other hand, certain 
 other races are held as Americans whether they have really 
 taken out papers and enriched Uncle Sam by $5 or not. 
 These have the advantage of speaking the same tongue as 
 those who have preceded them by one or more generations. 
 A great measure in making bona fide American citizens out 
 of foreigners is to hold them foreigners until they become 
 American citizens. When that becomes a fact, make them 
 American citizens in treatment and drop all slurring titles 
 and call them what they are American citizens. 
 
 The foreigner who came to Connecticut to make it his 
 permanent home has been a good addition to the state. Were 
 it not for his labor the bridges, roads and public improve- 
 ments would still be lagging. After a time he becomes 
 aware of his own worth to the state and when he has taken 
 out his first papers and owns property, which he speedily 
 does, he is jealous of his dignity and his property rights. 
 He has never been able to explain clearly to his own under- 
 standing why it is that his children who -are quicker, more 
 retentive and more eager than other children to acquire 
 education, are set apart in a way from their fellow school 
 children and despite the fact that they are anxious to be 
 Americans and have become American through their 
 father's act, are still classified as foreigners. This sort of 
 thing is too common in schools. If it were not for the 
 
66 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 overpowering conviction of the foreign born that he has 
 gained so much by being in the state it might prove serious. 
 Even the children of the men who are not citizens are po- 
 tential Americans, as they are in the state to take advantage 
 of its school systems, to do part of its industrial and other 
 work and to make it their home. 
 
 The element which can be truly called foreign is that, 
 whether it comes from English or non-English speaking 
 lands, which remains in the state and shows no interest in 
 its welfare or desire to participate in its citizenry by taking 
 out papers. For assuredly those who have done the latter 
 cannot be classed as a foreign element as they have already 
 and voluntarily taken the first step toward becoming an 
 ingredient which will ultimately and profitably be merged 
 in making a desirable whole. Besides the men there are 
 large numbers of women who are a potent force as workers 
 and as molders of opinion in their own home and sphere. 
 Very few of these men and women are vicious and undesir- 
 able, even of those who came here before the Burnet im- 
 migration law, and their is not one of them that is not filled 
 with a great and enduring love for the land of their birth or 
 of their ancestors. This does not in anyway militate against 
 their becoming the finest of citizens any more than because 
 a man loves his mother he is to be regarded as an undesir- 
 able husband. However much these people abhor the gov- 
 ernment from which they have escaped, they have a strong 
 affection for their fatherland. Any endeavor to make them 
 forget would arouse instant and enduring resentment. 
 
 But they make the distinction between their past and 
 present home themselves. Where it was possible for many 
 of these people to return to their home lands when the war 
 in Europe broke out, they quickly did so and were fighting 
 in the ranks of their own country, particularly those who 
 were called by military service laws. But many who 
 were not citizens remained here and showed no intention of 
 returning. It has to be kept constantly in mind that 
 they came here to make a home in a free land. That lays 
 the foundation for their Americaism. The splendid loyalty 
 shown by American citizens of foreign birth and those not 
 citizens, their cheerful obedience to the selective draft, and 
 the enlistment of so many who could not be reached by the 
 former, are conclusive proofs that only a perfervid calamity 
 seeker need have any fears as to their present or future 
 attitude. 
 
 When the registration was going on in Hartford a young 
 alien who was present with his wife and four children, said 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 67 
 
 in answer to the questionnaire that he would not claim ex- 
 emption on the ground of his wife and children but was wil- 
 ling to leave them to fight for the country which was so 
 good to him. His wife exclaimed, "Yes, he go fight. Me, 
 stay home. Me work and take care of children." Another, 
 a Pole with six children, said, "I am willing to go fight. This 
 country give me money to live nice. I could not get that in- 
 my own." Against this, one man said, "I fight all right if 
 I have to. When war is over, I go back to my mother and 
 father." Registration revealed there were 58,596 men of 
 foreign birth in the state, between 21 and 31, and there were 
 in the selective draft 27,543, almost 50% of the number. 
 The investigator would hesitate to say that 50% of the 
 foreign born are men of working age. In case of the coun- 
 tries which have been foremost in contributing to immigra- 
 tion, families come into Connecticut from Italy and Poland 
 having in their train four, five and six children of whom at 
 least half are girls. 
 
 Austrians, Armenians, Germans, Greeks, Hungarians, 
 Jews, Italians, Lithuanians, Poles, Russians and Russian 
 Jews are the subjects for Americanization work. It would 
 be unjust to class as illiterate all these people because they 
 cannot speak English, any more than if one of us was grad- 
 uated from an uncommonly good high school and went to 
 Italy and not being able to speak its language was dubbed 
 ignorant. 
 
 In those countries in Europe where education is com- 
 pulsory, the people grade by grade, are given a more solid 
 foundation and are better taught than we. Furthermore 
 in the process of teaching the foreign residents of the state, 
 the advantages of becoming English speaking and obedient 
 to the laws, it would be highly judicious for orators to be- 
 come familiar with the immigration laws of the United 
 States. 
 
 Two strong reasons demand attention to Americaniza- 
 tion : First, it will make the alien understand that it is for 
 his own good as much as for the state's that he become an 
 intelligent and interested citizen; second, that it is for his 
 own pecuniary advantage that he understand the work and 
 the directions concerning it, as it will give him greater ef- 
 ficiency, confidence, speed and inevitably result in higher 
 wages, better place and permanency. The factory mana- 
 gers will be practically unanimous in saying that they count 
 as some of their very best workers foreign born men. Dur- 
 ing the war time period these men were among the most 
 enthusiastic and speedy producers, the first to begin work, 
 
68 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 the last to leave it and the break in their labor was notice- 
 ably small. There are two or three foreign nationalities 
 who are the best sort of workers, both men and women, 
 naturally taking to machine work, apt and deft and having 
 a small per cent, of accident. For obvious reasons these 
 nationalities cannot be here given. That they would be 
 better off by knowing everything that pertains to their work 
 needs no arguing. It is a great disadvantage to a worker 
 to be dependent on somebody's good will, and an expense to 
 the employer to have a third person's time taken up by in- 
 terpreting. 
 
 Whatever other methods may be employed, the two most 
 effective and direct to reach him is the place where he works 
 and the public school system. The first gains him through 
 presence, appeal of his competitive skill and .ambition and 
 desire to make money. The second secures him through 
 his ambition, his affection and his pride ; particularly in the 
 shop, if he sees that men from his own country, province 
 or grade of work are attending factory classes or evening 
 school and notices that they have been encouraged or "fa- 
 vored" as he probably puts it in his mind by being set in- 
 structing such as he, receiving better jobs and more pay. 
 
 The Italian, but more eagerly, the Russian Jew, will at 
 once start on the same road. Other nationalities are slower 
 more difficult to persuade. Where there are facory schools 
 much improvement has been seen in the quality and quantity 
 of the work and less labor turnover just as soon as the work- 
 er sees the more he knows the more money he makes. E- 
 vening schools in factories will never gain the attend- 
 ance and success achieved by having day classes run on time 
 paid for by the factory management. The men and women 
 are too much in the factory in the day to be willing to return 
 in the night unless exceptionally keen, and thus if a small 
 number did come, many would be deprived of the chance of 
 the day schooling. A factory evening school would have to 
 have other attractions than the school work. Entertainment 
 would have to be a feature and here would arise the danger 
 of some just paying attention to that form. If speakers 
 were to be introduced and this would be a valuable feature 
 of the work, some one would be sure to remark they were 
 working for some sort of propaganda. 
 
 The safest and .most speedy result plan is to have the 
 school in the day time conducted by someone who is regu- 
 larly an employee of the factory. This is the method that is 
 followed in the largest plants where this work has been 
 going on previous to the war. Several of these plants have 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 69 
 
 resumed educational work and were delighted to find they 
 had good and increasing classes. In smaller, if there is 
 not sufficient occupation for the man who is to take care of 
 the educational and explanatory work about the processes 
 of the plant, he can follow some other form of usefulness 
 for the factory and thus reduce expenses. 
 
 The manner in which the schools in the Winchester Re- 
 peating Arms, the Pratt & Whitney Co., the Scovill Mfg. Co. 
 have been run embraces getting out the thinking and in- 
 dividuality of the pupils. It is surprising to find that these, 
 some of whom were as responsive and as receptive as stone 
 images at the start, became interested through the simplest 
 form of appeal to the eye and through it to the mind. Black- 
 board illustrations, picking out simple stories of nature, 
 bringing the individual to the blackboard and using it to il- 
 lustrate his ideas as often as possible, stereopticon and 
 moving picture entertainments were great helps. Not only 
 were the men and women taught facts about their work and 
 instructed how to speak and write English but they gathered 
 an amount of diversified knowledge that would be hardly 
 credited were it not demonstrated. Women in the factories 
 where they worked and were admitted to classes were not 
 as steady and progressive pupils as the men but they made 
 progress, and were also taught basketry, embroidery, sew- 
 ing, etc. Pratt & Whitney had classes of young men in 
 drafting and mechanical drawing and the New London Ship 
 & Engine Co. had both young men and young women in 
 such classes, the latter mostly as tracers. 
 
 Whatever the outlay in dollars and cents in carrying on 
 educational systems for foreign born in factories, it returns 
 more than 75% in many instances and 100% in others and 
 is about the best sort of an investment for stability, pre- 
 vention of accidents and increase of production. Circulars, 
 printed slips and literature of that ephemeral nature are 
 costly wastes. The average workman, foreign or native 
 born, and the leisure class have one trait in common, distaste 
 of this form of approach. Striking posters with some 
 object in view attract and in a few cases hold attention for 
 a short time. When used care should be taken that they are 
 literally correct else they only serve to arouse ridicule. In 
 any case it is doubtful if they pay back the money invested. 
 Picture books, pertinent to the line followed and stories of 
 noted people and current events are preferable. 
 
 The public school has a wider range than the factory as 
 it can gather pupils from all sides ; the evening school from 
 all occupations and trades, thus doing a work both day and 
 
70 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 evening through the children who come in the daytime and 
 the older ones in the evening. The foreign born mother and 
 father of mature age are not good subjects for or in 
 great need of Americanization. Their day is passing and 
 it is with the children the work should deal. These people, 
 however, show great interest in and anxiety for their chil- 
 dren's education and are intensely proud when they show 
 advance. A case may be cited of an old Italian woman in 
 Wooster Street, New Haven, who went all the bitter winter 
 of 1917-1918 without shoes in order that her grandchildren 
 might go to school. It is also surprising how much of 
 English some of these people master through the sheer force 
 of necessity. 
 
 The children who go to the public schols act as mis- 
 sionaries to their families. They take pride in dis- 
 playing their knowledge and instructing their fathers and 
 mothers. Compelled by law to attend school, their absence 
 is rare and the vigilance of the State Board of Education 
 inspectors has wholesome terrors for them if they try to 
 evade school and work under age. In the school they also 
 mix with the native born children and quickly acquire a 
 knowledge, that if left to themselves would demand much 
 more time. Many of those of older growth are reached by 
 the night school. There should be a definite plan to in- 
 crease their number through making appeal to the various 
 working centers. The night school offers grammar, acade- 
 mic and manual training as well as courses in office and 
 business requirements. That the chances here are utilized 
 is shown by the names of the pupils who are graduated. One 
 of these in New London offered a teacher in the public 
 schools $100 if she would fit him for a course in a higher 
 institution. The New York City Board of Education has 
 had for several years night schools whose attendance is 
 nearly all foreign-born. Its curriculum has been especially 
 planned to meet the needs of students who care to go higher 
 than the ordinary course and many of these boys have en- 
 tered college. There has been carried on in New York City 
 for several years a course of public school lectures in the 
 evening in the different sections of the city to the great ad- 
 vantage of general education. 
 
 Since Bridgeport opened the evening trade school on 
 John Street there has been a good attendance, mainly for- 
 eign. The first enrollment was 223. Pattern making, elec- 
 trical work, blue prints, reading, architectural draughting, 
 printing and linotype operation, tool making and sturdy 
 Americanism were taught among other things. 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 71 
 
 In New York the play school has been tried, particularly 
 with regard to Americanization. The idea was successful. 
 Besides this they are taught useful arts. Children are 
 given nutritious soup, bread, butter and dessert for five 
 cents. 
 
 There is a general idea that the poor, foreign born live 
 extravagantly because they do not know how to buy food in 
 the proper proportions to secure the ingredients making for 
 thorough nourishment of body and brain. Perhaps this 
 may have some slight foundation with certa'in nationalities, 
 but it is certainly a theory with Poles, Jews and Italians. 
 Whether through accident, custom or tradition they are able 
 to make combinations of food that are tasteful, nutritive 
 and well balanced, as well as economical. This the inves- 
 tigator knows from having partaken of them. One of 
 these women will make a meal having all the calorics and 
 protein and other things needed out of less money than an 
 American woman would pay for a couple of chops. 
 
 These people did not start on food economy after the war 
 began with us or when it was started in Europe. They have 
 been practising it for years. They would have starved if they 
 did not. It would be a great mistake for an investigator or 
 a food expert to attempt an inquiry into the home conditions 
 of the foreign born with the idea that thus economy could 
 be taught. Economy is their middle name. Cleanliness, 
 it is stated with much pleasure, is more often present than 
 absent. Physicians and insurance agents, the latter making 
 weekly visits, will testify as to the spotlessness of the major- 
 ity of homes, notably among Poles and Italians. Further- 
 more, the foreigner is sensitively jealous of the sanctity of 
 his home, and it would be hard to persuade him that it 
 should be regarded as a parade ground for philanthropy. 
 He appears to have imbedded in his foreign brain the Eng- 
 lish idea that his home is his castle. He may be polite at 
 one invasion but he has the question mark after it and the 
 sense of belittlement. The war demonstrated in this and 
 other states that natural conditions have been quietly and ef- 
 fectively working with the plastic younger children to make 
 out of the heterogenous mass a national homogeneity. As 
 there were different nationalities, though in a small pro- 
 portion, to make the simon-pure American of today, so 
 there are 57 varieties with 40 different types of distinct race 
 and section to go into the American citizen of the future. 
 
 Certain fundamental principles of truth, justice and love 
 of liberty belong to all races. There is no insurmountable 
 barrier between the American to be developed and the Amer- 
 
72 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 lean whose development has ante-dated his by four or five 
 or six generations. The great harmonizing, solidifying, 
 democratic agent is the system of school education, which 
 brings all classes and races together and does its work on 
 the plan that all are free and equal. 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 73 
 
 SANITARY CONDITIONS AS TO DISEASE. 
 
 The health of factory workers was made a subject of con- 
 sideration by large firms before 1914, some having had 
 well developed plans successfully copied by other states as 
 early as 1910. In 1907 a systematic betterment for women 
 workers was started and has been progressing ever since. 
 Firms employing men have opened lunch rooms and the fac- 
 tory inspectors have insisted on all employees of even small 
 numbers having emergency kits. In 1917-1918 there was 
 not a factory of any size in the state which had not an 
 emergency room of some sort. Many of these were of the 
 "some sort" class, while others had every modern appliance. 
 
 In many factories which have no welfare department and 
 whose employees' numbers do not justify such an addition, 
 if there is a nurse in constant attendance she can do a great 
 deal of good by going through the factory, seeing if the 
 workers are in good working trim and sending those who 
 need attention to her room or to their home. This sug- 
 gestion has been made to a number of such nurses and acted 
 upon with decided benefit, one nurse saying "there are less 
 on the sick list now, they all seem to know me .and many of 
 them come voluntarily for treatment who previously could 
 not be induced to stop work for any reason." 
 
 Another thing which is effected by such a daily stroll 
 through the place is more cleanliness. Offenders will be 
 afraid to continue if they are caught and warned, and there 
 will also be less of the cliques and little jealousies that exist 
 in factories if there is someone who helps to straighten out 
 difficulties. It may be objected to by some trained nurses 
 that this means practically combining the functions of a 
 nurse with those of a welfare worker with no increase in 
 pay. Some women even thought it lowered the dignity of a 
 trained nurse. This objection can be dismissed with the com- 
 ment that a real nurse puts well being of others before her 
 dignity, and through her devotion to her calling has enough 
 of the quality about her not to be worried. The first reason 
 deserves entertainment. An employer who can obtain this 
 sort of interested worker, who will combine both functions 
 of nurse and welfare worker, where it is impossible to obtain 
 the latter, is securing something worth money for which he 
 ought to be willing to pay. The places where this combina- 
 
74 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 tion is in effect have paid gratifying returns on the invest- 
 ment. 
 
 Where the follow-up system is employed in large and 
 small concerns it has caused more than 60% decrease in 
 illness, and in the case of cuts, bruised fingers, etc., has pre- 
 vented infection. Wherever there is an emergency room in 
 a concern which has no women employes and does not ex-* 
 ceed 25 or 50 men, the foreman is in charge. Some of these 
 men are neat and keep their places in order but a large 
 proportion have the places so dirty that anyone coming for 
 aid has to run considerable risk of infection. And many of 
 them know only three cures for all ills or accidents, Jamaica 
 ginger, peroxide and whiskey or brandy. If a man has a 
 finger cut and it is bandaged, they do not follow him up to 
 see how the cut is healing. Of course in case of serious 
 injury or something beyond their limited knowledge, they 
 call in the physician with whom the company has an agree- 
 ment. The foremen seldom keep record of the time, num- 
 ber of accidents or general condition of their patients. 
 There is reason for suspicion in view of the singularly small 
 number of reports returned to this office on certain subjects, 
 that the physicians do not devote much time to recording 
 cases. 
 
 The method employed by the head nurse of the Hartford 
 Rubber Works is so business-like, direct and simple that 
 it can be outlined here for the benefit of many concerns 
 which have not this simplified system. It has a large, 
 well trained force looking after the welfare of its workers, 
 and had under project the building of a $75,000 welfare 
 house on the grounds when the United States government 
 caused all building operations not essential to actual war 
 work to be temporarily suspended. This firm has (about 
 2,000 employes whom it will keep all the year and probably 
 increase, and its experience, therefore, in adopting devices 
 which give it an accurate idea of its employees' state of 
 health is a guide. 
 
 A set of books on the loose leaf plan is the foundation. 
 The applicants for treatment are listed, the date each one 
 comes, the character of the injury, the number of treat- 
 ments, the number of times he required treatment, the 
 progress or otherwise of his malady or injury are all 
 noted. At the end of the year, a brief glance gives a com- 
 plete idea of how each individual stands, and his economic 
 value to the firm. This system when it was computed at the 
 end of a period was found to have reduced the days of ill- 
 ness, exposed shammers and to have cured habitual grumb- 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 75 
 
 lers, who, if they did not know that each visit was carefully 
 recorded, would have been regular patrons every day for 
 some imaginary ill. There are more of this class among 
 men than women. It is also impossible to discover in a few 
 months whether a man or woman is really in the occupation 
 best fitted to or her. Many are ill and do botchy work 
 simply because it is not the sort of work which appeals to 
 them. If they are given something in which they are in- 
 terested, the rise in the quality and excellence of their pro- 
 duction is marked. It has really astonished many of those 
 under this combined medical treatment and economic obser- 
 vation to find the danger they were in of becoming chronic 
 consumers of medicine. They are also endowed with a con- 
 fidence in their own health which is a fine business asset. 
 The knowledge that he is injuring his commercial value is 
 a great tonic to any man. In short, this sort of record 
 makes a man understand that he himself is the prime factor 
 in making himself a necessary or a negligible worker. 
 Where there are small emergency rooms or kits it was usual 
 to find, except where the cabinet was purchased fully 
 equipped, the remedies employed were primitive. In some 
 of the places the roll of cotton was filthy on the outside. 
 Jamaica ginger, bromo seltzer, alcohol, peroxide with some 
 whiskey were the principal remedies. 
 
 From observation of the reports which some of the men 
 and women kept for the investigator, it was found where 
 the bromo seltzer and Jamaica ginger were mainstays, the 
 consumption was alarming and the investigator after a 
 couple of weeks' study of this phase in the places, decided 
 it was best to forbid the bromo seltzer and restrict the use 
 of Jamaica ginger and whiskey. It was done only after it 
 was found the same patrons came every day or two or three 
 times a week for these remedies, one man actually taking 
 aromatic spirits of ammonia in the same dose with Jamaica 
 ginger. A reasonable time was spent waiting for him to 
 expire but he only became quarrelsome. Another man 
 served by a sympathetic foreman habitually had a dose of 
 Jamaica ginger with whiskey in it because "nothing but 
 that would take away the pain about his heart." The en- 
 forcement of the restriction caused considerable grumbling, 
 but as substitutes had been provided for the banished ar- 
 ticles, the number of workers, both men and women who 
 suffered with weakness of the stomach decreased surpris- 
 ingly. 
 
