HD 
 
 IC-NRLF 
 
 WAGES AND REGULARITY 
 OF EMPLOYMENT 
 
 IN THE 
 
 DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY 
 OF NEW YORK CITY 
 
 BY 
 
 NAHUM I. STONE, M. A. 
 
 SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS 
 
 FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY. 
 
 IN THE 
 
 FACULTY OF POLITICAL SCIENCE 
 COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY 
 
 gorfe 
 1915 
 
WAGES AND REGULARITY 
 OF EMPLOYMENT 
 
 IN THE 
 
 DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY 
 OF NEW YORK CITY 
 
 BY 
 
 NAHUM I. STONE, M. A. 
 
 SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS 
 FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY. 
 
 IN THE 
 
 FACULTY OF POLITICAL SCIENCE 
 COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY 
 
 Jieto 
 1915 
 

CONTENTS. 
 
 Page. 
 Part I. Wages and regularity of employment in the dress and waist industry 
 
 of New York City 7-187 
 
 Introduction and summary 7-19 
 
 Effect of the protocol on wages 9-16 
 
 Wages in association and nonassociation union shops 9-12 
 
 Wages of week workers provided for in the protocol 12-15 
 
 Wages of week workers not provided for in the protocol 15, 16 
 
 Earnings of pieceworkers 16 
 
 Effect of the protocol on hours of work 16-18 
 
 All shops combined 16, 17 
 
 Association and nonassociation shops 17, 18 
 
 Regularity of employment 18,19 
 
 Effect of the protocol on subcontracting 19 
 
 Scope of the investigation 20-22 
 
 Comparison of association and nonassociation union shops 22-26 
 
 Number of workers in different occupations 26-30 
 
 Week work and piecework 30-39 
 
 Extent in different occupations 30-34 
 
 Relation of sex to week work and piecework 34, 35 
 
 Relative advantages of week work and piecework 35, 36 
 
 Extent of week work and piecework prior to the protocol 36-39 
 
 Wages 39-43 
 
 Method of obtaining wage data 39, 40 
 
 Method of presentation of wage data 40-43 
 
 Operators 43-104 
 
 Occupations of operators 43, 44 
 
 Number and classes covered by the report 44 
 
 Wages of operators 44-68 
 
 Comparison of wages of men and women operators in the industry 
 
 as a whole 45-48 
 
 Comparison of 'wages of men and women operators in association 
 
 and nonassociation shops 49-53 
 
 Comparison of wages of men and women operators in shops making 
 
 cheap and high-grade garments 53-63 
 
 Comparison of wages in 1912 and 1913 63-68 
 
 Buttonhole makers 68-70 
 
 Button sewers 70, 71 
 
 Closers and hemmers 71-73 
 
 Dressmakers 73-75 
 
 Hemstitchers 75-77 
 
 Lace runners : 77, 78 
 
 Sample makers 79, 80 
 
 Skirt operators 80-83 
 
 Sleeve makers : : 83-85 
 
 Sleeve setters 85-87 
 
 Trimmers 87-89 
 
 Tuckers 90-93 
 
 Waist operators 93-99 
 
 Operators, not specified.. . 99-104 
 
 311463 
 
4 CONTENTS. 
 
 Part I. Wages and regularity of employment in the dress and waist industry 
 of New York City Concluded. p age . 
 
 Employees other than operators 104-145 
 
 Assorters 104, 105 
 
 Cleaners r 106-109 
 
 Cutters 109-115 
 
 Drapers 115-120 
 
 Embroiderers 120-123 
 
 Examiners 123-126 
 
 Finishers 126-132 
 
 Ironers and pressers 132-141 
 
 Joiners 141-143 
 
 Markers 143,144 
 
 Slopers .' 145 
 
 Subcontracting and partnership 145-157 
 
 Advantages of subcontracting to manufacturers 146, 147 
 
 Disadvantages of subcontracting ; 147, 148 
 
 Decline of subcontracting ; 148 
 
 Size of sets 149-152 
 
 Sex of workers in sets 152-154 
 
 Earnings of sets 154-157 
 
 Regularity of employment 157-176 
 
 Seasonal rise and fall in number of employees and in wages 162-172 
 
 Employment among week workers and pieceworkers 172-176 
 
 Hours of labor 176-181 
 
 Hours during busiest week in the year 176, 177 
 
 Overtime : 177-180 
 
 Hours of work of pieceworkers 180, 181 
 
 Conclusion 181-187 
 
 Graduated scale of weekly wages 182, 183 
 
 Registration of apprentices 183 
 
 Trade school 184 
 
 Uniform pay roll 185 
 
 White protocol label 185, 186 
 
 Uniform piece rates 186, 187 
 
 Part II. Standardization of piece rates 189-308 
 
 Adjustment of piece rates under the protocol 189, 190 
 
 Scope of the investigation 190-193 
 
 Basis for piece-rate compensation 193-197 
 
 Tucking 197-216 
 
 Strip tucking 198-206 
 
 Chiffons versus cotton 201-204 
 
 Singer 4-needle machine 205 
 
 Singer 5-needle machine 205 
 
 Singer 8-needle machine 206 
 
 Short tucking 206-216 
 
 Wilcox and Gibbs machine 208-211 
 
 Double tucks 211, 212 
 
 Single-needle Singer machine 213 
 
 Short tucking on a multiple-needle Singer machine 213-216 
 
 Lace running 217-222 
 
 Lace on top 218 
 
 Cloth on top 218 
 
 Joining lace to lace 218-222 
 
 Joining voile and net strips 222 
 
CONTENTS. 5 
 
 Part II. Standardization of piece rates Concluded. 
 
 Lace running Concluded. Page. 
 
 Joining ruffled lace edging to lace insertion 222 
 
 Joining lace to sleeves . 222 
 
 Hemming 222-225 
 
 Closing 226-230 
 
 Closing sides and sleeves 229, 230 
 
 Closing sides .' 229, 230 
 
 Closing sleeves * 230 
 
 Sleeve setting by sleeve setters 230-233 
 
 Buttonhole making. 233-244 
 
 Singer machine -.....-. 233-243 
 
 Number of buttonholes to a waist 234-240 
 
 Size of buttonholes 240 
 
 Material 241 
 
 Size of the bundle 1 241-243 
 
 Reece machine 243, 244 
 
 Button sewing 244-249 
 
 Flat pearl buttons 244-248 
 
 Crochet buttons 248, 249 
 
 Body making 249-284 
 
 Joining parts of shoulders with lace beading between them 251, 252 
 
 Joining yokes to fronts or backs with insertions 252, 253 
 
 Joining yoke beading to backs 254 
 
 Joining yokes with lace beading to open fronts or backs, with a 
 
 shirred seam 255, 256 
 
 Joining yoke sleeves to fronts or backs with beading between 256, 257 
 
 Joining parts of back with French seam, forming tuck at the same 
 
 time. 257, 258 
 
 Joining side pieces to fronts. 258 
 
 Joining lace to standing collars 259, 260 
 
 Joining ' ' little skirts " to waists . 260-266 
 
 Centers . 267-270 
 
 Ruffles and centers 271-273 
 
 Vests and flies 273-275 
 
 Tacking fronts and backs 276, 277 
 
 Shirring 278,279 
 
 Setting high collars 279, 280 
 
 Sleeve setting by body makers 280-282 
 
 Joining belts to waists 282-284 
 
 Loss of time 284-292 
 
 Conclusion 293-298 
 
 Appendix A. Protocol of peace in the dress and waist industry 299-304 
 
 Appendix B. List of firms in the dress and waist industry of Greater New 
 
 York covered by this report . 305-308 
 
 LIST OF CHARTS. 
 
 Chart 1. Proportion of association and nonassociation shops in the industry, 
 of employees in each class of shops, by sex, and of week workers and piece 
 workers among operators, 1913 10 
 
 Chart 2. Wages of female operators in association and nonassociation shops, 
 1913: Per cent of week workers receiving each classified weekly rate and of 
 pieceworkers earning each classified amount during busiest week 52 
 
6 CONTENTS. 
 
 Page. 
 
 Chart 3. Wages of female operators (week workers) in association and non- 
 association shops making low and high grade garments, 1913: Per cent receiv- 
 ing each classified weekly wage rate and over 
 
 Chart 4. Wages of female operators (pieceworkers) in association and nonasso- 
 ciation shops making low and high grade garments, 1913: Per cent earning 
 each classified amount and over during busiest week 60 
 
 Chart 5. Wages of male and female operators in association shops making low 
 and high grade garments, 1913: Per cent of week workers receiving each 
 classified weekly rate and of pieceworkers earning each classified amount 
 during busiest week 62 
 
 Chart 6. Wages of female operators (week workers) in association and non- 
 association shops, 1912 and 1913: Per cent receiving each classified weekly 
 rate..... 65 
 
 Chart?. Wages of female operators (pieceworkers) in association and non- 
 association shops, 1912 and 1913: Per cent earning each classified amount 
 during busiest week of each year 67 
 
 Charts. Per cent of sample makers, female (week workers), receiving each 
 classified rate of wages per week, 1912 and 1913 81 
 
 Chart 9. Per cent of cleaners, female (week workers), receiving each classified 
 rate of wages per week, 1912 and 1913 107 
 
 Chart 10. Per cent of cutters (week workers) receiving each classified rate of 
 wages per week, 1912 and 1913 116 
 
 Chart 11. Per cent of drapers (week workers) receiving each classified rate of 
 wages per week, 1912 and 1913 119 
 
 Chart 12. Per cent of examiners (week workers) receiving each classified rate of 
 wages per week, 1912 and 1913 127 
 
 Chart 13. Per cent of finishers (week workers) receiving each classified rate of 
 wages per week, 1912 and 1913 130 
 
 Chart 14. Per cent of ironers, female (week workers), receiving each classified 
 rate of wages per week, 1912 and 1913 136 
 
 Chart 15. Percent of pressers and ironers, male (week workers), receiving each 
 classified rate of wages per week, 1912 and 1913 137 
 
 Chart 16. Per cent of joiners, female (week workers), receiving each classified 
 rate of wages per week, 1912 and 1913 144 
 
 Chart 17. Seasonal fluctuations of employment and wages in whole industry 
 and in 6 high-grade shops, 1912 163 
 
 Chart 18. Seasonal fluctuations of wages in 6 low-grade shops, 6 high-grade 
 shops, and the whole industry, 1912 169 
 
 Chart 19. Seasonal fluctuations of employment in 6 low-grade shops, 6 high- 
 grade shops, and the whole industry, 1912 170 
 
 [This report was prepared for and under the direction of the Wage- 
 Scale Board of the Dress and Waist Industry, by N. I. Stone, 
 Chief Statistician.] 
 
BULLETIN OF THE 
 U. S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 WHOLE NO. 146, WASHINGTON. APRIL 28, 1914. 
 
 WAGES AND REGULARITY OF EMPLOYMENT AND 
 STANDARDIZATION OF PIECE RATES IN THE DRESS 
 AND WAIST INDUSTRY OF NEW YORK CITY. 1 
 
 BY N. I. STOXE. 
 
 PART I. WAGES AND REGULARITY OF EMPLOYMENT. 
 INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY. 
 
 The investigation covered by the present report was made under 
 the direction of the wage-scale board in compliance with the provi- 
 sions of article 8 of the protocol of peace entered into on January 18, 
 1913, between the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union 
 and the Dress and Waist Manufacturers' Association. Article 8 
 calls for "a complete and exhaustive examination into the existing 
 rates paid for labor, the earnings of the operatives, and the classifi- 
 cation of garments in the industry." 
 
 , The investigation was started at the end of March and completed 
 in August, but the presentation of the report and of the summary of 
 the findings has been delayed until the present time, owing to the 
 necessity of taking up the second investigation ordered by the wage- 
 scale board under the provision of article 7 of the protocol, "with 
 a view to establishing as nearly practicably as possible a scientific 
 basis for the fixing of piece and week-work prices throughout the 
 industry." 
 
 As this new investigation, requiring the timing of various opera- 
 tions in the manufacture of dresses and waists, could be carried on 
 only while the factories were busy and as the fall season is very 
 short, it was necessary to concentrate all efforts on that work and 
 to postpone the writing of the report as to the first investigation 
 
 1 The author is under obligations to the o.Ticers of the wage-scale board, particularly Mr. I. B. Hyman, 
 chairman of the board, and Mr. S. Polakoff, chief clerk of the board for the union, for assistance ren- 
 dered; also to Mr. A. II. G. Baron, Mr. Sigmund Haiman, and Miss Eva JoSe of the staff of the board. 
 
8 BULLETIN OF THE ^BUREAU OF LABOK STATISTICS. 
 
 until after the Vlosi/ig b! ths'falV season. The results of the second 
 investigation, dealing with the standardization of piece rates, will be 
 reported separately. 
 
 The investigation constituting the subject of this report covered 
 520 shops employing about 31,500 people (not counting designers, 
 foremen, forewomen, packers, and office force) who constituted nearly 
 nine-tenths of all the workers known to be employed in the dress 
 and waist industry in Greater New York. Of the 520 shops, 289 were 
 association shops and 231 nonassociation shops having individual 
 agreements with the union identical with the protocol in so far as 
 wages and hours were concerned. 
 
 Although the number of the nonassociation union shops was not 
 much less than that of association shops, they employed only 6,690 
 people as against 24,795 in the association shops. This is due to 
 the fact that most of the association shops are large, while most of 
 the nonassociation shops are small. With few exceptions, it may be 
 said that all the large and important shops of the industry are affili- 
 ated, with the association and subject to the conditions of work pre- 
 scribed in the protocol. The two groups combined employ about 
 nine-tenths of all the workers engaged in the dress and waist industry 
 of Greater New York, leaving only about one-tenth of the workers to 
 the 200-odd nonassociation nonunion shops. 
 
 The investigation disclosed the fact that more than $9,300,000 was 
 paid out in wages in 1912 in shops employing 20,524 workers in the 
 busiest week of that year, the busiest week as used here and elsewhere 
 throughout the text of this report, unless otherwise noted, meaning 
 the week in which the maximum number of persons were employed. 
 From this it is estimated that the total wages paid to nearly 37,000 
 workers in the dress and waist industry of Greater New York in 
 1913 exceeded $17,000,000 and represented an output of dresses 
 and waists of a wholesale market value of close to $100,000,000.* 
 
 Of the 29,439 persons found working in the dress and waist shops 
 in 1913 whose sex and occupation were ascertained, 24,728 were 
 women and 4,711 were men, making the proportion of women to 
 men over 5 to 1, or, putting it in a percentage form, 84 per cent of 
 all the employees were women and 16 per cent were men. Of the 
 16,418 operators, 13,993 were women and 2,425 were men, making the 
 proportion of men and women practically the same as above. Some 
 of the occupations outside of operating are almost entirely monopo- 
 lized by women, while others are filled exclusively by men. Among 
 those in which women are exclusively or almost exclusively employed 
 are assorters, cleaners, embroiderers, examiners, finishers, drapers, and 
 
 i For an explanation of this estimate see pages 20, 21 . 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 9 
 
 joiners. Among the ironcrs i. e., those working with a light iron 
 the number of women is about twice -as large as that of men. Press- 
 ers, meaning those who work with a heavy iron, are exclusively men; 
 so also are the cutters. 
 
 The following statement gives a summary of the employees covered 
 by the investigation according to sex and showing the number 
 employed in association or nonassociation shops. It also shows the 
 number of operators of each sex employed as week workers and as 
 pieceworkers. These figures include only employees for whom sex 
 and occupation were ascertained : 
 
 Shops . 520 
 
 Association 289 
 
 Nonassociation - 231 
 
 Persons employed 29, 439 
 
 In association shops 23, 304 
 
 Females....." 19,773 
 
 Males : 3, 531 
 
 In nonassociation shops 6, 135 
 
 Females 4, 955 
 
 Males 1, 180 
 
 Total females. 24, 728 
 
 Total males 4,711 
 
 Operators employed 16, 418 
 
 Females 13, 993 
 
 Week workers 6, 936 
 
 Pieceworkers 7, 057 
 
 Males 2, 425 
 
 Week workers 917 
 
 Pieceworkers 1, 508 
 
 Total week workers. ." _ 7, 853 
 
 Total pieceworkers 8, 565 
 
 The accompanying chart (No. 1) shows in graphic form the figures 
 just presented, together with corresponding percentages. 
 
 EFFECT OF THE PROTOCOL ON WAGES. 
 
 WAGES IN ASSOCIATION AND NONASSOCIATION UNION SHOPS. 
 
 In summing up the results of the investigation, the most salient 
 as well as the most important fact alike to the employers and the 
 employees in the dress and waist industry is the general increase in 
 wages in practically every branch of the industry and every occupa- 
 tion in which its workers are engaged. The increase took place in 
 association as well as in nonassociation union shops. In some cases 
 the increase is more pronounced in association shops, in others in the 
 nonassociation shops. As a rule, the difference in wages as between 
 these two classes of shops has been found to be determined not by 
 the affiliation or nonaffiliation of the shops with the association, but 
 
I 
 
 $ 
 
 
 
 .< 
 4 
 
 1 
 
 c * 
 
 3, 
 
 X 
 
 V5 
 00 
 
 II 
 
 5 
 & 
 
 *4J 
 
 I 
 

 WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 11 
 
 by the character of the goods manufactured. Shops making the 
 better grade of garments require workers of higher skill, who naturally 
 command higher rates of wages than the less skilled workers employed 
 in the, shops making cheap garments. The group of shops making 
 cheaper garments is designated in this report by the letter A and 
 those making the higher-grade garments by the letter B. The 
 general rule found to prevail with regard to wages is that the asso- 
 ciation and nonassociation union shops in the B groups pay higher 
 wages than the association and nonassociation A shops. Unless this 
 fact is borne in mind, one can just as easily prove that the association 
 shops pay higher wages than the nonassociation by comparing asso- 
 ciation B with nonassociation A shops, as the contrary fact, namely, 
 that the nonassociation union shops pay higher wages than the 
 association shops by comparing the nonassociation union B with the 
 association A shops. In other words, association B shops pay higher 
 wages than association A or nonassociation A shops; nonassociation B 
 shops pay generally higher wages than association A or nonassociation 
 A shops. When, however, we compare association B with non- 
 association B, or association A with nonassociation A shops, there is no 
 general rule, sometimes one, sometimes the other paying higher wages, 
 the difference between the two being comparatively small. Thus 
 the wages of cleaners have been found to be higher in the nonassocia- 
 tion A than in the association A shops, and in turn higher in association 
 A than in association B shops. This is due, as explained elsewhere 
 in the report, to the fact that the large shops employ a considerable 
 number of errand girls who carry work from one part of the shop to 
 another and do other errands, and work on cleaning when they have 
 nothing else to do. These girls are naturally paid lower wages than 
 girls who do cleaning exclusively, which is the case in smaller shops 
 where there is no call for errand girls. Because the nonassociation 
 shops are mostly small and the association shops are mostly large, 
 the former make' a better showing in the case of the wages of cleaners 
 than the latter. 
 
 On the other hand, in the case of women operators, whether working 
 by the piece (Table 23) or by the week (Table 21), no uniform tend- 
 ency can be discovered in comparing association A shops with non- 
 association A shops or association B shops with nonassociation B 
 shops, the proportion of workers in different wage groups being some- 
 times greater in the association shops and sometimes in the nonasso- 
 ciation shops. 
 
 In the case of finishers working by the week, the association B 
 shops had a higher proportion of girls getting from $9 a week down 
 and from $12 a week up than the nonassociation B shops and a 
 smaller proportion of those getting from $9 to $12, while in the A 
 
12 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 shops, the nonassociation group was above the association in the 
 proportion of girls receiving the minimum rate of $8 a week and up, 
 except those earning $16 a week or more of whom there were a few 
 in the association B shops. 
 
 The earnings of the finishers working by the piece were, on the 
 whole, higher in the association A shops than in the nonassociation 
 A shops and in the association B shops than in the nonassociation B 
 shops. 
 
 These instances are sufficient to indicate that neither the associa- 
 tion nor the nonassociation shops as such can be said to be paying 
 uniformly higher rates than the other, the difference being principally 
 between shops making higher and lower grade garments, respectively, 
 regardless of their affiliation or nonaffiliation with the association. 
 
 WAGES OF WEEK WORKERS PROVIDED FOR IN THE PROTOCOL. 
 
 As stated above, there has been a general increase in wages in the 
 industry since the protocol went into effect. This is especially true 
 and lends itself to clear demonstration in the case of all occupations 
 for which a minimum rate is provided in the protocol. Table 1, 
 which follows, presents a summary of the wages for such occupations : 
 
 TABLE 1. SUMMARY OF WAGES IN OCCUPATIONS FOB WHICH MINIMUM RATES 
 ARE FIXED BY THE PROTOCOL, SHOWING PERCENTAGE OF WORKERS RECEIVING 
 LESS THAN THE PROTOCOL MINIMUM, AND IN THE GROUPS RECEIVING THE 
 MINIMUM AND OVER, 1912 AND 1913. 
 
 Occupation and classi- 
 fication of weekly 
 wages. 
 
 Association 
 A. 
 
 Nonassocia- 
 tion A. 
 
 Association 
 B. 
 
 Nonassocia- 
 tion B. 
 
 Total. 
 
 In- 
 crease 
 (+)or 
 de- 
 crease 
 (-) 
 per 
 cent. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Cleaners: 
 Under $6i 
 
 59.1 
 20.3 
 20.6 
 
 35.4 
 29.3 
 35.3 
 
 47.3 
 
 20.9 
 31.8 
 
 25.9 
 38.0 
 36.1 
 
 67.6 
 15.3 
 17.1 
 
 48.9 
 25.8 
 25.3 
 
 
 
 60.3 
 18.9 
 20.8 
 
 37.3 
 29.9 
 32.7 
 
 -38.1 
 
 +58.2 
 +57.2 
 
 $6 to $6.99 
 
 
 
 $7 and over 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 27.5 
 32.6 
 32.8 
 7.1 
 
 100.0 
 
 13.0 
 22.9 
 51.5 
 12.6 
 
 
 Drapers: 
 Under $12 
 
 30.1 
 33.8 
 31.0 
 5.1 
 
 15.6 
 25.5 
 48.8 
 10.1 
 
 28.8 
 45.5 
 22.7 
 3.0 
 
 21.7 
 18.4 
 47.4 
 12.5 
 
 24.5 
 29.2 
 37.2 
 9.1 
 
 8.3 
 20.4 
 56.6 
 14.7 
 
 
 
 }-40.3 
 
 +57.0 
 
 + 77.1 
 
 $12 to $13.99 
 
 
 
 $142 to $15.99 
 $16 and over 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 38.4 
 39.5 
 22 1 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 36.1 
 27 5 
 
 loo.o ! 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 42.2 
 29.9 
 28.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 Examiners: 
 Under $10 2. . 
 
 46.7 
 31.4 
 21.9 
 
 19.8 
 34 1 
 
 
 
 29.7 
 37.7 
 32.5 
 
 -29.6 
 
 +26.1 
 +16.1 
 
 $10 to $11. 99... 
 
 
 
 
 
 $12 and over 
 
 
 
 36.4 
 
 46.1 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 : 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 ------- 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 
 1 No minimum wage for cleaners is provided for in the protocol, but an understanding was reached 
 between the conferees who signed the protocol that no cleaner be paid less than $6 per week. This under- 
 standing was later confirmed in a formal decision at one of the early meetings of the board of grievances. 
 
 2 Minimum protocol rate. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 13 
 
 TABLE 1. SUMMARY OF WAGES IN OCCUPATIONS FOR WHICH MINIMUM RATES 
 ARE FIXED BY THE PROTOCOL, SHOWING PERCENTAGE OF WORKERS RECEIVING 
 LESS THAN THE PROTOCOL MINIMUM, AND IN THE GROUPS RECEIVING THE 
 MINIMUM AND OVER, 1912 AND 1913 Concluded. 
 
 Occupation and classi- 
 fication of weekly 
 wages. 
 
 Association 
 A. 
 
 Nonassocia- 
 tion A. 
 
 Association 
 B. 
 
 N onassocia- 
 tion B. 
 
 Total. 
 
 In- 
 crease 
 (+)or 
 de- 
 crease 
 (-) 
 per 
 cent. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Finishers: 
 Under $8 1 
 
 54.0 
 21,3 
 24.7 
 
 28.8 
 34.1 
 37.1 
 
 51.4 
 19.7 
 28.9 
 
 25.3 
 34.9 
 39.8 
 
 47.1 
 20.3 
 32.6 
 
 18.6 
 38.2 
 43.2 
 
 36.5 
 27.0 
 36.5 
 
 21.4 
 
 26.1 
 52.5 
 
 49.3 
 21.2 
 29.5 
 
 23.6 
 35.3 
 41.1 
 
 -52.1 
 
 +66.5 
 +39.3 
 
 $8 to $8 99 
 
 $9 and over 
 
 Total 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 49.6 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 69.8 
 19.6 
 10.5 
 
 100.0 
 
 51.2 
 29.7 
 19.1 
 
 
 
 -26.6 
 +52.0 
 +81.9 
 
 Ironers: 
 Under 812 l 
 
 75.7 
 14.5 
 9.9 
 
 52.5 
 32.4 
 15.1 
 
 
 
 61.0 
 
 
 $12 to $13 99 
 
 
 
 27.1 
 
 23.3 
 
 
 
 $14 and over 
 
 
 
 11.9 
 
 27.1 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 
 | 100 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 Sample makers: 
 Under $14 * 
 
 = 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 41.0 
 36.4 
 22.6 
 
 20.7 
 50.3 
 29. n 
 
 44.3 
 
 34.0 
 
 
 
 43.0 
 30.0 
 27.0 
 
 26.4 
 42.6 
 31.2 
 
 -38.6 
 +42.0 
 +15.6 
 
 $14 to $15.99 
 
 
 
 27.9 
 27.8 
 
 38.9 
 27.1 
 
 
 
 $16 and over 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 Joiners: 
 Under SI 2 1 
 
 
 - 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 55.7 
 39.4 
 4.9 
 
 47.0 
 44.6 
 8.4 
 
 -15.6 
 
 +13.2 
 +71.4 
 
 $12 to $13.99 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $14 and over 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 10040 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 Minimum protocol rate. 
 
 According to this table there has been in every case a decided 
 reduction in the percentage of persons receiving less than the mini- 
 mum protocol rate, and in every instance there has been a very 
 marked increase in the proportion of those in the group receiving the 
 minimum protocol rate and a similar, though smaller increase in the 
 proportion of those in the group receiving the higher rates. Thus, the 
 proportion of cleaners receiving less than the mmunum of $6 a week 1 
 has been reduced from 60.3 per cent of the total hi 1912 to 37.3 per 
 cent in 1913. The percentage of drapers receiving less than the mini- 
 mum protocol rate of $14 a week has been reduced from 60.1 per cent in 
 1912 to 35.9 per cent in 1913. The percentage of joiners receiving less 
 than the minimum protocol rate of $12 a week has been reduced from 
 55.7 per cent in 1912 to 47 per cent hi 1913. The percentage of ex- 
 aminers receiving less than the minimum protocol rate of $ 1 a week has 
 been reduced from 42.2 per cent in 1912 to 29.7 per cent in 1913. The 
 percentage of finishers receiving less than the minimum protocol rate 
 of $8 a week has gone down from 49.3 per cent in 1912 to 23.6 per 
 cent in 1913. The percentage of women ironers receiving less than 
 
 1 No minimum wage for cleaners is provided for in the protocol, but an understanding was reached 
 between the conferees who signed the protocol that no cleaner be paid less than $6 per week. This under- 
 standing was later confirmed in a formal decision at one of the early meetings of the board of grievances. 
 
14 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 the minimum protocol rate of $12 a week has gone down from 69.8 per 
 cent in 1912 to 51.2 per cent in 1913. The percentage of sample 
 makers receiving less than the minimum protocol rate of $14 a week 
 has been reduced from 43.0 per cent in 1912 to 26.4 per cent in 1913. 
 The proportion of cutters receiving less than the minimum protocol 
 rate has been reduced from 81.3 per cent in 1912 to 56 per cent in 
 1913. These 56 per cent in 1913 include, to a large extent, cutters 
 of various degrees of apprenticeship, for whom the protocol provides 
 rates of $6, $12, and $18, according to the length of service. The^ 
 proportion of cutters receiving these rates has increased in each case. 
 Thus, those getting $6 to $6.99 a week increased from 2.7 per cent 
 in 1912 to 3.8 per cent in 1913. Those getting $12 to $13.99 a 
 week formed the same percentage both years, namely 8.5 per cent, 
 and those getting $18 to $19.99 a week increased from 8.8 per cent 
 in 1912 to 10.9 per cent in 1913. On the other hand, the percentage 
 of those receiving odd rates, that is, rates below $25, other than the 
 three mentioned, has been reduced from 61 per cent in 1912 to 32.8 
 per cent in 1913. * 
 
 Corresponding to this general reduction in the relative number of 
 persons receiving less than the protocol rate, there has been an in- 
 crease in the percentage of those receiving the minimum protocol rate 
 and more than that rate. A good deal has been said in the trade 
 about the tendency of the minimum to become the maximum. It 
 is, therefore, interesting to compare the proportion of those receiving 
 the minimum rate with those receiving more than the minimum in 
 each occupation for which a minimum rate has been provided in the 
 protocol. Thus, in the case of cleaners, the number of those in the 
 group receiving the minimum of $6 a week constituted 29.9 per cent of 
 all the cleaners, while those receiving $7 and over was 32.7 per cent, 
 the number of those receiving more than the minimum thus exceed- 
 ing the number of workers receiving the minimum. It should be 
 noted that, in the case of cleaners here quoted, the table gives the 
 number of those receiving $6 to $6.99. While the great bulk of 
 workers in that group were getting the minimum of $6 a week, there 
 were a number receiving $6.50 and a few receiving $6.75, which should 
 have been added to the group of those receiving more than the mini- 
 mum. This would involve, however, so much additional clerical labor 
 that it could not be undertaken hi the closing days of the completion 
 of this report. This remark applies likewise to the percentages of the 
 other occupations which follow: In the case of drapers, the propor- 
 tion of those receiving from $14 (the minimum) to less than $16 was 
 51.5 per cent, while those receiving $16 or more constituted 12.6 per 
 cent of the total. Of joiners the proportion receiving from the mini- 
 mum rate of $12 to less than $14 a week was 44.6 per cent and the 
 
 1 For rates paid cutters see TabJe 51, pages 114, 115. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 15 
 
 proportion receiving $14 and over was 8.4 per cent. In the case of 
 examiners, 37.7 per cent received from $10 (the minimum) to $11.99 
 a week and 32.5 per cent received $12 a week or more. If the 
 number of those who received from $10.50 to $11.50 could be 
 separated, it would in all probability show as large a number of 
 examiners receiving more than the minimum rate of $10 a week as 
 of those who received the exact minimum rate. In the case of fin- 
 ishers, the proportion of those receiving from $8 (the minimum) to 
 $8.99 a week was 35.3 per cent, and of those receiving $9 or more 
 the proportion was 41.1 per cent. In this case, the number of those 
 receiving more than the minimum exceeded that of the workers re- 
 ceiving the minimum rate. In the case of ironers those receiving 
 from the minimum of $12 to $13.99 a week made up 29.7 per cent 
 and those receiving $14 or more a little over 19 per cent. If the 
 proportion of those receiving $12.50, $13, and $13.50 were added 
 to the group receiving more than the minimum rate of $12 a week, 
 the percentages of those receiving the minimum and more than the 
 minimum would probably be about equal. The percentage of sam- 
 ple makers receiving from the minimum rate of $14 to $15.99 a 
 week was 42.6 and of those receiving $16 and over the percentage 
 was 31.2. Here too, the proportion of those receiving the minimum 
 or more than the minimum would probably be about equal if those 
 receiving $14.50, $15, and $15.50 could be added to the proper 
 group. 
 
 Summing up the effect of providing minimum rates in the protocol, 
 it may be said that in all the occupations thus provided for the 
 proportion of those receiving less than the minimum protocol rate 
 was reduced one-fourth to one-half of what it had been before the 
 signing of the protocol, but that about one-fourth of the workers 
 for whom minimum rates were provided are still getting less than the 
 minimum rate. 
 
 WAGES OF WEEK WORKERS NOT PROVIDED FOR IN THE PROTOCOL. 
 
 The increase in wages was not confined to the occupations for which 
 minimum rates have been provided in the protocol. Practically 
 every occupation shows the same tendency, though the increase, as a 
 rule, is not so large and not always so uniform as in the case of the 
 occupations with protocol rates. Thus, among the assorters, the 
 per cent of those receiving less than $8 a week declined from 30.2 to 
 27.2 w?/.u a corresponding increase in the percentage of those receiving 
 $8 a week or more. In the case of embroiderers there has been a 
 decline in the proportion of those receiving less than $8 a week from 
 nearly 25 per cent of the total in 1912 to less than 13 per cent, or 
 about one-half, in 1913. In the case of male pressers and ironers 
 there has been an increase in the percentage of those receiving $20 
 
16 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 a week and over from 11.3 in 1912 to 28.1 in 1913. Taking the 
 operators as a whole, we find that among the women working by 
 the week, there has been an increase among those receiving $14 a 
 week and more from 16.6 per cent of the total in 1912 to 23.5 per 
 cent in 1913, among the men working by the week those receiving 
 $16 a week and up increased from 26.8 per cent in 1912 to 38.2 per 
 cent in 1913. The same is true of all the important branches of 
 operating in which the work is done by the week. Thus, among the 
 hemstitchers, the percentage of those receiving $12 a week and more 
 increased from 30.1 in 1912 to 51.4 in 1913. The women lace run- 
 ners earning $9 a week or more increased from 53.8 per cent in 1912 
 to 78.3 per cent in 1913. The women trimmers receiving $12 a week 
 or more increased from 30.5 per cent in 1912 to 46.8 per cent in 1913. 
 The women tuckers receiving $14 a week or more increased from 
 22.0 per cent in 1912 to 56.5 per cent in 1913, while the percentage of 
 men tuckers receiving the same wage increased from 52.8 in 1912 to 
 75.6 in 1913. 
 
 EARNINGS OF PIECEWORKERS. 
 
 What has been said about the week workers is likewise true of the 
 pieceworkers. Thus, among the women ironers working by the 
 piece, the per cent of those earning $20 a week or more during the 
 busiest week of the year increased from 13.4 in 1912 to 24.6 in 1913. 
 While among the men there has been no such marked uniformity, 
 some wage groups showing increases and other groups showing 
 reductions, on the whole there has been an improvement, the per- 
 centage of those earning $16 and up having increased from 62.7 in 
 1912 to 65. 9 in 1913. Among the operators the women pieceworkers 
 earning $14 a week or more during the busiest week of the year 
 increased from 33.7 per cent in 1912 to 49.9 per cent in 1913. Among 
 the men, the per cent of those earning the same amounts increased 
 from 69 to 77.1. Skirt operators working by the piece and earning 
 $16 a week or more increased from 53.3 per cent in 1912 to 68.9 in 
 1913. Women trimmers working by the piece and earning $14 a 
 week or more increased from 18.9 per cent in 1912 to 49.8 per cent in 
 1913. Men tuckers earning $14 a week or more increased from 52.8 
 per cent to 75.6 per cent. 
 
 EFFECT OF THE PROTOCOL ON HOURS OF WORK. 
 
 ALL SHOPS COMBINED. 
 
 The figures given in Table 2, which follows, show that the protocol 
 was no less effective in shortening the hours of work than it was in 
 increasing the pay of the workers in the dress and waist industry. 
 This table relates to week workers in the entire industry. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 17 
 
 TABLE 2. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF WEEK WORKERS EMPLOYED EACH CLAS- 
 SIFIED NUMBER OF HOURS DURING THE BUSIEST WEEK OF THE YEAR, FOR 
 THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY, 1912 AND 1913. 
 
 Hours employed 
 
 Number. 
 
 Per cent. 
 
 Cutters. 
 
 Other employees. 
 
 Cutters. 
 
 Other employ- 
 ees. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 . 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under 10 hours 
 
 6 
 3 
 
 8 
 27 
 106 
 205 
 299 
 207 
 188 
 146 
 94 
 13 
 
 12 
 9 
 15 
 26 
 155 
 9C9 
 178 
 165 
 131 
 34 
 13 
 1 
 
 124 
 151 
 309 
 529 
 1,778 
 1,352 
 2,428 
 1,923 
 2,635 
 1,135 
 339 
 47 
 6 
 229 
 
 117 
 
 205 
 356 
 534 
 2,980 
 5,352 
 1,677 
 1,646 
 1,106 
 248 
 38 
 4 
 
 11.4 
 
 15.6 
 } 38.6 
 
 34.3 
 
 12.7 
 
 56.7 
 20.1 
 
 10.5 
 
 22.6 
 
 10.6 
 34.0 
 
 32.8 
 
 29.4 
 
 37.5 
 23.3 
 
 9.8 
 
 
 
 10 and under 20 hours .... 
 20 and under 30 hours . . . 
 30 and under 40 hours . . . 
 40 and under 50 hours . . . 
 50 hours . . . . 
 
 51 and under 53 hours . . . 
 53 and under 55 hours . . . 
 55 and under 60 hours. . . 
 60 and under 65 bours. . . 
 65 and under 70 hours. . . 
 70 and under 73 hours. . . 
 73 and under 75 hours . 
 
 75 hours and over 
 
 19 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 1,311 
 
 1,708 
 
 12, 785 
 
 14, 2G3 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 i Highest, 78 hours. 2 Highest, 82J hours. 
 
 The normal hours of work which varied from 52 to 54J hours per 
 week in 1912 have been reduced to 50 in 1913. Overtime has been 
 limited to 4 hours per week and not more than 2 hours in one day. 
 As shown in the above table, the report bears ample testimony to 
 the enforcement of these provisions. Comparing the figures for 
 1912 with those for 1913 it was found that for the industry as a 
 whole the number of persons working more than 50 hours a week 
 has been greatly reduced, while the number working 50 hours or 
 less has increased. Excluding cutters, all of whom are men, the 
 proportion of week workers employed 51 hours or more has been 
 reduced from 66.8 per cent hi 1912 to 33.1 per cent in 1913. Of 
 those working 50 hours a week the proportion has increased from 
 10.6 per cent in 1912 to 37.5 per cent in 1913. The proportion of 
 those working less than 50 hours also has increased from 22.6 per 
 cent in 1912 to 29.4 per cent in 1913. 
 
 The same tendencies are observed in the case of the cutters, the 
 proportion of those working 51 hours and over decreasing from 72.9 
 per cent in 1912 to 30.6 per cent in 1913, while those working 50 
 hours increased from 15.6 to 56.7 per cent and those working under 
 50 hours increased from 11.4 to 12.7 per cent. 
 
 ASSOCIATION AND NONASSOCIATION SHOPS. 
 
 In both association and nonassociation shops the proportion of 
 persons employed over 50 hours a week has been greatly reduced, 
 as is shown in the section on "hours of labor." 1 In association shops 
 the percentage of employees, excluding cutters, working 51 hours or 
 over was reduced from 68 per cent in 1912 to only 33 per cent in 1913, 
 while in nonassociation shops the reduction was from 61 to 34 per 
 
 42132 Bull. 14614- 
 
 i See Table 74, page 178. 
 
18 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 cent. The proportion working 50 hours increased from 11 per cent 
 in 1912 to 39 per cent in 1913 in association shops and from 10 to 30 
 per cent in nonassociation shops, while those working less than 50 
 hours increased from 22 to 28 per cent in association and from 28 to 
 37 per cent in nonassociation shops. 
 
 The proportion of cutters working 51 hours or over was reduced 
 from 73 per cent in 1912 to 33 per cent in 1913 in association shops 
 and from 72 to 20 per cent in nonassociation shops. Those working 
 50 hours increased from 16 to 55 per cent in association and from 
 15 to 65 per cent in nonassociation shops. In 1912 11 per cent and 
 in 1913 12 per cent of the cutters worked less than 50 hours in asso- 
 ciation shops and in nonassociation shops the proportions were 12 
 and 15 per cent, respectively, for the two years. 
 
 REGULARITY OF EMPLOYMENT. 
 
 The dress and waist industry is no exception to the rest of the 
 garment industries in being subject to extreme seasonal fluctuations. 
 There are about six months of activity, four in the spring and two in 
 the fall, half of them carried on under extreme, almost feverish, 
 pressure, followed by an equal period of subnormal activity with 
 almost complete stagnation for one month in the year. 
 
 The report shows that there are more extreme fluctuations in the 
 wages from month to month than in the number employed. That is 
 to say, there is a tendency to retain as many employees engaged during 
 the busy season as possible and to keep all of them partly employed 
 during the slow season. This is especially true of the pieceworkers, 
 as it is to the interests of both the manufacturer and his employees 
 the manufacturer because it enables him to maintain his organiza- 
 tion intact ready to respond to the demands of the market at a 
 moment's notice; the workers, because it enables them to earn what 
 little money they can during the dull season instead of remaining 
 totally idle. In the case of week workers this is less true, the manu- 
 facturers preferring to keep busy all the time whatever workers they 
 can retain. But here, too, there is a tendency to accede to the desires 
 of the union and keep as many people on the pay roll as possible by 
 dividing the force into two or more groups which report for duty 
 at the factory by turns on alternate days or weeks, and at the same 
 time are kept fully employed while at the factory. 
 
 It is significant to note that even during the busiest week of the 
 year (which is the period covered by this report), 28 per cent of all 
 the workers other than cutters in the association shops and 37 per 
 cent of those in the nonassociation shops were employed less than 
 50 hours during that week. 
 
 Taking the wages paid out in the industry during the busiest week 
 of the year and expressing this as 100, the investigation has shown 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 19 
 
 that the average weekly wage earned by all the workers during 1912 
 was equal to 73 per cent of that of the busiest week of the year. 
 That is to say, if a worker's wage during the busiest week of the year 
 was equal to $15 a week, his weekly average throughout the year 
 would amount to $10.94. This average is found to vary considerably 
 in the four branches of the industry into which it has been divided, 
 being 53 per cent in the nonassoeiation A shops, 44 per cent in the 
 nonassociation B shops, 67 per cent in association A shops, and 71 
 per cent in association B shops. 
 
 Taking the association and the nonassociation union shops together, 
 as shown in Table 2, it was found that, excluding cutters, 117 persons 
 worked less than 10 hours during the busiest week of the year, 205 
 worked 10 and under 20 hours, 356 worked 20 and under 30 hours, 
 534 worked 30 and under 40 hours, and 2,980 worked 40 and under 
 50 hours a week. One cause for this idleness during part of the week 
 is to be traced to the workers themselves who lose a part of their 
 working hours through illness, tardiness in reporting for work, and 
 other causes which may make it impossible for a worker to be at the 
 shop. Another class among the part-time workers is made ap of 
 new employees who started to work during the week, or old employees 
 who left before the end of the week. A third group consists of 
 workers who are obliged to remain idle part of the time, owing to the 
 inability of the manufacturer or the foreman to keep the working 
 organization in smooth running order in all its parts. The failure of 
 the cutting department to cut a certain lot of material on time or to 
 cut up certain parts or trimmings may throw into temporary idleness 
 one or more departments or some workers in one or more departments. 
 Tho failure to provide a proper proportion of body makers, sleeve 
 setters, tuckers, etc., may likewise cause a congestion at one stage 
 of the work and idleness at another. Idleness due to these causes 
 maybe at a minimum during the height of the season and is much more 
 frequent at other times in the year, when it is felt that it is not so 
 important to maintain a strict balance between the different depart- 
 ments, since there are more workers at the factory than can be kept 
 busy all the time. While this is true, it seriously interferes with the 
 efficiency of the shop both among the workers and those responsible 
 for its maintenance, as shown hi Part II of this report, dealing with 
 the standardization of piece rates. 
 
 EFFECT OF THE PROTOCOL ON SUBCONTRACTING. 
 
 The prohibition of subcontracting in the shops, called for in the 
 protocol, has had a marked effect on that practice, causing a very 
 decided falling off in the number of people working for subcontractors. 
 Apprentices, however, are employed as assistants to skilled opera- 
 tors, only one apprentice being allowed to one operator, the practice 
 having the sanction of both the union and the association. 
 