 There is no question but that a number of undesirable dis- 
 eased not reportable under the Occupational Disease Act, 
 
76 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 have had victims in every place where numbers of people 
 are employed. There is gross exaggeration respecting the 
 extent of some of these diseases but the records of army 
 doctors show there is ground enough for desiring the exer- 
 cise of more precautions. There is absolute need of keep- 
 ing track of the unfortunate people who are afflicted and of 
 safeguarding innocent victims. A record of all cases dis- 
 covered in factories and other business places should be 
 kept, not necessarily to be published, but in such a way that 
 cases could be treated and the public protected. It can be 
 done without exploitation and it is a duty that it be done. 
 Persons so affected are shy of doctors and nurses in fac- 
 tories. Cases where they were under observation showed 
 they became suspicious, gave up their jobs and disappeared 
 to turn up somewhere else as a peril. In one instance the 
 entire record of a case was torn from the book in which it 
 was kept. 
 
 They constitute a serious problem, even though 
 it is not as large as supposed. Some aid might be afforded 
 if the physicians were to go through the factories personally 
 at irregular intervals. They would thus see those who had 
 never come near them. The best method is general adoption 
 of the plan of one great business concern which keeps its 
 force to its satisfaction and comfort by having a physical 
 examination of applicants before they are accepted as work- 
 ers. This would act as a protection and also be a direct 
 help to any who were found to need attention. 
 
 An example is here given to carry its own warning: In 
 the early summer of 1917 a woman who was hopelessly and 
 frightfully diseased and aware of it was employed in a large 
 city in a position that made her a menace to thousands of 
 people during the year. While it was not necessary that 
 she even see them, the nature of her calling was such that 
 articles of imperative need passed from her hands to others, 
 and she ate and drank from dishes used by others. When 
 discovered she was informed by the physician called to at- 
 tend her that she must at once give up that work. On his 
 next call she was gone. The earth might have swallowed 
 her for all the trace left. It seems almost unbelievable 
 that she could have reached such a state without being re- 
 ported by some physician, but it is a curious psychological 
 fact that some reputable doctors shrink from making reports 
 of such cases, and others who are concerned do not wish to 
 be known as knowing anything about them. While so many 
 agencies are at work and are being suggested to undertake 
 unnecessary work that only embarrasses workers and em- 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 77 
 
 ployes, it seems there should be more attention paid to this 
 matter, involving such genuine health menace. Nor should 
 any further agency than the existing State Board of Health 
 with its exceptional good powers be employed. It can outline 
 for physicians in various places a course of action to be 
 pursued. The disease in question should be made compul- 
 sorily reportable. A penalty ought to be given for failure 
 to follow such a plan. Occupational diseases are required 
 to be reported to the Department of Labor. A fee sufficient 
 to pay for the time consumed in making the report is pro- 
 vided, but it is only exceptionally conscientious physicians 
 who furnish any details. 
 
 Health conditions would be much safer if there was in- 
 stituted in every factory or place where people are employed 
 the free, flowing water system when washing-up time comes. 
 Abolition of the trough sinks has been urged before. 
 
 Another measure would be putting women of mature age, 
 still able to work, as cleaners in every factory, to have full 
 charge of the lavatories and toilets. The dirty, broken 
 toilets and wash basins and towels and drinking facilities 
 are constant dangers. The bubbler water system should 
 also be extended. 
 
78 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 YOUNG MOTHERS IN INDUSTRY. 
 
 The work of women in every form of industry was a 
 most needed help in 1917-1918. Women as munition work- 
 ers were proficient long before the United States entered 
 the war. But after that, the demand for production for 
 ourselves met with a noble response from all ages, colors 
 and conditions. Women of all grades mingled harmonious- 
 ly in the common cause. Believing that there would be 
 greater call for women's work after the first selective draft 
 was filled, knowing that besides the large quota this state 
 was assigned, that hundreds of men had left their positions 
 to do State and Federal office war work, concerted move- 
 ment was begun to register women in all cities so that when 
 the emergency came, their services could be obtained either 
 voluntarily or through requisition. In 1914-1915, several 
 hundred young married women were working in munition 
 and laundry plants ; their presence in the latter being a com- 
 mon occurrence. In the laundry work, this class of workers 
 did not have to labor continuously nor were they employed 
 every day in the week in all cases. Many came in for a 
 few hours daily, three or four days a week in the wet wash 
 laundries. But some were in the regular six-day-a-week 
 concerns but never at any labor requiring special concen- 
 tration of mind, which would react in fatigue of body, nor 
 were they compelled to remain seven or eight hours in cer- 
 tain positions. In 1915-1916 there were in 130 laundries 
 of the state 1015 married women of whom 454 had non- 
 supporting husbands and the number of married, widowed 
 and divorced women reporting living children was 1196. 
 In the hotels, dining rooms and restaurants there were 1039 
 married women, of whom 349 had non-supporting husbands 
 Of married, divorced and widowed women working there 
 were 1488. The number repotting living children was 
 1067. In the candy, confectionery and drug stores were 
 164 married, 252 married, divorced and widowed; 232 re- 
 porting 212 living children. No account is taken of the 
 married women working at that time in the factories of all 
 kinds, nor of those dressmaking, doing millinery work and 
 in other store occupations. The total number of married 
 women employed in the industries investigated in 1915- 
 1916 was 2218. 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN* THE STATE. 79 
 
 The total number of women reported married in the fac- 
 tory industries in 1918 was 19482. This number covers 
 munition, regular factory and other work which is subor- 
 dinate to the factory work. The increase in the number of 
 women both married, single, widowed and divorced in the 
 factory work of the state in 1917-1918 was less than 9000. 
 
 In this increase we do not reckon the small per cent, of the 
 volunteer workers, as in making up reports of uniform 
 workers, this class cannot be considered, nor should it enter 
 into the question save as a transient quality quickly elimi- 
 nated. Nevertheless, some of these volunteer workers, as 
 the teacher class, remained because of the better wage and 
 less nerve destroying occupation. 
 
 Comparison of the figures obtained in the investigation 
 of 1917-1918 with allowance for those who have since the 
 close of the war returned to their usual occupations, allow- 
 ing for the number who would be classed as regular workers 
 at all times; for those who had withdrawn from work be- 
 fore the war and then returned and now remain ; for those 
 in toto who must be ranked as permanent workers, the per- 
 centage of the entire workers in the factories who are mar- 
 ried women is 5.48% ; of this number, less than one-third 
 of 1% are young married women with children ranging 
 from four or five months to four to ten years. At one time, 
 in the height of the work, there were employed in the war 
 and other allied plants about 600 young women from 18 to 
 30 who reported themselves as married. In 1914-1915 there 
 were several hundred young married women in the muni- 
 tion plants then visited but not studied in detail. These 
 women were 17% foreigners who spoke English more or 
 less well ; between 2 and 3% who did not speak it at all ; 35% 
 who knew enough English to carry on a limited conversa- 
 tion; 20% who had been in the public schools as far as 
 through the grammar grade; 22% good Americans, and the 
 remaining illterate no matter what their nationality. 
 
 This was before we entered the fight. Not one of these 
 women worked for any motive except the desire to earn mon- 
 ey. Since we have been in the war, the number of young, 
 married women working who were personally interviewed 
 and questioned about their motives in working made no 
 pretence of any lofty patriotism. They were working pure- 
 ly and simply for money, and they did not care whether 
 they displaced men with families to support if they them- 
 selves could only make money. Their attitude was openly 
 and sordidly disgusting in this respect. Few of them were 
 working for necessity either. While some had husbands 
 
80 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 who were not giving them all their money, the non-support- 
 ing husband was the possession.of the older married women. 
 The young, married women with children, on the whole, 
 had nothing to complain of as to treatment or support. In 
 nearly every case their husbands were making good wages. 
 Always to be excepted is the small class of volunteer work- 
 ers which embraced some young, married women. Of these 
 no statistics were asked or obtained through any source, as 
 they could not be considered a permanent labor factor. 
 
 The "homes" some women left to care for themselves 
 were shocking. They were dirty, dark, unsanitary, floors 
 unswept, dishes unwashed, clothing hanging over chairs and 
 reeking with the smell of garments long worn and seldom 
 washed ; curtains, stiff with dirt and so rotten from lack of 
 washing that they crumbled when touched, obscured such 
 light as the filthy windows allowed to enter. Here is one 
 sample. The place was reached by a narrow stairway whose 
 treads were well .worn. The few feet of entrance space was 
 occupied by two old women whose faces were literally brown 
 parchment, seamed with wrinkles. Both of them were an 
 offense to the nostrils. Each of them was guardian of 
 children whose mothers were working. One baby of four- 
 teen months squirmed on the lap of its grandmother. Asa- 
 fetida was as attar of rose to the odor which this child gave 
 out every time it turned. There were fifteen homes simi- 
 lar to this in as many different places visited. In other 
 abodes the houses were not as bad but all showed lack of 
 care and hurry. In 35 there was neatness and order but 
 these were presided over by a mother or aged relative who 
 had evidently been addicted to cleanliness all their lives. 
 There were no children "sewed up" for the winter in these 
 residences. Instances like the first cited are not rare. Any 
 doubting Thomas or Thomasine who wishes to enjoy them 
 personally can do so by making a tour through some of the 
 tenement districts in Hartford, not omitting Windsor Street 
 and its surroundings. 
 
 In New Haven, Waterbury and Bridgeport the oppor- 
 tunities are large, and if any pilgrim on the Valley- 
 train wishes to take advantage of the period spent 
 by that conveyance at Middletown in recuperating 
 from the arduous journey from Hartford or New London, 
 a most valuable and interesting sociological study can be 
 obtained by wandering through the tenement district of 
 which Lumber Street in Middletown is no inconspicuous 
 part. The children there, however, are not bodily filthy, 
 especially in the warm summer months when they display 
 

 
 Bfe 
 
 
 W 
 
 ' 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 81 
 
 a primitive, and on the score of convenience and clean- 
 liness, commendable aversion to burdensome clothing. 
 
 Many of these homes from which the wife and mother es- 
 capes to work in the large, well lighted, well heated and gen- 
 erally far more attractive factory or shop, are wonderful 
 examples of how to conserve space. One had a man, his wife 
 and four children all sleeping in one room on a bed, a couch, 
 and part of a mattress. In the closet adjoining, which was of 
 fairly good size, there was the rest of the mattress where 
 a boarder, the wife's brother, courted sleep when he was 
 not disputing occupancy with vermin. The kitchen served 
 for anything you might happen to call it. This apartment 
 was sublet from an enterprising couple who draped them- 
 selves and a cousin in the remaining two rooms. The kitchen 
 was run on the community plan. The mother of the chil- 
 ren worked days. This menage would have been a desirable 
 place for "isms" of a number of kinds but the epidemic 
 took four of its inhabitants in two days. 
 
 Up to the end of 1917 the menace of the young mother 
 in industry was not in the minds of other than the few who 
 were aware of the circumstances surrounding her entrance 
 and continuance. In fact, in the months preceding Novem- 
 ber llth, 1918 she was coming to be considered as a factor 
 to be depended upon rather than eliminated and provisions 
 were being made for her comfort and the care of her chil- 
 dren. Many mothers who worked had brought their chil- 
 dren to existing day nurseries, paying cheerfully the charge 
 for having them cared for while they labored; others had 
 children come in after school and care for their little ones, 
 others had aged relatives do the work. Still others had the 
 older care for the younger and when they returned at night, 
 did the cooking, washing, mending for the next or for as 
 many days as they could. These women were generally 
 the ones who had the home feeling developed in some de- 
 gree and who felt it their duty to do something toward the 
 comfort of their children and their husbands. The latter 
 did not feel the hardships of the wife working as much 
 as did the children. But in all the husbands interviewed 
 on the matter there was not found enough to warrant 
 a comparison of per cent, who favored the absence 
 of their wives from children and home. In fact, the 
 larger part were a little sore over it but admitted 
 there was no use in kicking up a row. Several very intel- 
 ligent men with a good class of wives said they recognized 
 the discomfort and disadvantages but they did not feel jus- 
 tified in asking their wives to stay at home on account of 
 
82 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 the high cost of living. They had no infant children. Those 
 they had were well cared for. Both were laboring in order 
 to keep ahead of their expenses and to ultimately gain their 
 own home. These men were labor union members and in 
 one case the man's wife was one of the most progressive 
 and well-known women in the leadership of the labor unions 
 of her city. Many men were found, however, who were 
 not in favor of the young women working on account of 
 the injury which would eventually be done to their children, 
 because they thought the mother should be with the child 
 when it was young and because they thought it would re- 
 sult in a bad effect on the wages of the men when the war 
 was over. The view of the laboring man who is married 
 and especially the view of the laboring man who is a mem- 
 ber of a labor union is worth having on this matter. 
 
 Day nurseries in cities where women have been in the 
 habit of leaving their children through actual necessity 
 while they are working have been admirable substitutes as 
 far as an institution can be for a mother. They have seen 
 to the physical wants of the child and its health. These 
 nurseries have not, however, been organized to care for the 
 children of fathers and mothers who were making good 
 wages and were amply able to have their children cared for 
 at home. Nor were they supported by the public in order 
 that women might shirk the responsibilities of motherhood 
 and continue as a wage earner when there was no necessity 
 for her so doing. The investigator has been told of one day 
 nursery where a woman who was working, receiving good 
 wages, had a husband working, receiving good wages, both 
 living amicably together, yet both concurring in sending 
 their child to a day nursery year after year, because they do 
 not wish to be bothered maintaining a home. The day nurs- 
 ery as an encouragement and aid to women who have to 
 labor to support their children is a necessity. The day 
 nursery as a convenience for women who wish to make mon- 
 ey while deliberately depriving their children of the compan- 
 ionship and character building which are greatest aids to the 
 making of good citizens, is not far from being a menacing 
 and undesirable institution. Whether or not the demands 
 of the war would have increased the employment of young 
 mothers, the investigator from the result of her observa- 
 tions, from the statements made to her, would have recom- 
 mended the complete cessation of this sort of labor. Nurses 
 in factories and physicians of large experience when ques- 
 tioned as to opinions on the employment of young mothers 
 were a unit in condemning it and pointed out evils which 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 83 
 
 were certain to result, not hesitating to say it would make 
 for a race of physical and moral degenerates. 
 
 In view of the tensity of the situation over there where we 
 needed all kinds of agencies to help win the fight, some of 
 the men who were unsparing in denunciation of this class 
 of labor, conceded it might be used for a short time. A 
 letter illustrative of this condition of mind is here given : 
 
 "State Department of Health, Commonwealth of Mas- 
 sachusetts, 
 
 Boston, September, 1918. 
 
 "Committee on Child Conservation, 
 
 DAVID L. EDSALL, 
 
 WILLIAM J. GALLIVAN, M. D. 
 
 LYMAN ASA JONES, M. D. 
 
 Dr. Edsall has referred your letter to 
 him to me for answer. The question of day nurseries in 
 industrial plants has been discussed at considerable length 
 by our Committee. We realize that on theoretical grounds 
 the day nurseries ought to be discouraged and that all the 
 mothers, so far as possible, stay at home and take care of 
 their own babies. We realize also from the practical point 
 of view the many instances it is impossible and that under 
 the present war conditions the temptation to work at high 
 wages is more than these mothers are able to resist. We 
 have been unable thus far to take any definite stand in re- 
 lation to day nurseries in general. There are several day 
 nurseries that have seemed below even possible standards 
 of cleanliness and these we have attacked. Others are being 
 conducted along excellent lines and these we have done 
 nothing about. At the present time there is a general 
 movement in the state among all the agencies interested in 
 the subject to present a bill to the next Legislature requir- 
 ing that where day nurseries exist they shall be under the 
 supervision of some proper authority. If this bill goes 
 through, I think most of the disadvantages of the day nur- 
 series, so far as the health of the children is concerned, can 
 be taken care of. Of course we still have the economic 
 disadvantage of the women being employed outside of their 
 homes, which I think can be met only by a long process of 
 education. 
 
 "I realize that this letter is very indefinite in character, 
 but in the light of the present conditions, the committee has 
 felt that it was not right to take a definite stand against all 
 
84 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 day nurseries, neither do we want to record ourselves in 
 favor of the establishment of day nurseries. We have, 
 therefore, adopted this more or less drifting policy until 
 there is a more satisfactory solution of the matter. 
 
 Very sincerely yours, 
 
 RICHARD W. SMITH, Secretary." 
 
 Manufacturers, seeing the entrance of this labor, fore- 
 seeing the evils resultant from neglect of the children, 
 sought to forestall them, and at the same time make the 
 mothers feel more satisfied. To this end, they spent much 
 money in fitting up nurseries where every help in the line 
 of comfort, entertainment, education and food was given. 
 The mothers brought their children to the plant when they 
 came in the morning, saw them have their garments changed 
 to spotlessly clean ones in some nurseries ; slipped in to see 
 them during the day, and really had reason to feel content. 
 That is, some mothers. Other mothers deposited their chil- 
 dren as they would so much baggage, reclaimed them at 
 night, when they reached home put them to bed and spent 
 a large part of the evening gallivanting around, free from 
 all sense of care and getting themselves so fatigued that 
 they were not worth as much, economically considered, as 
 if they had had to have charge of their children. They 
 drifted away from their children and their husbands. They 
 lost the intense mother love which causes the real mother 
 nature to long for constant companionship with and care 
 for the child. The investigator knows of several cases 
 where they did not develop morally as result of the removal 
 of care, and has been told of some others. 
 
 One young mother whose husband had gone to Italy to 
 fight for his country when it went to war, was in great 
 distress because she was convinced that his family and 
 himself, if he should happen to come back, would not exact- 
 ly approve of her line of conduct. "Oh, if you do not help 
 me, my modda and my fadda and my husband's modda and 
 fadda will keel me." "Well, you did this once before, and 
 you promised you were going to be good." "Yes, yes, but 
 my husband, he may be keeled. Then he not come back. 
 I marry thees man, it is not so bad, no. You will getta dis 
 leetle baby in somewhere for me? Eet is my engagement 
 baby." 
 
 If the war had continued and young mother labor was 
 thought urgently needed, what would the investigator sug- 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 85 
 
 gest to take its place if a recommendation for its non-em- 
 ployment were observed? 
 
 One reason why so many of the manufacturers considered 
 the day nursery in their premises was that it was urged 
 upon them by patriotic women who saw the need of in part 
 atoning to the child for the mother lack. These women 
 
 tra 'coking to the future. They were largely of the leis- 
 ure class in that they had wealth and were free from the 
 cares of young children. This class of woman could have 
 been called on. She could have urged her maids to follow 
 her example. And she would have gone promptly and ef- 
 ficaciously, as was shown by the splendid manner in which 
 women of that very sort volunteered their services. It is 
 an abundant class and an intelligent and patriotic one. 
 which would not for a moment spare itself at the expense of 
 coming generations. 
 
 The war is over. Industry is becoming normal. The 
 first act of all employers of labor should be to release the 
 young mothers save in the cases where they must work to 
 support the children of their dead husbands. And, too, 
 they should not be allowed to keep from employment the 
 men whom they have displaced. 
 
86 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 BONUS AND OTHER SYSTEMS AFFECTING 
 WORKERS. 
 
 During 1917 and 1918 various methods were tried by the 
 employers of the state for the purpose of inducing stability 
 and steady production in the workers, notably in the muni- 
 tion plants. The bonus system held high favor in the minds 
 of some but the success with which it operated largely de- 
 pended on the manner in which it was applied. Even then 
 careful consideration of its results and disadvantages war- 
 rants the belief on the whole it is a good system to omit. 
 
 Millions of dollars are lost every year by the unnecessary 
 changes in employment of men. Many of these changes are 
 due as much to the stubborn way in which some employers 
 refused to get in line with up to date methods as to the 
 tendency of the employees to move from place to place. 
 Bonuses might be offered and wages might be raised but if 
 there were some special disadvantages about the place of 
 employment, a certain class of workers would leave for one 
 which was preferred. Contrariwise, if bonuses were paid 
 promptly and at short intervals to another class it would 
 remain no matter what the working conditions. 
 