20 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 SCOPE OF THE INVESTIGATION. 
 
 It was aimed to cover as far as possible every shop engaged in the 
 manufacture of ladies' dresses or waists in Greater New York. The 
 investigation covers all the available shops operating under the 
 protocol or under individual agreements with the union which are 
 identical with the protocol in all the essential provisions. 
 
 The investigation of the joint board of sanitary control carried out 
 in March, 1913, revealed the existence of 707 shops, employing 36,858 
 persons. As there were at that time 310 shops affiliated with the asso- 
 ciation and 259 nonassociation union shops, this would leave 140 shops 
 not subject to the jurisdiction either of the association or of the union. 
 Of the 310 association shops, 6 refused to furnish information to the 
 agents of the wage-scale board, and 15 shops were found to lack the 
 necessary books or records to enable the agents to obtain the infor- 
 mation required, leaving 289 association shops from which detailed 
 information as to wages was obtained. In the investigation of the 
 259 nonassociation union shops 18 firms refused information, while 
 in the case of 8 the books were found in such poor shape that they 
 could not be utilized for the purpose of this study; 231 shops were 
 found with available records. The total number of shops thus 
 covered by the investigation was 520. 
 
 Information as to individual earnings was obtained for 29,439 
 employees working in the spring of 1913. In addition to these, 
 wage data were obtained for people working in teams or "sets," as 
 they are called in the trade, of two or more persons, of which at least 
 1,704 were known to be working in these 520 shops in the spring of 
 1913, although their number must have been larger, as explained 
 more fully in the part of this report dealing with this subject. (See 
 p. 148.) This makes the total number of employees for whom 
 wages were obtained not less than 31,485, as compared with 36,858 
 persons found by the joint board of sanitary control. However, in 
 this investigation, designers, foremen, foreladies (unless actually 
 working at the machine), packers, and office force were not included, 
 all of whom, except office force, were included in the figures of the 
 joint board. It would be a conservative estimate to assume that the 
 520 shops investigated employ at least 1,500 people engaged as 
 designers, foremen, forewomen, and packers, which, added to 31,485, 
 would bring the total employed by the shops investigated to not less 
 than 32,985, or nearly nine-tenths of the employees in the entire 
 industry. 
 
 As will be seen from Table 68 (p. 159), more than $9,300,000 
 was paid out in wages during 1912 in the 260 shops which had records 
 for that year. The number of people employed by the 260 shops 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DEESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 21 
 
 during the busiest week was 20,524, as shown in Table 67 (p. 158). 
 Since the number of people found employed during the busiest 
 week in 1913 was 31,485 and the wages were, on the average, 
 about 10 per cent higher than in 1912, the wages paid out in 1913 
 must have aggregated more than $15,700,000, in round numbers. 
 Adding to that an additional one-tenth of the above amount for the 
 nonunion shops, it is found that the total wages paid out in the dress 
 and waist industry during the past year in Greater New York must 
 have amounted to more than $17,000,000. As the wages constitute 
 from 10 to 20 per cent of the selling price of the garments, the value 
 of the output of the dress and waist industry in Greater New York 
 is probably close to $100,000,000. 
 
 As will be shown further, the shops investigated cover a wide 
 range from the very smallest to the largest known to exist in the 
 industry and since they employ nine-tenths of all the people work- 
 ing in the industry in Greater New York, the data submitted in 
 this report may be accepted as conclusive for the entire industry. 
 This is especially true of the wages for 1912 presented in this report, 
 which prevailed in the industry prior to the conclusion of the protocol, 
 when wages were adjusted in all shops as a result of individual 
 arrangements between the employers and their employees. 
 
 While it may be presumed that in 1913 wages in the shops free from 
 protocol conditions did not follow the same course as in. the remaining 
 nine-tenths of the industry, it is very likely that they did not differ 
 very materially in the two groups. For this there are two reasons: 
 In the first place, the nonunion shops comprise not only the smaUest 
 shops, but also a number of high-grade shops in which wages are 
 known to be just as high as in the protocol shops, if not higher; 
 in the second place, as far as the shops manufacturing low-grade 
 garments are concerned, it is reasonable to assume that a general 
 increase of wages among nine-tenths of the people working in the 
 industry would automaticaUy compel an advance in wages of the 
 remaining one-tenth, especially during the busy season of the year, 
 when the demand for labor exceeds the supply and when the inde- 
 pendent manufacturers would be obliged to raise the wages paid in 
 their shops to the level of the other nine-tenths of the industry or be 
 in danger of losing their help. 
 
 The number of people whose individual earnings were covered by 
 the investigation is show.n in the table following. 
 
22 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 TABLE 3. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF PERSONS EMPLOYED IN DIFFERENT OCCU- 
 PATIONS IN THE DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY, 1912 AND 1913. 
 
 Occupation. 
 
 Number. 
 
 Per cent. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Cleaners 
 
 1,637 
 1,397 
 979 
 640 
 4,352 
 816 
 69 
 326 
 
 2,086 
 1,701 
 1,321 
 852 
 5,363 
 1,119 
 207 
 372 
 
 6.8 
 5.8 
 4.1 
 2.7 
 18.1 
 3.4 
 .3 
 1.4 
 
 7.1 
 5.8 
 4.5 
 2.9 
 18.2 
 3.8 
 .7 
 1.3 
 
 Cutters 
 
 Drapers 
 
 
 Finishers 
 
 Ironers and pressers 
 
 Joiners 
 
 All other 
 
 Total, nonoperators 
 
 10, 216 
 13, 771 
 
 - 13, 021 
 16,418 
 
 42.6 
 . 57.4 
 
 44.2 
 55.8 
 
 Operators 
 
 Grand total 
 
 23, 987 
 
 29, 439 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 As seen from the table, the total number of workers as to whose 
 individual earnings information was obtained was 23,987 in 1912 and 
 29,439 in 1913. The difference of 5,452 people does not represent an 
 actual increase in the number of people employed in the industry; it 
 is due largely to the absence of records of wages paid during the year 
 1912 in a number of shops for which information was obtained for 
 1913. The figures have been arranged in the above table to show 
 what proportion of the total employees in the industry are engaged in 
 each occupation. Thus it will be seen that the largest single group 
 are the operators, who constituted in 1913 nearly 56 per cent of all the 
 employees. In this group have been included all employees who 
 operate sewing machines. All the other trades combined comprise 
 less than one-half of the employees, namely, 44.2 per cent. The 
 largest single group among these are the finishers, who form 18.2 per 
 cent, or a little less than one-fifth of all the employees, followed by the 
 cleaners, who constitute 7.1 per cent of the total. 
 
 COMPARISON OF ASSOCIATION AND NONASSOCIATION 
 
 UNION SHOPS. 
 
 All the data collected indicate that most of the large shops are affili- 
 ated with the association and are thereby parties to the protocol, while 
 the bulk of the nonassociation shops are of a comparatively small size. 
 Table 4, which follows, has been prepared to facilitate ready compari- 
 son of the two groups. Both the nonassociation and the association 
 shops are divided into nine groups, each according to the number of 
 people they employ, as follows: (1) Shops * employing less than 25 
 persons, (2) those employing from 25 to 49, (3) from 50 to 74, (4) 
 from 75 to 99, (5) from 100 to 199, (6) from 200 to 299, (7) from 300 
 to 399, (8) from 400 to 499, (9) from 500 to 600. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DKESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 23 
 
 TABLE 4. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF ASSOCIATION AND NONASSOCIATION SHOPS 
 EMPLOYING EACH CLASSIFIED NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES, AND NUMBER AND PER 
 CENT OF EMPLOYEES IN SUCH SHOPS, 1913. 
 
 NUMBER. 
 
 Classified number of employ- 
 ees in each shop. 
 
 Association. 
 
 Nonassociation. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Shops. 
 
 Employees. 
 
 Shops. 
 
 Employees. 
 
 Shops. 
 
 Employees. 
 
 Under 25 
 
 17 
 
 85 
 67 
 47 
 59 
 6 
 4 
 2 
 1 
 
 337 
 3,352 
 4.217 
 4,199 
 8,425 
 1,427 
 1,338 
 972 
 528 
 
 119 
 86 
 19 
 6 
 1 
 
 1,905 
 2, 975 
 1,169 
 500 
 141 
 
 136 
 171 
 86 
 53 
 60 
 6 
 4 
 2 
 1 
 
 2,242 
 6,327 
 5,386 
 4,699 
 8,566 
 1,427 
 1.338 
 972 
 528 
 
 25 to 49 
 
 50 to 74 
 
 7,5 to 99 
 
 100 to 199 
 
 200 to 299 
 
 300 to 399 
 
 
 
 400 to 499 
 
 
 
 500 to 600 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 1288 
 
 24, 795 
 
 231 
 
 6,690 
 
 1519 
 
 31,485 
 
 
 PER CENT. 
 
 Under 25 . 
 
 5.9 
 
 1.4 
 
 51. 5 
 
 28.5 
 
 26.2 
 
 7.1 
 
 25 to ^g . 
 
 29.5 
 
 13.5 
 
 37.2 
 
 44.5 
 
 32.9 
 
 20.1 
 
 50 to 74 
 
 23.3 
 
 17.0 
 
 8.2 
 
 17.5 
 
 16.6 
 
 17.1 
 
 75 to Q9 , . . . . 
 
 16.3 
 
 16.9 
 
 2.6 
 
 7.5 
 
 10.2 
 
 14.9 
 
 100 to 199 .. . 
 
 20.5 
 
 34.0 
 
 .4 
 
 2.1 
 
 11.6 
 
 27.2 
 
 200 to 299. 
 
 2.1 
 
 5.8 
 
 
 
 1.2 
 
 4.5 
 
 300 to 399 
 
 1.4 
 
 5.4 
 
 
 
 .8 
 
 4.2 
 
 400 to 499 
 
 .7 
 
 3.9 
 
 
 
 .4 
 
 3.1 
 
 500 to 600 . 
 
 .3 
 
 2 1 
 
 
 
 .2 
 
 1 7 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total . 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 i In one case two shops have been tabulated as one. 
 
 As will be seen from Table 4, only 17 shops, or 5.9 per cent of all the 
 association shops were found employing under 25 persons each, while 
 in the nonassociation group 119 shops, constituting 51.5 per cent, or 
 more than one-half of all the nonassociation shops, were found to be 
 employing under 25 persons each. The most prevalent type in the 
 association shops comprises the two groups employing 25 and under 
 75 people, the number of shops in these two groups constituting 52.8 
 per cent, or more than one-half of all the association shops. This 
 type of shop is almost as prevalent among the nonassociation shops, 
 constituting 45.4 per cent of the total. On the other hand, shops 
 employing 100 people or more are found almost entirely in the asso- 
 ciation group, there being only 1 shop of that size in the nonassqcia- 
 tion group, and 72 in the association group, constituting one-fourth 
 of the entire group. 
 
 The contrast between association and nonassociation shops appears 
 still more striking when we compare the total number of people em- 
 ployed by the respective groups. Of the 31 ,485 persons accounted for 
 in Table 4, 24,795 were founj employed* in the 289 association shops, 
 while only 6,690 were working in the 231 nonassociation shops. In 
 other words, although the nonassociation shops constituted 44.4 per 
 cent, or nearly one-half of all the shops, they employed only 21.2 per 
 cent, or a little over one-fifth of all the people. This shows that the 
 
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 majority of the nonassociation shops are small shops. Looking at 
 some of the separate groups, we find that more than half (51.2 per 
 cent) of all the employees in association shops were working in shops of 
 100 or more employees, while in the nonassociation group only 2.1 per 
 cent of all the employees fall in that class, which contains only 1 shop. 
 The very opposite is true when the smallest shops are considered, 
 namely, those employing under 25 persons each, which gave employ- 
 ment to 28.5 per cent of all the workers in the nonassociation shops 
 and to 1.4 per cent in the association group. In the nonassociation 
 group nearly three-fourths of all the employees (73.0 per cent) worked 
 in shops having less than 50 employees, while in the association group 
 shops of that size gave employment to only 14.9 per cent of all the 
 workers. 
 
 Not only does the association contain the largest shops; it also em- 
 braces most of the shops manufacturing the higher grades of dresses 
 and waists. Table 5, which follows, shows the proportion of high- 
 grade and of low-grade garment shops in the nonassociation and the 
 association groups. While there is a very wide range in the grade 
 of goods manufactured in the dress and waist industry, varying from 
 waists retailing for less than one dollar apiece to expensive gowns, the 
 prices of which run into hundreds of dollars, it was found very difficult 
 to arrange the shops in several groups, owing to the overlapping of the 
 groups, very few shops confining themselves strictly to one grade of 
 goods. It was therefore found necessary to divide the industry into 
 two large classes as follows: (1) The class marked B, consisting of 
 shops manufacturing cotton waists at not less than $16.50 per dozen, 
 silk waists at not less than $27 per dozen, and dresses at not less than 
 $5 apiece; (2) those marked A, manufacturing garments selling at 
 prices below those mentioned above. Included in class A are the 
 shops manufacturing exclusively $9-a-dozen waists which are indi- 
 cated separately in a footnote in Table 5. The reasons for the adop- 
 tion of the classification in Table 5 are given on page 41 in discussing 
 the subject of wages. 
 
 TABLE 5. SHOPS AND EMPLOYEES IN ASSOCIATION AND NONASSOCIATION GROUPS 
 ACCORDING TO THE CLASS OF GOODS MANUFACTURED, 1913. 
 
 NUMBER. 
 
 Group. 
 
 Association. 
 
 Nonassociation. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Shops. 
 
 Employees. 
 
 Shops. 
 
 Employees. 
 
 Shops. 
 
 Employees. 
 
 A (low grade)i . . . 
 
 184 
 105 
 
 14,821 
 9,974 
 
 196 
 .. 35 
 
 5,479 
 1,211 
 
 380 
 140 
 
 20,300 
 11,185 
 
 B (high grade) . . 
 
 Total 
 
 289 
 
 24,795 
 
 231 
 
 6,690 
 
 520 
 
 31,485 
 
 
 1 This group includes S9-a-dozen waist shops, as follows: Association, 21 shops, employing 1,925 persons; 
 nonassociation, 38 shops, employing 1,125 persons; total, 59 shops, employing 3,060 persons. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 25 
 
 5. SHOPS AND EMPLOYEES IN ASSOCIATION AND NONASSOCIATION GROUPS 
 ACCORDING TO THE* CLASS OF GOODS MANUFACTURED, 1913 Concluded. 
 
 PER CENT IN EACH GRADE. 
 
 Group. 
 
 Association. 
 
 Nonassociation. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Shops. 
 
 Employees. 
 
 Shops. 
 
 Employees. 
 
 Shops. 
 
 Employees. 
 
 A (low grade) l 
 
 64 
 36 
 
 60 
 40 
 
 85 
 15 
 
 82 
 18 
 
 73 
 27 
 
 64 
 36 
 
 B (high grade ) 
 
 Total 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 
 PER CENT OF ASSOCIATION AND NONASSOCIATION SHOPS AND EMPLOYEES. 
 
 
 
 Shops. 
 
 
 
 Employees. 
 
 
 
 Associa- 
 tion. 
 
 Nonassocia- 
 tion. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Associa- 
 tion. 
 
 Nonassocia- 
 tion. 
 
 Total. 
 
 A (low grade) 
 
 48 
 
 52 
 
 100 
 
 73 
 
 27 
 
 100 
 
 B (high grade) 
 
 Entire industry 
 
 75 
 56 
 
 25 
 44 
 
 100 
 100 
 
 89 
 
 79 
 
 11 
 21 
 
 100 
 100 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 This group includes S9-a-dozen waist shops, which constituted 7 per cent of the association shops, em- 
 ploying 8 per cent of the association employees; 10 per cent of nonassociation shops, employing 17 per cent 
 of h on association employees. Taking all the shops under investigation, they constituted 11 per cent of all 
 the shops, employing 10 per cent of ail the employees. 
 
 As will be seen from this table, of the 31,485 persons employed at the 
 height of the season in the spring of 1913, 20,300, or 64 per cent, were 
 employed by the A shops manufacturing the lower-grade garments, 
 and 11,185 persons, or 36 per cent, worked in the B shops making 
 the higher-priced garments. The 380 A shops included 59 shops 
 manufacturing exclusively $9 a dozen waists and employing 3,060 
 persons, or less than 10 per cent, of the total employees in the shops 
 under investigation. The table shows that a larger proportion of 
 association shops consisted of the higher-grade shops than was the case 
 in the nonassociation shops. In the former, 36 per cent of the shops, 
 employing 40 per cent of the employees, were in class B, while in the 
 nonassociation group, only 15 per cent of the shops, employing 18 per 
 cent of the employees, were in that class. Taking all the A shops 
 investigated, more than half, or 52 per cent, were in the nonassociation 
 group and only 48 per cent in the association, while in the B group, 75 
 per cent, or three-fourths of all the shops, were in the association and 
 only one-fourth in the nonassociation group. Taking into account 
 the number of employees, we find that the association shops employed 
 nearly three-fourths (73 per cent) of all the people working in A 
 shops, and nearly nine-tenths (89 per cent) of all those working in B 
 shops. 
 
 It is evident from Tables 3, 4, and 5 that the association shops 
 occupy a commanding position in the dress and waist industry in 
 the city of New York, including practically all of the shops employ- 
 ing more than 100 people, giving employment to four-fifths of the 
 
26 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 people working under union conditions of labor; between two-thirds 
 and three-fourths of all the workers employed in the industry, and 
 nearly nine-tenths of ah 1 the people employed in shops manufacturing 
 the better-grade garments. 
 
 NUMBER OF WORKERS IN DIFFERENT OCCUPATIONS. 
 
 The number and per cent of people employed in each occupation 
 in the association and the nonassociation shops is shown in Table 6, 
 which follows. The group, operators, includes all those who work 
 on sewing machines. 
 
 TABLE 6. 
 
 -NUMBER AND PER CENT OF EMPLOYEES IN ASSOCIATION AND NONASSOCI- 
 ATION SHOPS, BY OCCUPATIONS, 1913. 
 
 
 
 Number. 
 
 
 
 Per cent. 
 
 
 Occupation. 
 
 Associa- 
 tion. 
 
 Nonassocia- 
 tion. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Associa- 
 tion. 
 
 Nonasso- 
 ciatiou. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Cleaners 
 
 1,652 
 
 434 
 
 2,086 
 
 79 
 
 21 
 
 100 
 
 Cutters 
 
 1,422 
 
 279 
 
 1,701 
 
 84 
 
 16 
 
 100 
 
 
 1 101 
 
 220 
 
 1 321 
 
 83 
 
 17 
 
 100 
 
 Examiners 
 
 750 
 
 102 
 
 852 
 
 88 
 
 12 
 
 100 
 
 Finishers 
 
 4,193 
 
 1,170 
 
 5 363 
 
 78 
 
 22 
 
 100 
 
 Troners and pressers 
 
 946 
 
 173 
 
 1,119 
 
 85 
 
 15 
 
 100 
 
 Joiners 
 
 169 
 
 38 
 
 207 
 
 82 
 
 18 
 
 100 
 
 All others * 
 
 345 
 
 27 
 
 372 
 
 93 
 
 7 
 
 100 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total nonoperators 
 
 10,578 
 
 2,443 
 
 13 021 
 
 81 
 
 19 
 
 100 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Buttonhole makers 
 
 108 
 
 37 
 
 145 
 
 74 
 
 26 
 
 100 
 
 Button sewers 
 
 116 
 
 39 
 
 155 
 
 75 
 
 25 
 
 100 
 
 Closers and hemmers. 
 
 104 
 
 30 
 
 134 
 
 78 
 
 22 
 
 100 
 
 Dressmakers 
 
 406 
 
 34 
 
 440 
 
 92 
 
 8 
 
 100 
 
 Hemstitchers 
 
 172 
 
 8 
 
 180 
 
 96 
 
 4 
 
 100 
 
 Lace runners 
 
 107 
 
 6 
 
 113 
 
 95 
 
 5 
 
 100 
 
 Sample makers 
 
 506 
 
 74 
 
 580 
 
 87 
 
 13 
 
 100 
 
 Skirt operators 
 
 340 
 
 59 
 
 399 
 
 85 
 
 15 
 
 100 
 
 Sleeve makers 
 
 239 
 
 105 
 
 344 
 
 69 
 
 31 
 
 100 
 
 Slee e setters 
 
 97 
 
 42 
 
 139 
 
 70 
 
 30 
 
 100 
 
 Trimmers 
 
 587 
 
 47 
 
 634 
 
 93 
 
 7 
 
 too 
 
 Tuckers '. 
 
 588 
 
 287 
 
 875 
 
 67 
 
 33 
 
 100 
 
 Waist operators. 
 
 4,671 
 
 1,154 
 
 5,825 
 
 80 
 
 20 
 
 100 
 
 Operators, not specified.. . 
 
 4,685 
 
 1,770 
 
 6,455 
 
 73 
 
 27 
 
 100 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total, operators 
 
 12, 726 
 
 3,692 
 
 16,418 
 
 78 
 
 22 
 
 100 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Grand total 
 
 23, 304 
 
 6,135 
 
 29,439 
 
 79 
 
 21 
 
 100 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 Includes assorters, embroiderers, markers, and slopers. 
 
 A comparison of the proportion of association and nonassociation 
 workers in each occupation, as shown in this table, will help to 
 show the varying character of the association and the nonassociation 
 shops. When the total number of employees is considered, 79 per 
 cent of these work in association shops and 21 per cent in non- 
 association shops. This percentage is not the same for the different 
 occupations; thus, in the case of cutters, only 16 per cent were 
 employed in nonassociation shops while 84 per cent worked in associa- 
 tion shops. Similar percentages apply to drapers. This may be 
 explained by the fact that the association group, having a greater 
 proportion of large shops and shops making high-grade garments, 
 requires more cutters, since in the case of high-grade garments only 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 27 
 
 one garment or a few garments are cut at a time, while in cheap gar- 
 ments as many as 200 layers of cloth are cut at once, requiring 
 naturally a smaller number of cutters in proportion to the rest of the 
 operators. Furthermore, several of the larger shops included in the 
 association have outside contractors working for them whom they 
 supply in some cases with material already cut. These shops will, 
 therefore, have a larger number of cutters in proportion to the 
 operators employed on the premises than the small shops which 
 are included in the nonassociation group. Another indication of the 
 great proportion of high-grade shops in the association is the propor- 
 tion of examiners, of whom there were 12 per cent employed in the 
 nonassociation shops and 88 per cent in the association shops. The 
 examining must naturally be done with greater care in the case >f 
 high-grade garments than it is in cheap garments, hence the large 
 proportion of examiners, as compared with other employees, in the 
 association shops. 
 
 Table 7, which follows, shows the number of men and women 
 employed in the association and the nonassociation shops in the 
 years 1912 and 1913, arranged according to their occupations, 
 while Table 8 shows the percentage of men and women in each 
 occupation for association and nonassociation shops combined: 
 
 TABLE 7. NUMBER OF MALES AND FEMALES IN EACH OCCUPATION IN ASSOCIATION 
 AND NONASSOCIATION SHOPS, 1912 AND 1913. 
 
 FEMALES. 
 
 
 
 1912 
 
 
 
 1913 
 
 
 Occupation. 
 
 Nonasso- 
 ciation. 
 
 Associa- 
 tion. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Nonasso- 
 ciation. 
 
 Associa- 
 tion. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Assorters 
 
 1 
 
 128 
 
 129 
 
 9 
 
 138 
 
 147 
 
 Cleaners . ' 
 
 193 
 
 1,444 
 
 1,637 
 
 434 
 
 1,652 
 
 2,086 
 
 Cutters 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Drapers .... 
 
 112 
 
 865 
 
 977 
 
 219 
 
 1,096 
 
 1,315 
 
 Embroiderers 
 
 19 
 
 148 
 
 167 
 
 15 
 
 168 
 
 183 
 
 Examiners 
 
 57 
 
 583 
 
 640 
 
 102 
 
 740 
 
 842 
 
 Finishers 
 
 628 
 
 3,724 
 
 4,352 
 
 1 170 
 
 4 193 
 
 5 363 
 
 Ironers and pressers. . 
 
 8 
 
 529 
 
 537 
 
 30 
 
 552 
 
 582 
 
 Joiners 
 
 1 
 
 63 
 
 64 
 
 33 
 
 163 
 
 196 
 
 Markers 
 
 
 7 
 
 7 
 
 2 
 
 13 
 
 15 
 
 Slopers 
 
 
 9 
 
 9 
 
 
 6 
 
 6 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total, nonoperators 
 
 1,019 
 
 7 500 
 
 8,519 
 
 2 014 
 
 8, 721 
 
 10 735 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Buttonhole makers 
 
 5 
 
 58 
 
 63 
 
 10 
 
 56 
 
 66 
 
 Button sewers 
 
 1 
 
 87 
 
 88 
 
 33 
 
 103 
 
 136 
 
 Closers and hemmers 
 
 7 
 
 77 
 
 84 
 
 17 
 
 87 
 
 104 
 
 Dressmakers 
 
 33 
 
 312 
 
 345 
 
 19 
 
 331 
 
 350 
 
 Hemstitchers . 
 
 4 
 
 94 
 
 98 
 
 6 
 
 164 
 
 170 
 
 Lace runners 
 
 3 
 
 92 
 
 95 
 
 3 
 
 100 
 
 103 
 
 Sample makers 
 
 42 
 
 500 
 
 542 
 
 67 
 
 492 
 
 559 
 
 Skirt operators. 
 
 1 
 
 231 
 
 232 
 
 22 
 
 206 
 
 228 
 
 Sleeve makers 
 
 49 
 
 160 
 
 209 
 
 95 
 
 205 
 
 300 
 
 Sleeve setters 
 
 22 
 
 44 
 
 66 
 
 25 
 
 61 
 
 86 
 
 Trimmers 
 
 22 
 
 524 
 
 546 
 
 43 
 
 569 
 
 ' 612 
 
 Tuckers 
 
 105 
 
 411 
 
 516 
 
 211 
 
 416 
 
 627 
 
 Waist operators 
 
 607 
 
 3 982 
 
 4 589 
 
 958 
 
 4 103 
 
 5.061 
 
 Operators, not specified 
 
 688 
 
 3,967 
 
 4,655 
 
 1,432 
 
 4,159 
 
 5,591 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total, operators 
 
 1,589 
 
 10,539 
 
 12 128 
 
 2,941 
 
 11,052 
 
 13,993 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Grand total 
 
 2 608 
 
 18 039 
 
 20 647 
 
 4 955 
 
 19 773 
 
 24, 728 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
28 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 TABLE 7. NUMBER OF MALES AND FEMALES IN EACH OCCUPATION IN ASSOCIATION 
 AND NONASSOCIATION SHOPS, 1912 AND 1913 Concluded. 
 
 MALES. 
 
 
 
 1912 
 
 
 
 1913 
 
 
 Occupation. 
 
 Nonasso- 
 ciation. 
 
 Associa- 
 tion. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Nonasso- 
 ciation. 
 
 Associa- 
 tion. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Assorters 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 4 
 
 4 
 
 Cleaners 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Cutters 
 
 168 
 
 1,229 
 
 1,397 
 
 279 
 
 1 422 
 
 1 701 
 
 Drapers 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 Embroiderers 
 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 Examiners 
 
 
 
 
 
 10 
 
 10 
 
 Finishers 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Ironers and pressers 
 
 44 
 
 235 
 
 279 
 
 143 
 
 394 
 
 537 
 
 Joiners 
 
 3 
 
 2 
 
 5 
 
 5 
 
 g 
 
 11 
 
 Markers .... 
 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 Slopers 
 
 1 
 
 10 
 
 11 
 
 1 
 
 12 
 
 13 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total nonoperators 
 
 217 
 
 1 480 
 
 1 697 
 
 429 
 
 1 857 
 
 2 286 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Buttonhole makers 
 
 12 
 
 41 
 
 53 
 
 27 
 
 52 
 
 79 
 
 Button sewers 
 
 
 15 
 
 15 
 
 6 
 
 13 
 
 19 
 
 Closers and hemmers 
 
 5 
 
 15 
 
 20 
 
 13 
 
 17 
 
 30 
 
 Dressmakers 
 
 20 
 
 31 
 
 51 
 
 15 
 
 75 
 
 90 
 
 Hemstitchers 
 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 g 
 
 10 
 
 Lace runners 
 
 1 
 
 7 
 
 8 
 
 3 
 
 7 
 
 10 
 
 Sample makers 
 
 3 
 
 12 
 
 15 
 
 7 
 
 14 
 
 21 
 
 Skirt operators 
 
 5 
 
 76 
 
 81 
 
 37 
 
 134 
 
 171 
 
 Sleeve makers 
 
 4 
 
 25 
 
 29 
 
 10 
 
 34 
 
 44 
 
 Sleeve setters 
 
 9 
 
 27 
 
 36 
 
 17 
 
 36 
 
 53 
 
 Trimmers 
 
 4 
 
 8 
 
 12 
 
 4 
 
 18 
 
 22 
 
 Tuckers 
 
 40 
 
 115 
 
 155 
 
 76 
 
 172 
 
 248 
 
 Waist operators 
 
 67 
 
 495 
 
 562 
 
 196 
 
 568 
 
 764 
 
 Operators, not specified 
 
 164 
 
 440 
 
 604 
 
 338 
 
 526 
 
 864 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total operators 
 
 334 
 
 1,309 
 
 1,643 
 
 751 
 
 1 674 
 
 2 425 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Grand total 
 
 551 
 
 2,789 
 
 3,340 
 
 1,180 
 
 3 531 
 
 4 711 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 TOTAL MALES AND FEMALES. 
 
 Assorters 
 
 1 
 
 129 
 
 130 
 
 9 
 
 142 
 
 151 
 
 Cleaners 
 
 193 
 
 1,444 
 
 1,637 
 
 434 
 
 1,652 
 
 2 086 
 
 Cutters 
 
 168 
 
 1,229 
 
 1,397 
 
 279 
 
 1,422 
 
 1,701 
 
 Drapers . 
 
 113 
 
 866 
 
 979 
 
 220 
 
 1,101 
 
 1,321 
 
 Embroiderers 
 
 19 
 
 150 
 
 169 
 
 15 
 
 169 
 
 184 
 
 Examiners . 
 
 57 
 
 583 
 
 640 
 
 102 
 
 750 
 
 852 
 
 Finishers 
 
 628 
 
 3,724 
 
 4,352 
 
 1,170 
 
 4,193 
 
 5 363 
 
 Ironers and pressers 
 
 52 
 
 764 
 
 816 
 
 173 
 
 946 
 
 1.119 
 
 Joiners 
 
 4 
 
 65 
 
 69 
 
 38 
 
 169 
 
 207 
 
 Markers 
 
 
 7 
 
 7 
 
 2 
 
 16 
 
 18 
 
 Slopers 
 
 1 
 
 19 
 
 20 
 
 
 18 
 
 19 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total, nonoperators 
 
 1,236 
 
 8,980 
 
 10,216 
 
 2,443 
 
 10,578 
 
 13, 021 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Buttonhole makers 
 
 17 
 
 99 
 
 116 
 
 37 
 
 108 
 
 145 
 
 Button sewers 
 
 1 
 
 102 
 
 103 
 
 39 
 
 116 
 
 155 
 
 Closers and hemmers 
 
 12 
 
 92 
 
 104 
 
 30 
 
 104 
 
 134 
 
 Dressmakers 
 
 53 
 
 343 
 
 396 
 
 34 
 
 406 
 
 440 
 
 Hemstitchers 
 
 4 
 
 96 
 
 100 
 
 8 
 
 172 
 
 180 
 
 Lace runners 
 
 4 
 
 99 
 
 103 
 
 6 
 
 107 
 
 113 
 
 Sample makers 
 
 45 
 
 512 
 
 557 
 
 74 
 
 506 
 
 580 
 
 Skirt operators 
 
 6 
 
 307 
 
 313 
 
 59 
 
 340 
 
 399 
 
 Sleeve makers 
 
 53 
 
 185 
 
 238 
 
 105 
 
 239 
 
 344 
 
 Sleeve setters 
 
 31 
 
 71 
 
 102 
 
 42 
 
 97 
 
 139 
 
 Trimmers 
 
 26 
 
 532 
 
 558 
 
 47 
 
 587 
 
 634 
 
 Tuckers 
 
 145 
 
 526 
 
 671 
 
 287 
 
 588 
 
 875 
 
 Waist operators 
 
 674 
 
 4,477 
 
 5,151 
 
 1,154 
 
 4,671 
 
 5,825 
 
 Operators, not specified 
 
 852 
 
 4,407 
 
 5,, 259 
 
 1,770 
 
 4,685 
 
 6,455 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total, operators 
 
 1,923 
 
 11,848 
 
 13,771 
 
 3,692 
 
 12,726 
 
 16, 418 
 
 Grand total 
 
 3 159 
 
 20, 828 
 
 23,987 
 
 6,135 
 
 23, 304 
 
 29, 439 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DKESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 29 
 
 TABLE 8. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF MALES AND FEMALES, BY OCCUPATIONS, 
 
 1912 AND 1913. 
 
 Occupation. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Number. 
 
 Per cent. 
 
 Number. 
 
 Per cent. 
 
 Fe- 
 males. 
 
 Males. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Fe- 
 males. 
 
 Males. 
 
 Fe- 
 males. 
 
 Males. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Fe- 
 males. 
 
 Males. 
 
 Assorters 
 
 129 1 
 1,637 
 
 130 
 1,637 
 1,397 
 979 
 169 
 640 
 4,352 
 816 
 69 
 7 
 20 
 
 99 
 100 
 
 1 
 
 ""ioo" 
 
 ( '\ 
 
 147 
 2,086 
 
 4 
 
 "i"76i" 
 
 6 
 1 
 
 10 
 
 ""537" 
 11 
 
 3 
 13 
 
 151 
 2, 086 
 1,701 
 1,321 
 184 
 852 
 5,363 
 1,119 
 207 
 18 
 19 
 
 97 
 100 
 
 3 
 
 Cleaners 
 
 Cutters 
 
 
 1,397 
 
 o 
 
 2 
 
 100 
 
 0) 
 1 
 
 Drapers 
 
 977 
 167 
 640 
 4,352 
 
 100 
 99 
 100 
 100 
 66 
 93 
 100 
 45 
 
 1,315 
 183 
 842 
 5,383 
 582 
 196 
 15 
 6 
 
 100 
 99 
 99 
 100 
 52 
 95 
 83 
 32 
 
 Embroiderers 
 
 
 Finishers 
 
 
 
 Ironers and pressers 
 
 537 
 64 
 7 
 9 
 
 279 
 5 
 ...... 
 
 34 
 
 7 
 
 48 
 5 
 17 
 68 
 
 Joiners 
 
 Markers 
 
 Slopers 
 
 55 
 
 Total, nonoperators. 
 Buttonhole makers 
 
 8,519 
 
 63 
 
 88 
 84 
 345 
 98 
 95 
 542 
 232 
 209 
 66 
 546 
 516 
 4,589 
 4,655 
 
 1,697 
 
 10,216 
 
 116 
 103 
 104 
 396 
 100 
 103 
 557 
 313 
 238 
 102 
 558 
 671 
 5,151 
 5,259 
 
 83 
 
 54 
 
 85 
 81 
 87 
 98 
 92 
 97 
 74 
 88 
 65 
 98 
 77 
 89 
 89 
 
 17 
 
 46 
 15 
 19 
 13 
 2 
 8 
 3 
 26 
 12 
 35 
 2 
 23 
 11 
 11 
 
 10, 735 
 
 66~ 
 136 
 104 
 350 
 170 
 103 
 559 
 228 
 300 
 86 
 612 
 627 
 5,061 
 5,591 
 
 2,286 
 
 79~ 
 19 
 30 
 90 
 10 
 10 
 21 
 171 
 44 
 53 
 22 
 248 
 764 
 864 
 
 13,021 
 
 145 
 155 
 134 
 440 
 180 
 113 
 5SO 
 399 
 344 
 139 
 634 
 875 
 5,825 
 6,455 
 
 82 
 
 46 
 88 
 78 
 80 
 94 
 91 
 96 
 57 
 87 
 62 
 97 
 72 
 87 
 87 
 
 18 
 
 54 
 12 
 22 
 20 
 6 
 9 
 4 
 43 
 13 
 38 
 3 
 28 
 13 
 13 
 
 53 
 15 
 20 
 51 
 2 
 8 
 15 
 81 
 29 
 36 
 12 
 155 
 562 
 604 
 
 Button sewers 
 
 Closers and hemmers 
 
 Dressmakers 
 
 Hemstitchers 
 
 Lace runners 
 
 Samp le makers 
 
 Skirt operators 
 
 Sleeve makers 
 
 Sleeve setters 
 
 Trimmers 
 
 Tuckers 
 
 Waist operators 
 
 Operators not specified 
 Total, operators 
 Grand total. 
 
 12, 128 
 
 1,643 
 
 13,771 
 
 88 
 86 
 
 12 
 
 13,993 
 
 2,425 
 
 16,418 
 2S,439 
 
 85 
 
 15 
 
 20,647 
 
 3,340 
 
 23,987 
 
 14 
 
 24,728 
 
 4,711 
 
 84 
 
 16 
 
 
 1 Less than 0.5 of 1 per cent. 
 
 It will be seen from these two tables that of the total of 29,439 
 workers for whom individual earnings were ascertained, 24,728, or 
 84 per cent of the total, were women, while only 4,711, or 16 per 
 cent, were men. That is to say, for every man there were more than 
 five women employed in the industry. The proportion of men and 
 women is not the same in each occupation. In some occupations, 
 like cutters, men are the only workers. In others, like finishers, 
 women are exclusively employed. Among drapers, embroiderers, 
 and examiners, the number of men is so small as to be negligible. Of 
 cleaners women constitute 100 per cent, and the majority of these 
 are young girls who have just entered the trade. 
 
 Although ironing and pressing is work which calls for great physical 
 endurance, as it must be done standing up all day and working with 
 hot irons, the proportion of men and women is almost the same, the 
 women slightly predominating, there being 52 per cent women and 
 48 per cent men. 
 
 Taking the operators as a whole, there were 13,993 women as 
 against 2,425 men, there being thus 6 women operators for every man 
 
30 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 working at a machine. In some of the departments of operating, ; 
 the women have the field entirely to themselves. In general, it may 
 be said that where speed and quantity of output count for most, 
 men, on account of their greater strength and endurance, are preferred. 
 On the other hand, wherever the nature of the work calls for patience, 
 delicate touch, and nimble ringers, women will be found holding the 
 field. Thus trimming, which calls for deft and delicate handling oi 
 the lace and other trimming material, is almost exclusively done 
 women, the number of men being only 22, or 3 per cent, of a total 
 634 trimmers. Sample making and hemstitching, also show a vei 
 small proportion of men, namely, 4 per cent in the case of sample 
 makers and 6 per cent in the case of hemstitchers. 
 
 The largest proportion of men among operators is found in the case 
 of buttonhole makers, where men outnumber women, 55 per cent 
 being men, 45 per cent women. This is due to the fact that in 
 many shops the value of a buttonhole maker who has the ability 
 to take care of the machine in its frequent breakdowns is greatly 
 appreciated, and in this respect men naturally have the advantage 
 over women. Another group of operators in which men are present 
 in large numbers is that of skirt operators, in which the women 
 constitute 57 per cent and the men 43 per cent. In skirt oper- 
 ating long seams are the rule and speed is the chief requirement. 
 Another group in which men are employed to a considerable extent 
 is sleeve setting, in which their number exceeds one-third, there being 
 62 per cent women and 38 per cent men. In the group of tuckers 
 28 per cent are men and 72 per cent are women, and of the group of 
 closers and hemmers men constitute less than one-fourth. 
 
 WEEK WORK AND PIECEWORK. 
 EXTENT IN DIFFERENT OCCUPATIONS. 
 
 The number of people working in the different occupations is given 
 in detail in Table 9, and the extent to which week work and piecework 
 prevailed among men and women in 1912 and 1913 is given for each 
 occupation. In this table the number of operators working on differ- 
 ent kinds of work is likewise given in detail, the operators being 
 divided into 14 distinct occupations, as follows: Buttonhole makers, 
 button sewers, closers and hemrners, dressmakers, hemstitchers, lace 
 runners, sample makers, skirt operators, sleeve makers, sleeve setters, 
 trimmers, tuckers, waist operators, and operators not specified. 
 
 In connection with Table 9, which gives figures for the industry as 
 a whole, is presented Table 10, giving similar figures for shops making 
 cheap waists sold to retail stores at $9 per dozen. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 31 
 
 TABLE 9. NUMBER OF WEEK WORKERS AND PIECEWORKERS, BY SEX, IN EACH 
 
 OCCUPATION, 1912 AND 1913. 
 
 FEMALES. 
 
 
 
 1912 
 
 
 
 1913 
 
 
 Occupation. 
 
 Week 
 workers. 
 
 Piece- 
 workers. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Week 
 workers. 
 
 Piece- 
 workers. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Assorters.. 
 
 129 
 
 
 129 
 
 147 
 
 
 147 
 
 Gleaners 
 
 1 592 
 
 45 
 
 1,637 
 
 2,066 
 
 20 
 
 2 086 
 
 Drapers 
 
 952 
 
 25 
 
 977 
 
 1,268 
 
 47 
 
 1,315 
 
 Embroiderers 
 
 93 
 
 74 
 
 167 
 
 86 
 
 97 
 
 183 
 
 Examiners 
 
 640 
 
 
 640 
 
 842 
 
 
 842 
 
 Finishers . 
 
 2,784 
 
 1,568 
 
 4,352 
 
 3,334 
 
 2,029 
 
 5,363 
 
 Ironers and pressers 
 
 305 
 
 232 
 
 537 
 
 407 
 
 175 
 
 582 
 
 Joiners . ... 
 
 62 
 
 2 
 
 64 
 
 188 
 
 8 
 
 196 
 
 Markers 
 
 7 
 
 
 7 
 
 15 
 
 
 15 
 
 
 9 
 
 
 9 
 
 6 
 
 
 6 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total nonoperators 
 
 6,573 
 
 1,946 
 
 8,519 
 
 8,359 
 
 2,376 
 
 10, 735 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Buttonhole makers ... 
 
 46 
 
 17 
 
 63 
 
 45 
 
 21 
 
 66 
 
 Button sewers 
 
 69 
 
 19 
 
 88 
 
 113 
 
 23 
 
 136 
 
 Closers and hemmers 
 
 40 
 
 44 
 
 84 
 
 64 
 
 40 
 
 104 
 
 Dressmakers 
 
 68 
 
 277 
 
 345 
 
 56 
 
 294 
 
 350 
 
 Hemstitohers 
 
 93 
 
 5 
 
 98 
 
 148 
 
 22 
 
 170 
 
 Lace runners. . .... 
 
 78 
 
 17 
 
 95 
 
 83 
 
 20 
 
 103 
 
 Sample makers 
 
 540 
 
 2 
 
 542 
 
 551 
 
 8 
 
 559 
 
 Skirt operators 
 
 52 
 
 180 
 
 232 
 
 69 
 
 159 
 
 228 
 
 Sleeve makers 
 
 144 
 
 65 
 
 209 
 
 173 
 
 127 
 
 300 
 
 Sleeve setters 
 
 55 
 
 11 
 
 66 
 
 57 
 
 29 
 
 86 
 
 Trimmers 
 
 286 
 
 260 
 
 546 
 
 343 
 
 269 
 
 612 
 
 Tuckers.. . 
 
 229 
 
 287 
 
 516 
 
 360 
 
 267 
 
 627 
 
 Waist operators 
 
 2,263 
 
 2,326 
 
 4,589 
 
 2,488 
 
 2,573 
 
 5,061 
 
 Operators, not specified 
 
 2,226 
 
 2,429 
 
 4,655 
 
 2,386 
 
 3,205 
 
 5,591 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total, operators 
 
 6 189 
 
 5,939 
 
 12, 128 
 
 6 936 
 
 7 057 
 
 13 993 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Grand total 
 
 12, 762 
 
 7,885 
 
 20, 647 
 
 15,295 
 
 9,433 
 
 24 728 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 MALES. 
 