 Misrepresenting the truth about the payment of bonus 
 was the cause of many workmen leaving plants having that 
 feature in 1917-1918. The agents of these plants in seeking 
 men for the factories gave them to understand that bonuses 
 would be paid weekly when the truth was the payment was 
 monthly or tri-monthly. In other places where the dis- 
 satisfaction arose, it was due to the firm not paying the 
 bonus unless the worker was there on the exact time speci- 
 fied as to the day of the month. Example : If a bonus were 
 to run three months, starting May 1st, and ending August 
 1st, the woker would not receive it if May 1st began on 
 Sunday and he started work for the concern on May 2nd 
 and worked to the end of the last working day, Saturday, 
 July 31st. Perhaps this was technically right, but it might 
 have saved considerable labor turnover by relaxing a little. 
 Many men in the independent days of the great demand for 
 workers went up into the air about this. Others who de- 
 liberately meant to only work the three months and obtain 
 the bonus and who might have contracted to be working 
 elsewhere on Monday, August 2nd, were enraged and made 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 87 
 
 complaint. The whole matter might have been amicably 
 settled and explained by using tact. 
 
 It might have been the means of turning aside all trouble 
 if each new employe was told the exact terms of the bonus 
 the day he entered the employ of the concern. It is true 
 that in plain sight was hung up the notice stating the terms 
 of the bonus, but oral instruction conveys the idea much 
 more clearly than printed, especially if the printed deals 
 with a great amount of terms and specifications. Where 
 the agents obtaining the men deliberatelv falsified, the 
 statement of the truth upon giving the worker his number 
 would have prevented trouble. 
 
 There were about 500 complaints on the bonus system re- 
 ceived in this office during one month of 1917. These com- 
 plaints were not recorded because it was thought the bonus 
 was a voluntary offer on the part of the employer and could 
 not be held as a wage agreement. That it should be so 
 considered was afterward decided by the New York State 
 Industrial Commission and the decision confirmed by appeal 
 on a demurrer. The weekly bonus put in the envelop every 
 pay night was a better plan. Herewith is given an example 
 of a bonus in a town which has not been the scene of much 
 labor trouble or turnover : 
 
 NOTICES ! 
 
 It is the desire of the management of this company to 
 continue during the coming year, the "Bonus" now in ef- 
 fect, but owing to the unusual condition confronting us, 
 which makes the future more than ordinarily uncertain, we 
 do not feel that we can obligate ourselves beyond July 1st, 
 1918. We, therefore, announce that we will pay a bonus of 
 10% on all wages earned during regular time hours from 
 January 1st, 1918, to July 1st, 1918, but not on wages earned 
 during over-time hours as this over-time is already being 
 paid for at an advance of 50%. 
 
 On or before July 1st we will make a further announce- 
 as tc whether or rot we will continue the bonus for a fur- 
 ther period. 
 
 THE PLAN IF THE BONUS RUNS TO JULY FIRST ONLY. 
 
 All employees on the pay roll as of January 1, 1918, work- 
 ing day work and piece work who continue in the employ of 
 the company until July 1st, 1918, will receive an extra 10% 
 of their total earnings, during regular time hours, for the 
 above period, distributed as follows: 
 
88 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 of the earnings as above for the first quarter, pay- 
 able at the end of that period. 
 
 10% of the earnings as above, for the six months (less 
 sum previously distributed) payable as soon as possible 
 after July 1st, 1918. 
 
 EXAMPLE IF THE BONUS RUNS TO JULY FIRST ONLY. 
 
 Per Gross Previous Xet 
 
 Earning Period Cent ; Earnings Payments Earnings 
 
 50x3=$150. 2V 2 " $3.75 ____ $3.75 
 
 50x6= 300. 10 30.00 $3.75 26.25 
 
 Making total payment $30. 
 PLAN IF BONUS RUNS TO JANUARY FIRST, 1919. 
 
 All employees on the pay roll as of January 1st, 1918, 
 working day work and piece work, who continue in the em- 
 ploy of the company during the full year, will receive an 
 extra 10% on their total earnings, during regular time 
 hours for the year, distributed as follows : 
 
 2%% of the earning as above for the first quarter, pay- 
 able at the end of that period. 5% of the earnings as above 
 for the first 6 months (less sum previously distributed) 
 payable at the end of that period. 7% % of the earnings as 
 above of the first 9 months (less sum previously distributed) 
 payable at the end of that period. 10% of the earnings as 
 above of the year 1918 (less sums previously distributed) 
 payable at the close of the year. 
 
 Employees entering the service of the company between 
 the 1st and 15th days of the first month of any quarter, will 
 be permitted to participate in extra payments commencing 
 at rate fixed for the first quarter. 
 
 Employees entering the service of the Company subse- 
 quent to the fifteenth day of the first month of any quarter 
 will not be eligible to so participate until the next succeed- 
 ing quarter. 
 
 Employees voluntarily leaving the service of the com- 
 pany during the year on account of sickness or other un- 
 avoidable reasons will be entitled to such extra payments 
 computed as above basis to the time' of so leaving. 
 
 Employees voluntarily leaving the service of the com- 
 pany or who are discharged for cause, forfeit the right to 
 any extra payments, not already received. 
 
 The percentages herein set forth are calculated upon the 
 total actual earnings of the employee during the periods in- 
 dicated and are not based upon the hourly rate. 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 89 
 
 EXAMPLE IF BONUS RUNS A FULL YEAR. 
 
 Per Gross Previous Net 
 
 Earning Period Cent. Earnings Payments Earnings 
 
 50x 3=$150. 2y 2 $3.75 $3.75 
 
 50x 6= 300. 5 15.00 3.75 11.25 
 
 50x 9= 450. 7% 33.75 15.00 18.75 
 
 50x12= 600. 10 60.00 33.75 26.25 
 Making the total extra payment for year $60. 
 
 The majority of firms during the war had what was prac- 
 tically some form of bonus based on the weekly earnings and 
 given weekly. Benefit associations where sick members are 
 cared for are supported in two ways, sometimes wholly by 
 the members, sometimes by the members and firm. The 
 latter is the general composition. The welfare work of 
 these associations has been described elsewhere as well as 
 some of the social benefits of membership. A form which 
 is used in plants doing big business in peace times is given 
 in sufficient detail to cover the general benefit systems. 
 
 "The treasurer of the association shall receive and hold 
 all moneys belonging to the Association and shall pay it out 
 only upon orders signed by the president and two direc- 
 tors, all checks must be signed by the treasurer and counter- 
 signed by the president. He shall deposit all moneys in the 
 name of the Association in such bank or banks as the Board 
 of Directors may designate. He shall furnish the Board 
 of Directors at their meetings an account of all moneys re- 
 ceived and paid out and the amount on hand. 
 
 "The Board of Directors shall have general supervision of. 
 the affairs of the Association. They shall have power to 
 temporarily suspend the payment of dues whenever in their 
 judgment such course seems advisable. The Board of Di- 
 rectors shall have power at such times as in their judgment 
 it is just and necessary to levy an assessment on the Asso- 
 ciation to meet contingencies or excessive sickness or death, 
 providing, however, that assessment shall not exceed 50c. 
 for members of the first class, and 25c. for members of the 
 second class, and that such assessment shall not be levied 
 more than twice in one year. Further assessment may be 
 levied by vote of two-thirds of the members present at a 
 regular or special meeting. 
 
 "Any person in the employ of the company for four weeks 
 shall be eligible to membership in the association upon ap- 
 plication to the secretary and the payment of 50c. for mem- 
 bers of the first class, and 25c. for members of the second 
 class as an admission fee, the application, however, to be 
 subject to the approval of the Board of Directors. 
 
90 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 "Membership shall cease upon the resignation, suspension 
 or expulsion of a member, upon his ceasing to be in the 
 employ of the company, or upon his neglect to pay his dues 
 for a period of four weeks. It shall be the duty of the Board 
 of Directors to cause the names of persons coming within 
 any of the above classes to be erased from the roll of mem- 
 ship. Temporary suspension from work shall not be con- 
 sidered as ceasing to be in the employ of the company. 
 
 "The membership shall be divided into two classes : First 
 class consisting of those whose weekly pay is $6.50 or more 
 and the second class, whose pay is less than $6.50. 
 
 "The dues of the first class shall be 4c. per week, and the 
 second class, 2c. per week. 
 
 For convenience the dues will be deducted from the wages 
 of the members of this Association by the paymaster of the 
 company and paid by said paymaster to the secretary of the 
 Association. The members of the association hereby au- 
 thorize the paymaster of said company to deduct the dues 
 from their wages and pay the same to the secretary of 
 the Association. The payment of dues may be temporarily 
 suspended by the Board of Directors whenever in their 
 judgment the funds in the treasury have reached an amount 
 sufficient to furnish a satisfactory working capital, said 
 dues to be again resumed upon the order of the Board of 
 Directors whenever in their judgment the capital has fal- 
 len below an amount necessary to carry forward the work 
 of the Association. 
 
 "It shall be the duty of the visiting committee to visit all 
 'sick members and thoroughly investigate each case; to re- 
 commend the payment of such benefits as they find members 
 entitled to, and to demand a doctor's certificate. 
 
 "Any member of the Association unable to attend to his 
 or her duties through sickness or disability of said member, 
 provided such disability does not arise through intem- 
 perance or from any immoral act on the part of such mem- 
 ber, shall receive a benefit during such inability or sickness 
 as follows : After the first week's sickness or disability, the 
 sum of $1 per day except Sundays, for members of the first 
 class, and 50c. per day except Sundays, for members of the 
 second class, said benefit to continue not to exceed ten weeks. 
 Any member whose sickness or disability extends over a 
 period of not less than 30 days shall be paid for the first 
 week also. Any member being hurt or disabled while per- 
 forming the ordinary duties for the Company shall re- 
 ceive benefits from the time he or she absents himself or 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 91 
 
 herself, provided the sick committee report favorably on 
 his or her condition, in no case however to exceed 10 weeks. 
 
 "If any member entitled to benefits, and having drawn 
 same and returned to work, is again taken sick in less than 
 four weeks, such sickness shall be considered as a considera- 
 tion of the first sickness, and members shall only be entitled 
 to such number of days as added to previous term of days 
 shall constitute ten weeks. 
 
 "Any member having drawn benefits for the full term of 
 ten weeks shall not be entitled to further sick benefits until 
 the expiration of the year, dating from the commencement 
 of his or her disability. In case of disability caused by ac- 
 cidents to members during working hours, the aforesaid 
 restrictions will not apply. 
 
 "No member shall be exempted from the payment of dues 
 on account of sickness or disability, but must pay the 
 amount of his or her dues to the treasurer of the Associa- 
 tion or the amount may be deducted from the sick benefits. 
 Any member having drawn benefits for the full term of ten 
 weeks and being unable to perform the ordinary work 
 for a further term of ten weeks, shall, provided they have 
 not during that period worked for any other firm, corpora- 
 tion or individual, be considered in good standing and en- 
 titled to the funeral benefits of the association. Any ar- 
 rears of dues for this period to be deducted from said 
 benefit. 
 
 "All sick or disabled members shall within four days noti- 
 fy the secretary in writing or by mail, so as to receive their 
 benefits commencing one week from time of sickness. If 
 they fail to report within this time his or her benefits shall 
 commence one week from the time such report is received. 
 In any case where the board of directors shall have reason- 
 able doubt as to the validity of any sick or accident claim 
 made upon the Association, they shall be empowered to en- 
 gage a doctor to make a careful medical examination of the 
 case and report his findings to the board. The cost of said 
 examination to be paid by the Association. Any member 
 receiving benefits must sign a receipt for the amount and 
 such receipt must be returned to the secretary and kept as 
 a record. 
 
 "On the death of a member in good standing, a funeral 
 benefit shall be paid to his family of $50 for a member of 
 the first class and $25 for a member of the second class. 
 
 "If a member's salary during the period of his illness or 
 disability is paid by the company, that member shall not be 
 
92 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 entitled to sick benefits from the Association, but in case of 
 his death, his heirs shall be entitled to the usual funeral 
 benefit. 
 
 "Anyone detected in taking or attempting to take the bene- 
 fits fraudulently shall be expelled from the Association. 
 
 "A quarterly statement of the financial condition of the 
 association shall be posted in the key room of each factory 
 in January, April, July and October of each year." 
 
 The best profit-sharing plan in the state to the investi- 
 gator's knowledge is submitted with the statement that in 
 the time since its adoption in February, 1917 to date nearly 
 two years it has worked well and harmoniously : 
 
 "This plan is in recognition of the fact that a consider- 
 able part of the company's growth in the good will of the 
 public, as well as its financial success, is the result of loyal 
 and faithful services on the part of the employees. 
 
 "It is also intended to encourage thrift and saving on the 
 part of employees, and to provide a fund in case of dis- 
 ability or death. 
 
 "It should be understood that this is a profit-sharing plan, 
 and is no part of wages or salaries of an employee, but is 
 given as an encouragement and incentive for better ser- 
 vice. 
 
 "Each employee will be encouraged to seek promotion, 
 which will come in recognition of more efficient service, 
 and the increased wage or salary will bring an increased 
 share in the bonus. 
 
 "In February, 1917, the company will pay over to five 
 trustees, to be named by the directors, 20% of the final net 
 surplus of the fiscal year 1916, after providing for annual 
 amortization and dividends. 
 
 "This fund will be deposited by the trustees with a trust 
 company, and an account opened to the credit of each em- 
 ployee who has been in the employ of the company two full 
 years or more prior to January 1, 1917. 
 
 "The amount paid annually by the company to the trus- 
 tees will be divided among the employees on the basis of 
 length of employment. Those who have been in the com- 
 pany's service continuously during two years or more will, 
 for the year ending December 31, 1916, constitute groups 
 as follows: 
 
 Group 1 5 full years or more 
 
 2 3 full years but less than 5 
 32 full years but less than 3 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 93 
 
 The apportionment to be 
 
 5 parts to Group No. 1 
 3 parts to Group No. 2 
 2 parts to Group No. 3 
 
 EMPLOYEES' SAVINGS. 
 
 To enable employees to add to the company's contribu- 
 tions from their own savings, employees may subscribe to 
 the stock of the company an additional amount, not exceed- 
 ing their bonus, Deductions from salaries will be made 
 weekly or monthly in such even amounts as the employees 
 may elect. 
 
 "Interest at the rate of 5% will be credited to each em- 
 ployee annually on the total amount to his credit. 
 
 INVESTMENT. 
 
 "As soon as the deposits of any employee reach a sufficient 
 iimount, the trustees wi!J invest it in common stock pi the 
 company. The usual stock certificate will be issued in the 
 name of the employee, and delivered to him. 
 
 "For the calculation of the year 1916, the price at which 
 stock will be allotted will be at par. 
 
 DIVIDENDS AND BONUS. 
 
 "The stock so held by an employee will earn the regular 
 dividend declared quarterly by the directors of the com- 
 pany for all its common stock, and treasurer's dividend 
 checks issued to each holder. 
 
 "To induce employees to retain the stock so acquired as a 
 fund to be used in case of disability or retirement on ac- 
 count of age, the company will deposit to the credit of each 
 employee who holds such common stock on December 31, 
 19 J 7, an extra bonus equal to the regular cash dividends 
 paid to him during the year, on stock acquired under this 
 plan. 
 
 "This bonus will be forfeited by the sale of stock or by 
 the resignation or discharge of an employee within three 
 months of the time of the granting of the bonus. 
 
 "In case of the death of an employee, the full amount 
 then standing to his credit, uninvested, will be paid to his 
 estate or beneficiary by the trustee. 
 
 "In case of the resignation or discharge of an employee, 
 said p/npJoyee will forfeit all right to the contribution of 
 the company, and extra dividend bonus on such common 
 stock as he may hold. 
 
94 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 "He may however, withdraw all other sums standing to 
 his credit, after three months' notice to the trustee. 
 
 "The amounts deposited by an employee to his credit, 
 which have not been invested, may upon application to, and 
 with the approval of the trustee, be withdrawn. 
 
 "The company's contributions are purely voluntary, and 
 based upon the full calendar year of employment. 
 
 "The trustees shall have full power to determine invest- 
 ments, withdrawals and all other questions arising in the 
 application of this plan, and their decisions shall be final 
 to determine the rights of any employee hereunder." 
 
 Despite all these provisions and the great increase in 
 wages, there was much labor turnover in the state and 
 much loss of time which resulted in loss of production for 
 the manufacturer and loss of wages for the workers. The 
 latter were in a measure responsible for this, as where men 
 and women received high wages they did not work all the 
 week, some months, or some weeks, either for that matter. 
 Some would stop for a day or two and enjoy themselves. 
 
 The loss of wages by breaks in the hours worked, by 
 sickness and by accidents resulting in the ceasing of labor 
 for several days or weeks and by strikes and walkouts not 
 lasting long enough to amount to strikes amounts to mil- 
 lions. 
 
 Of all plans presented to offset it, the profit-sharing has 
 been most successful. 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 95 
 
 LUNCH ROOMS. 
 
 It has been pretty well demonstrated that whatever a man 
 can do without books he cannot do without cooks. Some- 
 thing to eat is a necessity and something nourishing and 
 inexpensive is a blessing to the worker of today. So much 
 energy is consumed and men live with such intentness that 
 the relaxation of the lunch hour, even without food, 
 is a relief. 
 
 The lunch rooms in factories are one of the best invest- 
 ments in the return of increased health, satisfaction and 
 appreciation. Of course, there are always many who go 
 home at the lunch hour, even if they have to use the cars 
 to do so. Un'doubtedly if they had a nourishing and tasty 
 menu at a low cost they would not do so, no matter how 
 much they like to be with their families. Those who live 
 near go home as a matter of course but there are hundreds 
 who have to bring their lunches with them when they leave 
 home between 6 and 7 in the morning. These cold lunches 
 are good enough but they are not especially appealing ex- 
 cept to real hunger. They are likely to be made up of a 
 variety of remnants of the meals of the previous day. Many 
 of them are actually put up over night. In many cases the 
 coffee is made the night before and warmed up for break- 
 fast and the remainder put in the lunch bottle. Many who 
 carried their lunch boxes in the pre-war days when food 
 was reasonably abundant used to throw away a deal of it 
 rather than bring it back. In the war days they carried 
 the surplus home and it was eaten by the children. It oc- 
 curs more often than would be thought possible for many 
 men to have to prepare not only their own lunches but 
 their breakfasts also. The lunch generally consists of a 
 sandwich with either cold meat, ham from the delicatessen 
 store or egg between the bread, some cake or pie and the 
 coffee. This was the actual experience of a young man who 
 worked in a large ship building concern. His wife never 
 thought of getting a nourishing breakfast or preparing a 
 tasty lunch for him. 
 
 Arriving at the factory the lunch box is stowed away 
 somewhere until noon, when the owner sits on a board like 
 the rest of his fellow workers, or lies outside on the earth 
 or grass, if there be any, consumes the lunch as expedi- 
 
96 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 tiously as he can and then gets out his pipe or cigarette. 
 Sometimes the men sit around in the room in which they 
 have been working, getting no change of air. If they have 
 time after swallowing their lunches and there is a "cafe" 
 near, they are almost certain to patronize it to some extent. 
 This is the routine that is followed in many factories today 
 
 But the managers are coming to realize that in order to 
 have the best results in production the men should receive 
 the chance to change from the room in which they have been 
 working and to have the proper proportion of protein, car- 
 bohydrates and fat in their food to insure the upkeep of 
 the body. They probably do not divide up the food ac- 
 cording to its chemical properties when they are thinking 
 of it, but they sum it up in the thought that a good square 
 meal is a need that ought to be filled. They understand 
 that it is just as needful to repair the wastes of the body 
 as it is to supply good wearing parts in a machine. 
 
 Demands of labor betterment condition include rest and 
 emergency rooms but rarely insist on the dining or lunch 
 room in the factory. This is an essential need even if it is 
 run at a loss as far as money is concerned, although in pass- 
 sing it can be stated that none of those in operation get 
 much below the actual cost and some break even. But it 
 is a business measure. It is a great deal better to spend 
 money in taking care of the bodies of the workers in the 
 plants than to devote it to paying experts to study the re- 
 lation between fatigue and efficiency; to stoke up the ma- 
 chine so it will be able to resist fatigue. * 
 
 Lunches were served in factories and shops to foremen 
 and olfice help long before it was thought well to extend the 
 service to workers in the main body. This procedure never 
 failed to excite adverse criticism among the latter. It is 
 easier to get 200 office employees than it is to obtain 20 
 factory workers. 
 