 Assorters.. 
 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 
 
 4 
 
 Cutters 
 
 1 397 
 
 
 1,397 
 
 1 701 
 
 
 1 701 
 
 Drapers 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 5 
 
 1 
 
 6 
 
 Embroiderers 
 
 2 
 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 Examiners. .. 
 
 
 
 
 10 
 
 
 10 
 
 Ironers and pressers 
 
 213 
 
 66 
 
 279 
 
 355 
 
 182 
 
 537 
 
 Joiners 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 5 
 
 7 
 
 4 
 
 11 
 
 Markers 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 
 3 
 
 Slopers . . . 
 
 11 
 
 
 11 
 
 13 
 
 
 13 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total, nonoperators 
 
 1 627 
 
 70 
 
 1,697 
 
 2 099 
 
 187 
 
 2 286 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Buttonhole makers .. 
 
 24 
 
 29 
 
 53 
 
 31 
 
 48 
 
 79 
 
 Button sewers . . 
 
 12 
 
 3 
 
 15 
 
 14 
 
 5 
 
 19 
 
 Closers and hemmers. 
 
 11 
 
 9 
 
 20 
 
 14 
 
 16 
 
 30 
 
 Dressmakers . . 
 
 7 
 
 44 
 
 51 
 
 15 
 
 75 
 
 90 
 
 Hemstitchers. . 
 
 2 
 
 
 2 
 
 7 
 
 3 
 
 10 
 
 Lace runners 
 
 8 
 
 
 8 
 
 7 
 
 3 
 
 10 
 
 Sample makers... 
 
 14 
 
 1 
 
 15 
 
 21 
 
 
 21 
 
 Skirt operators 
 
 37 
 
 44 
 
 81 
 
 64 
 
 107 
 
 171 
 
 Sleeve makers 
 
 11 
 
 18 
 
 29 
 
 12 
 
 32 
 
 44 
 
 Sleeve setters... 
 
 16 
 
 20 
 
 36 
 
 25 
 
 28 
 
 53 
 
 Trimmers 
 
 8 
 
 4 
 
 12 
 
 g 
 
 13 
 
 22 
 
 Tuckers 
 
 83 
 
 72 
 
 155 
 
 109 
 
 139 
 
 248 
 
 Waist operators 
 
 277 
 
 285 
 
 562 
 
 332 
 
 432 
 
 764 
 
 Operators, not specified 
 
 245 
 
 359 
 
 604 
 
 257 
 
 607 
 
 864 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total, operators 
 
 755 
 
 888 
 
 1,643 
 
 917 
 
 1,508 
 
 2,425 
 
 Grand total 
 
 2,382 
 
 958 
 
 3,340 
 
 3,016 
 
 1 695 
 
 4 711 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 TABLE 9.-NUMBER OF WEEK WORKERS AND PIECEWORKERS, BY SEX, IN EACH 
 OCCUPATION, 1912 AND 1913 Continued. 
 
 TOTAL MALES AND FEMALES. 
 
 
 
 1912 
 
 
 
 1913 
 
 
 Occupation. 
 
 Week 
 workers. 
 
 Piece- 
 workers. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Week 
 workers. 
 
 
 Piece- 
 workers. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Assorters 
 
 130 
 
 
 130 
 
 151 
 
 
 H 
 
 
 1 592 
 
 45 
 
 1 637 
 
 2 066 
 
 20 
 
 2 0X5 
 
 Cutters . 
 
 1,337 
 
 
 1 397 
 
 1 701 
 
 
 1 701 
 
 
 953 
 
 26 
 
 979 
 
 1 273 
 
 48 
 
 1 321 
 
 Embroiderers .... 
 
 95 
 
 74 
 
 169 
 
 ' 87 
 
 97 
 
 'l84 
 
 Examiners 
 
 640 
 
 
 640 
 
 852 
 
 
 852 
 
 Finishers... . 
 
 2,784 
 
 1,568 
 
 4,352 
 
 3 334 
 
 2,029 
 
 5 363 
 
 Ironers and pressers 
 
 518 
 
 298 
 
 816 
 
 762 
 
 357 
 
 1 119 
 
 Joiners ... 
 
 64 
 
 5 
 
 69 
 
 195 
 
 12 
 
 207 
 
 Markers 
 
 7 
 
 
 7 
 
 18 
 
 
 18 
 
 Slopers 
 
 20 
 
 
 20 
 
 19 
 
 
 19 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total, nonoperators 
 
 8,200 
 
 2,016 
 
 10 216 
 
 10 458 
 
 2 563 
 
 13, 021 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Buttonhole makers 
 
 70 
 
 46 
 
 116 
 
 76 
 
 69 
 
 145 
 
 Button sewers . 
 
 81 
 
 22 
 
 103 
 
 127 
 
 28 
 
 155 
 
 Closers and hemmers 
 
 51 
 
 53 
 
 104 
 
 78 
 
 56 
 
 134 
 
 Dressmakers 
 
 75 
 
 321 
 
 396 
 
 71 
 
 369 
 
 440 
 
 Hemst itchers . 
 
 95 
 
 5 
 
 100 
 
 155 
 
 25 
 
 180 
 
 Lace runners 
 
 86 
 
 17 
 
 103 
 
 90 
 
 23 
 
 113 
 
 Sample makers 
 
 554 
 
 3 
 
 557 
 
 572 
 
 g 
 
 580 
 
 Skirt operators. . . . . . ... 
 
 89 
 
 224 
 
 313 
 
 133 
 
 266 
 
 399 
 
 Sleeve makers.. 
 
 155 
 
 83 
 
 238 
 
 185 
 
 159 
 
 344 
 
 Sleeve setters 
 
 71 
 
 31 
 
 102 
 
 82 
 
 57 
 
 139 -, 
 
 Trimmers 
 
 294 
 
 264 
 
 558 
 
 352 
 
 282 
 
 634 
 
 Tuckers.... 
 
 312 
 
 359 
 
 671 
 
 469 
 
 406 
 
 875 
 
 Waist operators 
 
 2,540 
 
 2 611 
 
 5 151 
 
 2 820 
 
 3,005 
 
 5 825 
 
 Operators, not specified 
 
 2,471 
 
 2,788 
 
 5,259 
 
 2,643 
 
 3,812 
 
 6,455 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total, operators 
 
 6,944 
 
 6,827 
 
 13, 771 
 
 7,853 
 
 8,565 
 
 16,418 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Grand total 
 
 15 144 
 
 8 843 
 
 23 987 
 
 18 311 
 
 11 1^8 
 
 29 439 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 TABLE 10. NUMBER OF WEEK WORKERS AND PIECEWORKERS, BY SEX, IN EACH 
 OCCUPATION IN SHOPS MANUFACTURING WAISTS WHICH SELL AT $9 PER DOZEN 
 TO RETAIL STORES, 1012 AND 1913. 
 
 FEMALES. 
 
 
 
 1912 
 
 
 
 1913 
 
 
 Occupation. 
 
 Week 
 workers. 
 
 Piece- 
 workers. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Week 
 workers. 
 
 Piece- 
 workers. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Assorters 
 
 
 
 
 i 
 
 
 1 
 
 Cleaners 
 
 316 
 
 
 316 
 
 319 
 
 
 319 
 
 Examiners 
 
 41 
 
 
 41 
 
 72 
 
 5 
 
 77 
 
 Finishers 
 
 92 
 
 30 
 
 2 
 
 51 
 
 39 
 
 90 
 
 Ironers 
 
 37 
 
 36 
 
 73 
 
 68 
 
 33 
 
 101 
 
 Markers 
 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 g 
 
 
 6 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total, nonorarators 
 
 417 
 
 66 
 
 483 
 
 517 
 
 77 
 
 594 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Buttonhole makers... 
 
 5 
 
 I 
 
 g 
 
 g 
 
 
 g 
 
 Button sewers 
 
 15 
 
 
 15 
 
 36 
 
 g 
 
 42 
 
 Closers and hemmers.. . . 
 
 g 
 
 3 
 
 11 
 
 iq 
 
 5 
 
 24 
 
 Lace runners 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 7 
 
 Sample makers... 
 
 10 
 
 
 10 
 
 17 
 
 
 17 
 
 Sleeve makers.. 
 
 52 
 
 12 
 
 64 
 
 68 
 
 10 
 
 81 
 
 Sleeve setters 
 
 14 
 
 3 
 
 17 
 
 Oo 
 
 
 29 
 
 Trimmers 
 
 21 
 
 
 21 
 
 25 
 
 
 25 
 
 Tuckers 
 Waist operators 
 
 27 
 
 782 
 
 1 
 165 
 
 28 
 947 
 
 35 
 
 Qfcfi 
 
 12 
 
 OQl 
 
 47 
 
 i 2o~ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total, operators 
 
 937 
 
 185 
 
 1 1 
 
 1 222 
 
 278 
 
 1 500 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Grand total 
 
 1 354 
 
 251 
 
 1 605 
 
 
 
 2 C 4 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 33 
 
 TABLE 1O. NUMBER OF WEEK WORKERS AND PIECEWORKERS, BY SEX, IN EACH 
 OCCUPATION IN SHOPS MANUFACTURING WAISTS WHICH SELL AT $9 PER DOZEN 
 TO RETAIL STORES, 1912 AND 1913 Concluded. 
 
 MALES. 
 
 
 
 1912 
 
 
 
 1913 
 
 
 Occupation. 
 
 Week 
 workers. 
 
 Piece- 
 workers. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Week 
 workers. 
 
 Piece- 
 workers. 
 
 Total. 
 
 
 112 
 
 
 112 
 
 143 
 
 
 143 
 
 
 42 
 
 17 
 
 59 
 
 69 
 
 28 
 
 95 
 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total, nonoperators 
 
 154 
 
 17 
 
 171 
 
 215 
 
 26 
 
 241 
 
 Buttonhole makers 
 
 4 
 
 11 
 
 15 
 
 10 
 
 16 
 
 26 
 
 Button sewers .. 
 
 6 
 
 
 6 
 
 6 
 
 2 
 
 8 
 
 Closrs and heinniers 
 
 6 
 
 3 
 
 9 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 17 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 3 
 
 
 3 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 9 
 
 1 
 
 10 
 
 5 
 
 9 
 
 14 
 
 Sleeve setters 
 
 
 6 
 
 13 
 
 8 
 
 14 
 
 22 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 Tuckers 
 
 14 
 
 14 
 
 28 
 
 13 
 
 12 
 
 25 
 
 Waist operators 
 
 135 
 
 68 
 
 203 
 
 178 
 
 129 
 
 307 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total, operators 
 
 183 
 
 103 
 
 286 
 
 233 
 
 191 
 
 424 
 
 Grand total 
 
 337 
 
 120 
 
 457 
 
 448 
 
 217 
 
 665 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 TOTAL MALES AND FEMALES. 
 
 Assorters 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 316 
 
 
 316 
 
 319 
 
 
 319 
 
 Cutters... 
 
 112 
 
 
 112 
 
 143 
 
 
 143 
 
 Examiners 
 
 41 
 
 
 41 
 
 72 
 
 5 
 
 77 
 
 Finishers 
 
 22 
 
 30 
 
 52 
 
 51 
 
 39 
 
 90 
 
 Ironers. 
 
 79 
 
 53 
 
 132 
 
 137 
 
 59 
 
 196 
 
 Markers 
 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 9 
 
 
 9 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total, nonoperators 
 
 571 
 
 83 
 
 654 
 
 732 
 
 103 
 
 835 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Buttonhole makers 
 
 9 
 
 12 
 
 21 
 
 18 
 
 16 
 
 34 
 
 Button sewers 
 
 21 
 
 
 21 
 
 42 
 
 8 
 
 50 
 
 Closers and hemmers 
 
 14 
 
 6 
 
 20 
 
 27 
 
 14 
 
 41 
 
 Lace runners 
 
 4 
 
 
 4 
 
 8 
 
 2 
 
 10 
 
 Sample makers... 
 
 11 
 
 
 11 
 
 18 
 
 
 18 
 
 Sleeve makers 
 
 61 
 
 13 
 
 74 
 
 73 
 
 22 
 
 95 
 
 Sleeve setters 
 
 21 
 
 9 
 
 30 
 
 31 
 
 20 
 
 51 
 
 Trimmers 
 
 21 
 
 
 21 
 
 26 
 
 
 26 
 
 Tuckers. 
 
 41 
 
 15 
 
 56 
 
 48 
 
 24 
 
 72 
 
 Waist operators 
 
 917 
 
 233 
 
 1,150 
 
 1,164 
 
 363 
 
 1,527 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total, operators 
 
 1,120 
 
 288 
 
 1,408 
 
 1,455 
 
 469 
 
 1,924 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Grand total 
 
 1,691 
 
 371 
 
 2,062 
 
 2,187 
 
 572 
 
 2,759 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 It is unfortunate that the figures representing the numbers of 
 employees for each of these occupations do not represent the actual 
 number employed therein. The reason for this is that the pay rolls 
 of the different concerns are not kept in a uniform manner ; some con- 
 cerns describe separately each class of operators, such as buttonhole 
 makers, closers and hemmers, hemstitchers, etc. ; other concerns desig- 
 nate every employee who works at a machine as an operator. The 
 only way to overcome this difficulty would have been to interview per- 
 sonally each employee in the shop. Apart from the reluctance on the 
 42132 Bull. 14614 3 
 
 
34 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOE STATISTICS. 
 
 part of most employers to admit agents of the wage-scale board to 
 the shops for that purpose, on the ground that it would interfere 
 with the work of the employees, it would have greatly delayed the 
 investigation and materially increased its cost. Even then a large 
 number of cases could not -have been investigated because a con- 
 siderable number of the employees found on the books would not 
 have been found working in the same shops at the time of the 
 investigation. 
 
 The classification of the different kinds of operators is described in 
 detail under the respective heads in the section devoted to wages of 
 operators of different kinds. 
 
 The figures given in Table 9 for operators must, therefore, be con- 
 sidered correct only when taken for the operators as a whole, of 
 whom 16,418 were found in 1913 as against 13,771 in 1912. For the 
 separate subdivisions of operators, the figures are of value princi- 
 pally for comparative purposes, such as showing the proportion of 
 week workers and pieceworkers in each group, relative numbers of 
 men and women, comparative wages in 1912 and 1913, and as 
 between one group of operators and another group. 
 
 RELATION OF SEX TO WEEK WORK AND PIECEWORK. 
 
 Table 9 throws an interesting light on the relation of sex to piece- 
 work and week work. On comparing the number of men and women 
 engaged in piecework and week work in those branches of operating 
 where the piecework system is employed to a considerable extent, 
 it will be found that with the exception of dressmakers and skirt 
 operators, men are engaged on piecework to a much greater extent 
 than women. As there is particular interest in the conditions exist- 
 ing since the protocol went into effect, the 1913 figures will now be 
 considered. Among buttonhole makers, the women had approxi- 
 mately one pieceworker to two week workers, while the men had 
 three pieceworkers for every two week workers ; in other words, the 
 ratio of pieceworkers to week workers was three times as large 
 among men as among women. Among closers and hemmers, the 
 women had one and one-half week workers for every pieceworker, 
 while the men had more pieceworkers than week workers; among 
 sleeve makers, the women had one and one-third week workers to 
 every pieceworker, while the men had nearly three pieceworkers to 
 every week worker; among sleeve setters, the women had more than 
 two week workers for every pieceworker, while the men had more 
 pieceworkers than week workers; the same is true of the tuckers; 
 among waist operators and operators not specified, the proportion of 
 piece workers is much greater among the men than among the 
 women. This is easily explained when what has been said on the 
 preceding pages is borne in mind, namely, that men excel the women 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DEESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 35 
 
 in speed and in endurance, while women show greater aptitude for 
 work requiring patience and delicate handling. In the former case, 
 piecework is more remunerative, while in the latter compensation by 
 the week is frequently preferred both by the employer and by the 
 worker. 
 
 RELATIVE ADVANTAGES OF WEEK WORK AND PIECEWORK. 
 
 Whether workers are to be compensated on a piece or a week basis 
 depends to a large extent on the nature of the work. It is well known 
 that, in adopting the protocol, the dress and waist industry upset a 
 number of time-honored precedents and established new ones. One 
 of these concerns the respective attitude of employers and employees 
 to piecework and week work. The usual attitude of manufacturers 
 in other industries is in favor of piecework, while the workers show 
 a decided preference for week work. The manufacturer is guided 
 in his attitude by the obvious desire of paying only for work done, 
 since under the piecework system the pay of the worker is automat- 
 ically cut off for every minute or second that he fails to turn out work. 
 The workers object to the system on many grounds, chief of which 
 are: (1) That the piecework system tends to speed up the worker to 
 the limit of physical endurance, leading to a premature exhaustion of 
 his strength and injuring his or her health generally; (2) that it de- 
 prives him of pay at more or less frequent intervals, due not only to 
 lack of work but also frequently to lack of system in the distribution 
 of work between the various departments, resulting in enforced 
 idleness on his part, while he is obliged to remain at the factory 
 waiting for work; (3) that it furnishes opportunities for foremen and 
 subf oremen to make favorites of some employees and to discriminate 
 against others by keeping the favored workers as constantly at 
 work as possible and giving them the best paying work, while the less 
 favored are obliged to get along with what is left; (4) the fourth 
 and chief objection of employees to the piecework system is based on 
 what is a common practice in many industries, the tendency to reduce 
 the piece rate as the workers gain in speed and find new " short cuts" 
 in turning out the same work. 
 
 The idea on the part of the management is to keep the earnings of 
 the employees within certain limits recognized as adequate under a 
 standard set for different occupations or trades. The worker thus 
 finds that, as soon as his earnings exceed the recognized limit, all 
 additional exertion on his part not only will fail to bring him addi- 
 tional reward, but on the contrary will lead to a curtailment of the 
 rate of pay for himself and his fellow workers. This feeling on the 
 part of the worker, engendered by the attitude of his employers, 
 leads frequently to an intentional limitation of output after it reaches 
 the limit beyond which he has reason to expect a reduction in the 
 
36 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 rate of pay. This in turn engenders friction between the employers 
 and employees and has, therefore, led to the general hostility to the 
 piecework system on the part of workingmen and workingwomen. 
 The workers' union in the dress and waist industry has upset this prec- 
 edent along with many others. It was the workers who were insistent 
 on the adoption of the piece-rate system for the industry at the 
 time of concluding the protocol, while a large part of the manufac- 
 turers showed preference for the week-work system. 
 
 EXTENT OF WEEK WORK AND PIECEWORK PRIOR TO THE PROTOCOL. 
 
 The preference for week work among employers was confined 
 chiefly to manufacturers of cheap garments, since the piece-rate 
 system was already in vogue to a greater or less extent in shops 
 manufacturing higher-grade garments before the protocol had gone 
 into effect. This can be readily seen on comparing the figures in 
 Tables 11 and 12, which follow: 
 
 TABLE 11. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF WEEK WORKERS AND PIECEWORKERS, BY 
 OCCUPATIONS, 1912 AND 1913. 
 
 Occupation. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Number. 
 
 Per cent. 
 
 Number. 
 
 Per cent. 
 
 Week 
 work- 
 ers. 
 
 Piece- 
 work- 
 ers. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Week J Piece- 
 work- work- 
 ers, ers. 
 
 Week 
 Avork- 
 ers. 
 
 Piece- 
 work- 
 ers. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Week 
 
 work- 
 ers. 
 
 Piece- 
 work- 
 ers. 
 
 Assorters 
 
 130 
 1,592 
 1 397 
 
 ""45" 
 
 130 
 1,637 
 1,397 
 979 
 169 
 640 
 4,352 
 816 
 69 
 7 
 20 
 
 100 
 97 
 100 
 97 
 56 
 100 
 64 
 63 
 93 
 100 
 100 
 
 ""3" 
 
 ""3" 
 44 
 
 ""36" 
 37 
 
 7 
 
 151 
 2,086 
 1,701 
 1, 273 
 87 
 852 
 3,334 
 762 
 195 
 18 
 19 
 
 "~20" 
 
 ""48 
 97 
 
 2, 629" 
 357 
 12 
 
 151 
 2,086 
 1,701 
 1,321 
 184 
 852 
 5,363 
 1,119 
 207 
 18 
 19 
 
 100 
 99 
 100 
 96 
 47 
 100 
 62 
 68 
 94 
 100 
 100 
 
 ~"i 
 ""4 
 
 53 
 
 ""38 
 32 
 6 
 
 Cleaners 
 
 Cut'ers 
 
 Drapers 
 
 953 
 95 
 640 
 2, 784 
 518 
 64 
 
 26 
 74 
 
 L568" 
 298 
 5 
 
 Embroiderers 
 
 Examiners 
 
 Finishers 
 
 Ironers and pressers 
 
 Joiners 
 
 Markers 
 
 Slopers 
 
 20 
 
 
 Total, nonoperators 
 Buttonhole makers 
 
 8,200 
 
 70~ 
 81 
 51 
 75 
 95 
 86 
 554 
 89 
 155 
 71 
 294 
 312 
 2,540 
 2,471 
 
 2,016 
 
 10, 216 
 
 n<r 
 
 103 
 104 
 396 
 100 
 103 
 557 
 313 
 238 
 102 
 558 
 671 
 5,151 
 5,259 
 
 80 
 
 20 
 
 10, 458 
 
 2,563 
 
 13,021 
 
 80 
 
 20 
 
 46 
 22 
 53 
 321 
 5 
 17 
 3 
 224 
 83 
 31 
 264 
 359 
 2,611 
 2,788 
 
 6,827 
 
 60 
 79 
 49 
 19 
 95 
 83 
 99 
 28 
 85 
 70 
 53 
 46 
 49 
 47 
 
 40 
 21 
 51 
 81 
 5 
 17 
 1 
 72 
 35 
 30 
 47 
 54 
 51 
 53 
 
 76 
 127 
 78 
 71 
 155 
 90 
 572 
 133 
 185 
 82 
 352 
 469 
 2,820 
 2,643 
 
 69 
 28 
 56 
 . 369 
 25 
 23 
 8 
 266 
 159 
 57 
 282 
 406 
 3,005 
 3,812 
 
 145 
 155 
 134 
 440 
 180 
 113 
 580 
 399 
 344 
 139 
 634 
 875 
 5,825 
 6,455 
 
 52 
 82 
 58 
 16 
 86 
 80 
 99 
 33 
 54 
 59 
 56 
 54 
 48 
 41 
 
 48 
 18 
 42 
 84 
 14 
 20 
 1 
 67 
 46 
 41 
 44 
 46 
 52 
 59 
 
 Button sewers 
 
 Closers and hemmers 
 
 Dressmakers 
 
 Hemstitchers 
 
 Lace runners. . . 
 
 Sample makers 
 
 Skirt operators 
 
 Sleeve makers 
 
 Sleeve setters 
 
 Trimmers... 
 
 Tuckers... . 
 
 Waist operators 
 
 Operators, not specified 
 
 Total, operators 
 
 6,944 
 15, 144~ 
 
 13, 771 
 
 50 
 63 
 
 50 
 
 7,853 
 18,311 
 
 8,565 
 11, 128 
 
 16,418 
 29, 439^ 
 
 48 
 62~ 
 
 52 
 
 Grand total 
 
 8,843 
 
 23,987 
 
 37 
 
 38 
 
 
WAUES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 37 
 
 TABLE 12.-NUMBER AND PER CENT OF WEEK WORKERS AND PIECEWORKERS BY 
 OCCUPATIONS, IN SHOPS MANUFACTURING WAISTS WHICH SELL AT $9 PER DOZEN, 
 TO RETAIL STORES, 1912 AND 1913. 
 
 Occupation. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Number. 
 
 Per cent. 
 
 Number. 
 
 Per cent. 
 
 Week 
 work- 
 ers. 
 
 Piece- 
 vrork- 
 ers. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Week- 
 work- 
 ers. 
 
 Piece- 
 work- 
 ers. 
 
 Week Piece- 
 work- work- 
 ers, ers. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Week 
 work- 
 ers. 
 
 Piece- 
 work- 
 ers. 
 
 Assorters . . . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 319 
 143 
 72 
 51 
 137 
 9 
 
 
 319 
 143 
 
 77 
 90 
 196 
 9 
 
 100 
 100 
 100 
 94 
 57 
 70 
 100 
 
 
 Cleaners 
 
 316 
 112 
 41 
 22 
 79 
 1 
 
 
 316 
 112 
 41 
 52 
 
 "! 
 
 100 
 100 
 100 
 42 
 60 
 100 
 
 
 
 
 Cutters 
 
 
 
 "~6 
 43 
 30 
 
 Examiners . . . 
 
 ""36" 
 53 
 
 '"58 
 40 
 
 5 
 39 
 59 
 
 Finishers 
 
 Ironers 
 
 Markers 
 
 Total, nonoperators 
 Buttonhole makers 
 
 
 
 
 571 
 
 83 
 
 654 
 
 87 
 
 13 
 
 732 
 
 103 
 
 835 
 
 -,,-.-..-.-.. 
 
 34 
 50 
 41 
 10 
 18 
 95 
 51 
 26 
 72 
 1,527 
 
 88 
 
 12 
 
 9 
 21 
 11 
 4 
 11 
 Cl 
 21 
 21 
 41 
 017 
 
 12 
 
 21 
 21 
 20 
 4 
 11 
 74 
 30 
 21 
 56 
 1,150 
 
 43 
 100 
 70 
 100 
 100 
 82 
 70 
 100 
 73 
 80 
 
 57 
 
 18 
 42 
 27 
 8 
 18 
 73 
 31 
 26 
 48 
 1,164 
 
 16 
 8 
 14 
 2 
 
 53 
 84 
 66 
 80 
 100 
 77 
 61 
 100 
 67 
 76 
 
 47 
 16 
 34 
 
 20 
 
 Button scwors 
 
 Closers and hemmers 
 
 G 
 
 30 
 
 Lace runners 
 
 Sample makers 
 
 
 Sleeve makers 
 
 13 
 9 
 
 18 
 30 
 
 22 
 20 
 
 23 
 
 39 
 
 Sleeve setters. ... . . 
 
 Trimmers 
 
 Tuckers 
 
 15 
 233 
 
 27 
 20 
 
 24 
 363 
 
 33 
 24 
 
 Waist operators. 
 
 Total, operators 
 
 1,120 
 
 288 
 
 1,408 
 
 80 
 
 20 
 
 1,455 
 
 469 
 
 1,924 
 
 76 
 
 24 
 
 Grand total ... 
 
 1,691 
 
 371 
 
 2,062 
 
 82 
 
 18 
 
 2,187 
 
 572 
 
 2,759 
 
 79 
 
 21 
 
 
 Table 11 shows the extent of piecework and week work in each 
 occupation for the industry as a whole, while Table 12 gives similar 
 figures for the shops making cheap waists selling wholesale at $9 per 
 dozen. Taking all employees, we find that while in the so-called $9 
 shops only 18 per cent of the employees worked by the piece in 1912, 
 they constituted over one-third, or 37 per cent, of all the employees in 
 the industry as a whole. In the case of operators, the difference was 
 even more striking, the proportion of pieceworkers being 20 per cent 
 in the $9 shops and as much as 50 per cent in the entire industry. 
 
 A clearer idea of the extent of piecework and week work in the 
 different parts of the industry can be obtained by comparing shops 
 which make cheap garments with those manufacturing high-grade 
 garments. 
 
 Tables 13 and 14, which follow, contain the figures for six large 
 shops in each class of the industry, respectively. 
 
38 
 
 BULLETIN" OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 T\BLE 13. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF WEEK WORKERS AND PIECEWORKERS IN 6 
 SHOPS MANUFACTURING HIGH-GRADE GARMENTS, BY OCCUPATIONS, 1912 AND 
 1913. 
 
 Occupation. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Number. 
 
 Per cent. 
 
 Number. 
 
 Per cent. 
 
 Week 
 work- 
 ers. 
 
 Piece- 
 work- 
 ers. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Week 
 work- 
 ers. 
 
 Piece- 
 work- 
 ers. 
 
 Week 
 work- 
 ers. 
 
 Piece- 
 work- 
 ers. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Week 
 work- 
 ers. 
 
 Piece- 
 work- 
 ers. 
 
 Cleaners 
 
 9 
 32 
 14 
 20 
 50 
 6 
 17 
 
 
 9 
 32 
 14 
 20 
 93 
 6 
 39 
 
 100 
 100 
 100 
 100 
 54 
 100 
 44 
 
 
 8 
 41 
 15 
 24 
 60 
 9 
 16 
 
 " 50 
 
 8 
 41 
 15 
 24 
 110 
 9 
 16 
 
 100 
 100 
 100 
 100 
 55 
 100 
 100 
 
 45 
 
 Cutters 
 
 
 
 Embroiderers . . . 
 
 
 
 Examiners 
 
 
 
 Finishers 
 
 43 
 
 46 
 
 Drapers 
 
 Ironers 
 
 22 
 
 56 
 
 Total, nonoperators 
 
 148 
 
 65 
 
 213 
 
 69 
 
 50~ 
 100 
 100 
 
 '"id 
 ""ii" 
 
 31 
 
 173 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 
 50 
 
 4 
 
 223 
 
 5^ 
 
 4 
 80 
 
 78 
 
 22 
 
 Buttonhole makers 
 
 1 
 3 
 
 82 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 3 
 82 
 34 
 13 
 75 
 233 
 
 50 
 
 20 
 100 
 100 
 
 80 
 
 Hemstitchers 
 
 Sample makers 
 
 "ioo" 
 
 85 
 100 
 89 
 
 80 
 
 
 Skirt operators 
 
 34 
 11 
 75 
 208 
 
 
 Tuckers 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 95 
 254 
 
 3 
 95 
 
 310 
 
 67 
 
 ""is" 
 
 33 
 
 100 
 
 82 
 
 Waist operators 
 
 Operators not specified. 
 
 25 
 
 56 
 
 Total, operators 
 
 113 
 261 
 
 329 
 394 
 
 442 
 
 26 
 
 74 
 60 
 
 143 
 
 354 
 404 
 
 497 
 720" 
 
 29 
 
 71 
 
 Grand total . . 
 
 655 ; 40 
 
 316 
 
 44 
 
 56 
 
 
 TABLE 14 NUMBER AND PER CENT OF WEEK WORKERS AND PIECEWORKERS IN 6 
 SHOPS MANUFACTURING LOW-GRADE GARMENTS, BY OCCUPATIONS, 1912 AND 
 1913. 
 
 Occupation. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Number. 
 
 Per cent. 
 
 Number. i Per cent. 
 
 Week 
 
 work- 
 ers. 
 
 Piece- 
 work- 
 ers. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Week 
 work- 
 ers. 
 
 Piece- 
 work- 
 ers. 
 
 Week 
 work- 
 ers. 
 
 Piece- 
 work- 
 ers. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Week 
 work- 
 ers. 
 
 Piece- 
 work- 
 ers. 
 
 Cleaners 
 
 229 
 45 
 38 
 4 
 68 
 1 
 
 ""5" 
 27 
 
 229 
 45 
 38 
 9 
 95 
 1 
 
 100 
 IOO 
 100 
 44 
 72 
 100 
 
 ""56" 
 28 
 
 169 
 42 
 41 
 28 
 113 
 4 
 
 ""22" 
 13 
 
 169 
 42 
 41 
 50 
 126 
 4 
 
 100 
 100 
 100 
 56 
 90 
 100 
 
 ""44 
 10 
 
 Cutters 
 
 Examiners . 
 
 Finishers . . . 
 
 Ironers... 
 
 Markers 
 
 Total, nonoperators 
 
 
 
 
 385 
 
 13 
 11 
 12 
 3 
 16 
 5 
 18 
 7 
 46 
 50 
 644 
 
 32 
 "124" 
 
 417 
 
 13 
 11 
 12 
 3 
 16 
 5 
 18 
 7 
 46 
 50 
 768 
 
 92 
 
 8 
 
 397 
 
 35 
 
 432 
 
 8 
 13 
 22 
 5 
 17 
 7 
 20 
 14 
 51 
 40 
 703 
 
 92 
 
 100 
 100 
 91 
 100 
 100 
 100 
 100 
 100 
 100 
 98 
 81 
 
 8 
 " 9 
 
 ""2 
 19 
 
 Buttonhole makers 
 
 100 
 100 
 100 
 100 
 100 
 100 
 100 
 100 
 100 
 100 
 84 
 
 ""ie" 
 
 8 
 13 
 20 
 5 
 17 
 7 
 20 
 14 
 51 
 39 
 566 
 
 2 
 
 ..... 
 137 
 
 Button sewers 
 
 Closers and hemmers ; 
 
 Hemstitchers 
 
 Lace runners 
 
 Sample makers 
 
 Sleeve makers 
 
 Sleeve setters 
 
 Trimmers 
 
 Tuckers 
 
 Operators, not specified 
 
 Total, operators 
 
 825 
 1,210 
 
 124 
 
 949 
 1,366 
 
 87 
 
 sir 
 
 13 
 
 11 
 
 760 
 1,157 
 
 140 
 
 900 
 
 84 
 
 16 
 
 Grand total 
 
 156 
 
 175 
 
 1,332 
 
 87 
 
 13 
 
 
 A comparison of the figures in the two tables is striking. It shows 
 that in 1912, prior to the enactment of the protocol, 60 per cent, or 
 not far from two- thirds, of all the employees in six large high-grade 
 garment shops (Table 13) were paid by the piece, while in six large 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 39 
 
 low-grade garment shops (Table 14) only 11 per cent, or about one- 
 tenth, were pieceworkers. In the case of operators, the percentage 
 of pieceworkers in the high-grade shops was still larger namely, 74 
 per cent, or practically three-fourths of all the operators while in the 
 low-grade shops it was only 13 per cent. 1 When the special occupa- 
 tions of the operators are considered, it is found that there were no 
 pieceworkers whatever among buttonhole makers, closers and hem- 
 mers, sleeve makers, sleeve setters, or tuckers in the six cheap-gar- 
 ment shops, while in the six high-grade shops, pieceworkers numbered 
 as high as 85 per cent of the tuckers, 50 per cent of the buttonhole 
 makers, 89 per cent of the operators not specified, and 100 per cent 
 of the waist operators. Not all the shops, of course, manufacturing 
 low-grade garments had such a percentage of pieceworkers, as has 
 already been shown in commenting on the figures in Table 12, but 
 the significance of the above figures lies in the tendency they disclose 
 for the prevalence of week work in the shops manufacturing low- 
 grade garments and the predominance of piecework at the other end 
 of the industry. 
 
 In insisting, therefore, on the adoption of the piece-rate system 
 throughout the industry, the union attempted to raise the conditions 
 at the lower end of the industry to what they had already been at the 
 higher end before the signing of the protocol. 
 
 WAGES. 
 METHOD OF OBTAINING WAGE DATA. 
 
 The ideal way of ascertaining the wages of workers in any industry 
 is to find out their total earnings for an entire year. This is especially 
 true of the garment industries which fluctuate with the seasons, 
 alternating between periods of highest activity and weeks of absolute 
 stagnation. The technical difficulties, however, in the way of 
 obtaining the data as to the earnings of each of the 30,000 workers for 
 an entire year proved no less serious in this case than in all wage 
 investigations in which such an attempt has ever been made, and the 
 investigation as to individual earnings had to be confined to those 
 during the busiest week of the year, that is, the week showing the 
 maximum number of employees. In order to obtain a comparison 
 of the wages prevailing before and after the protocol, the figures 
 were taken for the busiest week in 1912 and 1913, respectively. 
 The investigation for 1913 was confined to the spring season, so that 
 in every case the busiest week in 1913 means the busiest week in the 
 
 1 The figure of 60 per cent for the six high-grade shops was obtained in spite of the fact that in the six 
 shops was included one high-grade nonassociation shop, which 's an exception to the rule, inasmuch as it 
 employs week workers exclusively. If a typical high-grade association shop were substituted in its place, 
 the proportion of pieceworkers would probably amount to at least 75 per cent of all the workers and to a 
 still higher percentage of the operators. 
 
40 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 spring of 1913, 1 while for 1912 the busiest week of the year was taken, 
 whether spring or fall. In a great many cases there were no records 
 of individual earnings for the spring of 1912 and those for the fall 
 had to be taken. 
 
 The object of taking the busiest week was to secure information 
 for the largest possible number of workers employed in the industry. 
 It is well known, however, that earnings at the height of the season 
 are much greater than at other times 'of the year. It would, there- 
 fore, be erroneous to draw the conclusion that the annual earnings 
 of the workers are approximately equal to 50 times the earnings 
 during the busiest week. Apart from the weeks when the workers 
 are entirely idle, there are months when the weekly earnings are 
 considerably less than during the busiest week of the year. In the 
 case of week workers, an attempt has been made to overcome this 
 difficulty by presenting in this report the weekly rates of wages 
 rather than their earnings. But even these rates are in many instances 
 higher at the height of the season than at other times of the year. 
 
 But in the case of pieceworkers, there being no regular weekly 
 rates and no record being kept at the factories of the hours they are at 
 work, total earnings during the week, including overtime, had neces- 
 sarily to be taken. 
 
 There was but one means left to get at an approximate estimate of 
 annual earnings and that was by ascertaining the regularity of em- 
 ployment in the industry. This was done and the results are dis- 
 cussed in detail on pages 160 and 161. As already pointed out the 
 principal conclusion from the figures relating to regularity of employ- 
 meat, as shown by. Table 68, is that the average weekly earnings of 
 workers in the entire industry is 73 per cent of their earnings during 
 the busiest week of the year and for the different branches of the 
 industry is as follows: Association A, 67 per cent; association B, 71 
 per cent; nonassociation A, 53 per cent; nonassociation B, 44 per cent. 
 This furnishes the key to an approximate estimate of the annual 
 earnings of the various groups of workers from the earnings given 
 in the following pages for the busiest week of the year. 
 
 METHOD OF PRESENTATION OF WAGE DATA. 
 
 As has already been pointed out in discussing Table 9, there are 
 some occupations in the industry in which only women or only men 
 are employed; cleaners or finishers furnish an illustration of the for- 
 mer, cutters of the latter. In most of the occupations, however, 
 both men and women are employed. The same is true as to piece- 
 workers and week workers. As in the same occupation wages will 
 differ according to sex and according to whether the workers are paid 
 by the week or the piece, the wages are presented under each of these 
 
 1 In a few cases there were no records for any week of 1913 and the manufacturers concerned were 
 asked to keep a record for the ensuing week, which may not have been the busiest week. But the 
 number of such casas did not exceed 10, all of them small shops. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DKESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 41 
 
 four heads: (1) Pieceworkers, male; (2) Pieceworkers, female; (3) 
 week workers, male; (4) week workers, female. 
 
 But few averages will be found in connection with the wage statis- 
 tics in this report. This is due to the fact that averages are very 
 misleading in cases where there is a wide range of figures. An 
 illustration will make this clear. If wages in a certain occupation 
 varied from, say, $10 to $15, an average of $12.50 would not be very 
 far from either extreme; for the $12.50 worker, while better off 
 than the $10 worker and not so well to do as the $15 worker, would be 
 found maintaining a standard of life not differing very much from 
 either of the other two. But where, as in the dress and waist industry, 
 the range of wages takes in a great variety of standards varying all 
 the way from $3 to $30 a week, an average of, say, $16 a week would 
 be utterly misleading both as to the $3 as well as to the $30 a week 
 workers. A better way, therefore, of summing up the wage data 
 for the different occupations, it was thought, would be found by divid- 
 ing the wage data for each occupation into a number of groups and 
 by showing the number of people in each group and the percentage 
 they form of the total. As it is important both to the employers 
 and the employees to have the information in as much detail as prac- 
 ticable, the number of groups has been made quite large, namely, 
 18. The lowest group is that of workers getting under $3 a week; 
 the next includes those earning from $3 to less than $4; the next 
 from $4 to less than $5 and so on by $1 steps until $10 a week is 
 reached, when each group is made to cover a range of $2. From 
 $20 on, the groups advance by $2.50 each until $30 a week is reached, 
 all workers earning $30 a week or over being put together. 
 
 These data are presented for the association and the nonassociation 
 shops separately. Moreover, in view of the wide range of goods 
 manufactured in the dress and waist industry, it was found necessary, 
 as already stated, to divide the industry into at least two groups; 
 one, called A, representing the shops manufacturing the cheaper 
 garments; the other, called B, comprising the shops which turn out 
 the higher grade of garments. While there are a great many more 
 distinct kinds of shops, it was found impracticable to divide the in- 
 dustry into more than two groups, owing to the fact that but few 
 shops confine themselves to the manufacture of one grade of garments, 
 the number of grades being usually so large that any attempt to 
 divide the industry into more than two groups would result in so 
 much overlapping in individual shops as to make classification impos- 
 sible. The line of demarcation adopted for the two groups is as 
 follows: (1) Group B, which consists of shops manufacturing cotton 
 waists selling at wholesale for not less than $16.50 per dozen, silk 
 waists selling at not less than $27 per dozen, and dresses selling at 
 not less than $5 apiece; (2) Group A, which includes shops man- 
 ufacturing garments which sell at prices below those mentioned 
 
42 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 above. Even under this broad classification, a good deal of over- 
 lapping has proved unavoidable. Thus, if a shop devotes itself 
 exclusively to $9-a-dozen waists, it clearly belongs in Group A, 
 while one manufacturing waists selling from $16.50 to $24 a dozen 
 would clearly belong to Group B. On the other hand, a shop manu- 
 facturing waists selling from $9 to $24, though it has a range 
 which takes in both classes, has been classed with Group A. The 
 reason for this classification is that the cheapest garment made usu- 
 ally determines the character of the work done in a shop. If a con- 
 siderable quantity of cheap garments is made in the shop, the char- 
 acter of the help employed will be of a different kind from that 
 employed in a shop in which no cheap garments, or very few of them, 
 are being made. A shop making chiefly $9 and $16.50 waists has 
 its help trained to pay more attention to quantity of output than to 
 qualit}^. If it adds a $24 line to its products, the character of the 
 work on the $24 a dozen waists will not differ from that on the $16.50 
 or $9 waists, the difference between the two being solely that of 
 material, a greater amount of lace, embroidery, and other trimmings, 
 requiring in turn a greater amount of labor, though not a higher 
 grade of workmanship. On the other hand, a shop which special- 
 izes on waists selling from $24 to $48 or $60 a dozen may manu- 
 facture also some of the cheaper kind to supply a limited demand 
 from the stores which buy chiefly the high-grade garments. This 
 shop will not employ special help for the cheaper garments, and, 
 therefore, the workmanship on its $16.50 waists will be the same as 
 on the higher-priced garments, the difference being in the quality of 
 the material, in the elimination of most of the trimmings, saving 
 cost of material and labor, etc. 
 
 From what has been said, it will be seen that the overlapping 
 between the A and B shops, due to the fact that shops in either group 
 are found to manufacture garments selling at the same price, is more 
 apparent than real, the fundamental distinction being that of the 
 character of the workmanship which is but roughly reflected in the 
 selling price, the latter being unfortunately the only tangible criterion 
 by which we can distinguish between the two. 
 
 The breaking up of the wage data first into 25 distinct groups 
 according to occupation; then, into two groups according to sex, 
 where more than one sex is employed; then again into piecework and 
 week-work groups in occupations where both methods of compen- 
 sation are in vogue; and then again into four groups, association A, 
 association B, nonassociation A, and nonassociation B, while securing 
 a very detailed presentation of the wage data, may be open to the 
 criticism of failing to give a comprehensive and easily understood 
 presentation of the wage situation in the industry. The need of such 
 presentation has been recognized by providing general summaries 
 both in the tables, where this was possible, and throughout the text 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DBESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 43 
 
 ill discussing; the wages of each occupation and in the summary 
 chapter of this report. 
 
 OPERATORS. 
 OCCUPATIONS OF OPERATORS. 
 