 To have full value the lunch or dinner, whether at home 
 or in the shop, should be properly proportioned. That 
 is why a lunch served in a factory dining room or cafeteria 
 when it is made up according to food properties is more 
 satisfying and gives better nourishment than a hastily 
 scrambled together collection of food ends or even 
 the inevitable slice of bread and meat that goes into the 
 lunch box at home. The body is really a furnace that must 
 be supplied with fuel. If the eater does not know how to 
 get the best results, someone must prepare the food for him. 
 
 Many are seen who devour enormous quantities of food 
 and yet are more unnourished than the neighbor alongside 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 97 
 
 who does not eat a third as much. The average person, 
 whatever his position, does not know how to compound the 
 properties of his food. That is why there is so much atten- 
 tion paid to dietetics. A factory or shop which furnishes 
 meals to its help for the purpose of keeping it in good con- 
 dition must have the food proportioned to give the proper 
 quantities of nutrition. If it cannot afford a dietitian to pre- 
 pare it, or has no trained nurse who should get out the menu 
 for each day, a daily list of what food to have can be readily 
 obtained from any home economics institution. 
 
 Where an industry furnishes coffee, tea, cocoa or milk to 
 its help, its task is light; where it merely permits the use 
 of gas and electricity for the making of these beverages, it 
 is lighter still and of less real value, being merely an aid 
 to digestion. Where it furnishes a well balanced meal, 
 the worth in dollars to employee and employer does not need 
 much explanation. Many places have small rooms, run on 
 the counter plan, where the food is served to them or they 
 select it themselves. Usually these have the cooking oper- 
 ations in full sight. Under the counters is stored the food 
 that is to be served and milk. Sometimes the company 
 leases this sort of a place to someone who makes a good 
 profit on it, sometimes the company runs it itself. Often 
 this lunch counter is found in foundries and other places 
 where greasy work is done and the men think they are not 
 dressed enough to go outside and sit at tables. The counter 
 lunch has its good points, but the factory that has a room 
 where tables are set, around which the men can sit, and 
 having eaten, read, smoke or play cards has a stronger hold 
 on human nature. The best returns are found from the 
 rooms having tables, windows and some attractive setting. 
 A number have the tables set on the long banquet line plan, 
 running down the center of the room and seating anywhere 
 from 30 to 50 on each side in close quarters. These tables 
 are covered with oil cloth in some places, and in others are 
 left bare and scrubbed off daily. The disadvantage of the 
 long tables is there is not enough feeling of ease and re- 
 laxation, nor the space in which to lounge comfortably af- 
 ter the meal. 
 
 The big silk plants of the state, Cheney Bros., Blumen- 
 thal Co. and Hemingway were about the first to have lunch 
 rooms. The pictured lunch room of the Blumenthal Co. 
 shows the men's section. They are seated around tables 
 playing cards after having eaten their lunch. The women's 
 section is more attractive than this. 
 
98 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 The tables which permit men or women to form their 
 own group of associates around which they can sit and lin- 
 ger during the balance of the noon hour are the only ones 
 which should be installed where lunch rooms are being 
 made. The tops should be of vitrolite which looks well and 
 is easily kept clean. 
 
 It sounds a bit formidable to lay down rules as to the 
 ingredients of factory lunches, the general idea being that 
 a cup of coffee, a sandwich and a piece of pie constitute a 
 sufficient meal and can be set down before a hungry worker 
 at little effort and time. The process of getting a nutri- 
 tious meal is not difficult. It is simple and should be based 
 in reference to the amount of good the person fed is to re- 
 ceive. Since the era of high prices it is true that people 
 have cut their living expenses as much as they could, even 
 doing this about food when they are reckless in other direc- 
 tions. Any factory manager having a restaurant that is 
 directed by an intelligent person can easily discover and 
 many of them have already discovered the noon day meal 
 served is the one which is really the mainstay of the work- 
 er. It is better proportioned than anything he would buy 
 for his home and he can enjoy it under absolutely harmo- 
 nious circumstances. It is a psychological as well as physical 
 fact that food eaten with a tranquil mind is sure to give the 
 system benefit. Few home dinner tables but have some 
 thought introduced about the price of the food or the dis- 
 cussion of some matter not wholly pleasant. 
 
 In the state, 38 firms or large size are furnishing lunches, 
 and possibly more since the establishments were visited, 
 as several were then contemplating such additions. A num- 
 ber served coffee and tea. Others permitted the use of kitch- 
 en arrangements where the workers could make these 
 drinks, bringing in the material. Others had dining rooms 
 for the office force and some for the foremen. These are not 
 counted in enumerating the establishments having lunches. 
 In no plant is the lunch served free. It is, however, given 
 at cost. In 1918 a man could have in several of these places 
 a nourishing and well planned meal of soup or stew, one 
 meat other than in the latter if it were chosen, bread, but- 
 ter, coffee, milk or cocoa, and cake or pie for 25 and 30c. Of 
 course he could order what he wanted and pay as much as 
 he liked. A sustaining lunch could be obtained from 20 to 
 25c. by women. 
 
 There is absolutely no profit in the line of money being 
 earned by the company or turned in by running the lunch 
 rooms. That some of them are carried on at a loss has been 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 99 
 
 shown. The better the grade of food and the way in which 
 the room is equipped, the more cost to the company in 
 money. But it pays in greater efficiency, in assurance that 
 the help is getting fed and in a better frame of mind among 
 the workers due to the social intercourse. Many people who 
 work in factories and other kinds of business for that mat- 
 ter, go without a lunch at noon for reasons of economy. The 
 practice is more common among women than men and after 
 awhile the women are sure to show the effects of such ab- 
 stention. They do not mind it if they have saved up some 
 money toward a desired end. Some of them do not skip 
 the meal because of economy. They do it because there 
 is no place near where they want to eat and because they do 
 not desire to carry a lunch and cannot get a lunch if they are 
 rooming. 
 
 If the war had continued there would have been increase 
 in the lunch rooms and the practice of giving food to work- 
 ers between the meal hours would have been introduced. It 
 was found most effective in England and France. The war 
 is over, but industrial work will go on even if somewhat les- 
 sened in certain directions. In fact, it will extend in others. 
 It will be just as essential and even more so, to make provi- 
 sions for factory workers in this line. More so, because it 
 cannot be denied that men and women have cut down on 
 their food ratio to a degree that has decreased their general 
 strength, even if they have not perceived it. 
 
 The changes that have come lead to some relaxation of the 
 welfare work. That is where the danger lies. Some work, 
 especially the feeding part of it, should be extended. It is 
 a good proceeding for capital and for labor. There is no 
 touch of philanthropy about it. It is business. 
 
100 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 THE HIGH COST OF LIVING. 
 
 The high cost of living is not only in the price paid out 
 but in the effect on the bodies and minds of the people of 
 this country whether in or out of the state, whether working 
 or at leisure. It appears to have reached its acme. That 
 there will be a sudden or even moderately quick descent is 
 hardly likely to be realized this year unless there is some 
 vigorous action taken by the national government. On the 
 contrary, commodities which might be supposed to be free 
 from sudden jumps are going skyward now. Coffee, a 
 beverage nearly everyone has to drink and which might 
 help to assuage the thirst of a prohibitionized country is 
 going to be hard to obtain at any price, and, particularly, 
 will show increase in price. The singular manner in which 
 dealers learn of anticipated jumps in prices and the slowness 
 with which the news of reduction reaches them are illus- 
 trated by an incident which occurred in October, 1918. At 
 that time it was stated in the papers the government in- 
 tended to tax teas and coffees. The statement was printed 
 broadcast. Immediately that part of our population in 
 which the Polish and Italian element is strong prepared in 
 a certain town to take time by the forelock. The grasp was 
 so strong and effectual that the manager of a big store was 
 aroused when customer after customer of Polish origin came 
 in and bought coffee in quantities ranging from 50 to 100 
 pounds to ask some one "What's up?" He was informed 
 of the rumor which was the first he had heard of the in- 
 tended taxation. In another store a customer who knew 
 nothing about the taxing of her favorite drink asked for 
 five pounds of tea. She lived out in the country and usual- 
 ly bought it somewhat in bulk. She was informed that 
 grade was going up lOc. per pound. Naturally asking why, 
 she was told of the taxation coming.. This happened in 
 October, 1918. It was a clear case of profiteering. 
 
 Before going into detail concerning the high cost of liv- 
 ing as affecting the industrial workers, a little space may 
 be, and ought in justice, to be devoted to this soaring in refe- 
 rence to a class which it affects considerably and which has 
 never received any consideration from the public. This is the 
 middle class composed of salaried workers, office employees, 
 draughtsmen, accountants, in short the sort of people whose 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE.' : ; ;*\ 101 
 
 position requires a certain standard of living and housing 
 and whose wages do not advance in proportion to the rise 
 in price of fuel, food and clothing. Since 1916 the advance 
 in salary of this class of men and women has not been 20% 
 on the average. True, there are many exceptional cases 
 where in war emergency and the demands for increased 
 numbers of clerks and stenographers, wages have been 
 raised anywhere from 25 to 35% in individual instances. 
 This rise, however, is not permanent nor general. Nor, it is 
 safe to say, does it affect people who are likely to use it in 
 the way of saving or a provision for the future. Many of 
 the recipients of the increase adopted a style of living and 
 clothing which consumed the extra allowance and left them 
 at the end of the period no better off than before they re- 
 ceived more pay. The larger number, however, had no choice 
 about spending the increase. It was an absolute necessity 
 that every dollar they earned went at once to the butcher 
 and baker, in a smaller degree for clothing and other ne- 
 cessities, to say nothing of the rent. Summing it up, the 
 middle class really has suffered and still suffers more from 
 the advance in the necessities of life than has or does any 
 other set of workers. 
 
 The year 1919 does not open promisingly for this very 
 necessary part of the business world. It has been a general 
 practice as quickly as actual or forecasted business depres- 
 sion is considered to begin retrenchment with the salaried 
 list, even if the cutting down of expense does not start at 
 once, in wage lowering, there is decreasing of employees. 
 
 The number deprived of employment cannot obtain it as 
 quickly as unskilled labor or unionized labor, and pride does 
 not permit going into the former sort of work. The con- 
 sequence is that many families having such members are 
 obliged to support them until they secure the positions they 
 are able to fill. Apart from this there is manifest injustice 
 in having a large and most effective class of workers of the 
 state kept at about the same wage standard year after year, 
 no matter what additional burden is placed upon them. The 
 years of 1916-1917-1918 saw the work of every office force 
 increased to an extent that is not to be measured by figures. 
 It mounted up so that more employees had to be engaged in 
 some concerns and in others a force of the regular employees 
 was detailed to just take care of the additional work caused 
 by the questionnaires sent out relating to war matters. 
 
 The employees who were young and could find other 
 places "kicked" and received some increase of compensation. 
 Not as large in proportion as that gained by the machinist 
 
102 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 or the laborer who made a demand. The older ones who 
 were held back by families and knew they would have some 
 difficulty in securing places which would be permanent suf- 
 fered in silence. 
 
 Statisticians have been kept busy compiling figures as to 
 the cost of living for the past few years. Some sets showed 
 that it was not as great as imagined and others showed what 
 it was in the wholesale line. Others devoted long columns to 
 comparisons with previous rises and deductions concerning 
 the causes. No one seemed to hit the nail on the head by 
 declaring that while some increase in the prices of food and 
 fuel was inevitable on account of the demands of the Eu- 
 ropean nations, and the freight and other difficulties, there 
 was absolutely no excuse for the outrageous prices that af- 
 flicted the country during the year 1918 and which seem 
 likely to remain an affliction for some time. 
 
 The winter of 1917-1918 was the hardest on the people 
 of the country that America has ever known. Losing such 
 calorics through voluntary patriotic reduction in food con- 
 sumption they were suffering from lack of heat in work- 
 shops, factories and homes. The winter of 1918-1919 thus 
 far has been mild but there still exists the high price of 
 fuel, both coal and wood. The investigator while writing 
 this looked out to see if the sight which has been presented 
 every day would be visible, that of two children carrying 
 bags of coal to their home. They are not the only two thus 
 engaged. With food, clothing, fuel, light, and rent still at 
 prices bearing no relation to what it should be; with chil- 
 dren going without sufficient milk, with people paying out 
 high prices for food and then receiving minute proportions, 
 with mothers scrimping on butter and eggs, meat and 
 vegetables, it is not pessimistic to wonder a little why with 
 all the conferences gathered together and the officers created 
 to fill commissions that grow like mushrooms or toad-stools, 
 the question of getting food in abundance and at reasonable 
 price does not enter into reconstruction and betterment 
 schemes. 
 
 It is stated that the rise in wages has been so great that 
 the rise in the cost of living was not so excessive. In con- 
 nection with this the rise in wages did not affect everyone, 
 and the rise in the price of living was at all times far ahead 
 of the other. Statistics appeal to many. Therefore, it 
 can be taken for granted the rise in the cost of living was 
 between 55% and 60% on an average. In some communities 
 even more. The rise in wages averaged about 41% in its 
 most lofty ascent. Of course in some localities with some 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 103 
 
 occupations, it was more. One or two reports received by 
 the industrial investigator show it 'was as much as 100%. 
 That was because the wage previous to that was really low. 
 Here is a list of the wages and occupations taken from one 
 concern, one which was only partly engaged in war work 
 and which represents a steady going and not greatly fluc- 
 tuating industry. This list was furnished the latter part of 
 1917: 
 
 CLASSIFICATION OF EMPLOYEES ACCOEDING TO TRADE OR 
 KIND OF EMPLOYMENT. 
 
 No. Trade Av. Daily Wage 
 
 15 Shop clerks $2.75 
 
 20 Foremen v . 5.00 
 
 34 Shop helpers .' 2.45 
 
 2 Firemen 3.50 
 
 3 Sweepers 2.75 
 
 1 Janitor 3.00 
 
 1 Night watchman 3.50 
 
 1 Nurse 3.00 
 
 29 Inspectors t . . 2.10 
 
 5 Brushers 1.65 
 
 17 Solderers 2.25 
 
 1 Japanner 2.90 
 
 Machine hands 2.90 
 
 3 Draughtsmen 4.10 
 
 5 Lab. assistants 3.20 
 
 2 Mixers 3.65 
 
 32 Molders 3.20 
 
 10 Pressmen t . 3.00 
 
 15 Assemblers 2.20 
 
 3 Packers 3.00 
 
 11 Trimmers 2.75 
 
 1 Wireman 3.80 
 
 2 Filers 2.10 
 
 19 Wirers 1.75 
 
 7 Labelers 2.20 
 
 4 Carpenters 3.65 
 
 1 Engineer 4.50 
 
 8 Drillers 2.10 
 
 6 Punch Press hands 2.50 
 
 1 Riveter 2.25 
 
 4 Foreladies 2.85 
 
 12 Fillers 2.00 
 
 4 Drill Press hands 2.75 
 
 11 Toolmakers 4.50 
 
 6 Machinists t . ., 4.00 
 
 1 Lathe hands 3.65 
 
 3 Steam fitters 3.50 
 
 The wages detailed were advanced in 1918, computing the 
 successive raises made, about 30%. The cost of living in 
 that locality rose to 47%. It is easy to figure the ratio 
 between expense and receipts. This represents pretty ac- 
 
104 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 curately the general condition. Averaging is not resorted 
 to here because though it is needful in the statistical line to 
 give averages, the investigator believes they are not just 
 to individual instances. 
 
 The people do not care much for comparisons of prices. 
 What they are interested in, is the price they are paying to- 
 day. Certainly they make the comparison of the rise in 
 cost in all items in reference to the rise in wages. Besides, 
 the rise in price affects more than the wage earning and 
 salaried class. It affects a large number entitled to some 
 consideration who are living on incomes shrunken to a 
 twentieth of their size five or six years ago; who are suf- 
 fering from government experiments in lowering railroad 
 values ; widows and orphans of men, not all of them capita- 
 lists, who thought they were insuring their families com- 
 parative comfort by investing in railroad and other stocks, 
 and by buying property whose rental would be an assured 
 income. Now these people have to consider that the coming 
 years are to bring them such increased taxation in order 
 that the government may have a revenue, in order that the 
 state may have a revenue to replace that removed or eli- 
 minated, that the cost of living is going to be a hard problem 
 for them. 
 
 Clothing and its material has advanced anywhere from 
 75% to 100% and 160%. Rent from 15 to 50%, fuel from 
 20 to 45%, in some localities more. In the case of the 
 families who buy coal by the bag, 45% does not cover the 
 increase. Food may be said to have made an almost uni- 
 form advance of 60%. The various sundries which go to 
 make up a family budget, such as reading, medicine, little 
 extraordinary expenses, doctors, dentists, etc., are not esti- 
 mated at all. 
 
 The one item of amusement, such as theatre, is taxed 
 outrageously, so that it looks as if people would have to 
 amuse themselves by staying home and planning how to 
 live sans everything. 
 
 January 15th, 1919, bargain prices for pork roast in the 
 state were 32c. a pound ; leg of mutton, 30c. ; legs of veal, 
 28c. ; lamb, 38c. ; forequarters, 30c. ; Boston rolled roasts of 
 beef, 30c. ; shoulder roasts, 28. ; pot roasts 26. ; corned beef, 
 25c. ; fresh pork shoulder, 32c. ; porterhouse steak, 70c. ; 
 round, 30 to 38c. ; sirloin and short, 38 to 45c. ; beef liver, 12 
 to 18c. ; potatoes 45 to 50c. per peck; eggs, 85 to 90c. per 
 dozen, "strictly fresh laid, native;" storage eggs, 58c a 
 dozen; bacon, 38c. per pound a strip; good flour, $1.40 to 
 $1.60 per bag, a great reduction; sweet potatoes, 15c. a 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 105 
 
 quart; condensed milk from 13 to 18c. a can; coffee 32 to 
 38c. ; cabbage, 3c. a pound ; cauliflower, 25c. to 40c. a head ; 
 string beans 30c. a quart ; oranges, 50 to 90c. a dozen : tur- 
 nips, 5c. a pound ; butter 66 to 75c. a pound, onions, 3 to 4c 
 a pound; grapefruit, 10 to 15c. apiece; carrots 4 to 5c. a 
 pound; apples, 75c. to $1 a peck for eating, and 50c. for 
 cooking; cheese, a great food with many, not fancy varie- 
 ties, 45 to 50c. 
 
 This is a fair allotment from which to pick out a sub- 
 stantial meal. It is also on the whole a lowering of prices. 
 One item most essential, particularly to children, does not 
 appear on the list, and is not in the reduced column that 
 of milk. The truth should be emphasized that during the 
 epidemic, which has by no means become a thing of the past, 
 many children were underfed and undernourished and suf- 
 fered the loss of resisting vitality through the cutting down 
 of their milk supply. The same thing applies to adults who 
 left off milk and took to other kinds of beverages, and who 
 drank coffee without using milk. This acted as a stimulant 
 but one which quickly subsided and was the cause of making 
 the body weaker. There was not only a decrease in the use 
 of milk but also in forms of food whose basis is milk, on 
 account of the increase in prices. Milk, more than any- 
 thing else, is the food that is essential to the young, the mid- 
 dle aged, the invalid and the old. Old people can digest and 
 flourish on milk with other ingredients; middle aged can 
 make a meal on milk and bread, and derive nourishment. 
 Children positively must have it. 
 
 It is the item which was first trimmed in nearly every 
 family in the state. Many have the notion that doing away 
 with it is no harm. They were aware of its value but sim- 
 ply could not have it in the quantity they had previously. 
 One man who earned $35 a week and had two children, was 
 accustomed to take two quarts daily, this he cut down to 
 one. Milk has gone from 8c. a quart in 1916 to 16c. for 
 plain, unadorned milk without any blue ribbons on its neck. 
 
 When a commodity increases in price the consumer pro- 
 tects himself by using less. Many say that the quality of 
 the milk is not as good as formerly; it is less rich. Many 
 women take cow's milk and mix it with the condensed varie- 
 ty when giving it to their children. But the condensed milk 
 has so advanced that many are afraid they are not really 
 economizing in so doing. The use of skim milk has been 
 recommended. In talking with mothers and suggesting its 
 use in greater abundance, there was general prompt nega- 
 tive. It may be nutritious but it would take more than 
 
104 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 curately the general condition. Averaging is not resorted 
 to here because though it is needful in the statistical line to 
 give averages, the investigator believes they are not just 
 to individual instances. 
 