 By an .operator in the dress and waist industry is meant any person 
 working on a sewing machine. Operating work is not done with any 
 uniformity in the industry. In the shops making cheap waists the 
 work is divided to an extreme, each operator working on some small 
 part of the garment and frequently specializing on only one particular 
 seam in the garment, one closing the sides of the waist, another one 
 doing the hemming, a third sewing lace (lace running), a fourth 
 closing the shoulders, etc. Sometimes even this work is further sub- 
 divided. Thus, if a French seam is used in closing the sides of a 
 waist, one operator wih 1 make the first seam, joining the front and 
 back parts of the waist on the right side, while the other operator 
 will trim off the raw edge and turn over the waist to put in the second 
 seam on the wrong side. Sometimes a girl is employed especially to 
 do the work of cutting off the raw edge. Subdivision of work in the 
 other parts of the garment is also practiced to a great extent. 
 
 In shops making medium-priced garments or cheap garments on a 
 piece-rate basis, it is customary to have "body makers." These are 
 operators who make up the body of the waist (joining the shoulders, 
 tacking the fronts and backs, making the centers, i. e., the button- 
 hole and button pieces, and sometimes sewing on the collar). In 
 that case, there will still be considerable subdivision of labor, since 
 the closer and hemmer will close the waist on the sides and hem the 
 bottom; the sleeve maker will make the sleeves; the sleeve setter will 
 set the sleeves into the waist; the tucker will make the tucks; the 
 buttonhole maker will make the buttonholes; the button sewer will 
 sew on the buttons; the hemstitcher will do the hemstitching: the 
 skirt maker will make the skirt (if dresses are made in addition to 
 waists), and the joiner will join the waist and skirt into a dress. 
 Moreover, all the finer work which goes to set off the waist, the sewing 
 on of the trimmings, laces, and embroideries will be done by "trim- 
 mers," so far as it is not simple enough to be done by lace runners. 
 
 In x the high-grade shops where dresses- and gowns are made, the 
 subdivision of labor is still less, the operator or dressmaker making 
 practically the entire garment in so far as sewing on the machine 
 is concerned, and in addition to that in many cases doing her own 
 draping instead of having that part of the work done by a draper. 
 The hemming of the bottom of the skirt, the sewing on of the hooks 
 and eyes, belts, and trimmings in fact, all of the work that is to 
 be done by hand is done in these shops by finishers. 
 
 From what has just been said it will be clear why the designation 
 of operators lacks uniformity on the pay rolls in the different shops. 
 
44 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 In some shops everybody who works at a sewing machine is called 
 an operator, and the term will include the entire range of workers 
 from $4 or $5 a week beginners to the highest grade dressmakers. 
 In other shops, usually those in which the subdivision of labor is 
 greatest, the operators are designated separately according to the 
 special w r ork they do, but even in these shops it will frequently happen 
 that in the case of some of the workers, say, lace runners, half will be 
 designated as such and the other half as operators. In view of this 
 fact, the numbers of the various classes of operators given in this 
 report should not be taken as complete. But the combined number 
 of operators of all kinds may be considered as fairly accurate. This 
 makes it necessary to combine the earnings of all the operators 
 into one group and discuss the changes which have occurred, con- 
 sidering in one group w r orkers of such widely differing degrees of 
 skill as distinguish a lace runner from a high-class dressmaker. At 
 the same time, these figures will be helpful for comparative purposes 
 both as between 1912 and 1913 and as between the different branches 
 of the industry. Below is presented, therefore, an analysis of the 
 wages of operators as a whole, followed by a separate presentation 
 for the different divisions of operators mentioned above. 
 
 NUMBER AND CLASSES COVERED BY THE REPORT. 
 
 As shown by Table 8, records were found for 16,418 operators 
 in 1913 and 13,771 in 1912. This does not mean that there were 
 2,647 more operators in 1913 than in 1912, but that information 
 as to wages was available for so many more operators in 1913 than in 
 1912. Of those found in 1913, 2,425 were men and 13,993 were 
 women, the number of men constituting 15 per cent and of women 
 85 per cent of all the operators. This shows that the overwhelming 
 majority of the operators are women, who outnumber the men 
 more than 5 to 1, the men specializing only in a few trades, such as 
 buttonhole making, skirt operating, sleeve setting, and tucking. 
 As regards pieceworkers and week workers, Table 9 shows that the 
 division is about even among the women, there being 7,057 piece- 
 workers and 6,936 week workers, or practically the same number 
 in each class. Among the men, however, the number of pieceworkers 
 greatly exceeds that of week workers, being 1,508 for the piece- 
 workers as against 917 for the week workers. 
 
 WAGES OF OPERATORS. 
 
 In presenting the wages of operators the same general plan has 
 been followed as for other workers employed in considerable numbers, 
 the figures being shown separately for week workers and pieceworkers. 
 Under each of these general classes tables are given showing for 
 each sex the number and per cent of operators receiving each classi- 
 fied rate of wages, both in the industry as a whole and in shops 
 

 WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 45 
 
 making cheap garments. Similar tables are next presented for 
 operators employed in association and nonassociation shops. A 
 further subdivision shows the wages of female operators and of male 
 operators in each of the four classes of shops namely, shops desig- 
 nated as association A, association B, nonassociation A, and non- 
 association B. 
 
 COMPARISON OF WAGES OF MEN AND WOMEN OPERATORS IN THE INDUSTRY AS 
 
 A WHOLE. 
 
 Week workers. 
 
 As explained elsewhere in this report, the figures of the wages of 
 week workers given in the tables which follow represent weekly 
 rates. They take into account neither the time lost during the 
 week nor the extra work done during overtime. In other words, 
 .when an operator is placed in the $9-a-week group it means that this 
 is his or her regular weekly rate of pay, although during that par- 
 ticular week he may have worked only four days and earned $6 
 or have worked overtime and earned more than $10. On the other 
 hand, the wages of pieceworkers reported are the actual earnings 
 during the busiest week of the year. 
 
 The number and per cent of male and of female operators, week 
 workers, receiving each classified rate of wages in 1912 and 1913 
 aro shown for the industry as a whole in Table 15, which follows: 
 
 TABLE 15. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF MALE AND FEMALE OPERATORS, WEEK 
 WORKERS, IN THE INDUSTRY* AS A WHOLE, RECEIVING EACH CLASSIFIED RATE 
 OF WAGES PER WEEK, 1912 AND 1913. 
 
 Classified rates of wages per week. 
 
 Number. 
 
 Per cent receiving each classified 
 rate. 
 
 Females. 
 
 Males. 
 
 Females. 
 
 Males. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under $3... 
 
 9 
 53 
 204 
 299 
 432 
 541 
 564 
 615 
 1, 160 
 1,136 
 672 
 196 
 93 
 24 
 6 
 4 
 1 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 0.1 
 .9 
 3.4 
 5.0 
 7.2 
 9.0 
 9. -4 
 10.2 
 19.3 
 18.9 
 11.2 
 3.3 
 1.5 
 .4 
 .1 
 
 2.1 
 
 
 
 
 $3 to $3.99 
 
 15 
 121 
 
 228 
 457 
 621 
 633 
 606 
 1,284 
 1,264 
 1,056 
 362 
 136 
 47 
 4 
 4 
 
 3 
 10 
 15 
 12 
 
 18 
 33 
 34 
 84 
 146 
 181 
 83 
 61 
 37 
 9 
 5 
 
 1 
 6 
 13 
 32 
 30 
 36 
 34 
 74 
 139 
 199 
 143 
 111 
 69 
 17 
 6 
 3 
 1 
 
 0.2 
 1.8 
 3.3 
 6.7 
 9.1 
 9.3 
 8.9 
 18.8 
 18.5 
 15.4 
 5.3 
 2.0 
 .7 
 i.l 
 
 0.4 
 1.4 
 2.0 
 1.6 
 2.5 
 4.5 
 4.6 
 11.5 
 19.9 
 24.7 
 11.3 
 8.3 
 5.0 
 1.2 
 .7 
 
 0.1 
 .7 
 1.4 
 3.5 
 3.3 
 3.9 
 3.7 
 8.1 
 15.2 
 21.8 
 15.6 
 12.1 
 7.5 
 1.9 
 .7 
 .3 
 .1 
 
 $4 to $4.99 
 
 $5 to $5. 99... 
 
 $6 to $6.99... 
 
 $7 to $7.99 
 
 $8 to $8.99 
 
 $9 to $9.99. . . 
 
 $10 to $11. 99 
 
 $12 to $13.99. . . 
 
 $14 to $15.99 
 
 $16 to $17.99 
 
 $18 to $19.99 
 
 $20 to $22.49 
 
 $22.50 to $24.99... 
 
 $25 to $27.49 
 
 $27.50 to $29 99 
 
 
 $30 and over 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 .3 
 
 Total.. 
 
 
 
 3 6, 010 
 
 36,840 
 
 3733 
 
 3914 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 1 Including $22.50 and over. 
 
 2 Including $25 and over. 
 
 3 Not including a number of week workers. These are indicated in Tables 26 to 48, showing the num- 
 ber of week workers and pieceworkers in different wage groups for each occupation. 
 
46 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 Taking the figures in Table 15, the remarkable fact is noted that 
 although the number of men operators was only 914 as against 6,840 
 women in 1913, making a ratio of more than 7 women to 1 man, yet 
 there were a great many more men earning $20 a week and over than 
 there were women, namely, 96 men as against only 57 women. The 
 disparity in numbers is even more striking when expressed in per- 
 centages of each class of workers; the number of women receiving 
 $20 and over constituted 0.8 per cent of all the women week workers, 
 while the men in the corresponding groups formed 10.5 per cent of all 
 the men week workers. If the line is drawn at $14 a week, it is found 
 from the tabJe that in the case of all the workers receiving less than 
 $14 a week the percentage of women exceeds that of men, the lower 
 the wages the greater being the excess of women over men. From 
 $14 and up the relation between the two is reversed, the proportion 
 of men exceeding that of women and increasing as the weekly rates 
 advance. Thus the number of those receiving $12 to $13.99 consti- 
 tuted 18.5 per cent of the women and 15.2 per cent of the men. The 
 next lower group, $10 to $11.99, included 18.8 per cent of the women 
 and only 8.1 per cent of the men. 
 
 Starting with the group of $14 to $15.99 a week, it is found that in 
 1913 the women formed 15.4 per cent of all the women week workers, 
 while the men comprised 21.8 per cent of male week workers. 
 Employees getting $16 to $17.99 a week comprised 5.3 per cent of 
 the women and 15.6 per cent of the men; those getting from $18 to 
 $19.99 formed 2 per cent of the women and 12.1 per cent of the men; 
 those getting from $20 to $22.49 a week comprised 0.7 per cent of the 
 women and 7.5 per cent of the men. 
 
 The preceding figures may be summed up as follows: The propor- 
 tion of workers in 1913 receiving wages of less than $6 a week formed 
 over 5 per cent among the women and over 2 per cent among the 
 men. Those earning $6 and less than $10 a week constituted nearly 
 34 per cent, or more than one- third of all the women, and over 14 per 
 cent, or one-seventh, of all the men. Nearly 53 per cent, or more than 
 half of all the women week workers, received wages of $10 and less 
 than $16 a week, the proportion of men in the corresponding wage 
 groups being a little over 45 per cent, or less than one-half, while 8 
 per cent of all the women and 38.2 per cent of the men received $16 
 and over per week. 
 
 Table 1 6, which follows, gives similar figures for operators working 
 by the week in shops manufacturing garments of a cheap grade 
 exclusively. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 47 
 
 TABLE 16. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF MALE AND FEMALE OPERATORS, WEEK 
 WORKERS, RECEIVING EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES PER WEEK, IN SHOPS 
 MANUFACTURING GARMENTS SELLING TO RETAIL STORES AT $9 PER DOZEN EXCLU- 
 SIVELY, 1912 AND 1913. 
 
 Classified rates of wages per week. 
 
 Number. 
 
 Per cent receiving each classified 
 rate. 
 
 Females. 
 
 Males. 
 
 Females. 
 
 Males. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under $3 
 
 2 
 15 
 70 
 80 
 142 
 158 
 121 
 119 
 145 
 57 
 23 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 0.2 
 
 
 
 
 $3 to S3 99 
 
 6 
 24 
 58 
 156 
 229 
 187 
 153 
 252 
 94 
 50 
 
 1 
 
 8 
 8 
 6 
 8 
 12 
 13 
 28 
 36 
 43 
 15 
 2 
 3 
 
 2 
 3 
 7 
 13 
 
 20 
 16 
 
 13 
 18 
 48 
 37 
 40. 
 8 
 8 
 
 1.6 
 7.5 
 8.6 
 15.2 
 16.9 
 13.0 
 12.7 
 15.5 
 6.1 
 2.5 
 .1 
 .1 
 
 0.5 
 2.0 
 4.8 
 12.8 
 18.8 
 15.4 
 12.6 
 20.7 
 7.7 
 4.1 
 .4 
 
 0.5 
 4.4 
 4.4 
 3. 3 
 4.4 
 6.5 
 7.1 
 15.3 
 19.7 
 23.5 
 8.2 
 1.1 
 1.6 
 
 0.9 
 1.3 
 3.0 
 5.6 
 8.5 
 6.8 
 5.6 
 7.7 
 20.5 
 15.8 
 17.1 
 3.4 
 3.4 
 
 $4 to $4 99 
 
 $5 to $5.99 
 
 $6 to $6 99 
 
 $7 to $7 99 
 
 $8 to $8.99 
 
 $9 to S9 99 . 
 
 $10 to $11 99 
 
 $12 to $13.99 
 
 $14 to $15.99 
 
 $16 to $17 99 
 
 $18 to $19 99 
 
 $20 to $22 49 
 
 .1 
 
 $22 50 to $24 99 
 
 
 
 $25 to $27.49 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 .4 
 
 Total 
 
 934 
 
 1,215 
 
 183 
 
 234 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 Pieceworkers. 
 
 It is interesting to see how the difference in the earnings of men and 
 women week workers compares with that of pieceworkers. Table 17 
 contains an answer to this question. 
 
 TABLE 17.-NUMBER AND PERCENT OF MALE AND FEMALE OPERATORS, PIECE- 
 WORKERS, IN THE INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE, EARNING EACH CLASSIFIED AMOUNT 
 DURING THE BUSIEST WEEK OF THE YEAR, 1912 AND 1913. 
 
 Classified earnings per week. 
 
 Number. 
 
 Per cent. 
 
 Females. Males. 
 
 Females. 
 
 Males. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under $3... 
 
 195 
 105 
 142 
 181 
 242 
 292 
 384 
 467 
 912 
 1,134 
 684 
 444 
 362 
 231 
 178 
 75 
 45 
 45 
 
 160 
 
 83 
 101 
 136 
 166 
 236 
 310 
 374 
 974 
 1,044 
 968 
 865 
 590 
 491 
 321 
 159 
 96 
 79 
 
 14 
 8 
 7 
 11 
 10 
 22 
 32 
 31 
 76, 
 71 
 90 
 88 
 86 
 94 
 65 
 72 
 51 
 82 
 
 8 
 14 
 13 
 6 
 17 
 17 
 32 
 31 
 97 
 112 
 157 
 170 
 167 
 186 
 170 
 114 
 65 
 135 
 
 3.2 
 1.7 
 2.3 
 3.0 
 4.0 
 4.8 
 6.3 
 7.6 
 14.9 
 18.5 
 11.2 
 7.3 
 5.9 
 3.8 
 2.9 
 1.2 
 .7 
 .7 
 
 2.2 
 1.2 
 1.4 
 1.9 
 2.3 
 3.3 
 4.3 
 5.2 
 13.6 
 14.6 
 13.5 
 12.1 
 8.2 
 6.9 
 4.5 
 2.2 
 1.3 
 1.1 
 
 1.5 
 .9 
 .8 
 1.2 
 1.1 
 2.4 
 3.5 
 3.4 
 8.4 
 7.8 
 9.9 
 9.7 
 9.5 
 10.3 
 7.1 
 7.9 
 5.6 
 9.0 
 
 0.5 
 .9 
 .9 
 .4 
 1.1 
 1.1 
 2.1 
 2.1 
 6.4 
 7.4 
 10.4 
 11.3 
 11.1 
 12.3 
 11.3 
 7.5 
 4.3 
 8.9 
 
 $3 to $3 99 
 
 $4 to $4.99 
 
 $5 to S5.99 . . . 
 
 $6 to $6 99 
 
 $1 to $7.99 
 
 $8 to $8.99 
 
 $9 to 89 99 
 
 $10 to $11.99 
 
 $12 to $13.99 
 
 $14 to $15.99 
 
 $16 to $17 99 
 
 $18 to $19.99 
 
 $20 to $22.49 
 
 $22.50 to $24 99 
 
 $25toS27.49... 
 
 $27.50 to $29.99 
 
 $30 and over 
 
 Total 
 
 i 6, 118 
 
 i 7, 153 ' i 910 
 
 j 
 
 i 1,511 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 1 Including a number of week workers for whom earnings but not rates of wages could he ascertained. 
 These are indicated in Tables 26 to 48 showing the number of week workers and pieceworkers in the 
 different wage groups for each occupation. 
 
 While the same general rule holds good of the pieceworkers as 
 of the week workers, that a greater proportion of men than of women 
 are employed in the higher-paid wage groups, and that a higher 
 proportion of women than of men are employed in the lower wage 
 
48 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 groups, the line of demarcation among the pieceworkers begins at 
 $18 a week instead of $14, as was found to be the case among the 
 week workers. Thus the group of $18 to $19.99 a week contained 8.2 
 per cent of the total number of women in 1913 and only 11.1 per cent 
 of the men, the difference between the proportion of men and women 
 increasing as the wages increase. Below $18 the contrary was the 
 case. The proportion of women employed in the $16 to $17.99 group 
 was 12.1 per cent of all women as against 11.3 per cent for the men; 
 in the $14 to 15.99 group, 13.6 per cent of all women and 10.4 per cent 
 of all men, and so on down the scale of wages. The percentage of 
 women earning $18 a week and over was 24.2 per cent, while for 
 men the percentage was 55.4 per cent. That is to say, while more 
 than half of all the men operators working by the piece earned $18 
 and over during the busiest week of 1913, the proportion of women 
 earning the same wages was less than one-fourth. The number of 
 women pieceworkers earning less than $6 a week formed 6.6 per cent 
 of all the women pieceworkers, while among the men it amounted to 
 2.7 per cent; 15.1 per cent of the women pieceworkers earned $6 and 
 less than $10 a week, while the number of men in the corresponding 
 group constituted only 6.4 per cent; 53.8 per cent, or more than half 
 of the women, earned $10 and less than $18 a week, while the number 
 of men in the corresponding group was 35.5 per cent, or about one- 
 third of all the men. 
 
 Table 18, which follows, gives similar figures showing number and 
 per cent of pieceworkers earning each classified amount in shops 
 manufacturing a cheap grade of garments: 
 
 TABLE 18. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF MALE AND FEMALE OPERATORS, PIECE- 
 WORKERS, EARNING EACH CLASSIFIED AMOUNT DURING THE BUSIEST WEEK OF 
 THE YEAR, IN SHOPS MANUFACTURING GARMENTS SELLING WHOLESALE AT $9 
 PER DOZEN EXCLUSIVELY, 1912 AND 1913. 
 
 Classified earnings per week. 
 
 Number. 
 
 Per cent earning each classified 
 rate. 
 
 Female. 
 
 Male. 
 
 Female. 
 
 Male. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 4.2 
 1.4 
 1.4 
 2.8 
 3.9 
 3.5 
 7.4 
 7.7 
 16.5 
 14.8 
 15.8 
 7.4 
 4.9 
 3.5 
 1.8 
 1.4 
 .7 
 .7 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under $3 
 
 8 
 
 8 
 7 
 9 
 17 
 24 
 26 
 37 
 27 
 10 
 7 
 4 
 1 
 1 
 1 
 
 12 
 4 
 4 
 8 
 11 
 10 
 21 
 22 
 47 
 42 
 45 
 21 
 14 
 10 
 5 
 4 
 2 
 2 
 
 1 
 2 
 5 
 3 
 2 
 2 
 3 
 4 
 10 
 9 
 11 
 10 
 9 
 13 
 4 
 3 
 5 
 7 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 2 
 1 
 4 
 7 
 8 
 
 4.3 
 .5 
 4.3 
 3.7 
 4.8 
 9.0 
 - 12.8 
 13.8 
 19.7 
 14.4 
 5.3 
 3.7 
 2.1 
 .5 
 .5 
 .5 
 
 1.0 
 1.9 
 4.9 
 2.9 
 1.9 
 1.9 
 2.9 
 3.9 
 9.7 
 8.7 
 10.7 
 9.7 
 8.7 
 12.6 
 3.9 
 2.9 
 4.9 
 6.8 
 
 0.5 
 2.1 
 1.0 
 .5 
 2.1 
 3.7 
 4.2 
 
 "~5." 2 
 7.9 
 9.9 
 9.4 
 8.4 
 10.5 
 16.8 
 4.7 
 5.8 
 7.3 
 
 $3 to $3.99 , . . . 
 
 $4 to 84. 99 
 
 $5 to $5.99 
 
 $8 to $3.99 
 
 $7 to $7.99 
 
 $8 to $8 99 
 
 $9 to $9.99 
 
 $10 to $11.99 
 
 10 
 15 
 19 
 18 
 16 
 20 
 32 
 9 
 11 
 14 
 
 $12 to S13.99 
 
 $14 to $15 99 
 
 $16 to $17.99 
 
 $18 to S19.99 
 
 $20 to $22 49 
 
 $22.50 to $24. 99... 
 
 $25 to $27.49 
 
 $27.50 to $29.99. 
 
 $30 and over 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 188 
 
 284 
 
 103 
 
 191 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 49 
 
 COMPARISON OF WAGES OF MEN AND WOMEN OPERATORS IN ASSOCIATION AND 
 
 NONASSOCIATION SHOPS. 
 
 Week Workers. 
 
 What has been said of the comparative weekly rates of wages of 
 men and women operators, week workers, in the industry as a whole 
 is likewise true if the association and nonassociation shops are con- 
 sidered separately. The figures for these are given in Table 19, 
 which follows : 
 
 TABLE 19.-NUMBER AND PER CENT OF MALE AND FEMALE OPERATORS, WEEK 
 WORKERS, IN ASSOCIATION AND NONASSOCIATION SHOPS, RECEIVING EACH CLAS- 
 SIFIED RATE OF WAGES PER WEEK, 1912 AND 1913. 
 
 NUMBER. 
 
 Classified rates of wages per week. 
 
 Association shops. 
 
 Nonassociation shops. 
 
 Females. 
 
 Males. 
 
 Females. 
 
 Males. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under $3 
 
 9 
 46 
 186 
 276 
 354 
 445 
 456 
 488 
 939 
 960 
 588 
 168 
 78 
 17 
 4 
 3 
 1 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $3 to 83.99 . 
 
 11 
 93 
 167 
 328 
 424 
 443 
 412 
 888 
 922 
 840 
 286 
 114 
 28 
 2 
 1 
 
 3 
 8 
 12 
 8 
 15 
 29 
 25 
 63 
 122 
 141 
 64 
 3 
 25 
 9 
 4 
 
 1 
 4 
 6 
 22 
 23 
 20 
 26 
 48 
 79 
 142 
 91 
 66 
 39 
 7 
 5 
 3 
 
 7 
 18 
 23 
 78 
 96 
 108 
 127 
 222 
 176 
 84 
 28 
 14 
 7 
 2 
 1 
 
 4 
 28 
 61 
 129 
 197 
 190 
 194 
 396 
 342 
 216 
 76 
 22 
 19 
 2 
 3 
 
 
 
 $4 to 4.99 
 
 2 
 3 
 4 
 3 
 4 
 9 
 21 
 24 
 40 
 19 
 8 
 12 
 
 2 
 7 
 10 
 7 
 16 
 8 
 26 
 60 
 57 
 52 
 45 
 30 
 10 
 1 
 
 $5 to 85 S9 
 
 $6 to 86.99 
 
 $7 to 87.99 
 
 8 to S8.99 
 
 89 to S9.99 
 
 $10 to 811.99 
 
 $12 to 813.99 
 
 814 to $15.99 
 
 $16 to $17.99. 
 
 $18 to $19.99 
 
 $20 to 822. 49 
 
 $22.0 to S24.99 
 
 $25 to $27.49 
 
 1 
 
 $27.0 to $29.99 
 $30 and over. . 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 5,019 
 
 4,960 
 
 583 
 
 582 
 
 991 
 
 1,880 
 
 150 
 
 332 
 
 
 PER CENT. 
 
 Under S3 
 
 0.2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $3 to 53.99 
 
 .9 
 
 0.2 
 
 0.5 
 
 0.2 
 
 0.7 
 
 0.2 
 
 
 
 $4 to 84.99 
 
 3.7 
 
 1.9 
 
 1.4 
 
 .7 
 
 1.8 
 
 1.5 
 
 1.3 
 
 6 
 
 $5 to 85.99 
 
 5.5 
 
 3 4 
 
 2 1 
 
 1.0 
 
 2.3 
 
 3.2 
 
 2.0 
 
 2 1 
 
 $6 to 86.99 
 
 7.1 
 
 6.6 
 
 1.4 
 
 3.8 
 
 7.9 
 
 6.9 
 
 2.7 
 
 3.0 
 
 *7 to 87.99 
 
 8.9 
 
 8.5 
 
 2.6 
 
 4.0 
 
 9.7 
 
 10.5 
 
 2.0 
 
 2.1 
 
 $8 to $8.99 
 
 9.1 
 
 8.9 
 
 5 
 
 3.4 
 
 10.9 
 
 10.1 
 
 2 7 
 
 4 8 
 
 $9 to 89.99 
 
 9.7 
 
 8.3 
 
 4.3 
 
 4.5 
 
 12.8 
 
 10.3 
 
 6.0 
 
 2.4 
 
 $10 to 811.99 
 
 18.7 
 
 17.9 
 
 10.8 
 
 8.2 
 
 22.4 
 
 21.1 
 
 14.0 
 
 7.8 
 
 $12 to 813.99 
 
 19.1 
 
 18.6 
 
 20.9 
 
 13.6 
 
 17.8 
 
 18.2 
 
 16.0 
 
 18 1 
 
 $14 to 815.99 
 
 11 7 
 
 16 9 
 
 24 2 
 
 24 4 
 
 8 5 
 
 11 5 
 
 26 7 
 
 17 2 
 
 
 3 4 
 
 5 8 
 
 11 
 
 15 6 
 
 2 g 
 
 4 
 
 12 7 
 
 15 7 
 
 $18 to 819.99 
 
 1.5 
 
 2.3 
 
 9.1 
 
 11.3 
 
 1.4 
 
 1.2 
 
 5.3 
 
 13 6 
 
 $20 to 822. 49 
 
 .3 
 
 6 
 
 4 3 
 
 6 7 
 
 7 
 
 1 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 $22.iO to 824.99 
 
 .1 
 
 i .1 
 
 1.5 
 
 1.2 
 
 .2 
 
 .1 
 
 
 3.0 
 
 $25 to 827. 49 
 
 2 .1 
 
 
 .7 
 
 .9 
 
 .1 
 
 .2 
 
 .6 
 
 .3 
 
 $27.0 to 829.99 
 
 
 
 
 .5 
 
 
 
 
 
 $30 and over 
 
 
 
 .3 
 
 
 
 
 
 .3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 100.0 
 
 ioa.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 Including 822.50 and over. 2 Including $25 and over. 
 
 Taking again as the dividing line those receiving $14 a week and 
 over, Table 19 shows that in 1913 in the association shops the num- 
 ber of women receiving the above rates constituted 25.7 per cent of 
 
 42132 Bull. 14614 4 
 
50 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 all the women, while the men in the corresponding wage groups 
 formed 60.6 per cent of the total number of men. In the nonasso- 
 ciation shops the women receiving $14 a week or more comprised 18 
 per cent of all the women, and men 59.1 per cent of all the men, 
 showing but a small difference in the proportion of men in the ass< 
 ciation and the nonassociation shops and a somewhat larger diffei 
 ence in the case of the women, the difference being in favor of tl 
 women in the association shops. The reason for this difference 
 that as already explained the association shops include a larger pei 
 centage of shops manufacturing higher-grade garments in whicl 
 women operators must possess a greater skill than in the shops manu- 
 facturing the cheaper garments and therefore command higher rates of 
 wages. In the case of men, however, the chief factor in determining 
 their wages is their speed, which is equally valued wherever men 
 operators are employed. This will be further confirmed by the 
 figures and the charts referred to below. 
 
 Pieceworkers. 
 
 What has been said about the difference in the earnings of men and 
 women pieceworkers in the industry as a whole is likewise true if 
 they are compared in the association and the nonassociation shops 
 separately. This is brought out in Table 20, which follows: 
 
 TABLE 2O. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF MALE AND FEMALE OPERATORS, PIECE- 
 WORKERS IN ASSOCIATION AND NONASSOCIATION SHOPS EARNING EACH CLAS- 
 SIFIED AMOUNT DURING THE BUSIEST WEEK OF THE YEAR, 1912 AND 1913. 
 
 NUMBER. 
 
 Classified earnings per week. 
 
 Association shops. 
 
 Nonassociation shops. 
 
 Females. 
 
 Males. 
 
 Females. 
 
 Males. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 .1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under $3 
 
 174 
 93 
 125 
 149 
 213 
 255 
 337 
 422 
 810 
 1,054 
 614 
 399 
 328 
 214 
 173 
 71 
 44 
 45 
 
 129 
 67 
 87 
 116 
 140 
 192 
 264 
 311 
 817 
 8. r 6 
 828 
 756 
 03 
 428 
 291 
 148 
 S5 
 74 
 
 10 
 5 
 2 
 5 
 6 
 17 
 24 
 23 
 63 
 55 
 71 
 70 
 70 
 74 
 - 53 
 62 
 41 
 75 
 
 6 
 3 
 7 
 3 
 8 
 11 
 22 
 24 
 64 
 73 
 113 
 122 
 128 
 143 
 119 
 89 
 47 
 110 
 
 21 
 12 
 
 17 
 32 
 29 
 37 
 47 
 45 
 102 
 80 
 70 
 45 
 34 
 17 
 5 
 4 
 1 
 
 31 
 16 
 14 
 20 
 26 
 44 
 46 
 63 
 157 
 188 
 140 
 10) 
 S7 
 63 
 30 
 11 
 11 
 5 
 
 4 
 3 
 5 
 6 
 4 
 5 
 S 
 8 
 14 
 14 
 18 
 18 
 17 
 21 
 12 
 10 
 10 
 7 
 
 2 
 11 
 6 
 3 
 9 
 6 
 10 
 7 
 33 
 39 
 44 
 48 
 39 
 43 
 
 n 
 
 25 
 18 
 25 
 
 $3 to $3 99 
 
 $4 to $4.99 ; .. 
 
 $5 to S5.99 
 
 $6 to $6.99 
 
 $7 to $7.99 
 
 $8 to $8.99 
 
 $9 to $9. 99 
 
 $10 to $11.99 
 
 $12 to $13.99 
 
 $14 to $15.99 
 
 $16 to $17.99 
 
 $18 to $19.99 
 
 $20 to $22. 49 
 
 $22., R to $24.99 
 
 $25 to $27 49 
 
 $27.50 to $29.99 
 
 $30 and over 
 
 Total 
 
 
 5,520 
 
 6,092 
 
 726 
 
 1,092 
 
 598 
 
 1,061 
 
 184 
 
 419 
 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 51 
 
 TABLE 20. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF MALE AND FEMALE OPERATORS, PIECE- 
 WORKERS, IN ASSOCIATION AND NONASSOCIATION SHOPS EARNING EACH CLAS- 
 SIFIED AMOUNT DURING THE BUSIEST WEEK OF THE YEAR, 1912 AND 1913 Con. 
 
 * PER CENT. 
 
 Classified earnings per week. 
 
 Association shops. 
 
 Nonassociation shops. 
 
 Females. 
 
 Males. 
 
 Females. 
 
 Males. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under $3 
 
 3.2 
 1.7 
 2.3 
 2.7 
 3.9 
 4.6 
 6.1 
 7 6 
 
 2.1 
 1.1 
 1.4 
 1.9 
 2.3 
 3.2 
 4.3 
 5.1 
 13.4 
 14.1 
 13.6 
 12.4 
 8.3 
 7.0 
 4.8 
 2.4 
 1.4 
 1.2 
 
 1.4 
 .7 
 .3 
 .7 
 .8 
 2.3 
 3.3 
 3.2 
 8.7 
 7.6 
 9.8 
 9.7 
 9.7 
 10.2 
 7.3 
 8.5 
 5.6 
 10.3 
 
 0.5 
 .3 
 .6 
 .3 
 .7 
 1.0 
 2.0 
 2.2 
 5.9 
 6.7 
 10.3 
 11.2 
 11.7 
 13.1 
 10.9 
 8.2 
 4.3 
 10.1 
 
 3.5 
 2.0 
 2.8 
 5.4 
 4.8 
 6.2 
 7.9 
 7.5 
 17.1 
 13.4 
 11.7 
 7.5 
 5.7 
 2.8 
 .8 
 .7 
 .2 
 
 2.9 
 1.5 
 1.3 
 1.9 
 2.5 
 4.1 
 4.3 
 5.9 
 14.8 
 17.8 
 13.2 
 10.3 
 8.2 
 6.0 
 2.8 
 1.0 
 1.0 
 .5 
 
 2.2 
 1.6 
 2.7 
 3.3 
 2.2 
 2.7 
 4.3 
 4.3 
 7.6 
 7.6 
 9.8 
 9.8 
 9.2 
 11.4 
 6.5 
 5.4 
 5.4 
 3.8 
 
 0.5 
 2.6 
 1.4 
 .7 
 2.1 
 1.4 
 2.4 
 1.7 
 7.9 
 9.3 
 10.5 
 11.5 
 9.3 
 10.3 
 12.1 
 6.0 
 4.3 
 6.0 
 
 $3 to $3 99 . 
 
 $4 to $4 99 
 
 $5 to 85 99 
 
 $6toS699 
 
 $7 to $7 99 
 
 $8 to *8 99 
 
 $9 to $9 99 
 
 $10 to 11 99 
 
 14.7 
 19.1 
 11.1 
 7.2 
 5.9 
 3.9 
 3.1 
 1.3 
 .8 
 .8 
 
 $12 to $13 99 
 
 $H to $15.99 
 
 $16 to $17 99 
 
 $18 to $19.99 
 
 $20 to $22. 49 
 
 $22 50 to $24 99 
 
 $25 to $27 49 
 
 $27 50 to 829.99 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 1QO.O 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 This table shows that among the pieceworkers, as was found to 
 be the case among the week workers, there is a larger percentage 
 earning a high rate of wages in the association shops than there is 
 in the nonassociation shops. Thus, the women pieceworkers earning 
 $18 a week and over in 1913 constituted 25 per cent of all the women 
 in the association shops and 19.5 percent in the nonassociation shops. 
 The percentage of men operators earning $18 a week and over was 
 58.3 in the association shops and 48 in the nonassociation shops. 
 Among the week workers, as shown in Table 19, the women earning 
 $14 a week or more constituted 25. 8 per cent of all women week workers 
 in the association shops and only 18 per cent in the nonassociation 
 shops, while the percentage of men of the same groups was 60.7 in the 
 association shops and 59 in the nonassociation shops. The reverse is 
 evidently true of those earning the lower rates of wages who constituted 
 a higher percentage in the nonassociation shops than they did in the 
 association shops. These facts are brought out in Chart 2, the 
 upper section of which shows the rates of wages of women operators, 
 week workers, in nonassociation and association shops. As will be 
 seen from that portion of the chart, the solid line representing the 
 association shops is above the broken line representing the non- 
 association shops in all wage groups of $12 a week and over except 
 one, and is generally below that line for wages below $12 a week. 
 The lower section of the chart shows a similar condition for women 
 pieceworkers the line representing the workers in the association 
 
52 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 shops being above the nonassociation-shop line in all wage groups 
 above $14 a week, and below that line in nearly all wage groups 
 below $14 a week. 
 
 The figures just stated as to the difference in wages for operators 
 in association and nonassociation shops are of the highest moment 
 
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 w2;S 
 
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 KH3 
 
 tffto 
 
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 d 
 
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 CNt 
 
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 VQ 
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 5 ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ 
 
 to those concerned in the industry, both employers and employees. 
 The question will naturally arise: Are these differences due to a 
 higher standard of wages being enforced in the association shops than 
 in the nonassociation shops, a condition which would be equivalent 
 to discrimination against the interests of manufacturers belonging to 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 53 
 
 the association; or are they due to economic differences prevailing 
 in the association and the nonassociation shops, respectively, as a 
 result of the difference in the character of the garments they pro- 
 duce? It will be recalled from what was said in the first section of 
 this report, that the association shops are chiefly large shops, while 
 the nonassociation shops are mainly small shops; also that the 
 association shops have a much larger percentage of shops manu- 
 facturing high-grade garments than have the nonassociation shops. 
 If the differences in wages shown to exist in the association and non- 
 association shops, respectively, are due merely to their affiliation or 
 nonaffiliation with the association, then we should find the wages 
 in association A and B shops more or less the same and considerably 
 higher than in the nonassociation A and B shops, which likewise 
 should not differ much from each other. On the other hand, if the 
 difference between the wages which we have found prevailing in 
 the association and nonassociation shops is due to the fact that the 
 association has a much larger percentage of shops manufacturing 
 high-grade garments than the nonassociation shops, then we should 
 find nearly the same rates prevailing in the association B and non- 
 association B shops, which should be considerably higher than those 
 in the association A and nonassociation A shops. 
 
 COMPARISON OF WAGES OF MEN AND WOMEN OPERATORS IN SHOPS MAKING CHEAP 
 AND HIGH-GRADE GARMENTS. 
 
 Week workers. 
 
 In Tables 21 and 22, which follow, are shown the differences in the 
 wages of female and male operators, week workers, in four classes 
 of shops designated as association A, association B, nonassociation A, 
 and nonassociation B. As already explained, the A shops are those 
 making the cheaper grades of garments and the B shops those making 
 the higher grades. 
 
54 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 RS, 
 
 sso- 
 
 TABLE 21. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF OPERATORS, FEMALE, WEEK WORKERS, 
 RECEIVING EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES PER WEEK, 1912 AND 1913, IN ASSO- 
 CIATION AND NONASSOCIATION SHOPS MAKING THE CHEAPER AND THE HIGHER 
 GRADES OF GARMENTS. 
 
 NUMBER. 
 
 Classified rates of 
 wages per week. 
 
 Association A. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 A. 
 
 Association B . 
 
 Nonassociation 
 B. 
 
 Total. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under $3 
 
 4 
 43 
 156 
 219 
 294 
 362 
 354 
 381 
 620 
 464 
 252 
 52 
 17 
 5 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 | 
 
 
 
 
 9 
 53 
 204 
 299 
 432 
 541 
 564 
 615 
 1,161 
 1.136 
 672 
 196 
 92 
 24 
 6 
 4 
 1 
 1 
 
 
 $3 to S3 99 
 
 11 
 72 
 149 
 261 
 374 
 355 
 332 
 645 
 479 
 345 
 102 
 34 
 13 
 2 
 
 7 
 18 
 21 
 72 
 84 
 89 
 102 
 155 
 103 
 43 
 14 
 4 
 2 
 
 4 
 26 
 59 
 126 
 188 
 174 
 182 
 347 
 269 
 164 
 43 
 7 
 6 
 
 3 
 30 
 57 
 60 
 83 
 102 
 107 
 319 
 496 
 336 
 116 
 61 
 12 
 2 
 3 
 1 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 % 
 
 621 
 633 
 * 606 
 1,284 
 1,264 
 1,056 
 362 
 136 
 47 
 4 
 4 
 
 2 
 
 $4 to $4 99 
 
 21 
 18 
 
 67 
 50 
 88 
 80 
 243 
 443 
 495 
 184 
 80 
 15 
 
 "2 
 6 
 12 
 19 
 25 
 67 
 73 
 41 
 14 
 10 
 5 
 2 
 1 
 
 2 
 2 
 3 
 9 
 16 
 12 
 49 
 73 
 52 
 33 
 15 
 13 
 2 
 3 
 
 $5 to $5 99 
 
 $6 to $6 99 
 
 $7 to $7.99 
 
 $8 to $8 99 
 
 $9 to $9.99 
 
 $10 toSll 99 ... . 
 
 $12 to $13 99 
 
 $14 to $15 99 . 
 
 $16 toS17.99 
 
 $18 to $19.99 
 $20 to 822 49 
 
 $22.50 to $24.99 
 $25 to $27 49 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 $27 50 to $29 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 $30 and over 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 3,225 
 
 3,174 
 
 714 
 
 1,595 
 
 1,794 
 
 1,786 
 
 277 
 
 285 1 6,010 
 
 6,840 
 
 
 PER CENT. 
 
 U nder $3 
 
 0.1 
 
 
 
 
 0.3 
 
 
 
 
 0.1 
 
 
 $3 to $3 99 
 
 1 3 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 0.3 
 
 .2 
 
 
 
 
 .9 
 
 2 
 
 $4 to $4 99 
 
 4.8 
 
 2.3 
 
 2.5 
 
 1.6 
 
 1.7 
 
 1.2 
 
 
 0.7 
 
 3.4 
 
 1 8 
 
 $5 to $5.99 
 
 6.8 
 
 4.7 
 
 2.9 
 
 3.7 
 
 3.2 
 
 1.0 
 
 0.7 
 
 .7 
 
 5.0 
 
 3.3 
 
 $6 to $6 99. 
 
 9.1 
 
 8.2 
 
 10.1 
 
 7.9 
 
 3.3 
 
 3.8 
 
 2.2 
 
 1.0 
 
 * 7.2 
 
 6.7 
 
 $7 to $7 .99 
 
 11.2 
 
 11.8 
 
 11.8 
 
 11.8 
 
 4.6 
 
 2.8 
 
 4.3 
 
 3.1 
 
 9.0 
 
 9.1 
 
 $8 to $8.99 
 
 $9 to $9 99 
 
 11.0 
 11.8 
 
 11.2 
 10.5 
 
 12.5 
 14.3 
 
 10.9 
 11.4 
 
 5.7 
 6.0 
 
 4.9 
 4.5 
 
 6.8 
 9.0 
 
 5.6 
 4.2 
 
 9.4 
 10.2 
 
 9.2 
 8.9 
 
 $10 to $11.99 
 
 19.2 
 
 20.3 
 
 21.7 
 
 21.8 
 
 17.8 
 
 13.6 
 
 24.2 
 
 17.2 
 
 19.3 
 
 18.8 
 
 $12 to $13 99... 
 
 14.4 
 
 15.1 
 
 14.4 
 
 16.9 
 
 27.6 
 
 24.8 
 
 26.4 
 
 25.6 
 
 18.9 
 
 18.5 
 
 $14 to $15.99 
 $16 to $17.99 .'... 
 
 7.8 
 1.6 
 
 10.9 
 3.2 
 
 6.0 
 2.0 
 
 10.3 
 2.7 
 
 18.7 
 6.5 
 
 27.7 
 10.3 
 
 14.8 
 5.1 
 
 18.3 
 11.6 
 
 11.2 
 3.3 
 
 15.4 
 5.3 
 
 $18 to $19 99 
 
 .5 
 
 1.1 
 
 .6 
 
 .4 
 
 3.4 
 
 4.5 
 
 3.6 
 
 5.3 
 
 1.5 
 
 2.0 
 
 $20 to $22. 49 
 
 .2 
 
 .4 
 
 .3 
 
 .4 
 
 .7 
 
 .8 
 
 1.8 
 
 4.6 
 
 .4 
 
 .7 
 
 $22 50 to $24 99 
 
 (i) 
 
 (i) 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 7 
 
 7 
 
 1 
 
 
 $25 to $27 49 
 
 
 
 
 
 .2 
 
 .1 
 
 .4 
 
 1.0 
 
 . l 
 
 .1 
 
 $27 50 to $29 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 .1 
 
 
 
 
 (i) 
 
 
 $30 and over . . . 
 