 The people do not care much for comparisons of prices. 
 What they are interested in, is the price they are paying to- 
 day. Certainly they make the comparison of the rise in 
 cost in all items in reference to the rise in wages. Besides, 
 the rise in price affects more than the wage earning and 
 salaried class. It affects a large number entitled to some 
 consideration who are living on incomes shrunken to a 
 twentieth of their size five or six years ago; who are suf- 
 fering from government experiments in lowering railroad 
 values ; widows and orphans of men, not all of them capita- 
 lists, who thought they were insuring their families com- 
 parative comfort by investing in railroad and other stocks, 
 and by buying property whose rental would be an assured 
 income. Now these people have to consider that the coming 
 years are to bring them such increased taxation in order 
 that the government may have a revenue, in order that the 
 state may have a revenue to replace that removed or eli- 
 minated, that the cost of living is going to be a hard problem 
 for them. 
 
 Clothing and its material has advanced anywhere from 
 75% to 100% and 160%. Rent from 15 to 50%, fuel from 
 20 to 45%, in some localities more. In the case of the 
 families who buy coal by the bag, 45% does not cover the 
 increase. Food may be said to have made an almost uni- 
 form advance of 60%. The various sundries which go to 
 make up a family budget, such as reading, medicine, little 
 extraordinary expenses, doctors, dentists, etc., are not esti- 
 mated at all. 
 
 The one item of amusement, such as theatre, is taxed 
 outrageously, so that it looks as if people would have to 
 amuse themselves by staying home and planning how to 
 live sans everything. 
 
 January 15th, 1919, bargain prices for pork roast in the 
 state were 32c. a pound ; leg of mutton, 30c. ; legs of veal, 
 28c. ; lamb, 38c. ; forequarters, 30c. ; Boston rolled roasts of 
 beef, 30c. ; shoulder roasts, 28. ; pot roasts 26. ; corned beef, 
 25c. ; fresh pork shoulder, 32c. ; porterhouse steak, 70c. ; 
 round, 30 to 38c. ; sirloin and short, 38 to 45c. ; beef liver, 12 
 to 18c. ; potatoes 45 to 50c. per peck; eggs, 85 to 90c. per 
 dozen, "strictly fresh laid, native;" storage eggs, 58c a 
 dozen; bacon, 38c. per pound a strip; good flour, $1.40 to 
 $1.60 per bag, a great reduction; sweet potatoes, 15c. a 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 105 
 
 quart; condensed milk from 13 to 18c. a can; coffee 32 to 
 38c. ; cabbage, 3c. a pound ; cauliflower, 25c. to 40c. a head : 
 string beans 30c. a quart ; oranges, 50 to 90c. a dozen ; tur- 
 nips, 5c. a pound ; butter 66 to 75c. a pound, onions, 3 to 4c 
 a pound; grapefruit, 10 to 15c. apiece; carrots 4 to 5c. a 
 pound; apples, 75c. to $1 a peck for eating, and 50c. for 
 cooking; cheese, a great food with many, not fancy varie- 
 ties, 45 to 50c. 
 
 This is a fair allotment from which to pick out a sub- 
 stantial meal. It is also on the whole a lowering of prices. 
 One item most essential, particularly to children, does not 
 appear on the list, and is not in the reduced column that 
 of milk. The truth should be emphasized that during the 
 epidemic, which has by no means become a thing of the past, 
 many children were underfed and undernourished and suf- 
 fered the loss of resisting vitality through the cutting down 
 of their milk supply. The same thing applies to adults who 
 left off milk and took to other kinds of beverages, and who 
 drank coffee without using milk. This acted as a stimulant 
 but one which quickly subsided and was the cause of making 
 the body weaker. There was not only a decrease in the use 
 of milk but also in forms of food whose basis is milk, on 
 account of the increase in prices. Milk, more than any- 
 thing else, is the food that is essential to the young, the mid- 
 dle aged, the invalid and the old. Old people can digest and 
 flourish on milk with other ingredients; middle aged can 
 make a meal on milk and bread, and derive nourishment. 
 Children positively must have it. 
 
 It is the item which was first trimmed in nearly every 
 family in the state. Many have the notion that doing away 
 with it is no harm. They were aware of its value but sim- 
 ply could not have it in the quantity they had previously. 
 One man who earned $35 a week and had two children, was 
 accustomed to take two quarts daily, this he cut down to 
 one. Milk has gone from 8c. a quart in 1916 to 16c. for 
 plain, unadorned milk without any blue ribbons on its neck. 
 
 When a commodity increases in price the consumer pro- 
 tects himself by using less. Many say that the quality of 
 the milk is not as good as formerly; it is less rich. Many 
 women take cow's milk and mix it with the condensed varie- 
 ty when giving it to their children. But the condensed milk 
 has so advanced that many are afraid they are not really 
 economizing in so doing. The use of skim milk has been 
 recommended. In talking with mothers and suggesting its 
 use in greater abundance, there was general prompt nega- 
 tive. It may be nutritious but it would take more than 
 
106 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 argument to make 99 out of 100 mothers try it on their 
 children. A mother rather pithily expressed "Why don't 
 those people who want us to use skim milk use it them- 
 selves? That would leave more for the babies." The money 
 expended in insuring the purity of the milk supply is well 
 used. The boards of health all through the state are do- 
 ing fine, systematic work under the direction of the State 
 Board of Health. There is much improvement in this re- 
 spect snce 1914, when some dangerously lax conditions 
 existed. It is not so much with the health conditions as 
 with the price of milk that concern should be manifested, 
 An element of food that is vital need for the proper nourish- 
 ment of the weakest element of our future should not be al- 
 lowed to advance 100 or 150% without sharp inquiry into 
 the real or alleged causes. 
 
 The consumption of ice cream, a food product from milk, 
 has been cut. Families who never let a day pass or a Sun- 
 day dinner go without making ice cream a part of the meal, 
 could not locate the ice cream freezer today. They would 
 not think of spending the money for cream as they have 
 been educated to hold it a luxury. Yet it has great nutri- 
 tive value. In this connection, the falling off in the pur- 
 chase of candy is about 65%. 
 
 Another milk product, butter, has decreased about 45% 
 in purchasing. Children who used to think a thick slice 
 of bread and butter was to be eaten under protest are now 
 glad to have the treat. 
 
 Fruit which has a medicinal as well as food value is rarely 
 even seen on the tables of the majority. Eggs are 59% re- 
 duced in consumption, according to the statements of gro- 
 cers, and about 89% increase in price over what they should 
 be. Farmers are not to be blamed for this state of affairs. 
 With the price of grain and labor at the summit, the farmer 
 does not have too much profit on his poultry and egg n?- 
 partment. The blame lies higher up. 
 
 Reference has been made to the increase in the price of 
 meat. That increase in price should not be considered with- 
 out the decrease in its use. That is over 50%. Many do 
 not eat meat at all since it went up in price. Some of th? 
 people with whom the investigator talked, gave lectures on 
 the bad influence of red meat on the character and on the 
 lack of value of white meat. They demonstrated that by 
 consuming a couple of bales of some other food substitute 
 a much more desirable moral and physical equipment would 
 be insured. 99%, however, wanted meat, if it were not on 
 the table they had a craving for it. Meat in the state of 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 107 
 
 Connecticut is about as high as it can go and considerably 
 higher than in some other states. In the industrial centers 
 during their heyday of work, the price of meat increased 
 over 60% and its quality decreased. Shank soup meat which 
 made the foundation for a filling and body nourishing meal 
 increased from 5 and 6c. a pound to 22c. and over. 
 
 Olive oil which is one of the most valuable food products 
 for a large foreign element of the population has increased 
 in price 175% and decreased in consumption about 80%. 
 Imported olive oil'has not been asked for for over a year. 
 Its price rose exactly 175%. The substitutes offered do not 
 fill the requirements of the users. It will be about nine 
 years before California can profitably and largely supply 
 this valuable nutriment. 
 
 Cheese is a food rather than a condiment to many of our 
 residents and citizens. It is not bought in half the amount 
 it was in 1916, nor are the varieties offered for sale. Taking 
 the estimate of one large firm, the decrease in demand was 
 such that during the months from January 1st to August 
 1st, 1918, the demand was but a small fraction over the 
 sales for the month of January, 1915. Milk cheese was 
 suggested in the summer of 1918 as a valuable article that 
 should be used more largely, but the suggestion found no 
 favor with the foreign born, who use cheese more than any 
 other element of the population. 
 
 All substitutes for wheat and the wheat products used 
 for cereals were outrageously high in 1918. Their prices 
 have fallen but in no proportion to their abundance. These 
 substitutes were many of them just as valuable food nutri- 
 tives, but their price was prohibitive. 
 
 The 1918 estimate for living includes not only the money 
 spent but the money saved by retrenchment. Perhaps in 
 some instances that retrenchment was the gravest sort of 
 expense for it was a retrenchment which seriously menaced 
 the health of women and children, affecting men in a lesser 
 degree. In every family expense was cut down a third, and 
 in many one-half. 
 
 While different business centers can show a great out- 
 lay for clothing, amounting in individual cases tc extrava- 
 gance, the general trend was toward conservation among 
 the salaried class. Those who spent money most freely 
 for clothing of expensive quality were the munition workers 
 in Bridgeport and other war plant locations. The mer- 
 chants of the state dealing in women's clothing and likf 
 accessories say they never had a more prosperous season 
 than that of 1917-1918. The advance in the price of cloth- 
 
110 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 it is held until 16 to a course of study which keeps it out of 
 the illiterate class and fulfills the obligation of the state. 
 Many who might like a college training have not the means 
 to continue. More than 70% must have some reliable way 
 of providing for their future that lies outside the lines of 
 academic education. The last year of the schooling of the 
 boy and girl who are in school to stay until they reach the 
 age that liberates them is not productive of much good to 
 them individually. They are simply trying to get by. When 
 some of this sort leave the public schools it is customary to 
 go to business college to obtain commercial training. 
 
 The number who go immediately to work after 16 is not 
 a decreasing but an increasing quantity. Circumstances 
 are going to make it still larger. It is not uncommon for 
 families to strain every nerve to keep their children in 
 school. Among the people of foreign birth where large 
 families predominate often two or three children are in the 
 same grades at the same time. It is no small drain on the 
 family resources to support the children. To receive an 
 education which shall be useful as well as academic is the 
 right of the children. Such an education can be given so 
 that their mental and manual equipment will be cared for. 
 Any teacher who has devoted time to studying her pupils 
 will corroborate the statement that between 14 and 16 over 
 70% of the boys who leave school are the ones who did not 
 take any special interest in the usual education, in fact, 
 were boys many of whom had fallen far behind. Had in- 
 dustrial training been a part of the system those boys and 
 the smaller per cent, of girls who drop out would have re- 
 mained. 
 
 In a state like Connecticut where so large a proportion 
 of the population is engaged in industrial work and is de- 
 pendent on it for its living, it seems there should be recog- 
 nition that the children who are being educated and who 
 leave school as early as the law allows are not receiving 
 the proportionate consideration which equity demands. In 
 other words, are children not inclined for higher education 
 getting the just return from the educational system main- 
 tained at such an outlay? Does it not seem where the 
 smaller number of children continue and expense is in- 
 curred for them that they receive a larger benefit? But 
 this cannot be set down as injustice so much as the result 
 of circumstances. 
 
 However a more equitable arrangement can be made 
 whereby mechanically inclined children may continue their 
 education longer, certain that it is going to give them a 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. Ill 
 
 greater market value when they enter the working lines. 
 Nor does it mean that their work will be purely manual. 
 There are many branches of vocational education such as 
 draughting and engineering work that could be added to 
 the curricula of the higher grade schools with advantage. 
 Grade schools should have what is called pre-vocational 
 work. The manual training high school should continue 
 it as vocational. It will be found that if this be made gen- 
 eral instead of exceptional there will be greater continuance 
 in school and better classes of workers sent out. Something 
 should be done so that pupils who have to stop at the gram- 
 mar school stage shall have more benefits than they derive 
 at present, even if it entailed adding another sort of junior 
 high school grade to the grammar. 
 
 An endeavor was started by the investigator to find out 
 from the superintendents of schools in the largest industrial 
 centers some information which could be used in answer- 
 ing the questions : How large a proportion of the scholars 
 leaving school quit because of necessity or disinclination to 
 study, and what fields have they entered? What propor- 
 tion of those who sought high school training were native 
 born or had direct foreign ancestry? What effect the food 
 restrictions had on the health of the children in the lower 
 grades ? What co-operation existed between public day and 
 evening schools and factory schools and factory manage- 
 ments ? 
 
 The time was too short to obtain answers which would be 
 representative. To tell the truth, some of the superinten- 
 dents had never thought of the matter and one or two 
 showed no interest whatever. The superintendent of the 
 Hartford public schools evinced interest, although since find- 
 ing the time did not permit of answers from the superin- 
 tendents and equal justice to all, the matter was not passed, 
 Special thanks are due to Superintendent Beede of the New 
 Haven schools for his recognition of the needs of some such 
 inquiry as that which is rather crudely outlined here, and 
 also for the prompt courtesy and co-operation he has shown 
 in furnishing data concerning the nationalities of the pupils 
 in the public schools of that city. 
 
 The report for 1918 will not be ready until February 
 1st, 1919. That for 1917, which was received in February, 
 1918, showed there were in New Haven schools 27029 chil- 
 dren of whom 8115 were Americans of several generations' 
 descent ; 1304 born of Irish parents ; 926 of German ; 8578 
 of Italian; 4486 of Russian; 466 of Polish; 655 of Negro, 
 473 of English, 485 of Swedish, and of foreign born 1754. 
 
112 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 There is no question but that more than 80% of that num- 
 ber would be directly interested in, and benefited by, voca- 
 tional education. Provision is now making for such train- 
 ing of disabled soldiers. That training is not wholly the 
 vocational training of the kind considered here, but it ne- 
 cessarily embraces some of it. Many of the soldiers who 
 are returned and returning, both well and disabled, had no 
 training before they left. Their chances of obtaining and 
 holding good employment would be manifestly better if 
 they had such a basis. 
 
 At present under the auspices of the State Board of Edu- 
 cation trade schools are conducted at Bridgeport, Danbury, 
 New Britain, New Haven, South Manchester, Putnam, Tor- 
 rington, Waterbury, New London, Meriden, and Stamford 
 will be added during the year. In those in existence there 
 are 3000 pupils. 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 118 
 
 GREATER INCREASE OF HEALTH VIGILANCE 
 IN THE STATE. 
 
 In the report of 1915-1916 issued in 1917, the investigator 
 called attention to the greater need of sanitary regulation 
 in a number of industries. These had been regarded as 
 rather outside the pale of inquiry. As a consequence the 
 conditions were extremely bad in many. Were these of 
 such a nature that only the workers in the places would be 
 affected, the menace, however serious, would not entail 
 general evils. But the character of the industries were such 
 that all who patronized them incurred danger if cleanliness 
 and strict guard on the composition of the materials and the 
 condition of the workers employed were not observed. 
 
 These industries were the restaurant, Chinese and other 
 laundries, soda water dispensaries, whether at the counters 
 of drug stores, dry goods stores or regular ice cream and 
 candy "emporiums." While some of these places were al- 
 ready well cared for and others passed the requirements 
 of the law, there were enough of large and small to make 
 cleanliness a desirable addition to their outfit. 
 
 The laundries conducted by white men have been wonder- 
 fully improved. In many of them lockers were placed for 
 the clothing of the employees, although the price of the 
 lockers was 225% higher than in 1916. One of the largest 
 laundries in the state, situated in Hartford, not only put in 
 lockers but took extra precautions with the drinking water 
 and the sanitary equipment. Others all over Connecticut 
 have made improvements suggested to them, so that the 
 condition of the laundries operated by white men is above 
 the requirements of the law. The beginning of 1919 shows 
 only a small per cent, who have to be goaded into action. 
 This does not by any means lessen the need of careful in- 
 spection. In the laundry business, perhaps more than any 
 other, the customer is so benefited or imperiled by the sani- 
 tation of the laundry's work that extra vigilance is needed, 
 particularly when it is known that the shifting forces in 
 these places are made up of all sorts of people, since the 
 war drew to the munition industries the men and women 
 who were formerly employed in the laundries. This mi- 
 gratory labor is more likely to require care and scrutiny 
 
114 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 than the steady employes who lived near by or whose names 
 were on the payrolls for years. 
 
 The statements made in the Industrial Report of 1917 
 issue on the imperative need of supervision as to cleanliness 
 and other reasons over the Chinese laundries have been 
 amply corroborated by the number of arrests made in the 
 intervening years in various places. The owners and hab- 
 itues of this class of laundry where it is a cover for other 
 occupations are still subjects for increased attention. 
 
 There are yet some public laundries engaged in doing tu- 
 berculosis work. Owing to the outbreak of the war the com- 
 mission had to delay building the laundries in connection 
 with the institutions. The construction has simply been de- 
 ferred, as it will undoubtedly be undertaken the coming 
 spring and summer. 
 
 Since attention was called to the dangers which were 
 real and not figments of imagination, there has been in every 
 city in the state greater care taken of the cleanliness and 
 character of the food and its preparation in restaurants and 
 hotels. Health officers deserve commendation for their 
 work in the restaurant line. The practice of having a card 
 certifying to the restaurant's sanitation is admirable. 
 
 One drawback to getting results is the insufficient number 
 of health officers. While other branches of city government 
 grow to meet the enlarged demand, health departments 
 remain behind. This is not a profitable form of economy 
 nor one that meets with public approval. There is no com- 
 munity which would not welcome an expenditure which 
 would safeguard its health, nor is there any community 
 which would not promptly condemn disregard of public 
 health on the part of a health board or any other authority 
 whose duty it was to prevent disease from spreading. One 
 hundred dollars spent for prevention is worth more than 
 one hundred thousand squandered in endeavor to effect cure, 
 There is need of sounding the tocsi of alarm continually. 
 With tthe resturant manager the fact that cleanliness 
 is a business asset is being established. Patrons may not 
 rise up and denounce them when they discover some- 
 thing wrong with their order, but they have just as ef- 
 fective a way of taking dollars and patronage elsewhere. 
 This was the way last summer when a lady with a party of 
 good livers and generous spenders found the lobster served 
 her full of maggots. That restaurant will find newspaper 
 advertising in the locality in which she lives an unprofitable 
 venture this summer. 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 115 
 
 When the business of inspecting the restaurants was 
 started by the state in 1914-1915, there was indignant re- 
 sentment. But even the most hardened restaurant manager 
 whose olfactory nerves have never been working and whose 
 eyesight had dimmed, when led to his refrigerator and 
 asked to look at the shelves and to pull forth the articles 
 lurking thereon, when told to view and smell the compounds 
 going into ragout and stews and croquettes, and goulashes, 
 had to admit that some of them were a bit off. As one man 
 observed : "I must say the boys are a little too careful about 
 saving things. I never eat anything but steak and good 
 French fries myself. I never ate a croquette in my life, and 
 I don't know anything about them." 
 
 In the greater part of the restaurants of today, the kitch- 
 ens no longer have dark and filthy corners where cock- 
 roaches revel, nor do the cooks carry layers of dirt on hands 
 and face and aprons ; nor do the dishwashers use the same 
 water all day and wipe off the dishes with the same greasy, 
 dirty towels. They are vastly improved. The scrap pot 
 has not so many varieties of left over and scrapings, partly 
 because the restaurant is afraid to have it and partly be- 
 cause in the days of Hooverizing, it was a clean plate which 
 went back to the kitchen. The food was not the only pos- 
 sible injury to the health of patrons. While bakers were 
 inspected and were under a wholesome law concerning the 
 health and cleanliness of the persons employed, restaurants 
 and hotels could have and often did have men and women 
 who were infected with tuberculosis, typhoid, skin diseases 
 and some other disgusting and communicable afflictions. 
 Dishwashers were often men and women too old to do other 
 work, and too hopeless as to their future to take proper 
 care of their persons. This is changed and changing. It 
 takes constant vigilance and time, but aroused public senti- 
 ment is back of the undertaking and there is no intention of 
 relaxing endeavor. 
 
 Soda water and ice cream stores are benefited by the in- 
 creasing activity, despite the fact that some of them did not 
 think so at first. Now, however, it is only an antiquated 
 fossil who does not perceive that in taking proper precau- 
 tions for the safety of his customers' health he is increasing 
 his own business. The few who are obstinate will have to 
 fall into line. 
 
 The use of the individual drinking cup is becoming more 
 and more general. Paper dishes and cups are making their 
 way by the merits of sanitation and convenience, and the 
 
116 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 closing of the war is going to show a greater increase, both 
 voluntary and recommended, in their use. 
 
 The State Department of Health has clearly denned au- 
 thority in some aspects of sanitary cleanliness in all indus- 
 tries considered. With the Department of Labor and Fac- 
 tory Inspection co-operation, the state of Connecticut is 
 pretty well assured of satisfactory results. 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 117 
 
 SAVINGS IN THE STATE. 
 
 So much has been said of the direful calamities whch are 
 to follow the war that it may be a little encouraging to hear 
 there is quite a large number of persons in the state who 
 will be able to keep the wolf from the door. There are over 
 nine hundred thousand depositors in the savings banks, 
 state banks and the trust companies having savings de- 
 partments. Reaching up to the million mark is a wonder- 
 ful record, considering the population of the state. The 
 fact must be borne in mind that many have deposits in a 
 number of banks and the actual number of depositors is 
 actually less than the number who are reckoned as having 
 made deposits. Even holding this in view, the amount of 
 the deposits is most gratifying. It shows that Connecticut, 
 the land of steady habits and of prudent folk, clung, even 
 though in a modified degree, to its old customs. It would 
 naturally be inferred as the direct effect of the war that 
 savings bank deposits would show large shrinkage. How- 
 ever, during 1915 and 1916, the state did a tremendous 
 amount of work which brought good prices, and a large per 
 cent, of the workers put part of their earnings aside. But 
 with another class, savings decreased, as far as deposits 
 were concerned. Partly this was due to the high cost of 
 living. 
 
 Through the courtesy of the Bank Commissioner the 
 record of deposits in full from the close of the banking year 
 October 1st, 1917 to October 1st, 1918, is given with the 
 added returns made since the Commissioner closed his re- 
 port.These covered the period from October 1st, 1918 to 
 December 31st, 1918. 
 
 Oct. 1, 1918 Savings Bank deposits $367,807,600.60 
 
 Deposits in savings departments 
 
 of Trust companies 37,339,233.88 
 
 Dec. 31, 1918 Savings Bank deposits 374,170,175.28 
 
 Savings Departments of , 
 
 Trust Companies 39,409,020.18 
 
 During the month of January, 1919, savings deposits in- 
 creased greatly. No report is yet available. 
 
 The entire savings bank deposits from 
 October 1, 1915 to October 1, 1916 were $374,384,713.92 
 
118 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 In State Banks and Trust Companies 
 Savings Departments 24,974,591.78 
 
 Saving's bank deposits from October 1, 
 1916 to October 1, 1917 366,740,691.93 
 
 State Bank and Trust Companies, 
 Savings Departments 33,565,293.38 
 
 The war practically ended November llth, 1918. Since 
 that period the astonishing increase in the number of de- 
 positors and deposits has shown there must have been a 
 vast amount of hoarding done by people who evidently were 
 of the impression that if they jpnt their surplus *in the sav- 
 ings banks it would be less safe than between mattresses or 
 in old stockings. That this practice was followed largely in 
 the foreign class is further indicated by police reports which 
 show in several cities robberies of houses where thefts of 
 considerable sums, hidden in mattresses and out of the way 
 places, occured. 
 
 The increase of deposits since the close of the war up to 
 December 31st, 1918, was seven million dollars in savings 
 banks and about five or six million dollars in savings de- 
 partments of trust companies. 
 
 In Bridgeport, the home of industries payng high wages, 
 the net increase reported by the institutions of that city for 
 the month of December, 1918, totalled $1,122,000. In the 
 week from January 2nd to January 10th, $400,000 was 
 deposited. 
 
 Granted that a large part of this represents hoardings, it 
 is to be understood that the hoarders represent a large part 
 of the workers of that town, who, if those facts were not in 
 evidence, might otherwise be said to be suffering from the 
 after effects of the war. It also proves a revival of con- 
 fidence in the United States as being a pretty good place 
 for their permanent abode. It also goes to favor the in- 
 ference that despite the conditions resulting from the unex- 
 pected closing of the war, Bridgeport is not headed in any 
 direction but toward progress. 
 
 The amount of money in the savings banks of the state 
 is a fair criterion of the general condition in that state. 
 There have been deposits in the savings banks that have 
 not been molested since they were put in. Besides, savings 
 bank depositors represent the class of moderate means, 
 workers in the greater number of cases. Part of tthis de- 
 positing contingent also own property, life insurance and 
 more or less stocks in various concerns, and belong to mut- 
 ual benefit associations. In considering the savings of the 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 119 
 
 people of the state during this period, there is not included 
 the very large amount invested in building and loan associa- 
 tions, whch are safe and conservative methods of utilizing 
 money. Nor the sums that have been put into Liberty 
 Bonds and War Savings Stamps. Yet all of these have 
 taken money which otherwise would have been deposited. 
 Quite a contribution which otherwise might have been 
 hoarded came to Liberty Bonds through the foreign class. 
 War savings as well as Liberty Bonds have their quota. 
 
 Since the beginning of unemployment and the shifting of 
 the labor from outside to its original location, there has 
 been a falling off in the payments on the last liberty loan. 
 The previous ones were all paid for, owing to the system 
 employed by factories and other agencies of collection. But 
 men and women who subscribed to the last loan and who are 
 out of work are unlikely to continue their payments. Some 
 of them have already forfeited what they have paid and 
 others have sold their bonds at a discount. This is most 
 unfortunate. It is a pity that some system was not de- 
 vised which would enable them to have these bonds held 
 for them. In many cases it was actually necessary to sell 
 them ; in others, they could have been retained were it not 
 for the mischievous calamity cry of expected continuance 
 and development of hard times which greatly discouraged 
 those who were without surplus. Where the bonds were 
 sold, speculators who bought them to hold profited, and in 
 many cases the benefit goes to the government, thus having 
 some good features. 
 
 In the record of the savings of the people there is not 
 usually included the vast amount of money that is really 
 saved by the mutual benefit societies' plan whereby men and 
 women members pay in so much a month and obtain sick, 
 death or disability benefits. In this way disabled men and the 
 wives and families of deceased members are recipients of 
 sums which enable them to live without becoming charges on 
 their communities. One such association, the Locomotive 
 Engineers' Mutual Life and Accident Insurance, is cited 
 because it is not in that class of labor which is affected by 
 the ending of the war and there can be no prejudice in tak- 
 ing it as an example. This association had levied January 
 1st, 1919, claims amounting to 189,167 deaths, for which 
 $344,250 was paid; 15 killed for which $31,000 was dis- 
 tributed and 7 other claims aggregating $19,500, making 
 a grand total of $395,250 to aid those who were deprived 
 of revenue from its workers. Connecticut is a great "join- 
 ing" state. It has any number of other associations which 
 
120 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 are mutual benefit in both a fraternal and an industrial 
 sense.. 
 
 All in all, when the thrift which is demonstrated in the 
 saving record and the sagacity comprising thrift in the 
 society enrollment are considered, the state stands a fair 
 show to be among the first in practical preventive of any 
 wide spread or long enduring financial suffering. 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 121 
 
 CHILD LABOR. 
 
 Child labor has never been abused in Connecticut as it 
 has in other states, notably the southern. A constant agi- 
 tation has been carried on here. As a result the lawmakers 
 passed a number of protective and prohibitive measures 
 long before the splendid efforts of the friends of the children 
 of the country succeeded in having the national child labor 
 law enacted. As soon as it went into effect, the factory 
 inspectors of the state began a vigorous campaign for its 
 strict enforcement. 
 
 Notices requiring compliance with the provisions of the 
 eight hour law were placed in factories and all business 
 houses where children under 16 were employed and were 
 to be regarded as under the regulations. Rulings were 
 received by the Department of Labor and Factory Inspec- 
 tion every fortnight from the Child Labor Bureau at Wash- 
 ington and where they were of pertinence, immediately 
 transmitted to the industries concerned. The state depart- 
 ment was flooded with written and personal inquiries from 
 employers as to how schedules should be arranged, whether 
 certain occupations, not manual, might be excepted, etc. 
 The rulings from Washington were explicit, covering every 
 branch of employment whether manual or otherwise in 
 which a child could engage in a factory. They permitted 
 no elastic interpretation. 
 
 Boys who were in an office to answer telephone calls, give 
 information, run errands through the departments, carry 
 parcels and go after the mail were held as much under the 
 law as they who worked in the factory. Of course the same 
 ruling applied to girls. 
 
 The attitude of the employers in this matter was admir- 
 able. After they had received explanation of just what 
 they had to do they proceeded to co-operate with the autho- 
 rities, fairly and honestly determined to give the law every 
 opportunity to prove its wisdom. Whatever trouble there 
 was lay with the older employes and the children themselves. 
 The former because of the necessity of adjusting their 
 hours of labor to those of the child. Concretely: In order 
 that the child should work only eight hours a day, the em- 
 ployer either had him come in an hour later in the morning 
 or extended his lunch hour to two, or had him go home an 
 hour earlier in the afternoon % All of these plans were based 
 
122 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 on the nine hour day. Where ten hours were the rule, the 
 same plans were followed, merely making the time two 
 hours instead of one. On Saturdays the child only worked 
 till 12 noon, thus having in reality a 44 hour week instead 
 of 48. 
 
 No matter what course was devised, its application af- 
 fected adult work. With the exception of carrying letters 
 and messages and looking after the office, there was no 
 special branch of work in which boys and girls under the 
 eight hour law could labor without in some way affecting 
 that of the older employes. Even in inspection, the re- 
 ceiving and completion of their, portions of the work had to 
 be regulated. In time keeping, minors within the law could 
 not be used ; in handing out tools and helping it was neces- 
 sary to have them there as soon as the workers began. 
 When the boy came in later in the morning, some part of 
 the work had to be arranged to fit his time; when he left 
 earlier in the afternoon, it involved adjusting some work to 
 suit his departure ; in short the different schedules of adult 
 and child labor created some difficulties and entailed some 
 loss of time. Loss of even a minute of time in the case of 
 an individual counts in production and time when multiplied 
 by the yearly working time. Loss when multiplied by the 
 number who are concerned amounts to thousands of dollars 
 in the working year. When the children working were dis- 
 missed earlier, they did not go home but hung around out- 
 side the building gossiping and making noise. When they 
 came in later in the morning they caused some interruption 
 and the same was true of the lengthening of their noon hour. 
 Another drawback which became apparent to the close ob- 
 server was the psychological effect of one class of workers 
 leaving before another as suggesting the idea and feeling 
 of fatigue, and causing a lessening of production. The in- 
 vestigator noted in a number of factories that when a child 
 employed left off work, those who were left invariably 
 looked to see what time it was and without any suggestion 
 commented on the hour and how glad they would be to be 
 relieved. 
 
 The upshot of it all was that employers generally resolved 
 to dispense with this form of labor, even though they sorely 
 required it. Few concerns were encouraging child labor 
 when the eight hour law was declared off. Even then they 
 did not immediately seek to avail themselves of its aid. Had 
 an eight hour law been uniform for all employees, the situa- 
 tion would have been vastly different. So far as personal 
 observation and investigation goes, the labor of children 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 123 
 
 under 16 has never been so satisfactory as to be greatly 
 desired. It is not likely from their experience that a con- 
 certed effort would be made by the employers of the state 
 to retain it except for such exigency as the war. 
 
 When this class of workers is employed in mercantile es- 
 tablishments the duties are much lighter than in manu- 
 facturing. These minors are held in such work because 
 older help cannot afford to take such occupations which they 
 fill. 
 
 Medical statistics do not include many serious effects. The 
 employment of child labor which has the least objectionable 
 features and has not resulted in bad effects and is most lu- 
 crative to the young employe is that offered in the tobacco 
 fields of the state. In a much less degree, farm work is also 
 allowable on the ground of fresh air, but it is decidedly true 
 that boys working on a farm often are asked and compelled 
 to do as much work as an adult. In the tobacco fields and 
 sheds the young workers are not employed more than 55 
 hours a week and practically receive as much money as they 
 can make. The work is not laborious nor confining. Many 
 children, both boys and girls, worked in the tobacco tents 
 and fields during the summer of 1918. A large number 
 came from nearby homes. Others came in auto trucks from 
 Hartford and smaller towns up the valley. Any morning 
 between 6 and 6:30 groups of children with here and there 
 old women, could be seen at the corner of Sheldon and Main 
 streets, and at other junctions waiting for their convevan- 
 ces. They were usually singing and laughing, and evident- 
 ly regarded their trip and work in the line of an outing. 
 They were brought back between 5 and 6, and even then 
 they were having a gay time among themselves. There was 
 not a sick looking child in the load. Their eyes were bright, 
 their faces healthily colored, their flesh firm and their 
 muscles hard. They were remarkably clean skinned. Cut- 
 ting off the tendrils of the tobacco was about the most tax- 
 ing labor. The rest of the day's work did not include any 
 stooping over arid was performed under good conditions. 
 They made good pay, receiving from $10 to $15 a week. 
 Some of them did not work the full 55 hours and they could 
 have the Saturday holiday if they wished. The greater part 
 of these children are those who would not be allowed by the 
 state to work at any other than a seasonal outdoor occupa- 
 tion. Children who could obtain certificates were not found 
 in any appreciable number in the tobacco fields. In one 
 month of 1917, and two of 1918, only 49 certificates were 
 issued by the State Board of Education to children between 
 
124 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 14 and 16 enabling them to work in tobacco concerns. The 
 work of sorting and packing is done in tobacco warehouses, 
 and the law defines the latter as manufacturing establish- 
 ments to be governed by laws applicable to that class. The 
 workers in the field tents range from 10 to 14, only a very 
 few were above the latter age in the 1500 in this industry in 
 the season. 
 
 In 1916 the number of certificates issued to child workers 
 between 14 and 16 in all occupations was 13750 up to the 
 first day of November. From November 1st, 1916, to No- 
 vember 1st, 1917, 11502 regular permits and 3224 vacation, 
 were given out, amounting to 14837 ; from November 1st, 
 1917, to November 1st, 1918, 'the regular permits were 
 13715 and 4003 vacation. From August 1, 1918, to Novem- 
 ber 1, 1918, 3943 regular and 251 vacation were certified, 
 a total of 4194. It is easy to figure from this the proportion 
 in which child labor increased in the state in the epochal 
 period of the war. 
 
 It would be valuable information to learn from school 
 records how the children who are given permission to work 
 during vacation compare in their studies with those who do 
 not work. In many families where there are drunken or 
 worthless husbands or a widowed mother with dependent 
 children, it is a needed help for the child to work through 
 the vacation and on Saturdays. There is a boy who works 
 Saturdays and provides the Sunday and Monday food for 
 the family. Where men are unable to work through disa- 
 bility or sickness, it is not so bad to have a child help to 
 clothe himself to stay in school or to contribute to the up- 
 keep of the family. But there is no more despicable sight 
 to be seen than that often furnished in the State Capitol by 
 brawny, bleary eyed men leading some puny, undersized boy 
 or girl to obtain a certificate to work. Sometimes the chil- 
 dren are big and husky too and generally none too intelligent 
 looking, but in all instances the mental question comes: 
 Why is the fond parent loafing in the middle of a workday 
 so that he can show his willingness to have his children 
 work to support him? In the opinion of a woman who 
 witnessed this spectacle such men should be sent to jail and 
 put to work on a road, and their wives should receive their 
 pay. 
 
 During the physical examination made necessary during 
 the late war it was something of a shock to find so many 
 of the young men of the country actually unable to stand 
 soldier service. While their conditions could not justly be 
 ascribed in even a small number to work in their childhood 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 125 
 
 days, their state is no less a strong plea for the development 
 of stamina by conserving child strength. 
 
 More children die in the United States, about 300,000 a 
 year than the whole number of casualties in the war 
 of 1917-1918. They might have been saved if their 
 mothers had not been weakened by working days or nights 
 and they themselves had better milk, better care, better 
 housing. There is not such a large number of children to the 
 adult population of the state that even one in 100 can be 
 allowed to die. It is an imperative duty not to impose un- 
 necessary hardship on the developing mental and physical 
 strength of the 14 to 16 year old. Instead of presenting 
 these children with certificates to work, give them a voca- 
 tional education which will proceed side by side with the 
 necessary branches of learning, so that from 16 to 18 they 
 will be able to bring to their life work an intelligent trained 
 mind to direct the operation of the skill in whatever branch 
 of labor they have elected as theirs. 
 
 There is no pressing need, patriotic or otherwise for 
 child labor in the manufacturing industries of the state of 
 Connecticut. 
 
126 
 
 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 STATISTICAL DATA. 
 
 Classifying the employees as to their personal conditions, 
 married, single, children, ages, nationality, was a more dif- 
 ficult task during the years of 1917 and 1918 than it would 
 have been at other periods. So much personal information 
 had been sought in the lines of draft and other question- 
 naires, and so many were suspicious of the tenor of the ques- 
 tioning that the employers themselves in some cases pre- 
 ferred to have it done by the investigator. In the larger 
 number however, they contributed the answers as to age, 
 nationality and civil conditions. 
 
 Where the information had to be personally obtained, the 
 investigator found, like the employers, the greatest difficulty 
 lay with the foreign born, whom it was rather hard to have 
 understand the drift of the queries. Many of those who 
 utterly failed to give intelligible answers, or any answers at 
 all, undoubtedly followed this course, because by some pe- 
 culiar process of reason they had actually persuaded them- 
 selves that giving the information meant harm to them. 
 
 TABLE I. 
 
 INDUSTRIES, NUMBER OF EMPLOYES, WAGES AND OUTPUT 
 OF THE STATE FOR 1917-18. 
 
 
 
 
 
 Value of 
 
 
 No. of 
 
 No. of 
 
 Wages 
 
 Output 
 
 Industry 
 
 Industries 
 
 Employees Dollars 
 
 Dollars 
 
 Advertising Novelties 
 
 3 
 
 70 
 
 77,441 
 
 227,411 
 
 Airplane Works ' 
 
 2 
 
 256 
 
 663,676 
 
 919,093 
 
 Aluminum Castings 
 
 2 
 
 448 
 
 628,752 
 
 2,587,624 
 
 Artificial Ice 
 
 6 
 
 210 
 
 266,550 
 
 739,366 
 
 Augur Bits 
 
 2 
 
 139 
 
 116,021 
 
 704,380 
 
 Automobiles 
 
 228 
 
 7,244 
 
 8,963,588 
 
 20,682,180 
 
 Awnings and Upholstering. . . 
 