 
 
 
 
 .1 
 
 .1 
 
 
 .4 
 
 (i) 
 
 (i) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Less than one- tenth of 1 per cent. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DEESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 55 
 
 TABLE 22. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF OPERATORS, MALE, WEEK WORKERS, RE- 
 CEIVING EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES PER WEEK, 1912 AND 1913, IN ASSO- 
 CIATION AND NONASSOCIATION SHOPS MAKING THE CHEAPER AND THE HIGHER 
 GRADES OF GARMENTS. 
 
 NUMBER. 
 
 Classified rates of 
 wages per week. 
 
 Association A. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 A. 
 
 Association B. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 B.i 
 
 Total. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 $3 to '3 99 
 
 1 
 8 
 8 
 6 
 11 
 21 
 13 
 41 
 87 
 86 
 42 
 39 
 16 
 5 
 1 
 
 "~2 
 
 1 
 4 
 5 
 16 
 20 
 13 
 18 
 24 
 51 
 84 
 69 
 45 
 28 
 1 
 4 
 3 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 10 
 15 
 12 
 18 
 33 
 34 
 84 
 146 
 181 
 83 
 61 
 37 
 9 
 5 
 
 1 
 6 
 13 
 32 
 30 
 36 
 34 
 74 
 139 
 199 
 143 
 111 
 69 
 17 
 6 
 3 
 1 
 
 $4 to ?4 99 
 
 2 
 3 
 4 
 2 
 4 
 8 
 19 
 21 
 33 
 15 
 5 
 12 
 
 2 
 7 
 10 
 5 
 15 
 8 
 25 
 55 
 51 
 49 
 41 
 25 
 7 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 .j in 85.99 
 
 $6 to^f) 99 
 
 4 
 2 
 4 
 8 
 12 
 22 
 35 
 55 
 22 
 14 
 9 
 4 
 3 
 
 1 
 6 
 3 
 7 
 8 
 24 
 28 
 58 
 22 
 21 
 11 
 6 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 $7 toS? 99 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 1 
 ..... 
 
 5 
 6 
 3 
 4 
 5 
 3 
 
 $8to?8.99 
 
 |9 to 89 99 
 
 1 
 2 
 3 
 7 
 4 
 3 
 
 $10to!?11.99 
 
 $12 to $13.99 
 $14 to $15 99 
 
 $16toS17.99 
 
 $18 to $19.99 
 $20 to S^ 49 
 
 $22.50 to S24. 99 
 $25 to $27.49 
 $27.50 to S29 .99. . . . 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 387 
 
 386 
 
 129 
 
 301 
 
 196 
 
 196 
 
 21 
 
 31 
 
 733 
 
 914 
 
 PER CENT. 
 
 $3 to S3 99 
 
 0.3 
 
 0.3 
 
 
 
 1.0 
 
 
 
 
 0.4 
 
 0.1 
 
 $4 to $4 99 
 
 2.1 
 
 1.0 
 
 1.6 
 
 0.7 
 
 
 
 
 
 1.4 
 
 .7 
 
 $5 to S5 99 
 
 2 1 
 
 1 3 
 
 2 3 
 
 2.3 
 
 2.0 
 
 0.5 
 
 
 
 2.0 
 
 1.4 
 
 S6toS<i.99 
 
 1.6 
 
 4.1 
 
 3.1 
 
 3.3 
 
 1.0 
 
 3.1 
 
 
 
 1.6 
 
 3.5 
 
 $7 to 7 .99 
 
 2.8 
 
 5.2 
 
 1.5 
 
 1.7 
 
 2.0 
 
 1.5 
 
 
 
 2.5 
 
 3.3 
 
 8 to $8 99 
 
 5.4 
 
 3.4 
 
 3.1 
 
 5.0 
 
 4.1 
 
 3.6 
 
 
 
 4.5 
 
 3.9 
 
 $9 to $9 .99 
 
 3.4 
 
 4.7 
 
 6.3 
 
 2.7 
 
 6.2 
 
 4.1 
 
 
 
 4.6 
 
 3.7 
 
 $10 to S11.99 
 
 10.6 
 
 6.2 
 
 14.7 
 
 8.3 
 
 11.2 
 
 12.2 
 
 
 
 11.5 
 
 8.1 
 
 $12 to S13 99 
 
 22 5 
 
 13 2 
 
 16 3 
 
 18 3 
 
 17.9 
 
 14.3 
 
 
 
 19.9 
 
 15.2 
 
 $14 to 15.99. . 
 
 22.2 
 
 21.8 
 
 25.6 
 
 16.9 
 
 28.1 
 
 29.6 
 
 
 
 24.7 
 
 21.8 
 
 $16 to 17 99 
 
 10.9 
 
 17.9 
 
 11.6 
 
 16.3 
 
 11.2 
 
 11.2 
 
 
 
 11.3 
 
 15.6 
 
 $18 to $19 99 
 
 10 1 
 
 11.7 
 
 3 9 
 
 13.6 
 
 7.1 
 
 10.7 
 
 
 
 8.3 
 
 12.1 
 
 $20 to $22 49... 
 
 4.1 
 
 7.3 
 
 9.3 
 
 8.3 
 
 4.6 
 
 5.6 
 
 
 
 5.0 
 
 7.5 
 
 $22 50 to $24 99... 
 
 1.3 
 
 .3 
 
 
 2.3 
 
 2.0 
 
 3.1 
 
 
 
 1.2 
 
 1.9 
 
 $25 to $27 49 
 
 .3 
 
 1 
 
 .8 
 
 .3 
 
 1.5 
 
 .5 
 
 
 
 .7 
 
 .7 
 
 $27 50 to 29 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 .3 
 
 $30 and over 
 
 .5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 .3 
 
 .1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 i Percentages for nonassociation B not computed on account of small number of employees. 
 
 Taking first the wages of women week workers as shown in Table 21, 
 it is found that there is a greater difference between the high-grade 
 And the low-grade garment shops, whether inside or outside of the 
 association, than there is between the association and the nonassocia- 
 tion shops manufacturing the same grade of garments. Thus in 1913 
 the percentage of women earning $10 a week and over was as follows 
 in the separate branches of the industry: Association B shops, 81.8 
 per cent; nonassociation B shops, 84.7 per cent; association A shops, 
 51 .0 per cent ; nonassociation A shops, 52.5 per cent. In other words, 
 the figures for the association B and the nonassociation B shops are 
 almost the same, but greatly different from those for the association 
 A and the nonassociation A shops, which are very close to each other. 
 
 
Is 
 
 EH <1 
 
 
 a 
 
 s 
 
 <! o 
 
 P5 EH 
 
 
 OQ HH 
 
 2 
 
 
 s 
 
 T ! 
 
 5fi 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 57 
 
 This difference is made clear to the eye in Chart 3, where the 
 association B and the nonassociation B lines lie very close to each 
 other, entirely coinciding in some parts and where, on the other 
 hand, the association A and the nonassociation A shops likewise lie 
 close to each other, coinciding in some parts but lying at a considerable 
 distance from the B lines. It will be interesting to note at the same 
 time that of the two curves, representing the B or high grade gar- 
 ment shops, the one representing the nonassociation shops lies above 
 that representing the association shops, showing that the proportion 
 of workers receiving the higher wages is larger in the nonassociation 
 than in the association shops, while in the A shops (manufacturing 
 the lower-grade garments) the proportion of the higher- paid workers 
 is higher in the association shops than in the nonassociation shops. 
 This furnishes additional proof that there is no strict line of demarca- 
 tion between the association and the nonassociation shops but that 
 there is rAways a very marked difference between the A and B shops 
 irrespective of their affiliation or nonaffiliation with the association. 
 
 Pieceworkers. 
 
 The differences in the wages of female and male operators working 
 by the piece are shown for the four classes of shops in Tables 23 and 
 24 which follow: 
 
 TARLE 23. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF OPERATORS, FEMALE, PIECEWORKERS, 
 EARNING EACH CLASSIFIED AMOUNT DURING THE BUSIEST WEEK OF THE 
 YEAR, 1912 AND 1913. 
 
 NUMBER. 
 
 Classified earnings 
 per week. 
 
 Association 
 A. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 A. 
 
 Association 
 B. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 B. 
 
 Total. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912. 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under S3 . ... 
 
 90 
 52 
 78 
 81 
 118 
 155 
 185 
 231 
 422 
 668 
 268 
 178 
 117 
 58 
 78 
 24 
 15 
 13 
 
 78 
 47 
 49 
 76 
 85 
 123 
 163 
 182 
 463 
 463 
 454 
 352 
 202 
 164 
 112 
 55 
 33 
 30 
 
 20 
 9 
 14 
 22 
 25 
 29 
 39 
 36 
 76 
 60 
 43 
 27 
 22 
 3 
 3 
 1 
 
 30 
 13 
 12 
 16 
 20 
 34 
 35 
 54 
 114 
 131 
 105 
 72 
 54 
 41 
 17 
 7 
 4 
 4 
 
 84 
 41 
 47 
 68 
 95 
 100 
 152 
 191 
 388 
 386 
 346 
 221 
 211 
 156 
 95 
 47 
 29 
 32 
 
 51 
 20 
 38 
 40 
 55 
 69 
 101 
 129 
 354 
 393 
 374 
 404 
 301 
 264 
 179 
 93 
 52 
 44 
 
 1 
 3 
 3 
 10 
 4 
 8 
 8 
 9 
 26 
 20 
 27 
 18 
 12 
 14 
 2 
 3 
 1 
 
 1 
 3 
 2 
 4 
 6 
 10 
 11 
 9 
 43 
 57 
 35 
 37 
 33 
 22 
 13 
 4 
 7 
 1 
 
 195 
 105 
 142 
 181 
 242 
 292 
 384 
 467 
 912 
 1,134 
 684 
 444 
 362 
 231 
 178 
 75 
 45 
 45 
 
 160 
 83 
 101 
 136 
 166 
 236 
 310 
 374 
 974 
 1,044 
 968 
 865 
 590 
 491 
 321 
 159 
 96 
 79 
 
 $3 to $3 99 
 
 $4 to $4.99 
 
 $5toS5.99 
 
 $6 to S").99 
 
 $7 to $7.99 
 
 $8 to S^.99 
 
 $9 to 83.99 
 
 $10 to 811. 99 
 
 812 to $13.99 
 
 $14toS15.99 
 
 $16 to 817 99 
 
 $18 to $19.99 
 
 $20 to $22.49 
 
 S22. 50 to 24.99 
 $25 to 827.49 
 $27.50 to $29.99 
 ?30and over 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 2,831 
 
 3,131 
 
 429 
 
 763 
 
 2,689 
 
 2. 961 
 
 169 
 
 298 
 
 6, 118 j 7, 153 
 
 PER CENT. 
 
 Under $3.. 
 
 3.2 
 
 2.5 
 
 4.7 
 
 3.9 
 
 3.1 
 
 1.7 
 
 0.6 
 
 0.3 
 
 3.2 
 
 2.2 
 
 S3 to S3. 99 
 
 1.8 
 
 1.5 
 
 2. 1 
 
 1.7 
 
 1.5 
 
 .7 
 
 1.8 
 
 1.0 
 
 1.7 
 
 1.2 
 
 $4 to 84 99 
 
 2 8 
 
 1.6 
 
 3.3 
 
 1.6 
 
 1.7 
 
 1.3 
 
 1.8 
 
 .7 
 
 ">. 3 
 
 1.4 
 
 $5 to 85.99... 
 
 2.9 
 
 2.4 
 
 5.1 
 
 2.1 
 
 2.5 
 
 1.4 
 
 5.9 
 
 1.3 
 
 3.0 
 
 1.9 
 
 86to$f>.99.. 
 
 4.2 
 
 2.7 
 
 5.8 
 
 2.6 
 
 3.5 
 
 1.9 
 
 2.4 
 
 2.0 
 
 4.0 
 
 2.3 
 
 87to?7.99. 
 
 $8 to $8.99... 
 
 5.5 
 6.5 
 
 3.9 
 5.2 
 
 6.8 
 9.1 
 
 4.5 
 4.6 
 
 3.7 
 
 5.7 
 
 2.3 
 3.4 
 
 4.7 
 4.7 
 
 3.4 
 
 3.7 
 
 4.8 
 6.3 
 
 3.3 
 4.3 
 
58 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 TABLE 23. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF OPERATORS, FEMALE, PIECEWORKERS, 
 EARNING EACH CLASSIFIED AMOUNT DURING THE BUSIEST WEEK OF THE 
 YEAR, 1912 AND 1913 Concluded. 
 
 PER, CENT Concluded. 
 
 ( lassifled earnings 
 per week. 
 
 Association 
 A. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 A. 
 
 Association 
 B. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 B. 
 
 Totaj. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 $9 to $0.99 
 
 8.2 
 14.9 
 23.6 
 9.5 
 6.3 
 4.1 
 2.0 
 2.8 
 .8 
 .5 
 .5 
 
 5.8 
 14.8 
 14.8 
 14.5 
 11.2 
 6.5 
 5.2 
 3.6 
 1.8 
 1.1 
 1.0 
 
 8.4 
 17.7 
 14.0 
 10.0 
 6.3 
 5.1 
 .7 
 .7 
 .2 
 
 7.1 
 14.9 
 17.2 
 13.8 
 9.4 
 7.1 
 5.4 
 2.2 
 .9 
 .5 
 .5 
 
 7.1 
 14.4 
 14.4 
 12.9 
 8.2 
 7.8 
 5.8 
 3.5 
 1.7 
 1.1 
 1.2 
 
 4.4 
 12.0 
 13.3 
 12.6 
 13.6 
 10.2 
 8.9 
 6.0 
 3.1 
 1.8 
 1.5 
 
 5.3 
 15.4 
 11.8 
 16.0 
 10.7 
 7.1 
 8.3 
 1.2 
 1.8 
 .6 
 
 3.0 
 14.4 
 19.1 
 11.7 
 12.4 
 11.1 
 7.4 
 4.4 
 1.3 
 2.3 
 .3 
 
 7.6 
 14.9 
 18.5 
 11.2 
 7.3 
 5.9 
 3.8 
 2.9 
 1.2 
 .7 
 .7 
 
 5.2 
 13.6 
 14.6 
 13.5 
 12.1 
 8.2 
 6.9 
 4.5 
 2.2 
 1.3 
 1.1 
 
 $10 to 11.99. 
 
 $12 to $13.99 
 $14 to $15.99 
 $16 to $17 99 
 
 $18 to $19.99 
 
 $20 to $22.49. 
 
 $22.50 to $24.99 
 $25 to $27. 49 
 
 $27.50 to $29.99 
 $30 and over 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 TABLE 24. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF OPERATORS, MALE, PIECEWORKERS, EARN- 
 ING EACH CLASSIFIED AMOUNT DURING THE BUSIEST WEEK OF THE YEAR, 1912 
 AND 1913. 
 
 NUMBER. 
 
 Classified earnings 
 per week. 
 
 Association 
 A. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 A. 
 
 Association 
 B. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 B.i 
 
 Total. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under $3 
 
 8 
 2 
 2 
 4 
 5 
 13 
 19 
 19 
 49 
 40 
 49 
 54 
 51 
 55 
 33 
 42 
 29 
 38 
 
 5 
 3 
 5 
 2 
 8 
 9 
 17 
 20 
 56 
 61 
 86 
 102 
 106 
 124 
 99 
 63 
 34 
 78 
 
 2 
 3 
 5 
 6 
 4 
 4 
 5 
 7 
 14 
 13 
 15 
 15 
 14 
 19 
 11 
 9 
 7 
 7 
 
 2 
 11 
 6 
 3 
 9 
 6 
 10 
 5 
 30 
 38 
 41 
 43 
 36 
 34 
 43 
 20 
 16 
 20 
 
 2 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 
 14 
 
 8 
 7 
 11 
 10 
 22 
 32 
 31 
 77 
 69 
 89 
 88 
 87 
 95 
 65 
 72 
 51 
 82 
 
 8 
 14 
 13 
 6 
 17 
 17 
 32 
 31 
 97 
 112 
 157 
 170 
 167 
 186 
 170 
 114 
 65 
 135 
 
 $3 to $3 99 
 
 
 $4 to $4.99 
 
 2 
 1 
 
 
 
 $5 to $5 99 
 
 1 
 1 
 4 
 5 
 4 
 14 
 15 
 22 
 16 
 19 
 19 
 20 
 20 
 12 
 37 
 
 
 
 $6 to $6.99 
 
 $7 to $7 99 
 
 
 
 2 
 5 
 4 
 8 
 12 
 27 
 20 
 22 
 19 
 20 
 26 
 13 
 32 
 
 1 
 3 
 1 
 
 ...... 
 
 3 
 1 
 3 
 5 
 3 
 9 
 8 
 5 
 2 
 5 
 
 $8 to $8.99 
 
 $9 to $9 99 
 
 $10 to 811 99 
 
 $12 to $13.99 
 $14 to $15 99 
 
 1 
 3 
 3 
 3 
 2 
 1 
 1 
 3 
 
 $16 toS17.99 
 
 $18 to $19.99. 
 
 $20 to $22.49 
 
 $22.50 to $24.99 
 $25 to $27 49 
 
 $27.50 to $29.99 
 $30 and over. 
 
 Total 
 
 512 
 
 878 
 
 160 
 
 373 
 
 214 
 
 214 
 
 24 1 46 
 
 910 
 
 1,511 
 
 
 PER CENT. 
 
 Under $3. . . 
 
 1.6 
 
 06 
 
 1.3 
 
 0.5 
 
 0.9 
 
 0.5 
 
 
 
 1.5 
 
 0.5 
 
 $3 to $3.99. . . 
 
 .4 
 
 .3 
 
 1.9 
 
 2.9 
 
 1.4 
 
 
 
 
 .9 
 
 .9 
 
 $4 to $1 99 
 
 . 4 
 
 .6 
 
 3.1 
 
 1.6 
 
 
 .9 
 
 
 
 .8 
 
 .9 
 
 $5 to $5.99 
 
 .8 
 
 .2 
 
 3.8 
 
 .8 
 
 .5 
 
 .5 
 
 
 
 1.2 
 
 .4 
 
 $6 to $6.99. 
 
 1.0 
 
 .9 
 
 2-5 
 
 2.4 
 
 .5 
 
 
 
 
 . 1.1 
 
 1.1 
 
 $7 to $7 99 
 
 2.5 
 
 1.0 
 
 2.5 
 
 1.6 
 
 1.9 
 
 .9 
 
 
 
 2.4 
 
 1.1 
 
 $8 1 $8 99 
 
 3 7 
 
 1 9 
 
 3 1 
 
 2 7 
 
 2 3 
 
 2 3 
 
 
 
 3.5 
 
 2.1 
 
 $9 to $9.99 
 
 3.7 
 
 2.3 
 
 4.4 
 
 1.3 
 
 1.9 
 
 1.9 
 
 
 
 3.4 
 
 2.1 
 
 $10 to $11 99 
 
 9 6 
 
 6.4 
 
 8.8 
 
 8.0 
 
 6.5 
 
 3.7 
 
 
 
 8.5 
 
 6.4 
 
 $12 to $13.99 
 
 7.8 
 
 6.9 
 
 8.1 
 
 10.2 
 
 7.0 
 
 5.6 
 
 
 
 7.6 
 
 7.4 
 
 $14 to $15.99 
 
 9.6 
 
 9.8 
 
 9.4 
 
 11.0 
 
 10.3 
 
 12.6 
 
 
 
 9.8 
 
 10.4 
 
 $16 to $17.99 
 
 10 5 
 
 11.6 
 
 9.4 
 
 11.5 
 
 7.5 
 
 9.3 
 
 
 
 9.7 
 
 11.3 
 
 $18 to $19.99 
 
 10.0 
 
 12.1 
 
 8.8 
 
 9.7 
 
 8.9 
 
 10.3 
 
 
 
 9.6 
 
 11.1 
 
 $20 to $22.49. 
 
 10.7 
 
 14.1 
 
 11.9 
 
 9.1 
 
 8.9 
 
 8.9 
 
 
 
 10.4 
 
 12.3 
 
 $22.50 to $24.99 
 
 6 4 
 
 11.3 
 
 6.9 
 
 11 a 
 
 9.3 
 
 9.3 
 
 
 
 7.1 
 
 11.3 
 
 $25 to 827 49 
 
 8 2 
 
 7 2 
 
 5 6 
 
 5 4 
 
 9 3 
 
 12 1 
 
 
 
 7 9 
 
 7 5 
 
 $27.50 to $29.99.... 
 
 5.7 
 
 3.9 
 
 4.4 
 
 4.3 
 
 5.6 
 
 6.1 
 
 
 
 5.6 
 
 4.3 
 
 $30 and over. . . 
 
 7. 4 
 
 8.9 
 
 4. 4 
 
 5.4 
 
 17 3 
 
 15 
 
 
 
 9.0 
 
 S.9 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 Percentages for nonassociation B not computed on account of small number of employees. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 59 
 
 The same tendency is observed in the wages of women operators 
 working by the piece as in the wages among the week workers. The 
 percentage of women pieceworkers earning $10 and over during the 
 busiest week in 1913 was 78.2 per cent for the industry as a whole. 
 Taking the separate branches of the industry, it is found that in the B 
 shops the percentage was 84.4 per cent for the nonassociation shops 
 and 83.0 per cent for the association shops, while in the A shops it was 
 71.9 per cent in the nonassociation shops and 74.5 per cent in the 
 association shops. As in the case of the week workers, there is found 
 here a close similarity of conditions in the shops manufacturing the 
 same grades of garments, whether they belong to the association or 
 not, and a considerable difference between the shops manufacturing 
 high and low grade garments, respectively, both among those affiliated 
 with the association and those outside of it; but there is a much 
 smaller difference between the A and B shops' figures among the 
 pieceworkers than there is in the case of the week workers. Thus, as 
 will be recalled, Table 21 showed the percentage of those earning $10 
 a week or more to be from 82 to 85 per cent for the B shops, and from 
 51 to 52 per cent for the A shops; whereas, as shown by Table 23, the 
 number of the same class of workers among the pieceworkers is from 
 83 to 84 per cent for the B shops, and from 72 to 74 per cent for the A 
 shops (disregarding decimals). This is apparently due to the fact 
 that, among week workers, the differences in rates of wages between 
 A and B shops are due largely to difference in skill, the B shops 
 requiring operators capable of turning out high-grade garments, who 
 can therefore command a considerably higher rate of wages than the 
 less skilled and more recently apprenticed workers in the low-grade 
 garment shops. Among pieceworkers on the other hand, the differ- 
 ences in the high-grade and the low-grade garment shops are more 
 nearly equalized. In the high-grade garment shops the rate per 
 garment is higher, but the garment can not be made so rapidly as a 
 low-grade garment. The, result is that what a less skilled worker in 
 the low-grade garment shop loses on the rate per garment, she makes 
 up, to a large extent, on the speed with which she can turn it out and 
 the earnings of the pieceworkers in the two types of shops come 
 close together. 
 
 This fact is likewise shown in Chart 4. It will be observed that, 
 as in the previous chart, the two lines representing the B groups 
 lie near one another and that the two lines representing the A 
 groups constitute the other pair; but unlike the showing in Chart 3 
 there is not the same close coincidence between lines of each pair, 
 and, on the other hand, the two pairs come closer to one another 
 than they do in Chart 3, for the reasons just explained. 
 
 In Tables 22 and 24 the wages of the men operators are shown in 
 the same detail as are those of the women operators just considered. 
 
60 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 O 
 S 
 
 M 
 
 
 Ul 
 
 is 
 
 W 
 
 g EH 
 
 : 
 
 PH 
 
 gs 
 
 
 1 1! 
 
 ^ 5 = 
 
 / 
 
 If 
 
 s 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 61 
 
 Table 22 shows the wages of the week workers and Table 24 the 
 wages of the pieceworkers. The same general tendencies will be 
 observed in the case of the men week workers as in the case of the 
 women week workers. The number of workers being very small, the 
 percentages were not worked out for the nonassociation shops at all 
 and are less conclusive in the case of the other shops than they are 
 in connection with the women week workers. In 1913 the male 
 operators, pieceworkers (Table 24), earning $14 a week and over, con- 
 stituted 77.1 per cent of all such operators in the industry as a whole, 
 and in the four branches of the industry the percentages were as fol- 
 lows: Nonassociation B shops, 87 per cent; association B, 83.6 per 
 cent; nonassociation A, 67.9 per cent; association A, 78.9 per cent. 
 Again, there is found to be a close resemblance of conditions in the 
 association B and the nonassociation B shops on the one hand, and 
 in the association A and the nonassociation A shops on the other, 
 and also it is noted that the wages are somewhat higher in the non- 
 association shops in the B group * and in the association shops in 
 the A group. 
 
 The difference in the earnings of men and women operators is illus- 
 trated in Chart 5. This chart consists of diagrams, illustrating the 
 difference between men's and women's earnings in the A (those manu- 
 facturing lower-grade garments) and B (those manufacturing higher- 
 grade garments) shops, respectively. The upper section of the chart 
 shows the wages of week workers and the lower section those of piece- 
 workers. Since the majority of the workers are employed in associa- 
 tion shops, this chart has been prepared to illustrate the difference 
 between the high-grade and low-grade garment shops belonging to 
 the association. 
 
 In both sections of the chart the contrast between the lines repre- 
 senting the A and B shops is remarkable. Taking, first, the upper 
 section relating to week workers, it is found that in the A shops the 
 two curves representing the wages of men and women, respectively, 
 run almost parallel to each other except at the point near the middle, 
 where they intersect, while in the B shops the two lines come very 
 close to one another, the line representing men's wages showing an 
 appreciable excess of men over women only in the upper ranks, begin- 
 ning with $18 a week, in which there is a comparatively small number. 
 
 The same thing is true of the lower section relating to pieceworkers. 
 Here, too, the women's earnings are seen to lag behind those of the 
 men in the A shops except at the point of intersection above $16, 
 while in the B shops there is no such uniformity, although on the 
 whole men's earnings are seen to be above women's. The reason for 
 this is clear. In the A shops, where the lower-grade garments are 
 
 1 It must be pointed out, however, that the percentages for the nonassociation B group are based on too 
 small numbers to warrant comparison in fine detail. 
 
62 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUEEAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 manufactured, quantity of output is the chief requirement, and the 
 men, therefore, have a distinct advantage over the women, with the 
 result that there is a larger percentage of men in the higher-paid wage 
 groups, which begin with $12 to $13.99 a week for week workers, and 
 
 CHART 5. WAGES OF MALE AND FEMALE OPERATORS IN ASSOCIATION 
 SHOPS MAKING LOW AND HIGH GRADE GARMENTS, 1913: PER CEN' 
 OF WEEK WORKERS RECEIVING EACH CLASSIFIED WEEKLY RA r 
 AND OF PIECEWORKERS EARNING EACH CLASSIFIED AMOUNT DU1 
 ING BUSIEST WEEK. 
 
 Wi 
 
 tS S6 S7 $8 39 flO H2 ti* tl6 
 
 S2O S22. 
 
 fentle 
 CJ a/e -- 
 
 
 
 A 
 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 
 CJaees <>j Op 
 
 *-*/<* 
 
 0*1. . 
 
 Nr 
 
 C 
 
 Ci*,nu ./ Oftrarcn 
 PitctCtKKH.flwn "8" 
 Ftetulc 
 
 
 f/0 
 
 $16 
 
 $24. 926 S28 $30 j, 
 
 in the group of $16 to $17.99 among the pieceworkers. In the higher- 
 grade shops skill and quality of work is as important and frequently 
 much more important than quantity of output, and in these cases 
 men have frequently less of an advantage over the women than in 
 the lower-grade shops and in some cases have none. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 6& 
 
 It is also interesting to compare the wages of week workers and 
 pieceworkers in the same branch of the industry, as brought out by 
 this chart. In the upper section, representing the week workers, the 
 curves for both A and B shops are seen to rise to points between 20 
 per cent and 30 per cent, while in the lower section, representing the 
 pieceworkers, the high points do not rise above 15 per cent. That is 
 to say, while from 20 per cent to 30 per cent of the week workers 
 receive a certain rate of pay, the number of pieceworkers earning the 
 same amount does not exceed 15 per cent of the total. This shows 
 that in all branches of the industry, irrespective of the grade of goods 
 manufactured, the tendency under the week-work system is for weekly 
 rates of wages to concentrate about a certain rate which may be called 
 the customary, if not the standard, rate of pay to workers of average 
 skill; hence the rise of the curve representing weekly rates to a more 
 or less high point. This is less the case among pieceworkers. While 
 here, too, workers of average skill should earn similar wages under 
 similar conditions, conditions as between shop and shop and between 
 worker and worker in the same shop are never exactly alike, and each 
 individual variation, whether in the physical condition of the workers 
 at any moment or lack or 'accumulation of work or condition of each 
 worker's machine, etc., is automatically reflected in his or her earn- 
 ings, which is not the case with workers paid by the week. Hence 
 the curves for the pieceworkers, whether in the A or B shops and 
 whether male or female, do not rise to as high a point as in the case of 
 week workers, thus indicating a wider variation in individual earnings 
 and less uniformity among pieceworkers than among week workers. 
 
 COMPARISON OF WAGES IN 1912 AND 1913. 
 
 The effect of the protocol on the wages of operators will be seen by 
 comparing the wages in 1912 and 1913. The usual course will be 
 followed, comparing first the wages of week workers during the two 
 years, taking the female and male workers separately, and then the 
 earnings of the pieceworkers. 
 
 Week workers. 
 
 Table 15 shows the wages of all the operators working by the week 
 in the entire industry, then* number in 1913 being 6,840 women and 
 914 men, which constitutes about a thousand more workers in 1913 
 than in 1912. An examination of the figures showing the percentages 
 of workers in the different wage groups shows that there has been a 
 uniform increase in the proportion of women operators earning $14 a 
 week and over and a corresponding reduction in the number of opera- 
 tors earning less than $14. In the case of the men operators, the 
 dividing line begins at $16. It must be borne in mind, however, that 
 the number of both men and women receiving $22.50 and over is too 
 
64 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 small to warrant a discussion of percentages. The increase in the 
 number of higher-paid workers is shown by the following figures: 
 The proportion of women receiving $14 a week and over increased 
 from 16.6 per cent in 1912 to 23.5 per cent in 1913. Although there 
 was a much larger increase in the percentage of women earning $14 a 
 week and over than of men, the fact still remains that there were only 
 23.5 per cent of the women receiving $14 a week and over as against 
 60 per cent of the men. 
 
 It is interesting to see to what extent this increase affected the 
 nonassociation and association shops, respectively. Table 19 and 
 Chart 6 contain the answer to this question. The wages of women 
 only are shown on the chart, since the number of men is comparatively 
 small. Looking at the upper section of Chart 6, in which the solid 
 line represents the wages in association shops in 1913 and the broken 
 line the wages in 1912, the 1913 line is seen to be higher than the 1912 
 line for the groups of $12 a week and upward, showing the increase 
 in the proportion of workers receiving the higher rates of pay. Cor- 
 responding to this, the 1912 line is a little above the 1913 line for the 
 wage groups below the $12 rate. The lower section of the chart shows 
 practically the same state of affairs in the nonassociation shops with 
 some variation in details. The 1912 and 1913 lines meet in the group 
 of $12 to $13.99, and the 1913 line is above the 1912 line for the wage 
 groups above that figure. For the wage groups below the $12 rate, 
 the 1912 line is in some cases above and in others below the 1913 line, 
 the two lines alternating as they pass from group to group. This 
 shows that, as the number of people in a lower group was reduced, it 
 caused an increase in the next higher group in excess of the numfcer 
 of people transferred from that group to the next higher one. The 
 details as to the exact number of people in each wage group, both 
 men and women in the association and nonassociation shops, will be 
 found in Table 19, but they may be briefly summed up here: Thus, 
 in the association shops, the percentage of women operators, week 
 workers, receiving $14 a week and over increased from 17.1 per cent 
 to 25.7 per cent, and in the nonassociation shops, from 13.7 per cent 
 in 1912 to 18 per cent in 1913. The percentage of men operators, 
 week workers, receiving $14 a week and over in association shops 
 increased from 51.1 per cent in 1912 to 60.6 per cent in 1913, and in 
 the nonassociation shops from 53.3 per cent to 59.1 per cent. All of 
 these figures show a fairly uniform increase in wages since the protocol 
 went into effect both in association and nonassociation shops. 
 
 Pieceworkers. 
 
 The protocol had no less an effect in causing an advance of wages 
 among the operators working by the piece than it had among the 
 week workers. Table 17 shows what has happened among the piece- 
 workers in the industry as a whole, giving the wages of 7,153 women 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 65 
 
 and 1,511 men operators working in 1913, and showing an excess of 
 over 1,600 workers in 1913 over those for whom data were obtained 
 for 1912. 
 
 As in the case of the week workers, so with the pieceworkers, the 
 increase in percentages begins with the $14 group, while for those earn- 
 
 CHART 6. WAGES OF FEMALE OPERATORS (WEEK WORKERS) IN ASSO- 
 CIATION AND NONASSOCIATION SHOPS, 1912 AND 1913: PER CENT 
 RECEIVING EACH CLASSIFIED WEEKLY RATE. 
 
 $3 S4 5- S6 $7 $8 S9 S/O 
 
 $12 
 
 $14* 
 
 S/6 
 
 $20$ over. 
 
 I9IZ, 
 1315 
 
 \ 
 
 10 
 
 I* 
 
 10 
 
 <r f 
 
 $3 
 
 $8 
 
 $12 f/4- 
 
 tl'Q 
 
 ing under $14 a week there is a decline in every wage group among the 
 women, and in most wage groups among the men, some of the groups 
 of men operators showing the same percentage as the groups of 
 women operators. Thus, the number of women operators receiving 
 $14 a week and over increased from 33.7 per cent of the total in 1912 
 42132 Bull. 14614 - 5 
 
66 BULLETIN OF THE BUKEAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 to 50.0 per cent in 1913. In the case of men, the number of those 
 receiving $14 a week and over increased from 69 per cent in 1912 to 
 77.1 per cent in 1913. That is to say, one-half of all the women 
 operators and more than three-fourths of all the men operators earned 
 $14 and over a week during the busiest week of 1913. 
 
 As in the case of the week workers, so among the pieceworkers the 
 increase in the proportion of workers receiving $14 a week and over 
 was greater among the women than among the men, amounting to 
 nearly 50 per cent among the women and to less than 12 per cent 
 among the men, but the proportion of men receiving these higher 
 rates of wages greatly exceeds the proportion of women, being, as 
 stated above, 77.1 per cent among the men and 50 percent among the 
 women. In actual numbers, this represents 3,570 women and 
 1,164 men. 
 
 Increase in earnings of pieceworkers in association and nonassociation shops. 
 
 Again, it will be interesting to compare the increase in earnings 
 among the operators employed in association and nonassociation 
 shops, respectively. The figures are shown in Tables 20, 23, and 24, 
 and are reproduced graphically in Chart 7. As in the case of the 
 week workers, only the earnings of the women are shown on the 
 chart, the number of men being too small to justify the preparation 
 of special charts. Looking first at the upper section of the chart, 
 showing the changes in wages from 1912 to 1913 in association shops, 
 it is seen that the two lines, representing 1913 and 1912 earnings, 
 cross in the group of $14 and under $16 a week, the 1913 line being 
 higher than the 1912 line in all of the wage groups above $14. Below 
 the $14 rate, the 1912 line is in all cases above the 1913 line, showing 
 a reduction in the percentages of women pieceworkers receiving 
 wages below $14. The most striking feature in this section of the 
 chart is the great change which has occurred in the groups $12 and 
 under $14 on one hand, and $14 and under $18 on the other; in the 
 former there is a very sharp drop from 1912 to 1913, and in the latter 
 there is a corresponding rise, showing that most of the changes 
 affected the workers earning between $12 and $18 a week during the 
 busiest week of the year. 
 
 The lower section of the chart shows the changes which have 
 occurred among the women piece operators employed in the nonasso- 
 ciation shops. Here the same general tendency is shown as in associa- 
 tion shops. The increase of 1913 over 1912 occurs in the group 
 $12 and under $14 a week, but is not so great as in the association 
 shops. Both sections of the chart show a decline in the percentage 
 of workers receiving under $12 a week. 
 
 The changes in wages brought out in Chart 7 are shown in detail 
 for each wage group in the tables. A summary of all the tables quoted 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 67 
 
 points to one conclusion which constitutes the most salient finding 
 of the investigation covered by this report, namely : A general increase 
 in the proportion of those earning the higher rates of wages and a 
 reduction in the proportion of those earning the lower rates. How 
 
 vn 
 
 
 \ 
 
 o s 
 
 J 
 
 \ 
 
 
 general this change was will be seen from the following summary. 
 The proportion of women week workers receiving $10 a week and 
 over in 1912 and in 1913 and the proportion of women pieceworkers 
 earning $10 and over in the busiest week of the years 1912 and 1913 
 follows. 
 
68 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 TABLE 25. PER CENT OF WOMEN WEEK WORKERS AND PIECEWORKERS 
 RECEIVING $10 A WEEK AND OVER 1912, AND 1913. 
 
 
 Week workers re- 
 ceiving $10 or 
 more per week. 
 
 Pieceworkers earn- 
 ing $10 or more 
 per week. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Industry as a whole 
 
 Per cent. 
 54.8 
 43.8 
 45.0 
 75.1 
 76.9 
 
 Per cent. 
 60.8 
 51.1 
 52.4 
 81.9 
 84.6 
 
 Per cent. 
 67.1 
 65.0 
 54.8 
 71.1 
 72.8 
 
 Per cent. 
 78.1 
 74.4 
 71.9 
 83.2 
 84.6 
 
 Association A 
 
 Nonassociation A 
 
 Association C 
 
 Nonassociation B 
 
 
 Similar changes have occurred in the earnings of the men operators. 
 BUTTONHOLE MAKERS. 
 
 Buttonholes are made on a special buttonhole machine. In the 
 majority of shops one buttonhole maker is sufficient to do the work 
 on all the garments in the shop. In most of the shops it is impossible 
 to keep a buttonhole maker busy all the time and he is employed on 
 other work when there is no buttonhole making to do. The largest 
 shops employ from one to three buttonhole makers. 
 
 There are two types of buttonhole-making machines, one made by 
 the Singer Co. and the other known as the Reece machine. The 
 Reece is a very rapid machine and is used on the cheaper garments. 
 The skill of the buttonhole maker lies not only in operating the 
 machine and in being able to space properly the buttonholes on the 
 garment, but in his ability to do the necessary repairing of the 
 machine, which is subject to frequent breakdowns. Where girls are 
 employed they are not expected to attend to this part of the work, 
 which falls on the machinist employed in the factory. In several 
 shops the buttonhole maker acts also as a machinist and attends to 
 the ordinary repairing of all machines on the premises. 
 
 The total number of workers found recorded as buttonhole makers 
 on the pay rolls of the different firms was 145 in 1913. Although a 
 considerable proportion of the 520 shops do not employ any button- 
 hole makers at all, there are, on the other hand, shops which employ 
 two or three buttonhole makers. It is probable that the total number 
 of buttonhole makers in the industry is double the above number, 
 those not reported as buttonhole makers being included in the group 
 ''operators not specified;" in this group were included all workers 
 designated on the pay rolls as "operators" but concerning whose 
 particular work the agents of the wage scale board could obtain no 
 information. Since in the majority of shops the buttonhole maker 
 is employed on other work also, it is but natural that he should be 
 entered on the pay roll as "operator" instead of buttonhole maker. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 69 
 
 SEX. 
 
 As will be seen from Table 9, of the 145 buttonhole makers reported 
 in 1913, 79 were men and 66 women, this being one of the few occu- 
 pations in the dress and waist industry in which the number of men 
 exceeds that of women. 
 
 WAGES. 
 
 As will be seen from Table 11, the extent of piecework has been 
 increased considerably among buttonhole makers; in 1912 the week 
 workers constituted 60 per cent and the pieceworkers 40 per cent, 
 while in 1913 the pieceworkers were nearly one-half of the total or 
 48 per cent, and the week workers 52 per cent. 
 
 Week workers. Among the buttonhole makers working by the week, 
 as will be seen from Table 26 which follows, the wages in 1913 ranged 
 from $6 to $14 and over among the women, and from $8 to $25 a week 
 and over among the men. Of the 31 men working by the week the 
 great majority earned $12 and less than $20 a week. Of the 45 
 women more than half earned $9 and less than $14 a week. Among 
 both men and women there was an increase in the number of people 
 receiving the higher rates of wages and a reduction in the number of 
 those receiving the lower rates. 
 
 Pieceworkers. Among women pieceworkers the lowest earnings 
 during the busiest week in 1913 were less than $3 while the highest 
 were in the group $22.50 and under $25; the men earned from less 
 than $3 a week to $30 a week and over; 25, or over one-half of 
 the men, earned $18 a week and over; 15, or about one-third of 
 the men, earned $10 and under $18 a week. About half of the 
 women earned $9 and under $14 a week. The same tendency toward 
 an increase in the number of those receiving higher rates of wages 
 since the protocol went into effect is noticeable among the piece- 
 workers as among the week workers. In view of the small number 
 no conclusions can be drawn as to the difference in wages in the 
 nonassociation and association shops. 
 
70 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 TABLE 26. NUMBER OF BUTTONHOLE MAKERS (WEEK WORKERS AND PIECE- 
 WORKERS) RECEIVING EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES OR EARNINGS PER 
 WEEK, 1912 AND 1913, BY SEX. 
 
 Classified rates of wages or earnings 
 per week, and classes of shops. 
 
 Week workers receiving each 
 classified rate of wages. 
 
 Pieceworkers earning each classi- 
 fied amount during busiest 
 week of year. 
 
 Females. 
 
 Males. 
 
 Females. 
 
 Males. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under $3 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 $3 to $3 99 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 $4 to $4.99 . ... 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 2 
 1 
 1 
 1 
 2 
 5 
 3 
 2 
 1 
 
 2 
 2 
 1 
 1 
 2 
 2 
 3 
 3 
 4 
 1 
 2 
 2 
 
 2 
 1 
 
 ""i 
 
 2 
 
 $5 to $5 99 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 $6 to $6.99 
 
 3 
 
 7 ' 
 7 
 7 
 11 
 9 
 
 1 
 3 
 7 
 8 
 11 
 13 
 2 
 
 
 
 $7 to $7 99 . 
 
 1 
 ..... 
 
 3 
 7 
 5 
 4 
 2 
 
 
 1 
 4 
 5 
 2 
 
 $8 to $8.99 
 
 2 
 1 
 1 
 
 7 
 8 
 4 
 6 
 
 $9 to $9 99 
 
 $10 to $11.99 
 
 5 
 1 
 
 5 
 4 
 7 
 5 
 8 
 2 
 1 
 2 
 
 $12 to $13.99 
 
 $14 to $15 99 
 
 
 $16 to $17.99 
 
 
 1 
 
 $18 to $19.99 
 
 
 
 $20 to $22.49 
 
 
 
 
 
 $22.50 to $24 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 $25 to $27 49 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 1 
 1 
 1 
 
 $27.50 to $29.99 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $30 and over 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 46 
 
 45 
 
 24 
 
 31 
 
 17 
 
 21 
 
 29 
 
 48 
 
 Association A 
 
 Workers in specified classes of shops. 
 
 33 
 9 
 4 
 
 24 
 15 
 6 
 
 21 
 3 
 
 22 
 3 
 6 
 
 10 
 6 
 
 9 
 8 
 2 
 2 
 
 14 
 3 
 12 
 
 25 
 2 
 21 
 
 Association B 
 
 Nonassociation A 
 
 Nonassociation B 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 i 
 
 
 
 BUTTON SEWERS. 
 
 What has been said about the number of buttonhole makers applies 
 also to button sewers. Only 155 persons were found on the pay rolls 
 under the latter designation. Button sewing is a much easier opera- 
 tion to learn than buttonhole making. The women predominate in 
 this, there being 136 women and only 19 men button sewers, and the 
 rates of wages are less than for buttonhole making. Week work is 
 much more common than piecework. In 1912, 78.4 per cent of the 
 women button sewers were week workers and 21.6 per cent piece- 
 workers. In 1913 the proportion of week workers was still greater, 
 being 83.1 per cent as against 16.9 per cent of pieceworkers. This 
 was due to the fact that the number of week workers increased much 
 faster than that of pieceworkers, the week workers having increased 
 from 81 in 1912 to 127 in 1913, while the pieceworkers increased 
 from 22 to only 28 during the same period. 
 
 WAGES. 
 
 As will be seen from Table 27, which follows, the largest single 
 group of button sewers were the women week workers, who in 1913 
 numbered 113 out of a total of 155, or 72.9 per cent. The wages of 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DEESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 71 
 
 these women week workers ranged from $4 to less than $16 a week; 
 15 per cent of these earned less than $6 a week; 41.6 per cent earned 
 $6 and less than $9 a week, and 43.4 per cent earned $9 a week and 
 over. There was a noticeable increase in 1913 over 1912 in the pro- 
 portion of those earning $9 a week and over and a corresponding 
 decrease in the proportion of those receiving less than $9 a week. 
 The earnings of the women pieceworkers do not differ much from 
 those of the week workers. The wages of the few men employed in 
 this trade are larger than those of the women. 
 
 TABLE 27. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF BUTTON SEWERS (WEEK WORKERS AND 
 PIECEWORKERS) RECEIVING EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES OR EARNINGS 
 PER WEEK, 1912 AND 1913, BY SEX. 
 
 Classified rates of 
 wages or earnings 
 per week, and 
 classes of shops. 
 
 Week workers receiving each classified rate of 
 wages. 
 
 Pieceworkers earning each classi- 
 fied amount during busiest 
 week of year. 
 
 Females. . 
 
 Males.i 
 
 Females. 1 
 
 Males.i 
 
 Number. 
 
 Per cent. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under $3... 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 $3 to *3.99 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 3 
 1 
 1 
 3 
 1 
 1 
 4 
 1 
 2 
 
 
 
 $4 to 4.99 
 
 9 
 7 
 10 
 15 
 14 
 5 
 7 
 2 
 
 13 
 4 
 9 
 17 
 21 
 20 
 17 
 11 
 1 
 
 13.0 
 10.1 
 14.5 
 21.7 
 20.3 
 7.2 
 10.1 
 2.9 
 
 11.5 
 3.5 
 8.0 
 15.0 
 18.6 
 17.7 
 15.0 
 9.7 
 .9 
 
 
 
 
 
 $5 to $5.99 
 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 2 
 4 
 3 
 
 
 
 $6 to $6.99 
 
 
 
 
 $7 to $7.99 
 
 
 3 
 1 
 
 
 $8 to $8.99 
 
 $9 to $9.99 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 5 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 6 
 
 
 
 $10 to $11.99 
 $12 to $13.99 
 
 6 
 3 
 3 
 
 1 
 1 
 1 
 
 2 
 1 
 
 $14 to $15.99 
 
 $16toSl7.99 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 $18 to $19.99 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $20 to $22.49 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 $22.50 to $24.99 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $25 to $27.49 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $27.50 to $29.99 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 Association A 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 69 
 
 113 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 28 
 
 311 
 
 19 
 
 11 
 8 
 
 23 
 
 9 
 9 
 4 
 1 
 
 47 
 
 6 
 1 
 
 58 
 
 6 
 1 
 1 
 
 68 
 
 85 
 
 
 8 
 
 6 
 
 Association B . 
 
 
 
 Nonassociation A ... 
 Nonassociation B 
 
 1 
 
 27 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 Percentages not computed on account of small number of employees. 
 
 2 Not including 4 for whom earnings but not weekly rates of wages could be ascertained. 
 
 3 Not including 3 for whom earnings but not weekly rates of wages could be ascertained. 
 
 4 Including 4 week workers for whom earnings but not weekly rates of wages could be ascertained. 
 
 5 Including 3 week workers for whom earnings but not weekly rates of wages could be ascertained. 
 
 CLOSERS AND HEMMERS. 
 
 The operation of closing consists in sewing together the front and 
 back parts of the waist, forming the seam on each side of the waist. 
 On cheap waists this work is done on the Union Special machine. 
 This machine works very fast, and since it automatically cuts off the 
 raw edge and finishes off the seam on the wrong side all in one opera- 
 tion, it offers the least expensive way of doing this work. Another 
 machine is the Metropolitan, which automatically puts on a binding 
 
72 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 on the wrong side of the waist. On the better grade garments the 
 so-called French seam is used, which involves three operations : First, ; 
 the sewing together of the two parts of the waist on the right side; 5 
 second, the cutting off of the raw edges; third, the turning over and ; 
 sewing of the second seam on the wrong side. Some machines are j 
 equipped with a knife which automatically cuts off the raw edge, i 
 but most of the factories still do without the automatic knife, and ; 
 scissors are employed instead. 
 
 The hemming consists in hemming the bottom of the waist by j 
 means of an attachment known as "the hemmer," which automat- 
 ically turns the garment so that the turning in of the hem and the 
 stitching it over is all done in one operation. 
 
 The number of closers and hemmers in 1913 is given in Table 8 at 
 only 134, which is manifestly less than the total number employed 
 in the shops, the majority of the closers and hemmers being included 
 in the group "Operators not specified,"- for reasons explained under 
 that head. The number of pieceworkers was practically the same 
 both years, being 53 in 1912 and 56 in 1913 (Table 11). Week work- 
 ers, on the other hand, increased from 51 to 78, which makes the pro- 
 portion of pieceworkers smaller in 1913 than in 19 12, namely , 42 per 
 cent in 1913, as against 51 per cent in 1912. Of the 134 closers and 
 hemmers reported, 104 were women and 30 were men. 
 
 SEX. 
 
 Most of the closers are women, while most of the hemmers are men, 
 since speed is the chief consideration in hemming. Where the Metro- 
 politan machine is used for closing, men are preferred because the 
 machine is a very fast and complicated one and requires the handling 
 of the binding tape at the same time when the sewing proper is being 
 done. 
 
 Prior to the conclusion of the protocol, most of the closing and 
 hemming was done by subcontractors. Since subcontracting has 
 been prohibited under the protocol, the work is being done as a rule 
 by two partners, who frequently have one assistant. Under this 
 system one of the partners attends to the hemming and the other to 
 the closing. If an assistant is employed in addition, the partner who 
 does the closing puts in the first seam, leaving the assistant to cut off 
 the raw edge and put in the second seam. 
 
 WAGES. 
 
 As will be seen from Table 28, in 1913, of the 64 women closers 
 working by the week, 35, or nearly 55 per cent, received $10 and less 
 than $18 a week; 28, or nearly 44 per cent, received less than $10; one- 
 fourth of all the women received $6 and less than $9 a week; one-fourth 
 received $12 and less than $18 a week. A little less than one-half 
 received $9 and less than $12. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 73 
 
 A slight change is noticeable in the earnings between 1912 and 
 1913, the most noticeable increase occurring in the proportion of those 
 receiving from $9 to $9.99 a week. 
 
 The number of men workers and women workers working by the 
 piece was too small to warrant any general conclusions. Details will 
 be found in Table 28. 
 
 TABLE 28. NUMBER OF CLOSERS AND HEMMERS (WEEK WORKERS AND PIECEWORK- 
 ERS) RECEIVING EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES OR EARNINGS PER WEEK, 1912 
 AND 1913, BY SEX. 
 
 Classified rates of wages or earnings 
 per week, and classes of shops. 
 
 Week workers receiving each 
 classified rate of wages. 
 
 Pieceworkers earning each classi- 
 fied amount during busiest 
 week of year. 
 
 Females. 
 
 Males. 
 
 Females. 
 
 Males. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 S3 to S3 9> 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $4 toS4 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 2 
 4 
 3 
 
 6 
 4 
 7" 
 7 
 3 
 4 
 
 
 
 
 15 to So 99 
 
 2 
 3 
 5 
 2 
 3 
 12 
 6 
 6 
 
 2 
 5 
 2 
 9 
 10 
 19 
 7 
 8 
 1 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 2 
 3 
 4 
 4 
 6 
 4 
 6 
 5 
 1 
 1 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 
 $6 to $6 99 
 
 
 
 $ 7 to ?7 99 
 
 
 i 
 
 2 
 2 
 2 
 2 
 2 
 1 
 
 
 
 $8 to *S 99 
 
 1 
 
 
 89 to ?9 .99 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 4 
 2 
 
 1 
 1 
 1 
 .2 
 
 $10 to $11 99 
 
 
 $12 toS13 99 
 
 
 $14 to $15.99 
 
 3 
 1 
 1 
 
 $16 to S17 99 ... 
 
 $18 to ?10 99 
 
 
 ?20 t o $2 9 49 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 $2^ oO to S24 99 . 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 $25 to S27 49 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 $27.50 to S29.99 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $30 and over 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 IM 
 
 64 
 
 11 
 
 14 
 
 245 i 40 
 
 9 
 
 16 
 
 A ssocia tion A 
 
 Workers in specified classes of shops. 
 
 26 
 9 
 4 
 
 35 
 15 
 10 
 4 
 
 10 
 
 10 
 2 
 2 
 
 19 
 23 
 3 
 
 17 
 20 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 4 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 11 
 
 Association B . 
 
 Nonassocifition A 
 
 1 
 
 Nonassociation B 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 Not including 1 for whom earnings but not weekly rate of wages could be ascertained. 
 
 2 Including 1 week worker for whom earnings but not weekly rate of wages could be ascertained. 
 
 DRESSMAKERS. 
 
 Dressmakers are operators of the highest skill, for they are 
 required to make an entire dress including both the hand and machine 
 sewing as well as the draping. Dressmakers are employed on high- 
 grade dresses and gowns only. Most of the dressmakers employed 
 have learned their trade in Europe. Those who have learned the 
 trade in this country come into the industry fully apprenticed 
 outside. Good dressmakers are promoted to positions of high- 
 class examiners at wages running from $16 to $20 a week and of high- 
 class drapers at similar wages. 
 
74 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 Of late years, since cheap dresses have come to be produced in 
 large quantities, operators engaged in making lingerie and cheap 
 dresses have also come to be known as dressmakers. This class of 
 dressmakers likewise works on the entire dress, but confines its work 
 chiefly to machine operating, the band sewing being done by the 
 finishers and the draping by the drapers. 
 
 If we are to understand dressmaking in this broader sense, there 
 are probably a few thousand of these workers, most of them appear- 
 ing in Table 8 as " operators not specified/' of whom 6,455 are 
 given in that table (these are discussed more fully on pp. 99-104), 
 while only 440 were found described as dressmakers on the pay rolls 
 of the factories investigated. 
 
 SEX. 
 
 Women predominate among dressmakers. Of the 440 dress- 
 makers reported for 1913, 350, or 80 per cent, were women and 90, or 
 20 per cent, were men . In high-grade dressmaking men are employed 
 mostly on dresses of heavy material, such as velvets, serges, woolens, 
 ratines, etc., while the women are employed on light materials, 
 
 such as silks, chiffons, voiles, etc. 
 
 
 
 WAGES. 
 
 Of the 440 dressmakers found on the pay rolls for 1913, 369, or 
 84 per cent, worked by the piece and only 71, or 16 per cent, worked 
 by the week. The percentage of pieceworkers in 1912, before the 
 protocol went into effect, was somewhat less namely, 81 per cent. 
 As will be seen from Table 29, the largest single group of dressmakers 
 consisted of women pieceworkers, of whom there were 294, or 67 per 
 cent of the total. Of these 4.1 per cent wer3 found earning less 
 than $6 a week in 1913; 5.8 per cent earned $6 and less than $9 a 
 week; 22.8 per cent, or almost one-fourth, earned less than 312; 
 19.7 per cent, or almost one-fifth, earned $20 a week and over; 
 57.5 per cent, or more than one-half, earned $12 and less than $20 a 
 week. 
 
 The men pieceworkers' earnings are, as usual, much higher than 
 those of the women. Thus, there were no men dressmakers earning 
 less than $6 a week, 2.7 per cent earned $6 and less than $9 a 
 week, or nearly one-half of the percentage of women. Of those 
 earning $9 and less than $14 a week there were over 9 per cent among 
 men as against more than 27 per cent among women. While only 
 20 per cent of the women pieceworkers earned $20 a week and over, 
 72 per cent of the men earned that amount. Both the men and the 
 women pieceworkers show a higher percentage of workers in the 
 higher-wage groups in 1913 as compared with 1912 and a lower per- 
 centage in the lower-wage groups. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 75 
 
 The number of week workers both, in 1912 and 1913 is too small 
 to serve as the basis of any general conclusions. The details will be 
 found in Table 29, which follows: 
 
 TABLE 29 NUMBER AND PER CENT OF DRESSMAKERS (WEEK WORKERS AND PIECE- 
 WORKERS) RECEIVING EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES OR EARNINGS PER 
 WEEK, 1912 AND 1913, BY SEX. 
 
 Classified rates of 
 wages or earnings 
 per week, and 
 claases of shops. 
 
 Week workers receiving 
 each classified rate of 
 wages. 
 
 Pieceworkers earning each classified amount during 
 busiest week of year. 
 
 Females. 1 
 
 Males.i 
 
 Females. 
 
 Males. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Number. 
 
 Per cent. 
 
 Number. 
 
 Per cent. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under S3 
 
 
 
 
 
 5 
 1 
 
 2 
 7 
 7 
 4 
 11 
 17 
 40 
 43 
 41 
 36 
 24 
 18 
 14 
 4 
 2 
 1 
 
 4 
 
 1.8 
 .4 
 
 1.4 
 
 
 
 
 
 3 to *3 99 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 i 99 
 
 
 
 
 5 
 3 
 4 
 5 
 8 
 11 
 27 
 42 
 50 
 44 
 33 
 33 
 17 
 3 
 3 
 2 
 
 .7 
 2.5 
 2.5 
 1.5 
 3.9 
 6.2 
 14.4 
 15.5 
 14.8 
 13.0 
 8.7 
 6.5 
 5.0 
 1.5 
 . 7 
 .4 
 
 1.7 
 1.0 
 1.4 
 1.7 
 2.7 
 3.7 
 9.2 
 14.3 
 17.0 
 15.0 
 11.2 
 11.2 
 5.8 
 1.0 
 1.0 
 .7 
 
 
 
 
 
 $5 to So 99 
 
 j 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $6toS6.99 
 $7 to 87 99 
 
 1 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 18 
 17 
 8 
 8 
 3 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 3 
 2 
 
 2 
 10 
 
 18 
 7 
 10 
 1 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 1.3 
 1.3 
 
 
 
 1 
 1 
 2 
 1 
 
 2 
 2 
 3 
 2 
 6 
 2 
 6 
 3 
 13 
 
 1 
 
 2.3 
 2.3 
 
 4.5 
 2.3 
 4.5 
 4.5 
 6.8 
 4.5 
 13.6 
 4.5 
 13.6 
 6.8 
 29.5 
 
 1)9 
 19 to 89.99 
 
 $1010 Sll 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 1 
 1 
 
 
 5 
 2 
 
 1 
 4 
 7 
 13 
 8 
 8 
 7 
 "18 
 
 6.7 
 2.7 
 1.3 
 5.3 
 9.3 
 17.3 
 10.7 
 10.7 
 9.3 
 24.0 
 
 $12 to $13.99 
 
 1 
 
 11 
 2 
 
 $14 to $15.99 
 
 $16 to $17 99 
 
 $18 to $19.99 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 $20toS22.49 
 
 $22 50 to $24 99 
 
 $25 to 27.49 .... 
 
 
 
 
 
 $27.50 to $29.99 . 
 
 
 
 
 
 $30 and over 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 Association A 
 Association B 
 
 Nonassociation A . . 
 Nonassociation B . . 
 
 
 
 
 
 68 
 
 56 
 
 7 
 
 15 
 
 277 
 
 294 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 44 
 
 75 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 Workers in specified classes of shops. 
 
 34 
 14 
 13 
 
 7 
 
 37 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 69 
 195 
 10 
 3 
 
 132 
 
 iai 
 
 10 
 
 
 
 12 
 15 
 14 
 3 
 
 49 
 21 
 2 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 10 
 
 :::::::: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 Percentages not computed on account of small number of employees. 
 HEMSTITCHERS. 
 
 The hemstitching machine is one of the most difficult to operate. 
 Instead of the one needle which the operator has to watch in an 
 ordinary sewing machine, there are two needles and the so-called 
 "plunger/' which makes the holes in the material that is hemstitched. 
 It requires great skill and patience to operate the machine and to 
 handle the material. At every turn and change of direction the 
 threads easily get tangled, and the machine breaks down frequently. 
 As hemstitching is always done for decorative purposes, it generally 
 takes the form of intricate designs, curves, and other figures, which 
 are frequently carried out on the edge <ef laces or fine embroideries. 
 
 Most of the hemstitchers graduate into that work after they have 
 been operating a machine or doing simpler kinds of work, such as 
 
76 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 repairing, lace running, etc. In some cases, girls who show sufficient 
 intelligence are put to work on a hemstitching machine from the veryj 
 start and are taught the trade. It takes about a week to train a 
 worker to handle a hemstitching machine. The skill of the worker, 
 however, naturally increases as time goes on, resulting in an increase 
 of output as well as in better work. 
 
 Only a few shops, comparatively, employ hemstitchers. In most 
 shops, there is insufficient work to keep a hemstitching machine busy 
 all the time, and the hemstitching is contracted out to special shops. 
 
 SEX. 
 
 The peculiarity of the hemstitcher's occupation, as just explained, 
 makes it distinctly a woman's trade, for, as explained before in 
 discussing the work of operators, men, as a rule, are more adapted 
 lor work which requires either greater physical endurance or speed. 
 Of the 180 hemstitchers reported for 1913 only 10 were men. 
 
 WAGES. 
 
 The nature of the hemstitcher's work is not favorable to compen- 
 sation on a piece basis. It is impossible for an operator to do the 
 work any faster than the machine and the character of the work 
 will permit. Patience and skill are the chief requirements. There 
 is, therefore, a general consensus of opinion in the trade, both among 
 the workers and the employers, that hemstitchers should be paid 
 on a weekly basis. Therefore, although no provision has been made 
 in the protocol for a minimum weekly rate, more than eight-tenths 
 of all the hemstitchers were employed on a weekly basis, the exact 
 proportion in 1913 being 86 per cent of week workers and 14 per 
 cent of pieceworkers. Of the 180 hemstitchers, only 8 were found 
 employed in nonassociation shops. Of the 172 hemstitchers employed 
 in the association shops, 155 were week workers (including 7 men) 
 and 25 were pieceworkers (including 3 men). The bulk of the hom- 
 stitchers were, therefore, women week workers whose wages will now 
 be considered. 
 
 As will be seen from Table 30, the largest single group among the 
 women week workers were those receiving $12 and less than $14 a 
 week, who constituted 33.8 per cent, or one-third, of all the women 
 week workers. Over one-fourth of the women received $10 and less 
 than $12 a week; over 9 per cent of the women received $9 and less 
 than $10 a week; over 12 per cent received $6 and less than $9; 
 2 girls received less than $6 a week, and 26 women, constituting less 
 than 18 per cent of the total, received $14 a week and over. 
 
 As in the case of most other workers, the hemstitchers show a 
 decided improvement in wages since the protocol went into effect. 
 The percentage of those receiving $6 and less than $10 a week 
 declined from 25.9 per cent to 21.5 per cent; and of those getting 
 from $10 to $11.99 from nearly 39 per cent to less than 26 per cent. 
 

 WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 77 
 
 On the other hand, the percentage of those getting from $12 to 
 $13.99 increased from 21.5 per cent to 33.8 per cent, and of those 
 receiving $14 a week and over from 8.6 per cent to 17.6 per cent. 
 Further details as to the earnings of hemstitchers will be found in 
 Table 30. 
 
 TABLE 30. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF HEMSTITCHERS (WEEK WORKERS AND 
 PIECEWORKERS) RECEIVING EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES OR EARNINGS 
 PER WEEK, 1912 AND 1913, BY SEX. 
 
 Classified rates of 
 wages or earnings 
 per week, and 
 classes of shops. 
 
 Week workers receiving each classified rate of 
 wages. 
 
 Pieceworkers earning each clas- 
 sified amount during busiest 
 week of year. 
 
 Females. 
 
 Males.! 
 
 Females. 1 
 
 Males.i 
 
 Number. 
 
 Per cent. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under $3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 $3 to S3 99 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $4 to 4 99 
 
 2 
 3 
 5 
 4 
 9 
 6 
 36 
 20 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 1 
 4 
 5 
 9 
 14 
 38 
 50 
 20 
 5 
 1 
 
 2.1 
 3.2 
 5.4 
 4.3 
 9.7 
 6.5 
 38.7 
 21.5 
 7.5 
 1.1 
 
 0.7 
 .7 
 2.7 
 3.4 
 6.0 
 9.4 
 25.7 
 33.8 
 13.5 
 3.4 
 .7 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 15 to $5 99 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 2 
 1 
 
 
 
 |6 to $6 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $7 to $7.99 
 
 $8 to $8 99 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 |9 to $9 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 $10 to $11.99 
 
 
 
 
 6 
 2 
 4 
 1 
 2 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 112 to $13 99 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 3 
 2 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 
 $14 to $15. 99 
 
 
 1 
 
 $161o$17 99 
 
 
 $18 to $19 99 
 
 
 
 
 $20 to $22 49 1 
 
 j 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 $22 50 to $24 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 Total 
 
 Association A 
 Association B 
 
 
 , 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 93 
 
 148 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 2 
 
 7 
 
 5 
 
 22 
 
 
 3 
 
 
 Workers in specified classes of shops. 
 
 14 
 75 
 1 
 3 
 
 27 
 115 
 1 
 5 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 
 \ 
 
 6 
 16 
 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 Nonassociation A... 
 Nonassociation B . . . 
 
 I 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 Percentages not computed on account of small number of employees. 
 LACE RUNNERS. 
 
 Lace running is one of the least skilled occupations among the 
 operators. It is the first work given to young girls who are put to 
 work at a machine. The work of "lace running" consists in joining 
 strips of lace to strips of cloth or other lace of various widths. Most 
 lace running is done in long strips which may run into the hundreds 
 of yards, but there is also considerable work done on short pieces 
 which go into individual waists. The skill of the lace runner con- 
 sists in handling the lace carefully and running the material and the 
 lace in such a manner that the machine is operated steadily without 
 a break and so that the unraveling of the lace and the cloth, which 
 are wound up in rolls, takes place almost automatically without 
 requiring the stopping of the machine on the part of the operator. 
 
78 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUEEAU OF LABOK STATISTICS. 
 
 Although it takes only a few days to loam lace running, the operator 
 acquires greater skill and therefore greater productive capacity in 
 the course of time, which accounts for the fact that the wages of 
 lace runners vary all the way from $5 to $16 a week and over. 
 
 SEX. 
 
 Practically all the lace running is done by girls. Of the 113 lace 
 runners reported in Table 8, only 10 were men, the remainder being 
 girls. 
 
 WAGES. 
 
 Most lace runners are paid by the week. Of the 113 reported, as 
 will be seen from Table 11, four-fifths were week workers in 1913. 
 In 1912 only 17 per cent were pieceworkers. 
 
 As will be seen from Table 31, which follows, more than one-half 
 of the 83 women lace runners paid by the week received $10 and less 
 than $14 a week. More than one-tenth received $14 a week and over. 
 Nearly one-fifth of the workers received $6 and less than $9; 2 lace 
 runners received less than $6 a week. Of the 7 men lace runners, 
 1 received from $8 to $8.99 a week and 6 received $14 and less than 
 $18 a week. The earnings of the pieceworkers as well as further 
 details as to the week workers will be found in Table 31. 
 
 Both the week workers and the pieceworkers show a marked increase 
 since the protocol went into effect in the number of those earning $9 
 and less than $20 a week, with a corresponding decline in the number 
 of those receiving less than $9. 
 
 TABLE 31. NUMBER OF LACE RUNNERS (WEEK WORKERS AND PIECEWORKERS) 
 RECEIVING EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES OR EARNINGS PER WEEK, 1912 AND 
 1913, BY SEX. 
 
 Classified rates of wages or earnings 
 per week, and classes of shops. 
 
 Week workers receiving each 
 classified rate of wages. 
 
 Pieceworkers earning each classi- 
 fied amount during busiest 
 week of year. 
 
 Females. 
 
 Males. 
 
 Females. 
 
 Males. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 . 
 
 $3 to $3 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 1 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 $4 to $4.99 
 
 3 
 1 
 13 
 12 
 
 7 
 8 
 8 
 19 
 
 7 
 
 1 
 1 
 2 
 7 
 7 
 14 
 21 
 21 
 6 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $5 to $5 99 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 $6 to $6.99 
 
 
 
 
 $7 to $7.99 . . 
 
 
 
 1 
 2 
 1 
 3 
 
 1 
 1 
 3 
 5 
 4 
 
 
 
 $8 to $8.99 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 $9 to $9.99 
 
 
 
 
 $10 to $11.99 . . 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 $12 to $13.99 
 
 
 
 
 $14 to $15.99 
 
 2 
 1 
 1 
 1 
 
 4 
 2 
 
 1 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 2 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 $16 to $17.99. . . 
 
 
 $18 to $19.99 
 
 
 
 $20 to $22.49 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 
 1 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 8 
 
 83 
 
 8 
 
 7 
 
 17 
 
 20 
 
 
 3 
 
 Association A 
 
 
 Workers in specified classes of shops. 
 
 52 
 23 
 3 
 
 57 
 25 
 
 1 
 
 6 
 
 1 
 
 3 
 2 
 2 
 
 14 
 3 
 
 18 
 
 
 
 Association B 
 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 Nonassociation A 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 79 
 SAMPLE MAKERS. 
 
 Sample makers are operators who are engaged in making samples 
 of new garments from models furnished by the designer. They also 
 assist the designer in the preparation of new models. This work 
 naturally calls for operators of the highest skill. Most of the sample 
 makers are experienced dressmakers or waist operators and are drawn 
 from those classes of workers. Sample makers who have acquired con- 
 siderable experience in their work and have a bent for original 
 designing graduate into designers. 
 
 SEX. 
 
 Practically all sample makers are women. Of the 580 sample 
 makers reported in Table 9 for 1913, only 21, or 3.6 per cent, were 
 men. 
 
 WAGES. 
 
 The nature of the sample maker's work makes the piece-rate sys- 
 tem impractical. Of the 580 sample makers only 8 were found to 
 be doing piecework in 1913. As will be seen from Table 32, the 
 largest single group of sample makers were those receiving $14 and 
 less than $16 a week, most of whom received the minimum protocol 
 rate of $14. This group constituted more than 42 per cent of the 
 total. Those getting $16 and less than $20 a week exceeded 27 per 
 cent of the total. The number of those receiving less than the 
 protocol rate of $14 a week exceeded 26 per cent of the total. The 
 number of those receiving less than $6 a week was very small, amount- 
 ing to 1.5 per cent of all the sample makers. The number of those 
 receiving $20 a week and over was nearly 4 per cent of the total. 
 
 An examination of the figures showing the wages of sample makers 
 in the four branches of the industry shows that, in each case, the 
 largest number falls in the group of $14 and less than $16 a week with 
 the exception of the non association B shops in which the largest 
 number is in the group of $18 and less than $20 a week. However, 
 the number of sample makers in the nonassociation shops is so small 
 as hardly to warrant any general conclusions. 
 
 The figures in the two columns of Table 32 showing the percentage 
 of the total number of sample makers receiving different rates of 
 wages in 1912 and 1913 and Chart 8 which presents these figures in 
 graphic form are very instructive. The largest group both in 1912 
 and 1913 consisted of employees receiving $14 and under $16 a week, 
 the minimum protocol rate being $14, but the percentage in this group 
 was much larger in 1913 than in 1912, being nearly 43 per cent in 
 1913 and only 30 per cent in 1912. In 1912 the percentage receiv- 
 ing $12 and under $14 was almost as high as for those receiving 
 $14 and under $16, being nearly 28 per cent, but fell to a little over 
 15 per cent in 1913. Beginning with the $14 rate the figures, in all 
 cases but one, show a larger percentage of sample makers receiving 
 
80 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 the higher rates in 1913 as compared with 1912. The reverse is 
 true of those receiving rates below $14 a week where the 1913 per- 
 centages are in nearly all cases below those in 1912. 
 
 TABLE 32 NUMBER AND PER CENT OF SAMPLE MAKERS, FEMALE, WEEK WORKERS,! 
 
 RECEIVING EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES PER WEEK, 1912 AND 1913,. BY CLASS 
 OF SHOPS. 
 
 NUMBER. 
 
 Classified rates of . 
 wages per week. 
 
 Association A. 
 
 NonassociatioB 
 
 A.2 
 
 Association B. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 
 B.2 
 
 Total. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 $4 to $4 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 4 
 4 
 1 
 1 
 
 7 
 13 
 20 
 95 
 91 
 50 
 32 
 7 
 
 3 
 4 
 3 
 1 
 3 
 13 
 17 
 55 
 113 
 48 
 25 
 5 
 
 
 
 4 
 4 
 2 
 4 
 9 
 21 
 36 
 145 
 157 
 80 
 45 
 11 
 2 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 5 
 3 
 1 
 
 5 
 15 
 28 
 83 
 232 
 91 
 57 
 16 
 2 
 4 
 
 K f n K QQ 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 $7 to $7 99 
 
 2 
 1 
 6 
 11 
 43 
 56 
 22 
 10 
 2 
 1 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 CO f n C OQ 
 
 2 
 2 
 9 
 25 
 94 
 30 
 19 
 5 
 
 1 
 1 
 5 
 6 
 4 
 5 
 1 
 
 
 
 $9 to S-9 99 
 
 ~"i" 
 
 1 
 20 
 5 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 
 $10 to 811 99 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 5 
 8 
 11 
 6 
 2 
 3 
 
 $12 to $13.99 
 
 1 
 6 
 3 
 2 
 2 
 1 
 1 
 
 $14 to $15.99 
 
 $16 to $17.99 
 
 $18 to $19.99 
 
 ^20 to ^2 4 
 
 $2 9 50 to S24 99 
 
 
 
 $25 to $ 9 7 49 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 154 
 
 187 
 
 24 
 
 29 
 
 327 
 
 291 
 
 18 
 
 38 
 
 3523 
 
 <545 
 
 
 PER CENT. 
 
 $1 to $4 99 
 
 x 
 
 
 
 
 1.2 
 
 1.0 
 
 
 
 0.8 
 
 0.6 
 
 $5 to $5 99 
 
 
 0.5 
 
 
 
 1.2 
 
 1.3 
 
 
 
 .8 
 
 .9 
 
 $6 to $6 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 .3 
 
 1.0 
 
 
 
 .4 
 
 .6 
 
 $7 to $7 99 
 
 1 3 
 
 
 
 
 .3 
 
 .3 
 
 
 
 .8 
 
 .2 
 
 $8 to $8 99 
 
 .6 
 
 1.0 
 
 
 
 2.1 
 
 1.0 
 
 
 
 1.7 
 
 .9 
 
 $9 to $9 99 
 
 3 9 
 
 1.0 
 
 
 
 4.0 
 
 4.5 
 
 
 
 4.0 
 
 2.8 
 
 $10 to Sll 99 
 
 7 2 
 
 4 8 
 
 
 
 6 1 
 
 5.9 
 
 
 
 6.9 
 
 5.1 
 
 $12 to $13 99 
 
 28 
 
 13.4 
 
 
 
 29.1 
 
 19.0 
 
 
 
 27.8 
 
 15.3 
 
 $14 to $15 99 
 
 36 4 
 
 50.3 
 
 
 
 27.9 
 
 38.9 
 
 
 
 30.0 
 
 42.6 
 
 $16 to $17 99 
 
 14 2 
 
 16 1 
 
 
 
 15.3 
 
 16.5 
 
 
 
 15 3 
 
 16.7 
 
 $18 to 19 99 
 
 6 5 
 
 10.2 
 
 
 
 9.8 
 
 8.6 
 
 
 
 8.6 
 
 10.5 
 
 $20 to $22 49 
 
 1 3 
 
 2.7 
 
 
 
 2.1 
 
 1.7 
 
 
 
 2.1 
 
 2.9 
 
 $22 50 to $24.99 
 
 .6 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 .4 
 
 .3 
 
 $25 to $27 49 
 
 
 
 
 
 .6 
 
 .3 
 
 
 
 .6 
 
 .7 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 SUMMARY OF PERCENTAGES. 
 
 Under $14 
 
 41 
 
 20 7 
 
 
 
 44 3 
 
 34 
 
 
 
 43 o 
 
 26 4 
 
 $14 to $15.99 
 
 36.4 
 
 50.3 
 
 
 
 27.9 
 
 38.9 
 
 
 
 30.0 
 
 42.6 
 
 $16 and over 
 
 22.6 
 
 29.0 
 
 
 
 27.8 
 
 27.1 
 
 
 
 27.0 
 
 31.2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 100. 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 In addition to the week workers shown in this table there were 2 pieceworkers, female, and 1 piece- 
 worker, male, in 1912, and 8 pieceworkers, female, in 1913. 
 
 2 Percentages not computed on account of small number of employees. 
 
 8 Not including 17 week workers, female, and 14 week workers, male, for whom weekly rates of wages 
 could not be ascertained. 
 
 4 Not including 6 week workers, female, and 21 week workers, male, for whom weekly rates of wages 
 could not be ascertained. 
 
 SKIRT OPERATORS. 
 
 The work of skirt operators consists chiefly in sewing together 
 parts of skirts in long vertical seams and, the work being quite 
 simple, the quantity of output is the chief consideration. This ena- 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 81 
 
 les men to compete to a large extent with women in this trade, 
 especially in making skirts of heavy materials. In lingerie dresses, 
 where the material is light and where there is a good deal of lace 
 inserting to be done, women are fully as competent as men and in 
 many cases are preferred. A skirt operator is apprenticed usually by 
 working as assistant to an experienced operator. He is first shown 
 how to make the simpler seams on the wrong side of the skirt and 
 
 CHART 8. PER CENT OF SAMPLE MAKERS, FEMALE (WEEK WORKERS) 
 RECEIVING EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES PER WEEK, 1912 AND 
 1913. 
 
 40 
 
 35 
 SO 
 
 ~>r 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 A 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ** 
 
 40 
 35 
 30 
 Z5 
 20 
 15 
 /O 
 
 5 
 
 0% 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 A 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 / \ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Weekly Rates of 
 es of Sample Makers. 
 
 912 
 
 7/9 - 
 
 r] 
 
 "\ 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 20 
 15 
 70 
 5 
 <% 
 
 _ Wa S 
 / 
 
 / 
 
 i 
 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 '/. 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 1 
 
 / 
 
 / 
 
 
 s 
 
 v\ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 \\ 
 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 
 
 
 
 __ 
 
 
 
 /, 
 
 ^/ 
 
 /^ 
 
 .^ 
 
 ^ . 
 
 
 
 
 X 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^, 
 
 
 $4 $5 $6 $7 $3 $9 $10 $12 $14 $16 $16 $20 $22 $24- $26 $23 
 
 gradually is taught the more difficult parts of the work. It takes 
 about the length of a season to train a fairly skilled skirt operator. 
 
 SEX. 
 
 Of the 399 skirt operators reported for 1913, 228, or a little over 
 57 per cent, were women and 171, or almost 43 per cent, were men. 
 
 - WAGES. 
 
 Speed being the chief factor in making skirts, it is natural that the 
 
 work should be paid by the piece. During 1913 two- thirds of all 
 
 the skirt operators reported were paid by the piece. In 1912 the 
 
 percentage of piece workers was slightly larger, namely, 72 per cent. 
 
 42132 Bull. 14614 6 
 
 
82 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 Of the 399 skirt operators, 340, or 85 per cent, were employed in 
 association shops and only 59, or 15 per cent, in nonassociation 
 shops. 
 
 Earnings of pieceworkers. As will be seen from Table 33, over 51 
 per cent, or more than one-half of the 170 women paid by the piece, 
 earned from $18 a week to $30 a week or over during the busiest 
 week of 1913; more than one-fifth of all the women pieceworkers 
 earned from $22.50 to $24.99; 17.5 per cent, or about one-sixth, 
 earned $9 and less than $14 a week; only 3 per cent earned less than 
 $9 a week. 
 
 The proportion of men earning the higher rates of wages was even 
 higher than that of the women. Nearly three-fourths (73 per cent) 
 of all the men pieceworkers earned from $18 to $30 and over during 
 the busiest week; the number of those earning less than $9 a week 
 formed less than 4 per cent of the total. 
 
 Comparing the earnings of men pieceworkers in 1912 and 1913, 
 there is a decline in the percentage of those earning less than $14 a 
 week. Those earning $14 and less than $18 a week show practi- 
 cally the same percentage both years; those earning $18 and less 
 than $25 a week increased from over 34 per cent in 1912 to over 52 
 per cent in 1913. On the other hand, the number of those earning 
 $25 a week and over declined from 29.5 per cent in 1912 to 20.6 per 
 cent in 1913. 
 
 Among the women pieceworkers, similar changes in the earnings 
 occurred; that is to say, there was a decline in the proportion of 
 those earning the lower rates of wages and an increase in the number 
 of those earning the medium amounts and a decline in the number 
 of those earning $25 a week or more. 
 
 Wages of week workers. The number of week workers being com- 
 paratively small, only 58 among the women and 64 among the men, 
 no general conclusions can be drawn. It is interesting to note, 
 however, that of the 64 men week workers, 38, or more than one- 
 half, received from $16 to $22.49 a week; 18, or more than one-fourth, 
 received $20 a week and over. Only 1 received $4 and less than $5 
 a week and 2 received $6 and less than $7 a week. 
 
 Of the 58 women week workers, 22 received $9 and less than $14; 
 15 received $14 and less than $18 a week; 4 girls received less than 
 $6 a week, and 14 received $6 and less than $9. Further details 
 as to the wages of skirt operators will be found in Table 33. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 83 
 
 TABLE 33 NUMBER AND PER CENT OF SKIRT OPERATORS CWEEK WORKERS AND 
 PIECEWORKERS) RECEIVING EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES OR EARNINGS 
 PER WEEK, 1912 AND 1913, BY SEX. 
 
 Classified rates of 
 wages or earnings 
 per week, and 
 classes of shops. 
 
 Week workers receiv- 
 ing each classified 
 rate of wages. 
 
 Pieceworkers earning each classified amount during 
 busiest week of year. 
 
 Females. 1 
 
 Males.i 
 
 Females. 
 
 Males. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Number. 
 
 Per cent. 
 
 Number. 
 
 Per cent. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under $3 . . . 
 
 
 
 
 
 11 
 
 1 
 
 6.1 
 
 0.6 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 0.9 
 
 $3to.3.99 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 $4 to 84.99 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $5 to 85.99 
 
 1 
 4 
 4 
 5 
 8 
 15 
 9 
 5 
 1 
 
 2 
 2 
 8 
 4 
 5 
 8 
 9 
 9 
 6 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 
 1.7 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 2.3 
 
 
 $6 to $6.99 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 5 
 
 2 
 1 
 1 
 
 2.8 
 
 1.2 
 .6 
 .6 
 
 1 
 1 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 2.3 
 2.3 
 2.3 
 
 1.8 
 
 $7 to $7.99 
 
 $8toS8.99 
 
 n 
 
 
 5 
 6 
 14 
 19 
 21 
 12 
 23 
 13 
 30 
 10 
 5 
 3 
 
 2.8 
 3.3 
 7.8 
 10.5 
 11.7 
 6.6 
 12.8 
 7.2 
 16.7 
 5.5 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 .9 
 
 $9 to $9 99 . . 
 
 1 
 3 
 5 
 9 
 15 
 10 
 13 
 1 
 3 
 1 
 
 $10toS11.99 
 $12toS13.99 
 
 
 10 
 
 20 
 18 
 30 
 18 
 21 
 36 
 7 
 4 
 
 1 
 
 5.8 
 11.7 
 10.6 
 17.6 
 10.6 
 12.4 
 21.2 
 4.1 
 2.4 
 .6 
 
 2 
 3 
 3 
 4 
 
 5 
 7 
 3 
 7 
 4 
 2 
 
 3 
 5 
 9 
 
 8 
 21 
 23 
 12 
 12 
 5 
 5 
 
 4.5 
 6.8 
 6.8 
 9.1 
 11.4 
 15.9 
 6.8 
 15.9 
 9.1 
 4.5 
 
 2.8 
 4.7 
 8.4 
 7.5 
 19.7 
 21.5 
 11.2 
 11.2 
 4.7 
 4.7 
 
 6 
 9 
 6 
 7 
 3 
 
 $14 to S15 99 
 
 $16 to 817.99 
 
 $18 to SI 9.99 . 
 
 $20 to $22.49 
 
 
 3 
 
 $22.50 to S24.99 
 
 
 $25 to $27 49 
 
 
 
 
 $27.50 to 829.99.... 
 
 
 
 
 $30 and over 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 52 
 
 *58 
 
 37 
 
 64 
 
 180 
 
 U70 j 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 44 
 
 107 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 Association A 
 
 Workers in specified classes of shops. 
 
 46 
 5 
 1 
 
 26 
 10 
 20 
 2 
 
 21 
 13 
 3 
 
 34 
 11 
 15 
 
 4 
 
 42 
 138 
 
 69 
 101 
 
 
 
 24 
 18 
 
 80 
 9 
 
 
 
 Association B 
 Nonassociation A.. . 
 Nonassociation B . . . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 18 
 
 
 
 
 
 i 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 Percentages not computed on account of small number of employees. 
 
 2 Not including 11 for whom earnings but not weekly rates of wages could be ascertained. 
 
 8 Including 11 week workers for whom earnings but not weekly rates of wages could be ascertained. 
 
 SLEEVE MAKERS. 
 
 It takes about the same kind of skill in making sleeves as in mak- 
 ing waists. Sleeve makers and waist or body makers are regarded 
 as operators of equal skill and practically equal earning capacity. 
 It takes about the length of a season to train a sleeve maker, although 
 he or she, no doubt, continues to gain in skill as time goes on. The 
 chief skill of the sleeve maker is in sewing the lace and trimmings to 
 the material of which the waist is made. Experienced sleeve makers 
 sometimes graduate into waist makers and trimmers. 
 
 SEX. 
 
 Of the 344 sleeve makers reported for 1913, only 44 were men; 
 300, or 87 per cent, were women. 
 
84 BULLETIN OF THE BUEEAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 WAGES. 
 
 The sleeve makers work almost equally on a piece and a week 
 basis (Table 11). In 1913, 54 per cent, or a little over one-half of 
 all the sleeve makers, were week workers and 46 per cent were piece- 
 workers. The number of pieceworkers increased considerably in 
 1913, for in 1912 they numbered only 35 per cent of all the sleeve 
 makers. 
 
 The largest single group, of sleeve makers in 1913 were the women 
 week workers, who numbered 173. Of these, as will be seen from 
 Table 34, nearly one-fourth received $7 and less than $8 a week; a 
 little over 28 per cent received $8 and less than $10 a week; a 
 little over one-fifth received less than $7. Nine girls received less 
 than $6 a week. 
 
 In 1912 there were 23 girls receiving less than $6 a week. In 
 general, there was a reduction in the number of those receiving less 
 than $7 a week and a slight increase in the proportion of those receiv- 
 ing $7 a week and over. 
 
 The next largest group were the women pieceworkers, who num- 
 bered 127 in 1913. Of these, 21.3 per cent, or a little over one-fifth, 
 earned $10 and less than $12 during the busiest week in 1913; 21.9 
 per cent earned $8 and less than $10; and 23.6 per cent earned $12 
 and less than $16. The number of these receiving $16 a week and 
 over constituted 12.7 per cent; 9.5 per cent earned less than $6. As 
 compared with 1912, there was an increase in the percentage of those 
 earning $12 a week and over. The percentage of those earning $10 
 and less than $12 a week remained the same, and of those earning 
 under $10 a week declined from 57 in 1912 to 42 in 1913. 
 