 32 
 
 873 
 
 737,183 
 
 2,123,532 
 
 Bakeries 
 
 511 
 
 3,634 
 
 3,795,653 
 
 12,830,056 
 
 Ball and Roller Bearings 
 
 7 
 
 3,842 
 
 3,692,517 
 
 10,912,920 
 
 Baskets 
 
 1 
 
 18 
 
 12,954 
 
 25,521 
 
 Beds and Bed Springs 
 
 3 
 
 67 
 
 117,541 
 
 221,687 
 
 Bed Quilts 
 
 3 
 
 655 
 
 357,310 
 
 3,621,070 
 
 Bells 
 
 7 
 
 415 
 
 268,491 
 
 908,728 
 
 Blacksmithing Supplies 
 
 4 
 
 124 
 
 141,109 
 
 375,300 
 
 Boat Building 
 
 9 
 
 1,347 
 
 2,269,427 
 
 19,746,976 
 
 Bone and Ivory Goods 
 
 5 
 
 1,062 
 
 1,098,047 
 
 2,155,700 
 
 Breweries 
 
 30 
 
 1,127 
 
 1,669,445 
 
 12,629,722 
 
 Brass Castings 
 
 3 
 
 156 
 
 188,312 
 
 662,315 
 
 Brick 
 
 5 
 
 316 
 
 417,988 
 
 1,234,840 
 
 Brushes 
 
 6 
 
 147 
 
 76,828 
 
 353,819 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 
 
 127 
 
 
 
 
 
 Value of 
 
 No. 
 
 of 
 
 No. of 
 
 Wages 
 
 Output 
 
 Industry Industries 
 
 Employees 
 
 Dollars 
 
 Dollars 
 
 Buffing Wheels 
 
 5 
 
 252 
 
 208,624 
 
 601,867 
 
 Building Hardware 
 
 29 
 
 13,362 
 
 12,547,091 
 
 41,489,654 
 
 Buttons and Buckles 
 
 19 
 
 2,151 
 
 1,424,567 
 
 4,660,898 
 
 Cabinet Work 
 
 46 
 
 1,282 
 
 1,619,428 
 
 3,890,461 
 
 Canning 
 
 3 
 
 149 
 
 37,277 
 
 138,323 
 
 Cans 
 
 1 
 
 83 
 
 203,580 
 
 624,187 
 
 Carpets and Rugs 
 
 10 
 
 8,298 
 
 1,573,418 
 
 5,687,393 
 
 Carriage Hardware 
 
 2 
 
 19 
 
 34,064 
 
 95,486 
 
 Casket Hardware 
 
 5 
 
 220 
 
 176,515 
 
 732,076 
 
 Cereal Grinding 
 
 37 
 
 687 
 
 683,841 
 
 7,884,926 
 
 Chains 
 
 5 
 
 4,368 
 
 3,634,226 
 
 12,374,140 
 
 Chemicals 
 
 39 
 
 1,862 
 
 2,628,345 
 
 10,251,986 
 
 Chucks 
 
 4 
 
 756 
 
 1,117,235 
 
 3,042,788 
 
 Clocks 
 
 11 
 
 5,921 
 
 4,471,982 
 
 10,356,792 
 
 Clothing 
 
 33 
 
 642 
 
 570,390 
 
 2,347,504 
 
 Cold Storage 
 
 4 
 
 92 
 
 49,228 
 
 1,735,161 
 
 Corsets 
 
 24 
 
 7,361 
 
 4,205,092 
 
 16,722,165 
 
 Cotton Cloth 
 
 68 
 
 15,495 
 
 10,480,362 
 
 60,611,453 
 
 Cutlery 
 
 15 
 
 1,350 
 
 1,167,248 
 
 2,889,966 
 
 Dairy 
 
 25 
 
 489 
 
 527,940 
 
 4,559,188 
 
 Dies 
 
 53 
 
 5,589 
 
 7,338,181 
 
 22,726,348 
 
 Drop Forgings 
 
 9 
 
 862 
 
 1,366,640 
 
 . 5,123,582 
 
 Dyeing and Cleaning 
 
 47 
 
 462 
 
 411,884 
 
 1,581,787 
 
 Dynamos 
 
 1 
 
 6 
 
 5,128 
 
 9,681 
 
 Electric F'ittings 
 
 28 
 
 7,147 
 
 4,580,046 
 
 16,774,236 
 
 Electrical Installation 
 
 29 
 
 275 
 
 499,449 
 
 1,863,119 
 
 Electrotypes 
 
 8 
 
 198 
 
 338,952 
 
 862,811 
 
 Elevators 
 
 .1 
 
 680 
 
 1,542,345 
 
 2,687,982 
 
 Enamel Ware 
 
 2 
 
 172 
 
 92,228 
 
 203,425 
 
 Engines 
 
 10 
 
 1,916 
 
 1,413,868 
 
 5,033,951 
 
 Engravers 
 
 20 
 
 278 
 
 416,525 
 
 1,248,832 
 
 Files 
 
 1 
 
 17 
 
 9,598 
 
 20,702 
 
 Fire Hydrants . . . 
 
 1 
 
 599 
 
 420,000 
 
 1,290,000 
 
 Gas Meters 
 
 2 
 
 139 
 
 188,178 
 
 580,704 
 
 Glass 
 
 15 
 
 354 
 
 323,501 
 
 1,902,943 
 
 Glue, Fertilizer & Fat Rend'ng 
 
 15 
 
 431 
 
 377,197 
 
 3,056,138 
 
 Gray Iron Castings 
 
 3 
 
 572 
 
 589,896 
 
 1,560,636 
 
 Guns, Revolvers and Munitions 
 
 34 
 
 60,997 
 
 50,207,784 
 
 204,622,513 
 
 Hardware Specialties 
 
 42 
 
 4,147 
 
 5,374,875 
 
 22,337,872 
 
 Hats and Caps 
 
 77 
 
 8,548 
 
 5,423,304 
 
 108,085,071 
 
 Heaters, Furnaces and Boilers. 
 
 9 
 
 354 
 
 342,105 
 
 1,977,259 
 
 Heavy Machinery 
 
 105 
 
 19,174 
 
 18,167,553 
 
 53,496,579 
 
 Horseshoe Nails 
 
 1 
 
 89 
 
 85,474 
 
 320,897 
 
 House Finish and Woodwork. . 
 
 162 
 
 4,182 
 
 6,333,833 
 
 17,337,610 
 
 Household Articles 
 
 5 
 
 85 
 
 64,184 
 
 371,359 
 
 Ice Cream and Confectionery. . 
 
 137 
 
 1,847 
 
 1,663,127 
 
 9,441,275 
 
 Jewelry, Art Metal Goods .... 
 
 12 
 
 1,607 
 
 1,191,201 
 
 3,779,727 
 
 Lace and Embroidery 
 
 6 
 
 1,220 
 
 1,524,058 
 
 4,525,407 
 
 Laundries 
 
 91 
 
 3,405 
 
 2,500,336 
 
 4,704,770 
 
 Laundry Machinery 
 
 2 
 
 17 
 
 15,449 
 
 46,949 
 
 Leather ' 
 
 26 
 
 878 
 
 1,024,311 
 
 4,527,432 
 
 Light and Power 
 
 49 
 
 3,443 
 
 4,271,051 
 
 26,324,513 
 
 Lime 
 
 2 
 
 44 
 
 63,440 
 
 261,323 
 
 Lithographers 
 
 1 
 
 53 
 
 23,130 
 
 51,234 
 
 Locksmith's Supplies 
 
 4 
 
 133 
 
 114,315 
 
 421,947 
 
128 
 
 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 
 
 
 
 Value of 
 
 No 
 
 . Of 
 
 No. of 
 
 Wages 
 
 Output 
 
 Industry Industries 
 
 Employees 
 
 Dollars 
 
 Dollars 
 
 Lumber 
 
 56 
 
 1,518 
 
 1,834,191 
 
 9,215,073 
 
 Macaroni 
 
 5 
 
 63 
 
 25,806 
 
 168,641 
 
 Marine Hardware 
 
 3 
 
 537 
 
 409,243 
 
 1,528,123 
 
 Machine Parts 
 
 4 
 
 764 
 
 940,299 
 
 3,956,872 
 
 Machine Repairs 
 
 9 
 
 306 
 
 409,856 
 
 204,663 
 
 Machine Screw Products 
 
 9 
 
 670 
 
 817,240 
 
 2,740,101 
 
 Machine Works 
 
 8 
 
 1,033 
 
 945,575 
 
 4,795,017 
 
 Mattresses & Pillows 
 
 15 
 
 308 
 
 258,298 
 
 1,169,209 
 
 Meat Packers and Sausage 
 
 15 
 
 550 
 
 521,642 
 
 8,090,903 
 
 Metal Refiners 
 
 8 
 
 252 
 
 245,523 
 
 2,842,175 
 
 Metal Treating 
 
 3 
 
 149 
 
 145,015 
 
 829,108 
 
 Metal Tubes, Boxes and Pipes. 
 
 10 
 
 2,761 
 
 2,393,609 
 
 10,236,935 
 
 Metal Plating 
 
 13 
 
 986 
 
 1,611,981 
 
 7,448,675 
 
 Moulds and Cores 
 
 4 
 
 207 
 
 213,721 
 
 802,581 
 
 Musical Instruments 
 
 14 
 
 5,326 
 
 6,390,289 
 
 17,923,991 
 
 Office Appliances 
 
 5 
 
 305 
 
 40,408 
 
 210,444 
 
 Oil Refiners 
 
 1 
 
 10 
 
 12,272 
 
 103,611 
 
 Oven Thermometers 
 
 1 
 
 30 
 
 18,888 
 
 49,142 
 
 Oyste'rs 
 
 17 
 
 802 
 
 570,489 
 
 1,192,327 
 
 Paint and Varnish 
 
 11 
 
 326 
 
 574,410 
 
 2,233,577 
 
 Painting 
 
 6 
 
 43 
 
 48,414 
 
 118,282 
 
 Paper Boxes 
 
 105 
 
 6,221 
 
 3,922,964 
 
 26,366,474 
 
 Patterns and Models 
 
 21 
 
 407 
 
 483,972 
 
 1,616,635 
 
 Plumbing, Tin'g & Sheet Metal 
 
 86 
 
 1,861 
 
 3,445,490 
 
 10,533,956 
 
 Pins and Needles 
 
 11 
 
 3,553 
 
 2,472,940 
 
 8,740,737 
 
 Pickles 
 
 3 
 
 53 
 
 30,408 
 
 174,488 
 
 Piston Rings 
 
 1 
 
 8 
 
 6,500 
 
 15,000 
 
 Printing 
 
 252 
 
 4,193 
 
 9,858,871 
 
 12,419,410 
 
 Printing Machinery 
 
 6 
 
 586 
 
 576,407 
 
 1,433,567 
 
 Radiators 
 
 9 
 
 453 
 
 489,653 
 
 1,721,187 
 
 Recording Instruments 
 
 1 
 
 685 
 
 1,374,880 
 
 6,001,992 
 
 Railroads and Trollev 
 
 12 
 
 1,216 
 
 711,073 
 
 5,842,491 
 
 Road Sweepers 
 
 1 
 
 87 
 
 113,500 
 
 311,045 
 
 Rubber and Elastic Goods 
 
 46 
 
 14,628 
 
 15,059,047 
 
 51,484,563 
 
 Saddlerv Hardware 
 
 3 
 
 497 
 
 299,296 
 
 795,233 
 
 Saws and Hammers 
 
 5 
 
 184 
 
 249,394 
 
 1,496,237 
 
 Scrap Iron and Metals 
 
 10 
 
 77 
 
 187,931 
 
 1,592,577 
 
 Screws, Rivets, Washers, Bolts, 
 
 
 
 
 
 etc 
 
 19 
 
 1,974 
 
 3,870,398 
 
 10,123,542 
 
 Seals for Bottles 
 
 2 
 
 212 
 
 265,917 
 
 925,563 
 
 Sewing Machines 
 
 1 
 
 1,912 
 
 1,506,039 
 
 2,184,160 
 
 Shirts 
 
 7 
 
 938 
 
 618,114 
 
 2,482,342 
 
 Shoddy 
 
 9 
 
 410 
 
 302,626 
 
 1,022,117 
 
 Shoes and Leggins 
 
 6 
 
 1,118 
 
 1,256,605 
 
 4,846,061 
 
 Silk and Velvet 
 
 35 
 
 11,616 
 
 12,538,901 
 
 43,876,894 
 
 Silverware 
 
 39 
 
 5,698 
 
 5,943,035 
 
 31,205,947 
 
 Small Machinery 
 
 66 
 
 3,739 
 
 6,581,178 
 
 33,141,226 
 
 Small Metal Articles 
 
 30 
 
 1,560 
 
 1,272,510 
 
 4,020,154 . 
 
 Smelting 
 
 4 
 
 276 
 
 590,298 
 
 4,430,981 
 
 Special Machinery 
 
 76 
 
 28,130 
 
 30,205,017 
 
 68,483,331 
 
 Soap and Toilet Articles 
 
 8 
 
 553 
 
 346,009 
 
 16,044,068 
 
 Soft Drinks and Bottling 
 
 58 
 
 506 
 
 744,928 
 
 3,124,330 
 
 Soldering 
 
 1 
 
 16 
 
 24,960 
 
 105,119 
 
 Speed Gears 
 
 1 
 
 167 
 
 57,725 
 
 98,590 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 
 
 129 
 
 Industry 
 
 No. of No. of Wages 
 
 Industries Emyloyees Dollars 
 
 Value of 
 Output 
 Dollars 
 
 Springs 6 1,050 1,283,427 5,998,572 
 
 Starch 2 45 33,271 402,507 
 
 Steel Lockers 2 218 166,824 912,148 
 
 Stone, Plaster and Concrete .. 92 3,327 5,752,640 19,991,163 
 
 Storage Batteries 2 86 26,185 259,929 
 
 Store Fixtures and Furniture. . 2 16 14,888 51,031 
 
 Stoves 3 331 367,789 1,187,039 
 
 Telephone Devices 1 100 100,000 383,000 
 
 Thread 7 3,633 2,152,102 12,582,133 
 
 Tinware 1 25 21,724 46,322 
 
 Tobacco 134 6,912 4,603,906 12,515,239 
 
 Toys & Sport Goods Novelties 14 1,060 703,230 2,817,276 
 
 Turbines 2 423 611,908 1,478,244 
 
 Typewriters 5 2,674 2,181,644 4,093,256 
 
 Umbrellas 4 54 50,832 155,494 
 
 Underwear 17 3,052 2,547,252 9,545,856 
 
 Vacuum Cleaning Devices 2 36 38,376 317,706 
 
 Wagons and Carriages 40 329 491,012 1,241,398 
 
 Waists and Dresses 14 727 631,518 2,828,613 
 
 Water Companies 3 111 123,514 961,941 
 
 Watches 2 595 575,802 189,919 
 
 Welding 17 909 2,154,430 7,659,504 
 
 Wire 36 4,397 4,232,415 21,732,027 
 
 Woolens and Worsteds 42 6,298 6,694,091 33,717,103 
 
 X-Bay Tubes 1 14 16,328 87,654 
 
 Total 3,934 362,993 342,991,7501,158,045,644 
 
 New data received concerning 5,087 employes, too late for classification 
 as to occupation brings total list 
 
 368,080 343,963,781 1,159,046,868 
 
130 
 
 REPORT CF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 TABLE II. 
 
 NATIONALITIES OF EMPLOYEES IN INDUSTRIES OF THE STATE 
 INVESTIGATED IN 1917-1918. 
 
 
 
 
 
 Per Cent, 
 of Whole 
 
 
 
 
 
 No. of Em- 
 
 Nationalities 
 
 Men 
 
 Women 
 
 Total 
 
 Employees 
 
 Abyssinian 
 
 4 
 
 16 
 
 20 
 
 .005 
 
 Albanian 
 
 916 
 
 106 
 
 1,022 
 
 .27 
 
 Algerian 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 6 
 
 .0016 
 
 American 
 
 100,292 
 
 38,466 
 
 137,758 
 
 37.23 
 
 Armenian 
 
 1,798 
 
 169 
 
 1,967 
 
 .52 
 
 Australian 
 
 6 
 
 2 
 
 8 
 
 .002 
 
 Austrian 
 
 5,843 
 
 1,186 
 
 7,029 
 
 1.88 
 
 Bavarian 
 
 8 
 
 53 
 
 61 
 
 .016 
 
 Belgian 
 
 384 
 
 568 
 
 952 
 
 .25 
 
 Bohemian 
 
 167 
 
 189 
 
 356 
 
 .095 
 
 Bulgarian 
 
 39 
 
 9 
 
 48 
 
 .013 
 
 Canadian 
 
 5,127 
 
 2,610 
 
 7,737 
 
 2.075 
 
 Chinese 
 
 8 
 
 
 
 8 
 
 .0024 
 
 Croatian 
 
 8 
 
 
 
 8 
 
 .0024 
 
 Cuban 
 
 253 
 
 42 
 
 295 
 
 .07 
 
 Danish 
 
 9,482 
 
 2,152 
 
 11,634 
 
 3.12 
 
 Dutch 
 
 87 
 
 12 
 
 99 
 
 .026 
 
 Egyptian 
 
 6 
 
 
 
 6 
 
 .0016 
 
 English 
 
 7,871 
 
 4,891 
 
 12,762 
 
 3.42 
 
 Finnish 
 
 208 
 
 81 
 
 289 
 
 .075 
 
 Flemish 
 
 11 
 
 25 
 
 36 
 
 .009 
 
 French 
 
 4,075 
 
 2,094 
 
 6,169 
 
 1.65 
 
 Galician 
 
 31 
 
 
 
 31 
 
 .083 
 
 German 
 
 9,321 
 
 1,314 
 
 10,635 
 
 2.85 
 
 Greek 
 
 2,875 
 
 549 
 
 3,424 
 
 .91 
 
 Hungarian 
 
 11,957 
 
 4,811 
 
 16,768 
 
 4.57 
 
 Indian 
 
 6 
 
 
 
 6 
 
 .0016 
 
 Irish 
 
 14,879 
 
 6,586 
 
 21,465 
 
 5.76 
 
 Italian 
 
 33,454 
 
 14,056 
 
 47,510 
 
 12.75 
 
 Japanese 
 
 35 
 
 4 
 
 30 
 
 .01 
 
 Jews 
 
 2,729 
 
 1,893 
 
 4,622 
 
 1.24 
 
 Lettish 
 
 187 
 
 95 
 
 282 
 
 .0754 
 
 Lithuanian 
 
 6,669 
 
 2,074 
 
 8,743 
 
 2.34 
 
 Mexican 
 
 34 
 
 8 
 
 42 
 
 .011 
 
 Montenegrin 
 
 ...... 20 
 
 6 
 
 26 
 
 .007 
 
 Negroes 
 
 1,731 
 
 559 
 
 2,290 
 
 .61 
 
 Norwegian 
 
 467 
 
 157 
 
 624 
 
 .16 
 
 Persian 
 
 9 
 
 4 
 
 13 
 
 .003 
 
 Polish 
 
 19,728 
 
 5,256 
 
 24,984 
 
 6.7 
 
 Porto Rican 
 
 62 
 
 3 
 
 65 
 
 .017 
 
 Portuguese 
 
 971 
 
 563 
 
 1,534 
 
 .41 
 
 Roumanian 
 
 514 
 
 154 
 
 668 
 
 .18 
 
 Russian 
 
 13,840 
 
 3,258 
 
 17,098 
 
 4.56 
 
 Ruthenian 
 
 7 
 
 7 
 
 14 
 
 .004 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 
 
 131 
 
 Nationalities 
 
 Men 
 
 Women 
 
 Per Cent. 
 of Whole 
 No- of Em- 
 Total ployees 
 
 Scotch 
 
 2 034 
 
 701 
 
 470 
 14 
 72 
 1,863 
 257 ' 
 274 
 
 
 9 
 
 9 
 
 2,735 
 165 
 3,374 
 160 
 563 
 12,903 
 872 
 1,314 
 82 
 34 
 98 
 14 
 154 
 
 .73 
 .044 
 .905 
 .043 
 .15 
 3.46 
 .23 
 .35 
 .022 
 .009 
 .026 
 .004 
 .041 
 
 Servian . 
 
 165 
 
 Slavish . . 
 
 2,904 
 
 South American 
 
 146 
 
 Spanish 
 
 491 
 
 Swedish 
 
 11 040 
 
 Swiss 
 
 . . 615 
 
 Syrian . . . 
 
 1,040 
 
 Turkish 
 
 82 
 
 Ukranian 
 
 34 
 
 Welsh . . 
 
 89 
 
 West Indian 
 
 14 
 
 Miscellaneous 
 
 145 
 
 
 
 274,920 97,701 372,621 
 
 100.00 
 
132 
 
 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 TABLE III. 
 
 NATIONALITIES. 
 
 Men 
 Number 
 
 Per Cent. 
 
 of 
 Men 
 
 Per Cent. 
 Women of 
 Number Women 
 
 Abyssinian 4 .002 16 .016 
 
 Albanian 916 .333 106 .109 
 
 Algerian 2 .001 4 .004 
 
 American 100,292 36.48 38,466 39.37 
 
 Armenian -. 1,798 ' .654 169 .18 
 
 Australian 6 .002 2 .002 
 
 Austrian 5,843 2.12 1,186 1.22 
 
 Bavarian 8 .003 53 .054 
 
 Belgian 384 .139 568 .58 
 
 Bohemian 167 .068 189 .19 
 
 Bulgarian 39 .014 9 .009 
 
 Canadian 5,127 1.865 2,610 2.67 
 
 Chinese 8 .003 .0 
 
 Croatian 8 .003 .0 
 
 Cuban 253 .092 42 .043 
 
 Danish 9,482 3.449 2,152 2.2 
 
 Dutch 87 .032 12 .02 
 
 Egyptian 6 .002 .0 
 
 English 7,871 2.863 4,891 5. 
 