 The number of male sleeve makers, both week workers and piece- 
 workers, is too small to require any discussion of their wages. The 
 figures will be found in Table 34. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 85 
 
 TABLE 34. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF SLEEVE MAKERS (WEEK WORKERS AND 
 PIECEWORKERS) RECEIVING EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES OR EARNINGS 
 PER WEEK, 1912 AND 1913, BY SEX. 
 
 Classified rates of 
 wages or earnings 
 per week, and 
 classes of shops. 
 
 Week workers receiving each classified 
 rate of wages. 
 
 Pieceworkers earning each classified 
 amount during busiest week of year. 
 
 Females. 
 
 Males.i 
 
 Females. 
 
 Males.i 
 
 Number. 
 
 Per cent. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Number. 
 
 Per cent. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under $3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 3.1 
 
 0.8 
 .8 
 
 
 
 $3 tJ$3.99 
 
 1 
 8 
 14 
 29 
 24 
 17 
 26 
 15 
 3 
 4 
 1 
 1 
 
 2 
 3 
 4 
 26 
 43 
 25 
 24 
 25 
 11 
 5 
 3 
 
 0.7 
 5.5 
 9.7 
 20.1 
 16.7 
 11.8 
 18.0 
 10.5 
 2.1 
 2.8 
 .7 
 .7 
 
 1.2 
 1.7 
 2.3 
 15,0 
 24.8 
 14.5 
 13.9 
 14.5 
 6.4 
 2.9 
 1.7 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 $4 to $4.99 . . 
 
 2 
 7 
 1 
 3 
 9 
 13 
 14 
 6 
 2 
 4 
 1 
 1 
 
 3 
 
 7 
 7 
 7 
 13 
 15 
 27 
 15 
 15 
 8 
 6 
 1 
 
 3.1 
 10.8 
 1.6 
 4.6 
 13.8 
 20.0 
 21.5 
 9.2 
 3.1 
 6.2 
 1.5 
 1.5 
 
 2.4 
 5.5 
 5.5 
 5.5 
 10.1 
 11.8 
 21.3 
 11.8 
 11.8 
 6.3 
 4.5 
 . 5 
 
 
 
 $5 to $5 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 |6 to $6.99 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 $7 t > $7 99 
 
 
 2 
 1 
 1 
 
 
 $8 to 8.99 
 
 
 2 
 1 
 4 
 2 
 1 
 3 
 1 
 4 
 
 1 
 .... 
 
 5 
 5 
 3 
 6 
 4 
 
 $9 to S3 99 
 
 
 $10 to $11 99 
 
 2 
 4 
 2 
 2 
 
 $12 to $13.99. 
 
 3 
 3 
 1 
 
 $14 to $15 99 
 
 $16 to $17.99 
 
 $18 to 819 99 
 
 $20 to $22 49 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 .6 
 
 
 
 $22.50 to $24.99 
 
 1 
 
 
 .7 
 
 
 
 
 $25 to $27 49 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $27 50 to 829 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 3 
 
 
 2 
 
 $30 and over 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 .6 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 144 
 
 173 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 11 
 
 12 
 
 65 
 
 127 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 18 
 
 32 
 
 Association A 
 Association B 
 Nonassociation A... 
 Nonassociation B... 
 
 Workers in specified classes of shops. 
 
 96 
 14 
 31 
 3 
 
 93 
 14 
 61 
 5 
 
 
 
 8 
 1 
 2 
 
 10 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 35 
 15 
 4 
 11 
 
 79 
 19 
 18 
 11 
 
 
 
 12 
 4 
 
 20 
 3 
 
 9 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ... 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 Percentages not computed on account of small number of employees. 
 SLEEVE SETTERS. 
 
 The work of the sleeve setter consists in sewing the sleeves to the 
 waists. There are two ways of doing this work. In the waists 
 which were in style prior to 1913, the sleeves were closed by 
 the sleeve maker and set into the armhole of the waist by the sleeve 
 setter. The setting of the closed sleeve requires great skill. As a 
 rule, the sleeve is larger than the armhole and while it is being set 
 into the waist it has to be gathered into folds, the sleeve setter 
 knowing practically by instinct just how much to gather in so that 
 the sleeve will fit perfectly into the armhole and will "hang right" 
 from the body of the waist. The work is usually done on a Union 
 Special machine, which with a knife attachment trims off the raw edges 
 on the wrong side as fast as the sleeve is sewed on to the waist and 
 then fells the seam. It is also done on a Metropolitan machine 
 which automatically binds the seam on the wrong side instead of 
 felling it. 
 
86 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 In the style that has been in vogue since 1913 the sleeves are not 
 closed before being attached to the waist, being sewed on to the body 
 of the waist before being closed. The closer then closes the sleeves 
 and the sides of the waist in one operation. The change hi style left 
 the sleeve setters with but little sleeve setting to do and they have 
 been employed mostly on other work requiring the use of the 
 Union Special machine. 
 
 SEX. 
 
 Of the 139 sleeve setters reported in 1913, 86, or 62 per cent, were 
 women and 53 were men. 
 
 WAGES. 
 
 Of all the sleeve setters reported, 59 per cent were week workers 
 and 41 per cent were pieceworkers. The proportion of pieceworkers 
 has increased considerably, having constituted only 30 per cent during 
 the preceding year. Taking the sleeve setters as reported for the 
 entire industry for 1913, there were 57 women working by the week, 
 29 women working by the piece, 25 men working by the week, and 
 28 men working by the piece. These numbers are too small to 
 justify any detailed conclusions as to the trend of wages. 
 
 It is interesting to note, however, that of the 57 women week 
 workers, 40, or more than two-thirds of them, received $10 and less 
 than $16 a week. None received less than $7 a week, while during 
 the preceding year there were 4 girls receiving less than that amount. 
 There was a decided reduction in the number of those receiving less 
 than $10 a week and an increase from the preceding year in the 
 number of those receiving the higher rates of wages. 
 
 Among the men sleeve setters, week workers, the lowest wage group 
 reported in 1913 was $12 to $13.99 a week and the highest $27.50 to 
 $29.99 a week, the men as a rule receiving higher wages than the 
 women. This is ven more noticeable of the pieceworkers, where 
 the men earned considerably in excess of the women. Further de- 
 tails as to the wages of sleeve setters will be found in Table 35. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 87 
 
 TABLE 35.-NUMBER OF SLEEVE SETTERS (WEEK WORKERS AND PIECEWORKERS) 
 RECEIVING EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES OR EARNINGS PER WEEK, 1912 AND 
 1913, BY SEX. 
 
 Classified rates of wages or earnings 
 per week, and classes of shops. 
 
 Week workers receiving each 
 classified rate of wages. 
 
 Pieceworkers earning each classi- 
 fied amount during busiest 
 week of year. 
 
 Females. 
 
 Males. 
 
 Females. 
 
 Males. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under $3 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 $3 to $3.99 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 |4 to $4 99 
 
 1 
 1 
 2 
 5 
 2 
 14 
 8 
 18 
 4 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 $5 to $5.99 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 16 to 86.99 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 1 
 
 
 
 $7 to 7.99 
 
 1 
 5 
 8 
 13 
 11 
 16 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 1 
 1 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 f8 to $8.99 
 
 1 
 
 
 $ 9 to $9 99 
 
 
 
 3 
 2 
 2 
 
 3 
 5 
 3 
 5 
 3 
 3 
 
 
 $10 to $11.99 
 
 3 
 ..... 
 
 3 
 2 
 2 
 4 
 3 
 
 5 
 1 
 1 
 3 
 1 
 4 
 8 
 2 
 2 
 1 
 
 $12 to $13 99 
 
 5 
 
 S 
 7 
 3 
 1 
 
 $14 to $15.99 
 
 7 
 3 
 1 
 
 $16 to $17.99 
 
 2 
 1 
 
 $18 to $19 99 
 
 
 $20 to $22.49 
 
 
 1 
 
 $22 50 to $24 99 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 $25 to $27.49 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 ..... 
 
 
 $27.50 to $29.99 ... 
 
 
 
 $30 and over 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 55 
 
 57 
 
 16 
 
 25 
 
 11 
 
 29 
 
 20 
 
 28 
 
 Association A 
 
 Workers in specified classes of shops. 
 
 30 
 
 1 
 
 12 
 
 24 
 12 
 18 
 3 
 
 11 
 
 16 
 6 
 3 
 
 7 
 2 
 2 
 
 23 
 2 
 4 
 
 11 
 
 13 
 1 
 14 
 
 Association B 
 
 Nonassociation A 
 
 9 
 
 Nonassociation B 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 TRIMMERS. 
 
 Trimmers form the group of operators of the highest skill. Their 
 work consists in sewing on the trimmings, laces, embroideries, silks, 
 etc. It requires delicate touch, patience, and skill in handling delicate 
 materials, such as laces, embroideries, chiffons, and nets. Girls are 
 promoted to be trimmers after they have proved to be good waist or 
 dress makers. It takes about the length of a season to learn trimming, 
 but the trimmer gains in skill as she goes on working from season to 
 season. 
 
 SEX. 
 
 The nature of a trimmer's work is such as to give women a decided 
 advantage over men. Of the 634 trimmers reported for 1913, 612, 
 or 96.5 per cent, were women and only 22, or 3.5 per cent, were men. 
 
 WAGES. 
 
 Wages of week workers. The great majority of the female trimmers 
 were found employed in association shops, only 37. being reported in 
 the nonassociation shops, as will be seen from Table 36. Of the 333 
 women week workers the largest single group were those receiving $12 
 
88 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOE STATISTICS. 
 
 and less than $14 a week, these constituting about one-third of the entire 
 number; the next largest single group were those receiving $10 and 
 less than $12 who constituted a little less than 29 per cent of the 
 total, these two groups making up more than one-half of all the 
 women trimmers working by the week. A little over 14 per cent of 
 the women received $14 a week and over and nearly one-fifth re- 
 ceived under $9 a week. Three girls received under $6 a week. 
 
 Earnings of pieceworkers. Of the 279 women pieceworkers, over 19 
 per cent, or nearly -one-fifth, earned $14 and less than $16 during the 
 busiest week of 1913. Nearly 34 per cent, or a little over one- third, 
 earned $10 and less than $14 a week; over 16 per cent earned under 
 $10 a week; a little less than 9 per cent, or nearly one-tenth, earned 
 $18 and less than $20 a week, and the remaining 8.5 per cent earned 
 $20 a week and over. 
 
 Comparison of wages in 1912 and 1918. The wages of ah 1 classes 
 of trimmers show a marked improvement since the protocol went into 
 effect. In the case of the women trimmers working by the week, 
 there is a general increase in the proportion of workers receiving $12 
 a week and over, who constituted 30 per cent of all the women week 
 workers in 1912 and nearly 47 per cent in 1913, with a corresponding 
 decline in the relative number of women week workers receiving less 
 than $12 a week. In the case of women pieceworkers, a similar 
 change has occurred, except that the increase begins not with the $12 
 but with the $14 a week workers. The proportion of those earning 
 $14 a week and over was less than 19 per cent in 1912 and nearly 50 
 per cent in 1913, with a corresponding decline in the number of those 
 earning under $14 a week. 
 
 TABLE 36. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF TRIMMERS, FEMALE,! WEEK WORKERS, 
 RECEIVING EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES PER WEEK, 1912 AND 1913, BY CLASS 
 OF SHOPS. 
 
 NUMBER. 
 
 Classified ra'es of 
 wages per week. 
 
 Association A. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 A. 
 
 Association B. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 B. 
 
 Total. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 $1 to $4.99... 
 
 3 
 9 
 7 
 8 
 11 
 17 
 43 
 .23 
 4 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 4 
 4 
 
 8 
 14 
 
 
 
 
 4 
 13 
 11 
 16 
 25 
 18 
 102 
 59 
 15 
 6 
 3 
 
 
 $5 to $5.99 
 
 2 
 3 
 9 
 11 
 13 
 43 
 44 
 14 
 3 
 
 
 
 1 
 5 
 8 
 23 
 1 
 43 
 49 
 17 
 2 
 3 
 1 
 
 
 
 3 
 8 
 19 
 35 
 17 
 95 
 109 
 36 
 5 
 4 
 2 
 
 $6 to $6.99 
 
 
 
 
 
 $7 to $7 .99... 
 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 3 
 9 
 16 
 5 
 
 
 
 $8 to $8.99 
 
 
 
 
 $9 to $9.99 
 
 1 
 
 5 
 7 
 5 
 
 
 
 $10 to $11.99... 
 
 54 
 29 
 6 
 6 
 2 
 
 
 
 $12 to $13.99... 
 
 
 
 $14to $15.99 
 
 
 
 $16 to $17.99 
 
 
 
 $18 to $19.99.... 
 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 $20 to $22.49 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 126 
 
 143 
 
 18 
 
 37 
 
 128 
 
 153 
 
 
 2272 
 
 3333 
 
 
 1 
 
 i There were 8 trimmers, male, week workers, in 1912, and 9 in 1913. 
 
 * Not including 14, for whom earnings but not weekly rates of wages could be ascertained. 
 
 Not including 10, for whom earnings but not weekly rates of wages could be ascertained. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 89 
 
 TABLE 36. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF TRIMMERS, FEMALE, WEEK WORKERS, 
 RECEIVING EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES PER WEEK, 1912 AND 1913, BY CLASS 
 OF SHOPS Concluded. 
 
 PER CENT. 
 
 Classified rates of 
 wages per week. 
 
 Association A. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 A.i 
 
 Association B 
 
 Nonassociation 
 B.i 
 
 Total. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 | 1913 
 
 $4 to S4 99 
 
 2.4 
 
 
 
 
 0.8 
 3.1 
 3.1 
 6.3 
 10.9 
 
 
 
 
 1 4 
 
 
 $5 to 85.99 
 
 7.1 
 5.6 
 6.3 
 8.7 
 13.5 
 34.1 
 18.3 
 3.2 
 
 1.4 
 2.1 
 6.3 
 7.6 
 9.1 
 30.1 
 30.8 
 9.8 
 2.1 
 
 
 
 0.7 
 3.3 
 5.2 
 15.0 
 
 .7 
 
 
 
 4.8 
 4.0 
 5.9 
 9.2 
 6.6 
 37.6 
 21.7 
 5.5 
 2.2 
 1.1 
 
 0.9 
 2.4 
 5.7 
 10.5 
 5.1 
 28.6 
 32.7 
 10.8 
 1.5 
 1.2 
 .6 
 
 $6 to S6.99 
 
 
 
 
 
 $7 to $7 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 ^8 to $8.99 
 
 
 
 
 
 $9 to $9.99 
 
 
 
 
 
 $10 to $11.99 
 $12 to $13.99 
 
 
 
 42.2 
 22.6 
 4.7 
 4.7 
 1.6 
 
 28.1 
 32.0 
 11.1 
 1.3 
 1.9 
 .7 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $14 to $15.99 
 
 
 
 
 
 $16 to SI 7 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 $18 to $19 99 
 
 g 
 
 
 
 
 
 $20 to $22 49 
 
 
 .7 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 TABLE 37. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF TRIMMERS, FEMALE,* PIECEWORKERS, EARN- 
 ING EACH CLASSIFIED AMOUNT, DURING THE BUSIEST WEEK OF THE YEAR, 1912 
 AND 1913, BY CLASS OF SHOPS. 
 
 NUMBER. 
 
 Classified earnings 
 per week. 
 
 Association 
 
 Nonassociation 
 A.i 
 
 Association 
 B. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 B.i 
 
 Total. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under $3 
 
 3 
 
 o 
 
 7 
 1 
 6 
 10 
 12 
 8 
 18 
 23 
 11 
 4 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 4 
 3 
 3 
 3 
 9 
 8 
 11 
 22 
 38 
 27 
 10 
 7 
 6 
 6 
 4 
 1 
 1 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 7 
 5 
 10 
 4 
 15 
 18 
 23 
 31 
 58 
 51 
 21 
 11 
 7 
 6 
 4 
 1 
 1 
 1 
 
 3 
 
 ""3 
 3 
 6 
 6 
 10 
 15 
 48 
 46 
 54 
 37 
 24 
 11 
 9 
 2 
 2 
 
 $3 to $3 99 
 
 
 
 
 $4 to $4 99 
 
 1 
 1 
 3 
 3 
 6 
 9 
 24 
 23 
 26 
 13 
 6 
 2 
 2 
 
 
 2 
 2 
 3 
 3 
 
 4 
 6 
 21 
 21 
 27 
 24 
 18 
 9 
 7 
 2 
 1 
 
 
 
 $5 to $5.99 
 
 
 
 
 $6 to $6 99 
 
 
 
 
 $7 to 7.99 
 
 
 
 
 $8 to 88 99 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 $9 to 89 99 
 
 
 1 
 1 
 4 
 
 
 $10 to Sll 99 
 
 1 
 
 
 3 
 2 
 
 $12 to $13 99 
 
 
 $14 to $15 99 
 
 
 1 
 
 $16 to $17 99 
 
 
 
 
 $18 to $19 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 $20 to $22 49 
 
 
 
 
 
 $22 to $24 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $25 to $27 49 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $27 50 to $29 99 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 $30 and over 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 106 
 
 121 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 164 
 
 152 
 
 3 
 
 5 
 
 3274 
 
 <279 
 
 
 PER CENT. 
 
 Under $3 
 
 2 9 
 
 8 
 
 
 
 2.4 
 
 1.3 
 
 
 
 2.6 
 
 1.0 
 
 $3 to $3 99 
 
 1 9 
 
 
 
 
 1.8 
 
 
 
 
 1.8 
 
 
 $4 to $4 99 
 
 6 6 
 
 g 
 
 
 
 1.8 
 
 1.3 
 
 
 
 3.6 
 
 1.0 
 
 $5 to $5 99 
 
 1 
 
 .8 
 
 
 
 1.8 
 
 1.3 
 
 
 
 1.5 
 
 1.0 
 
 $6 to $6 99 
 
 5 7 
 
 2 5 
 
 
 
 5.5 
 
 2.0 
 
 
 
 5.5 
 
 2.2 
 
 $7 to ^7 99 
 
 9 4 
 
 2 5 
 
 
 
 4.9 
 
 2.0 
 
 
 
 6.6 
 
 2.2 
 
 $8 to $8 99 
 
 11 3 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 6.7 
 
 2.6 
 
 
 
 8.4 
 
 3.6 
 
 $9 to $9 99 
 
 7 5 
 
 7 4 
 
 
 
 13.4 
 
 3.9 
 
 
 
 11.3 
 
 5.4 
 
 $10 to $11 99 
 
 17 
 
 19 8 
 
 
 
 23.2 
 
 13.8 
 
 
 
 21.2 
 
 17.3 
 
 $12 to $13 99 
 
 21 7 
 
 19 
 
 
 
 16.5 
 
 13.8 
 
 
 
 18.6 
 
 16.5 
 
 $14 to $15 99 
 
 10 3 
 
 21 5 
 
 
 
 6.1 
 
 17.8 
 
 
 
 7.7 
 
 19.4 
 
 $16 to $17 99 
 
 3 7 
 
 10 7 
 
 
 
 4.3 
 
 15.8 
 
 
 
 4.0 
 
 13.3 
 
 $18 to $19 99 
 
 1 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 3.7 
 
 11.8 
 
 
 
 2.6 
 
 8.6 
 
 $20 to $22.49 
 $2 9 50 to $24 99 
 
 
 1.7 
 
 1 7 
 
 
 
 
 
 3.7 
 
 2.4 
 
 5.9 
 
 4.6 
 
 
 
 
 2.2 
 1.5 
 
 3.9 
 3.2 
 
 $25 to $27 49 
 
 
 
 
 
 .6 
 
 1.3 
 
 
 
 .3 
 
 .7 
 
 $27 50 to $29 99 
 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 .6 
 
 .7 
 
 
 
 .3 
 
 .7 
 
 $30 and over 
 
 
 
 
 
 .6 
 
 
 
 
 .3 
 
 
 Total 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 Percentages not computed on account of small number of employees. 
 
 * There were 4 trimmers, male. pieceworkers, in 1912 and 13 in 1913. 
 
 3 Including 14 week workers, for whom earnings but not weekly rates of wages could be ascertained. 
 
 * Including 10 week workers, for whom earnings but not weekly rates of wages could be ascertained. 
 
90 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 TUCKERS. 
 
 Tucking consists of folding certain parts of the waist or cloth into 
 plaits or tucks which are stitched down on the machine. Much of 
 the tucking is so-called strip tucking consisting of the making of 
 tucks on long strips of material which run sometimes into the hun- 
 dreds of yards. The width of the tuck is regulated by the so-called 
 knife, which is an attachment put on the machine for that pur- 
 pose. The skill of the operator is in getting the cloth under the knife, 
 guiding the cloth under the needle of the machine, in regulating the 
 spaces between the rows of stitching, and in knowing how to handle 
 the machine. More skill is required in "short tucking," which con- 
 sists in making tucks of various lengths and widths on the body of the 
 waist. This requires frequent starting and stopping of the machine 
 and getting the waist under the machine, which can be easily dam- 
 aged by an unskillful operator. Some of the tucking is done free hand 
 without any knife to regulate the width of the tuck. This is especially 
 the case with tucks on skirts which are made to taper from a con- 
 siderable width at the waist line down to a point at the end of the 
 tuck. Tucking of this kind requires the highest skill. There are a 
 number of shops which do nothing but make tucking for other manu- 
 facturers, for the reason that in shops of moderate size there is not 
 enough tucking to do to keep one or more tuckers busy continuously. 
 This was especially the case in 1913, when tucking was not much in 
 demand on account of changes in style and when tuckers were unem- 
 ployed much of the time. 
 
 SEX. 
 
 Men formed a considerable proportion of the tuckers in 1913. Out 
 of 875 tuckers, 248, or more than one-fourth, were men, and 627 were 
 women. 
 
 WAGES. 
 
 About half of the tucking is done at piece rates ; but contrary to the 
 tendency observed in most of the other operating work, the propor- 
 tion of pieceworkers has declined since the protocol went into effect. 
 Thus, in 1913, 46 per cent, or less than one-half of all the tuckers, 
 worked by the piece; while in 1912 the proportion of pieceworkers 
 among tuckers was 54 per cent, or more than one-half. 
 
 Wages of week workers, women. Among the women working by 
 the week, the largest group, which numbered 125 women and con- 
 stituted nearly 35 per cent of the total, received $12 and less than 
 $14 a week; a little over one-fifth of the women received $14 and less 
 than $16, and a little over one-fifth received $10 and less than $12, 
 these three groups of women that is, those receiving $10 and less 
 than $16 a week constituting 75.5 per cent or more than three- 
 fourths of all the women. Less than one-fifth or nearly 19 per cent 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DEESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 91 
 
 received under $10 a week and three girls received under $6 a week; 
 nearly 6 per cent received $16 a week and over. 
 
 Wages of week workers, men. The largest single group among the 
 109 men week workers were those receiving $14 and less than $16 a 
 week, constituting over 42 per cent of the total; nearly 14 per cent 
 received $16 and less than $18; over 10 per cent received $18 and 
 less than $20 and less than 5 per cent received $20 a week and over. 
 Only one boy tucker received under $6 a week and three received $6 
 a week. It will be seen from these figures that the men received, 
 on the whole, higher wages than the women. Thus, there were no 
 women receiving $20 a week, while nearly 5 per cent of the men re- 
 ceived $20 a week and over. While the number of women receiving 
 $14 a week and over constituted only one-fourth of the total, the 
 number of men receiving these wages constituted nearly three-fourths. 
 
 Earnings of pieceworkers. Sixty-one of the 267 women pieceworkers 
 constituting 23 per cent, or nearly one-fourth of the total, earned $18 
 a week and over during the busiest week of 1913; nearly 34 per cent 
 or more than one-third earned $14 and less than $18 a week; over 
 14 per cent earned from $12 to $13.99 a week; over 11 per cent 
 earned $10 and less than $12 a week, and over 18 per cent, or less 
 than one-fifth, earned under $10 a week. As is usually the case, 
 men earned much higher wages than the women. Over one-fourth 
 of the pieceworkers, male, earned $22.50 a week and over during 
 the busiest week of the year; over one-fifth earned from $18 to 
 $22.49; over 30 per cent, or a little less than one-third, earned $14 
 and less than $18; more than 24 per cent, or nearly one-fourth, earned 
 under $14 a week. Of the men, less than 4 per cent earned under $6 
 a week. 
 
 Comparison of wages in 1912 and 1913. There was a noticeable 
 increase in the earnings of the tuckers, both week and pieceworkers, 
 from 1912 to 1913. An examination of Tables 38, 39, and 40 will 
 show that among the women week workers, those receiving $12 a 
 week and over constituted a larger proportion in 1913 as compared 
 with 1912, while those receiving under $12 a week were reduced in 
 numbers. The same is true of the men week workers except that the 
 line is to be drawn at $14 a week instead of $12 as in the case of the 
 women. Among the pieceworkers this is likewise true. Thus, 
 the number of women pieceworkers earning $14 a week and over has 
 increased from 21.9 per cent in 1912 to 56.5 per cent in 1913. Among 
 the men, the number of those earning $14 a week and over during 
 the busiest week of the year increased from 52.8 per cent in 1912 
 to 75.6 per cent in 1913. 
 
 No great differences appear in the wages paid to tuckers in the 
 different branches of the industry. The details as to the wages paid 
 in association and nonassociation shops will be found in Tables 38, 39,^ 
 and 40. 
 
92 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUKEAU OF LABOK STATISTICS. 
 
 TABCE38. NUMBER AND PERCENT OF TUCKERS, FEMALE, WEEK WORKERS, RECEIV- 
 ING EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES PER WEEK, 1912 AND 1913, BY CLASS OF 
 
 SHOPS - NUMBER. 
 
 Classified rates of 
 wages per wee.t. 
 
 Association A. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 A. 
 
 Association B. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 B.i 
 
 Total. 
 
 1912 
 
 1 
 2 
 
 2 
 4 
 7 
 9 
 21 
 24 
 9 
 2 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 $3 to 83.99 
 
 $4 to $4 99 
 
 
 2 
 1 
 1 
 
 4 
 5 
 7 
 12 
 11 
 7 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 3 
 
 4 
 7 
 10 
 17 
 20 
 59 
 59 
 3G 
 4 
 1 
 
 1 
 1 
 3 
 23 
 13 
 25 
 74 
 125 
 73 
 18 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $5 to $"> 99 
 
 
 2 
 1 
 
 1 
 3 
 5 
 27 
 25 
 23 
 2 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 $6 to $"> 99 
 
 3 
 6 
 3 
 8 
 30 
 43 
 23 
 6 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 $7 to $7 99 
 
 15 
 
 6 
 13 
 28 
 41 
 15 
 5 
 
 2 
 4 
 3 
 12 
 27 
 30 
 3 
 1 
 
 
 
 $8 to $8 99 
 
 
 
 $9 to $9 99 
 
 
 1 
 4 
 14 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 $10 to $11.99 
 
 
 $12 to $13.99 
 
 2 
 1 
 
 $14 to $15.99 
 
 $16 to $17 99 
 
 $18 to $19 99 
 
 
 
 $0 to $22 49 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total . . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 82 
 
 127 
 
 53 
 
 120 
 
 90 
 
 82 
 
 3 
 
 25 
 
 229 
 
 360 
 
 
 PER CENT. 
 
 $3 to $3 99 
 
 1.2 
 
 
 3.8 
 
 08 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 3 
 
 3 
 
 $4 to $4 99 
 
 2 4 
 
 
 1 9 
 
 .8 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 3 
 
 3 
 
 $5 to $") 99 
 
 1.2 
 
 
 1.9 
 
 .8 
 
 2.2 
 
 
 
 
 1.7 
 
 3 
 
 $6 to $f> 99 
 
 2.4 
 
 2.4 
 
 7.5 
 
 
 1.1 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 9 
 
 $7 to $7 99 
 
 4.9 
 
 4.7 
 
 9.4 
 
 11.9 
 
 1.1 
 
 2.4 
 
 
 
 4.4 
 
 6 4 
 
 $8 to $8 99 
 
 8.6 
 
 2.4 
 
 13.2 
 
 4.8 
 
 3.3 
 
 4.9 
 
 
 
 7 4 
 
 3 6 
 
 $9 to $9 99 
 
 11 
 
 6 3 
 
 22 6 
 
 10 3 
 
 5.6 
 
 3.7 
 
 
 
 11 3 
 
 6 9 
 
 $10to$U.99 
 $12 to $13 99 
 
 25.6 
 29 3 
 
 23.6 
 33.8 
 
 20.8 
 13 2 
 
 22.2 
 32 5 
 
 30.0 
 27.8 
 
 14.6 
 32.9 
 
 
 
 25. 9 
 25 9 
 
 20.5 
 3 4 7 
 
 $14 to 15 99 
 
 11.0 
 
 20.5 
 
 5.7 
 
 11.9 
 
 25.6 
 
 36.6 
 
 
 
 15.7 
 
 20 3 
 
 $16 to $17 90 
 
 2.4 
 
 4.7 
 
 
 4.0 
 
 2.2 
 
 3.7 
 
 
 
 1.7 
 
 4 9 
 
 $18 to $19 99 
 
 
 1 6 
 
 
 
 1 i 
 
 1 2 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 9 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 i Percentages not computed on account of small number of employees. 
 
 TABLE 39. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF TUCKERS, FEMALE, PIECEWORKERS, EARN- 
 ING EACH CLASSIFIED AMOUNT, DURING THE BUSIEST WEEK OF THE YEAR, 1912 
 AND 1913, BY CLASS OF SHOPS. 
 
 NUMBER. 
 
 Classified earnings 
 per week. 
 
 Association 
 A. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 A.i 
 
 Association 
 B. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 B.i 
 
 Total. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under $3 
 
 o 
 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 3 
 
 2 
 
 (1 
 
 
 
 
 5 
 9 
 5 
 5 
 8 
 18 
 28 
 30 
 54 
 62 
 27 
 14 
 12 
 8 
 1 
 1 
 
 4 
 2 
 2 
 5 
 4 
 7 
 12 
 12 
 33 
 38 
 45 
 T) 
 31 
 13 
 8 
 2 
 3 
 1 
 
 $3 to $3.59... 
 
 2 
 4 
 1 
 2 
 6 
 9 
 12 
 14 
 24 
 8 
 5 
 5 
 2 
 
 1 
 1 
 3 
 2 
 2 
 9 
 4 
 It 
 10 
 19 
 17 
 8 
 3 
 
 
 
 $tto$4.99 
 
 
 1 
 3 
 .4 
 
 7 
 10 
 10 
 29 
 33 
 13 
 7 
 6 
 5 
 1 
 
 2 
 4 
 7 
 12 
 
 20 
 21 
 
 is 
 
 10 
 8 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 $=>to$5.99 
 
 1 
 2 
 5 
 8 
 7 
 11 
 5 
 1 
 2 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 
 
 $6 to $6.99 
 
 
 
 $7 to $7.99.... 
 
 ..... 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 $8 to $8.99 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 9 
 16 
 
 6 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 $0 to $9.99. . 
 
 $10 to $11.99.... 
 
 
 $12 to $13.99.... 
 $14to$15.9 
 
 
 
 
 
 $16to$17.99 
 
 
 1 
 3 
 
 $18 to $19.99.... 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 $20 to $22.49. . . 
 
 
 $22.50 to $24.99... 
 
 
 
 
 $25 to $27.49 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 ..... 
 
 $27.50 to $29.99 
 
 
 
 
 
 $30 and over 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 90 
 
 94 
 
 44 
 
 54 
 
 142 
 
 113 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 287 
 
 267 
 
 
 * Percentages not computed oa account of small number of employees. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 93 
 
 TABLE 39. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF TUCKERS, FEMALE, PIECEWORKERS, EARN- 
 ING EACH CLASSIFIED AMOUNT, DURING THE BUSIEST WEEK OF THE YEAR, 
 1912 AND 1913, BY CLASS OF SHOPS Concluded. 
 
 PER CENT. 
 
 Classified earnings 
 per week. 
 
 Association 
 A. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 A. 
 
 Association 
 B. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 B. 
 
 Total. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under $3 . 
 
 2.1 
 2.1 
 4.1 
 1.0 
 2.1 
 6.3 
 9.4 
 12.5 
 14.6 
 25.0 
 8.3 
 5.2 
 5.2 
 2.1 
 
 
 
 
 1.4 
 4.2 
 
 .7 
 
 0.9 
 .9 
 .9 
 
 
 
 1.7 
 3.1 
 1.7 
 1.7 
 
 2.8 
 6.3 
 9.8 
 10.4 
 18.8 
 21.6 
 9.4 
 4.9 
 4.2 
 2.8 
 .3 
 .3 
 
 1.5 
 .8 
 .8 
 1.9 
 1.5 
 2.6 
 4.5 
 4.5 
 11.2 
 14.2 
 16.8 
 16.8 
 12.7 
 4.9 
 3.0 
 .8 
 1.1 
 .4 
 
 $3 to $3 99 
 
 1.1 
 1.1 
 3.2 
 2.1 
 2.1 
 9.6 
 4.2 
 14.9 
 10.6 
 20.2 
 18.1 
 8.5 
 3.2 
 
 
 
 
 
 $4 to $4. 09 
 
 
 
 
 
 $5 to $5 99 
 
 
 
 2.1 
 2.8 
 4.9 
 7.1 
 
 .9 
 .9 
 3.5 
 
 
 
 $6 to $6 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 $7 to $7.99 
 
 
 
 
 
 $8 to $S 99 
 
 
 
 1.8 
 
 
 
 $9 to $9.99 
 
 
 
 7.1 
 20.4 
 23.3 
 12.7 
 4.9 
 4.2 
 3.5 
 .7 
 
 3.5 
 6.2 
 10.6 
 17.7 
 18.6 
 14.1 
 8.8 
 7.1 
 .9 
 
 
 
 $10 to $11.99. 
 
 
 
 
 
 $12 to $13 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 $14 to $15.99 
 
 
 
 
 
 $16 to $17.99. 
 
 
 
 
 
 $18 to $19.99 
 
 
 
 
 
 $20 to 22.49. 
 
 
 
 
 
 $22 50 to $24.99 
 
 
 
 
 
 $2") 1 o 27 49 
 
 
 1.1 
 
 
 
 
 
 $27.50 to $29.99 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1.8 
 
 
 
 $30 and over 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 .9 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 TABLE 40 NUMBER AND PER CENT OF TUCKERS, MALE (WEEK WORKERS AND 
 
 PIECEWORKERS), RECEIVING EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES OR EARNINGS 
 PER WEEK, 1912 AND 1913, FOR THE INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE. 
 
 Classified rates of wages or earnings 
 per week. 
 
 Week workers (male) receiving 
 each classified rate of wages. 
 
 Pieceworkers (male) receiving 
 each classified amount during 
 busiest week of year. 
 
 Number. 
 
 Per cent. 
 
 Number. 
 
 Per cent. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under $3... 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 1 
 1 
 
 
 2.8 
 
 
 $3 to $3.99. . . . 
 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 2 
 
 1.4 
 1.4 
 
 2.2 
 1.4 
 
 $4 to $4.99 
 
 1 
 
 
 1.2 
 
 
 $5 t3 $5 99 
 
 1 
 3 
 
 
 1.0 
 
 2.7 
 
 $6 to $6.99... 
 
 2 
 1 
 3 
 5 
 17 
 30 
 12 
 5 
 4 
 2 
 1 
 
 2.4 
 1.2 
 
 
 2 
 2 
 3 
 6 
 6 
 10 
 20 
 22 
 16 
 12 
 12 
 12 
 3 
 8 
 
 
 1.4 
 1.4 
 2.2 
 4.3 
 4.3 
 7.2 
 14.4 
 15.9 
 11.5 
 8.6 
 8.6 
 8.6 
 2.2 
 5.8 
 
 $7 to $7.99 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 7 
 11 
 10 
 
 7 
 7 
 6 
 4 
 4 
 4 
 1 
 5 
 
 1.4 
 
 1.4 
 9.7 
 15.2 
 13.9 
 9.7 
 9.7 
 8.3 
 5.6 
 5.6 
 5.6 
 1.4 
 6.9 
 
 $8 to $8 99 
 
 2 
 1 
 8 
 17 
 46 
 15 
 11 
 4 
 
 3.6 
 6.0 
 20.5 
 36.2 
 14.5 
 6.0 
 4.8 
 2.4 
 1.2 
 
 1.8 
 1.0 
 7.3 
 15.6 
 42.2 
 13.7 
 10.1 
 3.6 
 
 $9 to $9. 99 
 
 $10 to $11.99 .. . 
 
 $12 to $13.99 
 
 $14 to $15 99 
 
 $16 tD $17.99 
 
 $18 to $19.99 . 
 
 $20 to $22.49... 
 
 $22 50 to $24 99 
 
 $25 to $27.49 
 
 1 
 
 
 1.0 
 
 $27.50 to $29 99 
 
 
 
 $30 and over 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 83 
 
 109 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 72 
 
 139 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 WAIST OPERATORS. 
 
 By "waist operators" are generally meant operators who make a 
 complete waist. The work consists of the following processes: 1, 
 The preparation of the so-called trimmings, which includes the making 
 of the collars, the sewing on of laces or embroideries on the fronts, 
 
94 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 the sewing on of the trimmings on the sleeves, etc.; 2, the joining of 
 the shoulders, that is, sewing together the front and back parts of the 
 waists along the shoulder lines; 3, "collar setting," that is, sewing 
 the collar on to the waist; 4, "making facings," that is, preparing the 
 buttonhole and button pieces which are narrow strips of folded 
 cloth, on one of which the buttons are sewed and on the other the 
 buttonholes are made; 5, "closing sides, " that is, joining the front 
 and back parts of the waist along the sides; 6, "shirring" or " tack- 
 ing" the fronts and backs, that is, gathering the front and back parts 
 of the waist hi to folds and stitching these down along the waist line; 
 7, "setting little skirts," that is, sewing on at the waist line the 
 bottom part of the waist; 8, "hemming," that is, hemming the lower 
 edge of the waist; 9, "setting sleeves," that is, sewing the sleeves to 
 the waist. 
 
 As a rule, however, the work of making the waist is divided between 
 the "body maker" and those who specialize in making certain parts, 
 such as sleeve setters, buttonhole makers, etc. The body maker is 
 practically a waist operator, relieved of certain of the processes in 
 the making of the waist. Where body makers are employed they 
 may do the trimming or the work may be done by "trimmers." The 
 same is true of setting the collars. The work of the "body makers" 
 proper is confined to joining the shoulders, setting the collar, closing 
 the sleeves and sides, making the facings, shirring or tacking the front 
 and back, and setting the little skirt to the waist. Occasionally, 
 also, they may make some of the tucks on the waist. The change in 
 fashion in 1913, which did away with the seamed shoulders and 
 substituted kimono sleeves for the old style and did away with lace 
 trimming in most cases, resulted in the body makers' making prac- 
 tically the whole waist. 
 
 In Tables 41, 42, 43, and 44, which give the wages of waist opera- 
 tors, it was found necessary to include not only the body makers and 
 waist operators as just defined, but also a number of other operators, 
 in view of the indiscriminate manner in which operators are described 
 on the pay rolls of the different shops. The following were included 
 among "waist operators" in classifying the different classes of 
 operators: First, all operators described as "waist operators" or 
 "body makers" on the pay rolls; second, persons described as opera- 
 tors on the pay rolls of shops manufacturing waists exclusively. 
 These may include buttonhole makers, hemstitchers, tuckers, or any 
 other branch of operators, as well as waist makers strictly speaking, so 
 long as they were found working in shops manufacturing waists 
 exclusively and were not described more definitely under any one of 
 the occupations mentioned in Table 7. 
 
 SEX. 
 
 The great majority of waist operators are women. Of the 5,825 
 waist operators reported in Table 9, 5,061, or 87 per cent, were women, 
 and only 764, or 13 per cent, of the total were men. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 95 
 
 WAGES. 
 
 As is shown in Table 11, the proportion of week workers and piece- 
 workers among waist operators was practically the same in 1912 
 and 1913. The pieceworkers are slightly in excess of the week work- 
 ers, the former constituting in 1913 51.6 per cent of the total and 
 the latter 48.4 per cent, as shown in the following table, which also 
 gives corresponding figures for each branch of the industry. 
 
 
 Number. 
 
 Per cent. 
 
 Week 
 workers. 
 
 Piece- 
 workers. 
 
 Week 
 workers. 
 
 Piece- 
 workers. 
 
 Association A . . 
 
 1,729 
 357 
 646 
 17 
 
 1,398 
 1,187 
 387 
 104 
 
 55.3 
 23.1 
 62.5 
 14.0 
 
 44.7 
 76.9 
 37.5 
 86.0 
 
 Association B 
 
 Nonassociation A 
 
 Nonassociation B * 
 
 Total 
 
 12,820 
 
 13,005 
 
 48.4 
 
 51.6 
 
 
 1 The figures for association and nonassociation shops shown in this table are derived from Tables 41 to 
 44, which give the number of waist operators according to classified earnings or wage rates. In those 
 tables 71 week workers for whom earnings but not weekly rates were ascertained were included among 
 pieceworkers. This accounts for the discrepancy between this total and the sum of the items. 
 
 The following table shows what per cent the week workers and the 
 pieceworkers in each branch were of all the waist operators in the 
 industry : 
 
 
 Week 
 workers. 
 
 Piece- 
 workers. 
 
 Association A ... .... 
 
 Per cent. 
 30.8 
 
 Per cent. 
 22.9 
 
 Association B 
 
 6.1 
 
 20.4 
 
 Nonassociation A 
 
 11.2 
 
 6.5 
 
 Nonassociation B 
 
 .3 
 
 1.8 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 48.4 
 
 51.6 
 
 
 
 
 Wages of week workers. If we draw the line at $12 a week, we 
 shall find that in the wage groups of SI 2 and over, the percentage 
 of men waist operators exceeds that of women; below the $12 a week 
 line the relation is reversed. Thus, only a little over 20 per cent of 
 all women waist operators, week workers, received $12 a week and 
 over, while the corresponding group of men constituted over 59 per 
 cent of all the men week workers. In other words, only one-fifth of 
 the women week workers received $12 a week and over, while nearly 
 three-fifths of the men week workers received these wages. The 
 number of women week workers receiving iinder $6 a week in 1913 
 was 9.6 per cent of the total, while the number of men was 3.3 per cent. 
 Those receiving $6 and less than $9 a week included nearly 39 per 
 cent of the women and only a little over 19 per cent of the men; 
 those receiving $9 and less than $12 constituted over 31 per cent of 
 the women and 18.4 per cent of the men. While on the whole there 
 is a slight improvement over 1912 in the wages of waist operators 
 
96 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 working by the week, the increase in the proportion of workers re- 
 ceiving higher wages with a corresponding reduction in the number 
 ol those receiving lower rates is not as clearly perceptible among the 
 waist operators as has been tne case in the other occupations noted 
 in this report. 
 
 Earnings of pieceworJcers. As is the case with the week workers, 
 the earnings of the men working by the piece are greater than those 
 of the women, except that the line has to be drawn at $18 a week 
 among the pieceworkers instead of $12, .as among the week workers. 
 The number of those earning $18 a week and over during the busiest 
 week of 1913 constituted 18 per cent of all the women pieceworkers 
 and nearly 49 per cent of all the men pieceworkers. The number of 
 those earning $16 and less than $18 constituted 12.5 per cent of all 
 women pieceworkers, and almost the same percentage of the men 
 pieceworkers. Below that wage group tne proportion of women ex- 
 ceeds that of men in nearly every case. 
 
 The increase over 1912 in earnings among the waist operators 
 working by the piece was more perceptible than among those working 
 by the week; it was also greater among the women than among the 
 men pieceworkers. Thus, the proportion of women earning $16 a 
 week and over during the busiest week of the year increased from 
 less than 18 per cent in 1912 to 30.5 per cent in 1913, while among 
 the men it increased from 54 per cent in 1912 to nearly 62 per cent 
 in 1913. 
 
 Further details as to wages of waist operators will be found in 
 Tables 41, 42, 43, and 44. 
 
 TABLE 41. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF WAIST OPERATORS, FEMALE, WEEK WORKERS, 
 RECEIVING EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES PER WEEK, 1912 AND 1913, BY CLASS 
 OF SHOPS. 
 