 Finnish 208 .075 81 .08 
 
 Flemish 11 .004 25 .03 
 
 French 4,075 1.48 2,094 2.14 
 
 Galacian 31 .011 .0 
 
 German 9,321 3.39 1,314 1.35 
 
 Greek 2,875 1.046 549 .57 
 
 Hungarian 11,957 4.35 4,811 4.93 
 
 Indian 6 .002 .0 
 
 Irish 14,879 5.44 6.586 6.74 
 
 Italian 33,454 12.16 14,056 14.39 
 
 Japanese 35 .012 4 .004 
 
 Jew 2,729 .99 1,893 1.94 
 
 Lettish 187 .068 95 .095 
 
 Lithuanian 6,669 2.425 2,074 2.12 
 
 Mexican 34 .012 8 .008 
 
 Montenegrin 20 .007 6 .006 
 
 Negroes 1,731 .63 559 .57 
 
 Norwegian 467 .168 157 .157 
 
 Persian 9 .003 4 .004 
 
 Polish 19,728 7.17 5,256 5.38 
 
 Porto Rican 62 .023 3 .003 
 
 Portuguese 971 .353 563 .58 
 
 Roumanian 514 .187 154 .16 
 
 Russian '. . . 13,840 5.034 3,258 3.33 
 
 Ruthenian 7 .003 7 .007 
 
 Scotch 2,034 .739 701 .717 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 
 
 133 
 
 
 Men 
 
 Number 
 
 Per Cent. Per Cent, 
 of Women of 
 Men Number Women 
 
 Servian 
 
 165 
 
 .06 
 1.056 
 .053 
 .179 
 4.01 
 .224 
 .378 
 .03 
 .012 
 .033 
 .005 
 .053 
 
 
 470 
 14 
 72 
 1,863 
 257 
 274 
 
 
 9 
 
 9 
 
 .0 
 .48 
 .014 
 .07 
 1.9 
 .26 
 .28 
 .0 
 .0 
 .009 
 .0 
 .009 
 
 Slavish. 
 
 2904 
 
 South American 
 
 .... 146 
 
 Spanish. 
 
 491 
 
 Swedish 
 
 11,040 
 
 Swiss 
 
 615 
 
 Syrian 
 
 1 ; 040 
 
 Turkish 
 
 82 
 
 Ukranian 
 
 34 
 
 Welsh '. 
 
 . . . 89 
 
 West Indian . . 
 
 14 
 
 
 145 
 
 
 
 274,920 100. 
 
 97,701 100. 
 
134 
 
 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 TABLE IV. 
 
 NATIONALITIES. 
 
 Nationality 
 
 Men Women 
 
 Per Cent. Per Cent. 
 
 Number of Whole Number of Whole 
 
 Abyssinian 4 .001 16 .004 
 
 Albanian 916 .25 106 .03 
 
 Algerian *2 .001 4 .001 
 
 American 100,292 26.92 38,466 10.32 
 
 Armenian 1,798 .482 169 .05 
 
 Australian 6 .002 2 .001 
 
 Austrian 5,843 1.57 1,186 .31 
 
 Bavarian 8 .002 53 .014 
 
 Belgian : 384 .103 568 .152 
 
 Bohemian 167 .044 189 .05 
 
 Bulgarian 39 .01 9 .003 
 
 Canadian 5,127 .138 2,610 .7 
 
 Chinese 8 .002 .0 
 
 Croatian 8 .002 .0 
 
 Cuban 253 .07 42 .011 
 
 Danish 9,482 2.544 2,152 .57 
 
 Dutch 87 .03 12 .003 
 
 Egyptian 6 .002 .0 
 
 English 7,871 2.11 4.891 1.31 
 
 Finnish 208 .055 81 .02 
 
 Flemish 11 .003 25 .006 
 
 French' 4,075 1.09 2,094 .562 
 
 Galician 31 .008 .0 
 
 German 9,321 2.5 1,314 .35 
 
 Greek 2,875 .771 549 .0147 
 
 Hungarian 11,957 3.21 4,811 1.29 
 
 Indian ' 6 .002 .0 
 
 Irish 14,879 3.99 6,856 1.83 
 
 Italian 33,454 8.97 14,056 3.77 
 
 Japanese 35 .009 4 .001 
 
 Jews 2,729 .73 1,893 .5 
 
 Lettish 187 .05 95 .02 
 
 Lithuanian 6,669 1.79 2.074 .55 
 
 Mexican 34 .009 .8 .002 
 
 Montenegrin 20 .005 6 .002 
 
 Negroes 1,731 .464 559 .15 
 
 Norwegians 467 .126 157 .04 
 
 Persian 9 .003 4 .001 
 
 Polish 19,728 5.29 5,256 1.41 
 
 Porto Rican 62 .016 3 .001 
 
 Portuguese 971 .26 563 .151 
 
 Roumanian 514 .14 154 .04 
 
 Russian 13,840 3.71 3,258 .874 
 
 Ruthenian 7 .001 7 .002 
 
 Scotch 2,034 .543 701 .18 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 135 
 
 Men Women 
 
 Per Cent. Per Cent. 
 
 Nationality Number of Whole Number of Whole 
 
 Servian 
 
 165 
 
 .044 
 
 
 
 .0 
 
 Slavish . 
 
 .... 2,904 
 
 .78 
 
 470 
 
 .12 
 
 South American 
 
 146 
 
 .04 
 
 14 
 
 .004 
 
 Spanish 
 
 491 
 
 .131 
 
 72 
 
 .019 
 
 Swedish 
 
 11,040 
 
 2.96 
 
 1,863 
 
 .5 
 
 Swiss 
 
 615 
 
 .17 
 
 257 
 
 .07 
 
 Syrian . 
 
 1,040 
 
 .28 
 
 274 
 
 .073 
 
 Turk 
 
 82 
 
 .022 
 
 
 
 .0 
 
 TJkranian . . . . 
 
 34 
 
 .009 
 
 
 
 .0 
 
 Welsh 
 
 89 
 
 .024 
 
 9 
 
 .003 
 
 West Indian 
 Miscellaneous . 
 
 14 
 145 
 
 .003 
 .038 
 
 
 9 
 
 .0 
 .003 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total numbers 
 
 274,920 
 
 73.77 
 
 97,701 
 
 26.23 
 372,621 
 
 Per Cent. . 
 
 
 
 
 . 100.00 
 
136 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 TABLE V. 
 NATIONALITIES. 
 
 Per Cent, of English speaking peoples in industries investigated in 
 
 1917-1918. 
 
 Nationality Men Women 
 
 American 100,292 38,466 
 
 Australian 6 2 
 
 Canadian 5,127 2.610 
 
 English 7,871 4,891 
 
 Irish 14,879 6,586 
 
 Scotch 2,034 701 
 
 Welsh 89 9 
 
 130,298 53,265 
 Total 183,563 
 
 Entire number of men 274,920 
 
 Entire number of women 97,701 
 
 Total 372,621 
 
 Per cent, of entire number of men English speaking 47.40 
 
 Per cent, of entire number of men supposedly non-English 
 
 speaking 52.60 
 
 100% 
 
 Per cent, of entire number of women English speaking 54.61 
 
 Per cent, of entire number of women supposedly non-English 
 
 speaking 45.39 
 
 100% 
 
 Entire number of men and women, English speaking 183,563 
 
 Entire number of men and women who are employes 372,621 
 
 Per cent, of the whole number who are assured English speaking 49.26 
 Per cent, of the whole number who are supposedly non-English 
 
 speaking 50.24 
 
 100% 
 
 Of the 50.24% whose foreign birth has been assumed to mean entire 
 ignorance of English, the investigator believes that 55% of the whole 
 number of foreign races or about 26% of the entire number investigated 
 has some knowledge of English. Of that 26%, fully one-half has a fair 
 comprehension of English. 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 
 
 137 
 
 TABLE VI. 
 
 CLASSIFICATION OF EMPLOYES AS TO AGE AS GIVEN BY THE 
 EMPLOYES AND EMPLOYERS THEMSELVES. 
 
 
 a 
 
 
 
 n 
 
 Cen 
 Wo 
 
 
 a 
 
 9) 
 
 Per Cent 
 
 H 
 
 Women 
 
 g s 
 
 (So 
 
 Per Cen1 
 
 Whole 1 
 
 jjj 
 
 II 
 
 Under 16 
 16-20 
 20-30 
 30-40 
 40-50 
 50-60 
 60-70 
 
 4,457 
 17,124 
 98,857 
 93,532 
 37,189 
 9,870 
 432 
 
 1.7 
 6.55 
 37.82 
 35.77 
 14.22 
 3.78 
 .16 
 
 1.25 
 
 4.82 
 27.83 
 26.34 
 10.4? 
 2.77 
 .12 
 
 2,913 
 14,506 
 40,510 
 23,494 
 11,570 
 676 
 32 
 
 3.108 
 15.48 
 45.233 
 25,073 
 12.348 
 .722 
 .034 
 
 .82 
 4.08 
 11.4 
 6.61 
 3.29 
 .19 
 .01 
 
 7,370 
 31,730 
 139,377 
 117,026 
 48,769 
 10,546 
 455 
 
 2.08 
 8.92 
 39.24 
 32.95 
 13.73 
 2.97 
 .13 
 
 261,452 100.00 73.60 93,701 100. 26.40 355,153 100. 
 
 Entire number of men employes whose ages were ascertained 261,452 
 
 Entire number of men employes 274,920 
 
 Number of men employes whose ages were not ascertained 13,468 
 
 Per cent, of men employes whose ages were not ascertained 4.65 
 
 Entire number of employes 372,621 
 
 Per cent, of men whose ages were not ascertained 3.61 
 
 Entire number of women employes whose ages were ascertained 93,701 
 
 Entire number of women employes 97,701 
 
 Number of women employes whose ages were not ascertained . . 4,000 
 
 Per cent, of women employes whose ages were not ascertained 4.09 
 
 Entire number of employes 372,621 
 
 Per cent, of women whose ages were not ascertained 1.07 
 
 Per cent, of entire number whose ages were ascertained 95.31 
 
138 
 
 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 TABLE VII. 
 
 NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES CLASSIFIED AS TO TIME AND 
 METHOD OF WORK. 
 
 Per Per 
 Men Cent. Women Cent. 
 
 Total 
 
 Per 
 
 Cent. 
 
 Day work 194,186 75.95 61,486 24.05 
 
 255.672 
 
 100. 
 
 Piece work 64 121 65.59 33 499 34.31 
 
 97,620 
 
 100. 
 
 Night work . . 16.613 85.95 . 2,716 14.05 
 
 19,329 
 
 100. 
 
 
 
 
 274,920 97,701 
 
 Whole number of employes working days 
 Per cent of entire number of workers 
 
 372,621 
 255,672 
 
 68.61 
 
 Whole number of employees working piece work .... 
 Per cent, of entire number of workers 
 
 97,620 
 
 26.2 
 
 Whole number of employees working nights 
 Per cent of entire number of workers 
 
 19,329 
 
 519 
 
 
 
 
 Entire number of employees classified . 
 
 Entire number of men 
 
 Per cent, of whole number of workers . . . 
 
 Entire number of women employees 
 
 Per cent, of whole number of workers . 
 
 372,621 100. 
 
 372,621 
 274,920 
 
 97,701 
 
 73.78 
 26.22 
 
 372,621 100. 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 
 
 139 
 
 TABLE VIII. 
 
 CLASSIFICATION OF EMPLOYES AS TO CIVIL CONDITIONS AS 
 REPORTED BY EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYES THEMSELVES. 
 
 Men 
 
 Per Per 
 
 Cent. Women Cent. Total 
 
 Per 
 Cent. 
 
 Married 170,302 
 
 Single 95,785 
 
 Widows . 
 
 89.73 
 58.78 
 
 266,087 
 
 19,482 
 
 67,157 
 
 2,286 
 
 88,925 
 
 10.27 
 41.22 
 
 189,784 
 162,942 
 
 366,012 
 
 100. 
 100. 
 
 Whole number of employees married 189,784 
 
 Whole number of men workers married 170,302 
 
 Per cent, of entire workers 47.98 
 
 Whole number of women workers married 19,482 
 
 Per cent, of entire workers 5.49 
 
 Number of single men workers 95,785 
 
 Per cent, of entire workers 26.98 
 
 Number of single women workers 65,157 
 
 Per cent, of entire workers 18.91 
 
 Number of widows who are workers 2,286 
 
 Per cent, of entire workers .64 
 
 355,012 100. 
 Entire number of men whose civil conditions were 
 
 reported 266,087 
 
 Number and per cent, of married men workers. . . 170,302 64.00 
 
 Number and per cent, of single men workers 96,785 36.00 
 
 100. 
 
 Entire number of women workers 88,925 
 
 Number and per cent, of married women workers 19,482 21.91 
 
 Number and per cent, of single women workers.. 65,157 75.52 
 
 Number and per cent, of widows working 2,286 2.57 
 
 MEN. 
 
 Entire number of men in factories and kindred in- 
 dustries 274,920 
 
 Entire number of women in factories and kindred 
 
 industries 97,701 
 
 Entire number of men whose civil conditions were 
 
 reported 266,087 
 
 Number whose civil conditions were not reported 8,833 
 
 Per cent, of entire number whose conditions were 
 
 reported 96.7.4 
 
 Per cent, of entire number whose conditions were 
 
 not reported 3.21 
 
 100. 
 
140 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 WOMEN. 
 
 Entire number of women whose civil conditions 
 
 were reported 88,925 
 
 Entire number of women whose civil conditions 
 
 were not reported 8,776 
 
 Per cent, of entire number whose civil conditions 
 
 were reported 01.02 
 
 Per cent, of entire number whose civil conditions 
 
 were not reported 8.98 
 
 100. 
 
 Entire number of men and women working in fac- 
 tories and kindred industries 372,621 
 
 Per cent, of entire number whose civil conditions 
 were reported 95.27 
 
 Per cent, of entire number whose civil conditions 
 were not reported 4.73 
 
 100. 
 
 Per cent, of men of entire number reported 71.41 
 
 Per cent, of men of entire number not reported . . - 
 
 Per cent, of women of entire number reported 23.86 
 
 Per cent, of men of entire number not reported 2.37 
 
 Total of men and women 372,621 
 
 Number of children reported by the wage earners 
 investigated 211,987 
 
 100. 
 
WAGE-EARNERS IN THE STATE. 141 
 
 SUMMARY OF HOURS, WAGES, OUTPUT, ETC. 
 
 HOURS OF LABOR 
 
 f 
 
 The increase in the hours of labor during the years 1917 
 and 1918 over the years of 1915 and 1916 was comparatively 
 slight. In many cases there was a marked decrease ap- 
 parently, as the working week was cut from 55 hours to 
 48 hours. But it was only an apparent decrease as the 
 workers had an eight hour day under government contracts 
 and as the result of firms having such contracts either as 
 whole or part, conforming their regular working schedule 
 to the demands of the workers and the practice of the United 
 States government, with every firm where eight hours 
 constituted a day's work, overtime was the rule, bringing 
 the actual work up to 55 and 60 hours a week with increase 
 of pay one and one-quarter and one and one-half. 
 
 Numbers working specified hour time during 1917-18. 
 
 40 44 48 50 52 54 56 60 
 
 3,452 20,760 60,170 57,095 22,656 64,070 31,092 70,526 
 
 INCREASE OF WAGES. 
 
 Increase per cent, in wages began in 1916 to be a con- 
 siderable factor both as regular increase by a certain per 
 cent, and in the form of bonuses and profit sharing. 
 
 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 40% 45% 50% 60% 100% 
 18,121 61,387 75,641 49,622 57,834 38,613 21,384 27,189 21,041 789 
 
 A number of firms were driven out of business on ac- 
 count of the difficulty in obtaining labor and materials and 
 when they did obtain them, the great advance in cost. Bake- 
 ries were particularly hard hit. 
 
 In summing up the amount of wages received, it must 
 be carefully emphasized that in many cases where em- 
 ployees' hours were reduced from 55 hours to 48 hours and 
 44 hours, they really lost considerable, practically 12% and 
 any where from 10 to 14% on the average, thus decreasing 
 the sum total of their actual wages which is the amount of 
 wages given. 
 
 Another cause of decrease in the sum total of wages was 
 the strikes, walkouts, and stoppages of work resulting from 
 demands for higher wages or shorter hours or both. It 
 may seem a trifling sum to lose even one hour's pay but 
 
142 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 when this amount is multiplied by hundreds and thousands 
 of hours lost, it becomes vast. Even the cessation of work 
 for a minute means loss to the worker and the employer. 
 
 As far as it was possible to estimate this loss caused by 
 sickness, taking a few day off, strikes, walkouts, parleys, 
 etc., it reached the sum of $3,171,841.62 which is the dif- 
 ference between the actual wages paid as given in the report 
 and the wages which would have been paid if the employees 
 had worked every one of the legal working days. 
 
 While in some occupations, sickness and drunkenness 
 were factors, the latter figures in a degree gratifyingly small 
 to the workmen who are proud of their standing. A large 
 part of the loss of wages, apart from labor disturbance, was 
 the habit of taking days' off, indulged in by the higher paid 
 workers. One young man who was making $84 a week 
 habitually took off a day and a half each week. 
 
 AS TO OUTPUT. 
 
 The summary of the output of the manufacturers of the 
 state should also be considered with reference to the fact 
 that much more money had to be expended for material, 
 upkeep, fuel, etc., as well as wages. The output, also em- 
 braces material both raw and finished so that one man in 
 giving the sum total of his output has therein not only his 
 own finished product but the finished product and raw ma- 
 terial of perhaps a score of others. The amount given rep- 
 resents in all cases gross output with no deductions made 
 for material, upkeep, wear and tear, wages, insurance, etc. 
 
WAGE.-EARNERS IN THE STATfi. 
 
 RECOMMENDATIONS. 
 
 Your investigator urgently recommends the following: 
 
 1. The establishment of pre-vocational and vocational 
 courses in grade and grammar schools on the plan of 
 the trade schools now existing. 
 
 2. Extension of physical culture exercises to all schools 
 for both boys and girls. 
 
 3. The passing of a law preventing the employment of 
 young mothers in both textile and metal industries. 
 
 4. Every floor used as one room or each room on a floor 
 where men and women are employed should have toilets 
 for both sexes, situated in different parts of the room 
 or floor, distinctly marked; with screens in front of 
 entrances. Such entrances to be three feet wide, and 
 kept unobstructed. Each toilet should be properly 
 ventilated and should be heated in the winter and 
 
 lighted by artificial light while the building is in use ; 
 disinfectants should be provided; rotten and broken 
 
 seats should be promptly repaired or replaced ; wood- 
 en walls and seats should be covered with non-absor- 
 bent paint; the walls should be cleaned at least four 
 times a year. Grave reasons, moral and physical, ex- 
 ist for separate toilets in different parts of the room 
 or floor. All toilets should have doors, one foot from 
 the top and from the bottom. 
 
 5. Buildings, not factories, where one or more rooms or 
 floors are occupied for business purposes of any kind, 
 employing both sexes, should have separate toilets for 
 both sexes, situated on the floor on which they work. 
 There are hundreds of buildings with no toilet facili- 
 ties or only one wretched apology for such. 
 
 6. Lavatories should be provided for women in an ante 
 room whence the toilets open. Factories exist where 
 women in default of such lavatories wash their hands 
 in the toilet bowls. The lavatories should have hot 
 and cold water, liquid soap and paper towels. 
 
 7. Lavatories for men should be of the free flowing 
 stream type where hands are washed directly under 
 the faucet. Washing the hands and face in basins and 
 
144 REPORT OF THE CONDITIONS OF 
 
 troughs for common use should be prohibited. One 
 faucet for five persons is recommended. Paper towels 
 and liquid soap should be provided. 
 
 8. Drinking water should be provided in every room. 
 The use of water from buckets or tanks supposed to 
 contain ice should be punished with a fine. One tenth 
 of the working places of the state have the dangerous 
 practice of drinking water out of buckets, using the 
 same glass, cup or dipper. These buckets usually 
 stand in filthy and rotting sinks. Bubbler systems 
 should be installed in every place where people are 
 employed. 
 
 9. Direct lighting instead of the diffused indirect should 
 be used in every factory where the work requires 
 close attention to the operation of the machine. 
 
 10. Freight elevators whose opening is part of the floor 
 and level therewith should be enclosed with a railing 
 and marked with a white danger line. 
 
 11. All fire escapes should be plainly marked and kept 
 clear, and all passages to such unobstructed. Failure 
 to do one or both should be penalized. 
 
 12. Rigid requirement should be made for reporting of 
 diseases causing any form of blood poisoning. 
 

 25m 
 
YC 35047