 NUMBER. 
 
 Classified rales of 
 wages per week. 
 
 Association A. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 A. 
 
 Association B. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 B.i 
 
 Total. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under $3... 
 
 3 
 29 
 115 
 148 
 202 
 213 
 202 
 181 
 225 
 119 
 48 
 3 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 33 
 140 
 183 
 262 
 296 
 278 
 272 
 380 
 260 
 101 
 7 
 4 
 
 
 $3 to $3.99 
 
 6 
 45 
 117 
 182 
 255 
 221 
 184 
 314 
 145 
 69 
 19 
 1 
 2 
 1 
 
 4 
 11 
 8 
 41 
 46 
 37 
 42 
 80 
 35 
 18 
 1 
 1 
 
 3 
 13 
 25 
 55 
 59 
 74 
 70 
 127 
 80 
 46 
 11 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 9 
 71 
 153 
 277 
 32S 
 329 
 272 
 485 
 286 
 158 
 37 
 7 
 4 
 1 
 
 $4 to $4.99.. 
 
 14 
 27 
 19 
 33 
 29 
 41 
 60 
 92 
 35 
 3 
 2 
 
 13 
 10 
 40 
 13 
 30 
 15 
 37 
 61 
 43 
 7 
 3 
 2 
 
 
 
 $5 to $5. 99 
 
 
 1 
 
 $6 to $3.99 
 
 
 $7 to $7.99.. . . 
 
 4 
 8 
 8 
 17 
 14 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 3 
 
 7 
 
 $8 to $8.99 
 
 $9 to $9.99 
 
 $10 to $11.99 
 
 $12 to $13.99 
 
 $14 to $15.99 
 
 
 $16 to $17.99 
 
 
 
 $18 to $19.99. 
 
 
 
 $20 ti $22.49.... 
 
 
 
 $22.50 to $24.99 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1,489 
 
 1,561 
 
 324 
 
 566 
 
 355 
 
 274 
 
 51 
 
 16 
 
 22,219 
 
 32,417 
 
 
 1 Percentages not computed, on account of small number of employees. 
 
 1 Not including 44, for wLom earnings but not weekly rates cl v*agcs could be ascertained. 
 
 Not including 71, for whom earnings but not weekly rates of wages could be ascertained. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 97 
 
 TABLE 41. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF WAIST OPERATORS, FEMALE, WEEK WORK- 
 ERS, RECEIVING EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES PER WEEK, 1912 AND 1913, BY 
 CLASS OF SHOPS Concluded. 
 
 PER CENT. 
 
 Classified rates of 
 wages per week. 
 
 Association A. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 A. 
 
 Association B. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 B. 
 
 Total. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under $3 
 
 0.2 
 1.9 
 7.7 
 9.9 
 13.6 
 14.3 
 13.6 
 12.2 
 15.1 
 8.1 
 3.2 
 .2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 0.1 
 1.5 
 6.3 
 8.3 
 11.8 
 13.3 
 12.5 
 12.3 
 17.1 
 11.7 
 4.6 
 .3 
 .2 
 
 
 13 to S3.99. 
 
 0.4 
 2.9 
 7.5 
 11.7 
 16.3 
 14.1 
 11.8 
 20.1 
 9.3 
 4.4 
 1.2 
 .1 
 .1 
 
 1.2 
 3.4 
 2.5 
 
 12.6 
 14.2 
 11.4 
 13.0 
 24.7 
 10.8 
 5.6 
 .3 
 .3 
 
 0.5 
 2.3 
 4.4 
 9.7 
 10.4 
 13.1 
 12.4 
 22.5 
 14.2 
 8.1 
 1.9 
 .5 
 
 
 
 
 
 0.4 
 2.9 
 6.3 
 11.5 
 13.6 
 13.6 
 11.2 
 20.1 
 11.9 
 6.5 
 1.5 
 .3 
 .2 
 C) 
 
 14 to SI 99 
 
 3.9 
 7.6 
 5.3 
 9.3 
 
 8.2 
 11.5 
 16.9 
 25.9 
 9.9 
 .9 
 .6 
 
 4.8 
 3.6 
 14.6 
 4.8 
 10.9. 
 5.5 
 13.5 
 22.3 
 15.7 
 2.5 
 1.1 
 .7 
 
 
 
 15 to $5.99 
 
 
 
 $6 to $6.99 
 
 
 
 $7 to $7 99 
 
 
 
 $8toS8.99 
 
 
 
 |9 to $9.99 
 
 
 
 $10 to $11.99 
 
 
 
 $12 to $13.99. . . . 
 
 
 
 $14 to $15.99 
 
 
 
 $16t3$17.C9 
 $18 to S19.99. . 
 
 
 
 
 
 $20 to $22.49 
 
 
 
 
 $22 50 to $24 99 
 
 
 .1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 
 1 Less than one-tenth of 1 per cent. 
 
 TABLE 42. WAIST OPERATORS, MALE, WEEK WORKERS, RECEIVING EACH CLASSI- 
 FIED RATE OF WAGES PER WEEK, 1912 AND 1913, BY CLASS OF SHOPS. 
 
 Classified rates of 
 - wages per week. 
 
 Association 
 -A. 
 
 Nonassoci- 
 ation A. 
 
 Association 
 B. 
 
 Nonassocia- 
 tion B. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Number. 
 
 Per cent. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under S.7.. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 13 to 53.99 
 
 
 ] 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 3 
 6 
 20 
 23 
 21 
 20 
 41 
 54 
 76 
 37 
 14 
 15 
 
 
 0.6 
 .9 
 1.8 
 6.0 
 6.9 
 6.3 
 6.0 
 12.4 
 16.4 
 22.9 
 11.1 
 4.2 
 4.5 
 
 $4to?4.99 
 
 7 
 7 
 5 
 8 
 11 
 7 
 22 
 37 
 38 
 13 
 10 
 4 
 1 
 
 2 
 4 
 11 
 17 
 10 
 10 
 13 
 22 
 30 
 25 
 12 
 11 
 
 1 
 
 ""2 
 ..... 
 
 2 
 2 
 3 
 10 
 2 
 
 "-" 
 
 1 
 2 
 3 
 3 
 7 
 3 
 9 
 19 
 16 
 12 
 1 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 8 
 8 
 7 
 12 
 18 
 18 
 39 
 48 
 79 
 18 
 11 
 6 
 1 
 
 2.9 
 2.9 
 2.6 
 4.4 
 6.6 
 6.6 
 14.3 
 17.6 
 28.9 
 6.6 
 4.0 
 2.2 
 .4 
 
 15 to $5. 99 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 $6 to 36 99 
 
 6 
 3 
 4 
 7 
 19 
 13 
 30 
 
 
 
 $7 to 57.99 
 
 4 
 6 
 8 
 14 
 8 
 30 
 3 
 1 
 
 
 
 18 to 33.99 
 
 
 
 $9 to ?9 99 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 
 $10 to SI 1.99 
 
 
 $12 to S13.99 
 
 
 $14 to $15 90 
 
 1 
 
 
 $16 to 17.99 
 
 
 $18 to 819.99 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 $20 to ;22 49 
 
 1 
 
 
 $22 / to $24 99 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 170 
 
 168 
 
 25 
 
 80 
 
 75 
 
 83 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 1273 
 
 332 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 i Not including 4 for whom earnings but not weekly rates of wages could be ascertained. 
 
 JOT 000 T>,,11 1/tfi 1/1 T 
 
98 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 TABLE 43. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF WAIST OPERATORS, FEMALE, PIECEWO1 
 ERS, EARNING EACH CLASSIFIED AMOUNT DURING THE BUSIEST WEEK OF Tl 
 YEAR, 1912 AND 1913, BY CLASS OF SHOPS. 
 
 NUMBER. 
 
 Classified earnings 
 per week. 
 
 Association 
 A. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 A. 
 
 Association 
 B. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 B. 
 
 Total. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under $3 
 
 19 
 14 
 32 
 29 
 45 
 51 
 56 
 80 
 165 
 420 
 107 
 49 
 33 
 16 
 10 
 5 
 5 
 
 31 
 22 
 19 
 31 
 39 
 42 
 76 
 71 
 195 
 190 
 173 
 125 
 66 
 37 
 21 
 17 
 9 
 4 
 
 9 
 3 
 6 
 11 
 9 
 8 
 19 
 13 
 27 
 23 
 18 
 10 
 4 
 
 11 
 6 
 5 
 5 
 5 
 11 
 13 
 24 
 47 
 41 
 40 
 30 
 16 
 17 
 5 
 1 
 1 
 1 
 
 31 
 13 
 13 
 23 
 38 
 36 
 73 
 84 
 113 
 152 
 135 
 73 
 69 
 42 
 36 
 12 
 10 
 19 
 
 13 
 12 
 15 
 11 
 17 
 23 
 47 
 63 
 165 
 177 
 127 
 165 
 108 
 72 
 39 
 17 
 13 
 16 
 
 1 
 1 
 1 
 2 
 1 
 6 
 4 
 4 
 11 
 10 
 11 
 9 
 6 
 2 
 1 
 1 
 
 1 
 3 
 
 60 
 31 
 52 
 65 
 93 
 101 
 152 
 181 
 346 
 605 
 271 
 141 
 112 
 61 
 47 
 18 
 15 
 19 
 
 56 
 43 
 39 
 47 
 64 
 79 
 138 
 160 
 428 
 430 
 353 
 331 
 198 
 130 
 67 
 3 
 2 
 2 
 
 2 2, 644 
 
 93 to S3.99 
 
 $4 to $4 99 
 
 $5 to $5 09 
 
 "Y 
 
 3 
 2 
 2 
 21 
 22 
 13 
 11 
 8 
 4 
 2 
 2 
 
 $6 to 86.99 
 
 $7 to 87 99 
 
 |8 to $8 99 
 
 $9 to ?9 99 
 
 $10 to $11 99 
 
 $12 to 13.99 
 
 $14 to 15.99 . . .. 
 
 $16 to $17 99 
 
 $18 to $19.99 
 
 $20 to 322 49 
 
 $2 9 50 to 824 99 
 
 $25 to $27.49 
 $27.50 to $29.99 
 $30 and over 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1,136 
 
 1,168 
 
 161 
 
 279 
 
 1,002 
 
 1,100 
 
 71 
 
 97 
 
 12,370 
 
 
 PER CENT. 
 
 Under $3. . 
 
 1.7 
 
 2.6 
 
 5.6 
 
 3.9 
 
 3.1 
 
 1.2 
 
 1.4 
 
 1.0 
 
 2.5 
 
 2 1 
 
 $3 to *3.99 
 
 1.3 
 
 1.9 
 
 1.9 
 
 2.1 
 
 1.3 
 
 1.1 
 
 1.4 
 
 3.1 
 
 1 3 
 
 1 b 
 
 $4 to $4.99 
 
 2.8 
 
 1.6 
 
 3.7 
 
 1.8 
 
 1.3 
 
 1.4 
 
 1.4 
 
 
 2.2 
 
 1 
 
 $5 to $5.99 
 
 2.5 
 
 2.6 
 
 6.8 
 
 1.8 
 
 2.3 
 
 1.0 
 
 2.8 
 
 
 2.8 
 
 1 8 
 
 $6 to S3 99 
 
 4.0 
 
 o O 
 
 5.6 
 
 1 8 
 
 3 8 
 
 1 5 
 
 1.4 
 
 3 1 
 
 3 9 
 
 2 4 
 
 $7 to $7.99 . 
 
 4.5 
 
 3.6 
 
 4.9 
 
 3.9 
 
 3.6 
 
 2.1 
 
 8.5 
 
 3.1 
 
 4.3 
 
 3 
 
 $8 to SS 99 
 
 5.0 
 
 6.5 
 
 11.8 
 
 4.7 
 
 7 3 
 
 4.3 
 
 5.6 
 
 2 1 
 
 6 4 
 
 *> 2 
 
 $9toS9.99 
 
 7.1 
 
 6.1 
 
 8.1 
 
 8.6 
 
 8.4 
 
 5.7 
 
 5.6 
 
 2.1 
 
 7.6 
 
 (> 1 
 
 $10 to 811.99 . . . 
 
 14.5 
 
 16.7 
 
 16.8 
 
 16.9 
 
 14 2 
 
 15.1 
 
 15.5 
 
 21 6 
 
 14 6 
 
 1C, 2 
 
 $12 to $13 99 
 
 36 9 
 
 16 3 
 
 14 3 
 
 14 7 
 
 15 1 
 
 16 1 
 
 14 1 
 
 22 7 
 
 25 6 
 
 1C) 3 
 
 $14 to $15.99 
 
 9.4 
 
 14.8 
 
 11.2 
 
 14 3 
 
 13.5 
 
 11.5 
 
 15.5 
 
 13 4 
 
 11 4 
 
 13 3 
 
 $16 to $17.99 
 
 4.3 
 
 10 7 
 
 6 2 
 
 10 7 
 
 7 3 
 
 15 1 
 
 12 7 
 
 11 3 
 
 6 
 
 12 5 
 
 $18 to $19.99 
 
 2.9 
 
 5.7 
 
 2.5 
 
 5.7 
 
 6.9 
 
 9.8 
 
 8.5 
 
 8.2 
 
 4 7 
 
 7 5 
 
 $20toS22.49 . . . 
 
 1.4 
 
 3.2 
 
 6 
 
 6 1 
 
 4 2 
 
 6 5 
 
 2 8 
 
 4 1 
 
 2 6 
 
 1 9 
 
 $22.10 to S24.99... 
 
 .9 
 
 1.8 
 
 
 1.8 
 
 3.6 
 
 3.5 
 
 1.4 
 
 2.1 
 
 2.0 
 
 
 $25 to $27. 49 
 
 .4 
 
 1.5 
 
 
 4 
 
 1 2 
 
 1.5 
 
 1.4 
 
 2 1 
 
 7 
 
 1 4 
 
 t27.. r O to $29.99 
 
 .4 
 
 .8 
 
 
 .4 
 
 1.0 
 
 1.2 
 
 
 
 .6 
 
 .9 
 
 $30 and over 
 
 
 .3 
 
 
 4 
 
 1 9 
 
 1 4 
 
 
 
 8 
 
 8 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total. 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 100 01 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 Including 44 week workers for whom earnings but not weekly rates of wages could be ascertained. 
 
 2 Including 71 week workers for whom earnings but not weekly rates of wages could be ascertained. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 99 
 
 TABLE 44 NUMBER OF WAIST OPERATORS, MALE, PIECEWORKERS, EARNING EACH 
 
 ' CLASSIFIED AMOUNT DURING THE BUSIEST WEEK OF THE YEAR, 1912 AND 1913, BY 
 CLASS OF SHOPS. 
 
 Classified earnings 
 per week. 
 
 Association 
 A. 
 
 Nonassoci- 
 ation A. 
 
 Association 
 B. 
 
 Nonassocia- 
 tionB. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Number. 
 
 Per cent. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under $3 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 2 
 4 
 4 
 5 
 5 
 11 
 9 
 29 
 25 
 38 
 28 
 28 
 29 
 20 
 16 
 15 
 20 
 
 1 
 7 
 3 
 3 
 4 
 8 
 17 
 7 
 25 
 40 
 51 
 55 
 45 
 44 
 47 
 27 
 17 
 31 
 
 0.3 
 .7 
 1.4 
 1.4 
 1.7 
 1.7 
 3.9 
 3.1 
 10.0 
 8.7 
 13.1 
 9.7 
 9.7 
 10.0 
 6.9 
 5.6 
 5.2 
 6.9 
 
 0.2 
 1.6 
 .7 
 .7 
 .9 
 1.9 
 3.9 
 1.6 
 5.8 
 9.2 
 11.8 
 12.8 
 10.4 
 10.2 
 10.9 
 6.3 
 3.9 
 7.2 
 
 $3 to $3 99 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 1 
 3 
 
 7 
 7 
 23 
 14 
 25 
 19 
 16 
 19 
 10 
 8 
 8 
 7 
 
 2 
 
 "T 
 1 
 5 
 10 
 2 
 10 
 18 
 27 
 32 
 21 
 27 
 27 
 18 
 10 
 18 
 
 1 
 3 
 3 
 2 
 3 
 1 
 
 1 
 6 
 2 
 1 
 1 
 2 
 1 
 1 
 1 
 
 5 
 2 
 1 
 3 
 2 
 5 
 1 
 9 
 16 
 15 
 12 
 8 
 11 
 11 
 2 
 4 
 1 
 
 
 
 $4 to $4.99 
 
 15 to $5 99 
 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 $6 to $3 99 
 
 
 
 $7 to $7.99 
 
 1 
 1 
 1 
 
 5 
 5 
 9 
 7 
 9 
 7 
 9 
 7 
 6 
 13 
 
 1 
 2 
 3 
 6 
 
 6 
 9 
 11 
 15 
 5 
 8 
 6 
 3 
 10 
 
 
 
 $8 to $8 99 
 
 2 
 
 "T 
 
 $9 to $9.99 
 
 $10 to $11.99 
 $12 to $13.99 
 $14 to $15.99 
 
 2 
 1 
 2 
 1 
 
 
 $16 to $17.99 
 $18 to $19 99 
 
 i 
 i 
 
 i 
 i 
 
 ""2 
 
 $20 to $22.49 
 
 $22.50 to $24 99... 
 
 $25 to $27 49 
 
 
 $27.50 to $29.99 
 $30 and over 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 170 
 
 230 
 
 30 
 
 108 
 
 80 
 
 87 
 
 9 
 
 7 
 
 1289 
 
 432 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 1 Including 4 week workers for whom earnings but not Aveekly rates of wages could be ascertained. 
 OPERATORS, NOT SPECIFIED. 
 
 Under this heading were included all operators employed in shops 
 manufacturing dresses, who were found designated on the pay rolls 
 as " operators." This includes operators who can make an entire 
 dress, as well as any one of the 13 classes of operators enumerated in 
 Table 8, such as buttonhole makers, hemstitchers, tuckers, trim- 
 mers, etc. 
 
 Of the 6,455 " operators, not specified, " reported in Table 8 for 
 1913, 5,591, or 87 per cent, were women- and 864, or 13 per cent, 
 were men. 
 
 WAGES. 
 
 In 1912, 47 per cent of all the " operators, not specified," were 
 week workers and 53 per cent pieceworkers. The extent of piece- 
 work has increased since the adoption of the protocol, the piece- 
 workers in 1913 comprising 59 per cent and the week workers 41 per 
 cent. 
 
 Earnings of pieceworkers. As will be seen from Tables 45, 46, 
 47, and 48, the largest single group among the " operators, not speci- 
 fied," were women pieceworkers, who numbered 3,205 in 1913. The 
 next largest group were the women week workers, who numbered 
 2,386. The men numbered 607 among the pieceworkers and 257 
 among the week workers. 
 
100 BULLETIN OF THE BUKEAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 Considering the earnings of the largest group, namely, the women 
 pieceworkers, we find a uniform increase in the proportion of those 
 earning $14 a week and over since the adoption of the protocol. 
 These constituted less than 39. per cent in 1912 and nearly 54 per 
 cent in 1913. The number of those earning $12 and less than $14 
 constituted about the same percentage both years, namely, over 
 13 per cent, while the percentage of those earning under $12 a week 
 declined from over 48 per cent in 1912 to less than 33 per cent in 
 1913. The percentage of men pieceworkers earning higher rates of 
 wages was larger than that of the women. Thus the number of 
 those earning $20 and over during the busiest week of 1913 consti- 
 tuted 48 per cent, or nearly one-half, of all the men and less than 
 21 per cent, or a little over one-fifth, of all the women. 
 
 The changes in the earnings of men pieceworkers since the adop- 
 tion of the protocol are not so conspicuous as in the case of the 
 women. Among those earning under $10 a week, there was a decline, 
 namely, from over 14 per cent in 1912 to nearly 8 per cent in 1913. 
 The proportion of those earning $10 and less than $16 a week increased 
 from 18 per cent in 1912 to 23 per cent in 1913. The number of 
 those receiving $16 and less than $20 a week formed practically 
 the same percentage of the total number of male workers both years, 
 namely, 20 and 20.3 per cent. Those earning $20 and less than $25 
 increased from a little over 19 per cent in 1912 to nearly 24 per cent 
 in 1913, while those earning $25 a week and over declined from more 
 than 28 per cent in 1912 to nearly 24 per cent in 1913. 
 
 Wages of week workers. Among the women week workers there 
 was an increase in the proportion of those receiving $14 and over, 
 which constituted less than 22 per cent in 1912 and nearly 31 per 
 cent in 1913. The proportion of those receiving under $14 a week 
 declined during that period. The same is true of the men week 
 workers, except that the. line has to be drawn at $16 a week, the 
 percentage of those earning $16 a week and over having increased 
 from 43.5 in 1912 to 56.6 in 1913. 
 
 Comparing the men's and women's earnings during 1913, the 
 general rule is observed here of the men receiving considerably 
 higher wages than the women. The number of those receiving $16 
 a week and over constituted less than 11 per cent among the women 
 and nearly 57 per cent among the men. That is to say, while only a 
 little over one-tenth of the women week workers received $16 a 
 week and over, considerably more than one-half of the men received 
 those wages. The differences between the earnings of operators 
 in the different branches of the industry have been fully discussed 
 in speaking of the operators as a whole. The details as to " operators, 
 not specified," will be found in Tables 45, 46, 47, and 48. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND' <J >vXlfeT INDT/SPRY. 101 
 
 TABLE 45. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF OPERATORS' NO'S" ejPJSfclF.tfy -?3MALE, 
 WEEK WORKERS,. RECEIVING EACH CLASSIFIED RATE" OF WA^GES PER WEEK, 
 1012 AND 1913, BY CLASS OF SHOPS. 
 
 NUMBER. 
 
 Classified rates of 
 wages per week. 
 
 Association A. 
 
 Nonasso elation 
 A. 
 
 Association B. 
 
 Nonass 
 
 I 
 
 1912 
 
 relation 
 5. 
 
 Total. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under $3 
 
 1 
 
 11 
 17 
 38 
 37 
 77 
 85 
 111 
 251 
 204 
 112 
 20 
 5 
 3 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 3 
 8 
 14 
 20 
 25 
 37 
 37 
 108 
 221 
 167 
 54 
 25 
 6 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 15 
 30 
 64 
 80 
 137 
 167 
 195 
 451 
 510 
 321 
 89 
 36 
 11 
 3 
 
 
 $3 to $3.99 
 
 3 
 11 
 18 
 56 
 55 
 66 
 57 
 161 
 151 
 120 
 28 
 10 
 2 
 
 1 
 5 
 10 
 17 
 28. 
 35 
 34 
 46 
 37 
 10 
 6 
 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 26 
 50 
 117 
 160 
 160 
 171 
 440 
 509 
 473 
 179 
 61 
 16 
 
 $4 to S4.09 
 
 12 
 31 
 50 
 86 
 71 
 73 
 157 
 117 
 66 
 19 
 1 
 3 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 9 
 12 
 14 
 33 
 91 
 186 
 245 
 113 
 46 
 5 
 
 
 2 
 
 15 to $5.99 
 
 2 
 6 
 7 
 10 
 13 
 46 
 48 
 32 
 9 
 6 
 1 
 
 $6 to 80.99 
 
 2 
 7 
 9 
 8 
 31 
 55 
 42 
 19 
 4 
 6 
 
 $7 to 7.99 
 
 $8toS3.99 
 
 $9 to $9.09 
 flOtoSH.C9 
 
 $12to$13.D9 
 
 $14 to $15.99 
 
 $16 to $17.99 
 
 $18 to $19.99 . 
 
 $20 to 22.49 
 
 1 
 
 122. to $24.99 
 
 $25 to $27 49 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $27. 50 to $29 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $30 and over 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 973 
 
 738 
 
 230 
 
 686 
 
 730 
 
 757 
 
 180 
 
 185 
 
 i 2, 113 
 
 22,366 
 
 
 PER CENT. 
 
 Under $3 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 0.3 
 
 
 
 
 0.1 
 
 
 $3 to $ ).99. . . . 
 
 1.1 
 
 0.4 
 
 0.4 
 
 
 .4 
 
 
 
 
 .7 
 
 0.1 
 
 $4 to $4 C9 
 
 1 8 
 
 1.5 
 
 2.1 
 
 1.7 
 
 1.1 
 
 0.1 
 
 
 1.1 
 
 1.4 
 
 1.1 
 
 $5 to$.3.'J9 
 
 3.9 
 
 2.4 
 
 4.3 
 
 4.5 
 
 1.9 
 
 .1 
 
 1.1 
 
 
 3.0 
 
 2.1 
 
 $8 to $3.99 
 
 3.8 
 
 7.6 
 
 7.4 
 
 7.3 
 
 2.7 
 
 1.1 
 
 3.3 
 
 1.1 
 
 3.8 
 
 4.9 
 
 $7toS7.99 
 $8 to $8.99 
 
 7.9 
 8.7 
 
 7.5 
 8.9 
 
 12.2 
 15.2 
 
 12.5 
 10.4 
 
 3.4 
 5.1 
 
 1.6 
 1.9 
 
 3.9 
 5.6 
 
 3.8 
 4.9 
 
 6.5 
 7.9 
 
 6.8 
 6.8 
 
 $9 to $9.99 
 
 11.4 
 
 7.7 
 
 14.8 
 
 10.6 
 
 5.1 
 
 4.4 
 
 7.2 
 
 4.3 
 
 9.2 
 
 7.2 
 
 $10 to $11.99 
 
 25.8 
 
 21.8 
 
 20.0 
 
 22.9 
 
 14.8 
 
 12.0 
 
 25.5 
 
 16.7 
 
 21.4 
 
 18.6 
 
 $ 1 2 to $13.99 
 
 21.0 
 
 20.4 
 
 16.1 
 
 17.0 
 
 30.3 
 
 24.6 
 
 26.7 
 
 29.7 
 
 24.2 
 
 21.5 
 
 <14 to $15.99 
 
 11.5 
 
 16.3 
 
 4.3 
 
 9.6 
 
 22.9 
 
 32.4 
 
 17.8 
 
 22.7 
 
 15.2 
 
 20.0 
 
 $16 to $17.99. . . . 
 
 2.1 
 
 3.8 
 
 2.8 
 
 2.8 
 
 7.4 
 
 14.9 
 
 5.0 
 
 10.3 
 
 4.2 
 
 7.6 
 
 $18 to $19.99 
 
 .5 
 
 1 4 
 
 
 .2 
 
 3.4 
 
 6.1 
 
 3.3 
 
 2.2 
 
 1.7 
 
 2.6 
 
 $20 to $22.49 
 
 .3 
 
 .3 
 
 .4 
 
 .5 
 
 .8 
 
 .7 
 
 .6 
 
 3.2 
 
 .5 
 
 .7 
 
 $22. 50 to $24. 99 
 
 .1 
 
 
 
 
 .3 
 
 
 
 
 .2 
 
 
 $25 to $27.49 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $27 50 to $29 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $30 and over 
 
 
 
 
 
 .1 
 
 .1 
 
 
 
 ( 3 ) 
 
 ( 3 ) 
 
 Total 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 Not including in for whom earnings but not weekly rates of wa^es could be ascertained. 
 
 2 Not including 2J for whom earnings but not weekly rates of wages could be ascertained, 
 s Less than one-tenth of 1 per cent. 
 
102 
 
 BULLEJK* ;O# ITSiE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 TABLE 4a^Hl/iMfcKR AN'. PERCENT' OF OPERATORS NOT SPECIFIED, MALE, WEEK 
 WORKER^, RECEIVING 'fiACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES PER WEEK, 1912 
 AND 1913, BY CLASS OF SHOPS. 
 
 NUMBER. 
 
 Classified rates of 
 wages per week. 
 
 Association A. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 A. 
 
 Association B. 1 
 
 Nonassociation 
 B.i 
 
 Total. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under $3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 |3 to $3.99 
 
 $4 to $4 99 
 
 
 
 1 
 3 
 2 
 2 
 3 
 4 
 8 
 13 
 16 
 8 
 4 
 6 
 
 1 
 4 
 3 
 2 
 
 4 
 8 
 22 
 16 
 26 
 18 
 18 
 5 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 5 
 2 
 3 
 8 
 6 
 14 
 42 
 54 
 37 
 39 
 21 
 4 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 7 
 
 14 
 34 
 33 
 50 
 51 
 28 
 12 
 2 
 1 
 1 
 
 c f n 5 OQ 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 jg to $6 99 
 
 
 3 
 1 
 2 
 3 
 2 
 5 
 9 
 10 
 17 
 6 
 1 
 
 
 
 $7 to $7 99 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 $8 to $8 99 
 
 5 
 
 
 1 
 
 $9 to $9 99 
 
 2 
 1 
 
 7 
 12 
 15 
 14 
 5 
 1 
 1 
 
 
 $10 to $11 99 
 
 4 
 19 
 20 
 10 
 19 
 10 
 3 
 1 
 
 3 
 3 
 5 
 12 
 14 
 3 
 6 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 3 
 6 
 4 
 2 
 
 1 
 4 
 3 
 2 
 2 
 1 
 
 $12 to $13.99 
 
 $14 to $15.99 
 $16 to $17 99 
 
 $18 to $19 99 
 
 $20 to $22 49 
 
 $22 50 to $4 99 
 
 
 $25 to $27 49 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 $27 50 to $29 99 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 91 
 
 60 
 
 71 
 
 131 
 
 60 
 
 49 
 
 17 
 
 16 
 
 2 239 1 s 256 
 
 
 PER CENT. 
 
 Under $3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $3 to $3 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $4 to $4.99 
 
 
 
 1.4 
 
 0.8 
 
 
 
 
 
 0.4 
 
 0.4 
 
 $5 to $5 99 
 
 
 
 4 2 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 2. 1 
 
 2.0 
 
 $6 to $6.99. . . 
 
 
 5.0 
 
 2.8 
 
 2.3 
 
 
 
 
 
 .8 
 
 2.3 
 
 $7 to $7.99 
 
 
 1.7 
 
 2 8 
 
 1 6 
 
 
 
 
 
 1.3 
 
 1.6 
 
 $8to$8.99 
 
 5.5 
 
 3.3 
 
 4.2 
 
 2.3 
 
 
 
 
 
 3.3 
 
 2.7 
 
 $9 to 9.99 
 
 
 5.0 
 
 5.6 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 2.5 
 
 2.7 
 
 $10 to $11 99 
 
 4 4 
 
 3 3 
 
 11 3 
 
 6 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 5 9 
 
 5 5 
 
 $12 to $13.99.. 
 
 20.9 
 
 8.3 
 
 18.3 
 
 16.8 
 
 
 
 
 
 17.6 
 
 13.3 
 
 $14 to $15.99 
 
 22 
 
 15 
 
 22 6 
 
 12 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 22 6 
 
 12 9 
 
 $16 to $17.99 
 
 11.0 
 
 16.6 
 
 11.3 
 
 19.9 
 
 
 
 
 
 15.5 
 
 19.5 
 
 $18 to $19.99 
 
 20 9 
 
 28 4 
 
 5 6 
 
 13 7 
 
 
 
 
 
 16.3 
 
 19 9 
 
 $20to$22.49 
 
 11.0 
 
 10.0 
 
 8.5 
 
 13.7 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 8.8 
 
 10.9 
 
 $22., >0 to $24.99 
 
 3.3 
 
 1.7 
 
 
 3 8 
 
 
 
 
 
 1.6 
 
 4.7 
 
 $25 to $27 49 
 
 1 
 
 
 1 4 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 3 
 
 8 
 
 $27.50 to $29.99 
 
 
 1.7 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 .4 
 
 $30 and over . . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 
 ... 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.8 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ' 
 
 
 
 J Percentages not computed on account of small number of employees. 
 
 8 Not including 6 for whom earnings but not weekly rates of wages could be ascertained. 
 
 a Not including 1 for whom earnings but not weekly rate of wages could be ascertained. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 103 
 
 TABI.K 47. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF OPERATORS NOT SPECIFIED, FEMALE, 
 PIECEWORKERS, EARNING EACH CLASSIFIED AMOUNT DURING THE BUSIEST 
 WEEK OF THE YEAR, 1912 AND 1913, BY CLASS OF SHOPS. 
 
 NUMBER. 
 
 Classifier! eornings 
 per week. 
 
 Association 
 A. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 A. 
 
 Association 
 B. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 B. 
 
 Total. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under $3 
 
 60 
 29 
 28 
 45 
 63 
 79 
 86 
 107 
 189 
 173 
 122 
 102 
 71 
 35 
 40 
 18 
 10 
 15 
 
 36 
 22 
 22 
 33 
 34 
 64 
 55 
 76 
 178 
 185 
 191 
 168 
 95 
 106 
 49 
 35 
 21 
 26 
 
 9 
 5 
 8 
 10 
 13 
 15 
 9 
 15 
 36 
 31 
 23 
 11 
 14 
 2 
 1 
 1 
 
 13 
 7 
 6 
 9 
 12 
 19 
 17 
 24 
 47 
 74 
 56 
 35 
 28 
 24 
 12 
 6 
 3 
 3 
 
 35 
 17 
 26 
 27 
 29 
 43 
 43 
 52 
 130 
 120 
 130 
 93 
 92 
 72 
 40 
 21 
 11 
 11 
 
 33 
 6 
 19 
 20 
 24 
 31 
 43 
 45 
 133 
 140 
 146 
 142 
 126 
 130 
 111 
 64 
 30 
 25 
 
 
 
 104 
 53 
 64 
 84 
 108 
 138 
 141 
 175 
 366 
 333 
 291 
 215 
 181 
 119 
 82 
 41 
 21 
 26 
 
 82 
 35 
 48 
 65 
 70 
 119 
 121 
 147 
 372 
 429 
 415 
 369 
 271 
 277 
 183 
 107 
 60 
 55 
 
 $3 to $3 99 
 
 2 
 2 
 2 
 3 
 1 
 3 
 1 
 11 
 9 
 16 
 9 
 4 
 10 
 1 
 1 
 
 
 $4 to $4. 99 
 
 1 
 
 3 
 
 $5 to $5 99 
 
 16 to $6 09 
 
 17 to $7. 99 
 
 5 
 6 
 2 
 14 
 30 
 22 
 24 
 22 
 17 
 11 
 2 
 6 
 1 
 
 18 to $S 99 
 
 $9 to $9.99 
 
 $10 to $11. 99 
 
 $12 to 813 99 
 
 $11 to 815.99 
 
 $16 to $17.99 
 $18 to $19 99 
 
 $20 to $22.49 
 
 $22.50 to $24.99 
 $25 to $27.49 
 
 $27.50 to 829.99 
 $30 and over 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 1,272 
 
 1,396 
 
 203 
 
 395 
 
 992 
 
 1,268 
 
 75 
 
 166 
 
 i 2, 542 
 
 2 3, 225 
 
 
 PER CENT. 
 
 Under $3 
 
 4.7 
 
 2.6 
 
 4.4 
 
 3.3 
 
 3.5 
 
 2.6 
 
 
 
 4.0 
 
 2.5 
 
 $3 to S3 99 
 
 2 3 
 
 1 6 
 
 2.5 
 
 1.7 
 
 1 7 
 
 .5 
 
 2.7 
 
 
 2.1 
 
 1 l 
 
 $4 to $4 99 
 
 2.2 
 
 1.6 
 
 3.9 
 
 1.5 
 
 2.6 
 
 1.5 
 
 2.7 
 
 0.6 
 
 2.5 
 
 1.5 
 
 $5 to $5. 99 
 
 3.5 
 
 2.4 
 
 4.9 
 
 2.3 
 
 2.8 
 
 1.6 
 
 2.7 
 
 1.8 
 
 3.3 
 
 2.0 
 
 $6 to $6 99 
 
 4 9 
 
 2 4 
 
 6 4 
 
 3 
 
 2 9 
 
 1 9 
 
 4 
 
 
 4 3 
 
 2 2 
 
 $7 to $7 99 
 
 6.2 
 
 4.6 
 
 7.4 
 
 4.8 
 
 4.3 
 
 2.4 
 
 1.3 
 
 3.0 
 
 5.4 
 
 3.7 
 
 $8 to $8. 99 
 
 $9 to $9 99 
 
 6.7 
 
 8.4 
 
 3.9 
 
 5.4 
 
 4.4 
 7.4 
 
 4.3 
 6.1 
 
 4.3 
 5.3 
 
 3.4 
 3.5 
 
 4.0 
 1.3 
 
 3.6 
 1.2 
 
 5.5 
 6.9 
 
 3.8 
 4.5 
 
 $10toS11.99 
 
 14.9 
 
 12.8 
 
 17.8 
 
 11.9 
 
 13.1 
 
 10.5 
 
 14.7 
 
 8.4 
 
 14.4 
 
 11.5 
 
 $12 to $13.99 
 $14 to S15 99 
 
 13.6 
 9.6 
 
 13.2 
 13.7 
 
 15.3 
 11.3 
 
 18.7 
 14.2 
 
 12.1 
 13.1 
 
 11.0 
 11.5 
 
 12.0 
 21.4 
 
 18.1 
 13.3 
 
 13.1 
 11.4 
 
 13.3 
 12.9 
 
 $16 to $17.99 
 
 8.0 
 
 12.0 
 
 5.4 
 
 8.9 
 
 9.4 
 
 11.2 
 
 12.0 
 
 14.5 
 
 8.5 
 
 11.4 
 
 $18 15 $19 99 
 
 5.6 
 
 6.8 
 
 6.9 
 
 7.1 
 
 9.3 
 
 9.9 
 
 5.3 
 
 13.3 
 
 7.1 
 
 8.4 
 
 $20 to $22.49 
 
 2.8 
 
 7.6 
 
 1.0 
 
 6.1 
 
 7.3 
 
 10.3 
 
 13.3 
 
 10.2 
 
 4.7 
 
 8.6 
 
 $22.50 to $24.99 
 $25 to $27.49 
 $27 50 to $29 90 
 
 3.2 
 
 1.4 
 .8 
 
 3.5 
 2.5 
 1.5 
 
 .5 
 .5 
 
 3.0 
 
 1.5 
 
 .8 
 
 4.0 
 2.1 
 1.1 
 
 8.8 
 5.0 
 2.4 
 
 1.3 
 1.3 
 
 6.6 
 1.2 
 3.6 
 
 3.2 
 1.6 
 
 .8 
 
 5.7 
 3.3 
 1.9 
 
 $30 and over . 
 
 1.2 
 
 1.9 
 
 
 .8 
 
 1.1 
 
 2.0 
 
 
 .6 
 
 1.2 
 
 1.7 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 Including 113 week workers for whom earnings but not weekly rates of wages could be ascertained. 
 
 2 Including 20 week workers for whom earnings but not weekly rates of wages could be ascertained. 
 
104 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 TABLE 48. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF OPERATORS NOT SPECIFIED, MALE, PIECE- 
 WORKERS, EARNING EACH CLASSIFIED AMOUNT DURING THE BUSIEST WEEK 
 OF THE YEAR, 1912 AND 1913, BY CLASS OF SHOPS. 
 
 NUMBER. 
 
 Classified earnings 
 per week. 
 
 Association 
 A. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 A. 
 
 Association 
 B.i 
 
 Nonassociation 
 B.i 
 
 Total. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under $3 
 
 8 
 
 1 
 
 3 
 1 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 10 
 5 
 
 4 
 4 
 6 
 2 
 6 
 5 
 7 
 17 
 35 
 46 
 60 
 63 
 61 
 74 
 70 
 50 
 26 
 72 
 
 $3 to S3 99 
 
 3 
 3 
 2 
 5 
 3 
 2 
 3 
 14 
 20 
 17 
 21 
 16 
 14 
 19 
 12 
 7 
 15 
 
 
 
 $4 to $4 99 
 
 
 
 
 $5 to $5 99 
 
 2 
 1 
 8 
 5 
 6 
 13 
 ' 14 
 14 
 23 
 23 
 22 
 16 
 23 
 17 
 26 
 
 
 1 
 1 
 1 
 2 
 1 
 3 
 4 
 4 
 6 
 7 
 5 
 6 
 5 
 4 
 13 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 3 
 10 
 11 
 10 
 19 
 20 
 28 
 35 
 38 
 40 
 30 
 34 
 27 
 42 
 
 $6 to $6. 99 
 
 1 
 2 
 4 
 
 13 
 19 
 23 
 28 
 35 
 38 
 49 
 42 
 27 
 13 
 45 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 4 
 3 
 3 
 2 
 10 
 6 
 8 
 12 
 7 
 6 
 4 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 $7 to $7 99 
 
 
 
 
 18 to $8.99 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 $9 to S9 99 
 
 
 1 
 
 S10 to $11.1-9... . 
 
 2 
 2 
 13 
 5 
 5 
 9 
 5 
 11 
 6 
 11 
 
 
 J12 to S13 99 
 
 
 1 
 2 
 2 
 2 
 2 
 4 
 
 $14 to $15 99 
 
 
 $16 to $17 99 
 
 
 $18 to $19 99 
 
 
 $20 to $22 49 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 $22.50 to $24.99 
 
 $25 to $27 49 
 
 $27.50 to $29.99 
 $30 and over 
 
 2 
 
 
 1 
 
 Total 
 
 
 222 
 
 346 
 
 72 
 
 176 
 
 67 
 
 71 
 
 4 
 
 15 
 
 2365 
 
 *608 
 
 
 PER CENT. 
 
 Under $3... 
 
 3.6 
 
 0.9 
 
 1.4 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2.7 
 
 0.7 
 
 $3 to $3 99 
 
 .4 
 
 .3 
 
 1.4 
 
 1.7 
 
 
 
 
 
 1.4 
 
 .7 
 
 $4 to $4. 99 
 
 
 .9 
 
 
 1.7 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1.0 
 
 $5 to $5. 99 .. 
 
 .9 
 
 
 
 1.1 
 
 
 
 
 
 .8 
 
 .3 
 
 $6 to $6 99 
 
 4 
 
 3 
 
 1 4 
 
 2 8 
 
 
 
 
 
 g 
 
 1 
 
 $7 to 87. 99 
 
 3.- 6 
 
 .6 
 
 1.4 
 
 1.7 
 
 
 
 
 
 2.7 
 
 .8 
 
 $8 to $3 99 
 
 2 3 
 
 1.2 
 
 5 5 
 
 1 i 
 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 1 1 
 
 $9 to 39.99 
 
 2.7 
 
 3.8 
 
 4.2 
 
 1.7 
 
 
 
 
 
 2.7 
 
 2.8 
 
 $10 to $11. 99 
 
 5.8 
 
 5.5 
 
 4.2 
 
 8 
 
 
 
 
 
 5 2 
 
 5 8 
 
 $12to$13.99 
 
 6.3 
 
 6.6 
 
 2.8 
 
 11.4 
 
 
 
 
 
 5.5 
 
 7.6 
 
 $14 to $15. 99 .. 
 
 6.3 
 
 8.1 
 
 13 9 
 
 9.7 
 
 
 
 
 
 7 7 
 
 9.9 
 
 $16 to $17. 99 
 
 10.4 
 
 10.1 
 
 8.3 
 
 11.9 
 
 
 
 
 
 9.6 
 
 10.4 
 
 $18 to $19. 99. . . 
 
 10.4 
 
 10.9 
 
 11.1 
 
 9.1 
 
 
 
 
 
 10 4 
 
 9.9 
 
 $20 to $22.49 
 
 9.9 
 
 14.1 
 
 16.7 
 
 8.0 
 
 
 
 
 
 11.0 
 
 12.2 
 
 $22.50 to $24.99 
 
 7.2 
 
 12.1 
 
 9.7 
 
 10.8 
 
 
 
 
 
 8.3 
 
 11.5 
 
 $25 to $27. 49 
 
 10.4 
 
 7.8 
 
 8.3 
 
 6.8 
 
 
 
 
 
 9.3 
 
 8.2 
 
 $27.50 to $29.99 
 
 7.7 
 
 3.8 
 
 5.5 
 
 4.0 
 
 
 
 
 
 7.4 
 
 4.3 
 
 $30 and over 
 
 11.7 
 
 13.0 
 
 4.2 
 
 8 5 
 
 
 
 
 
 11.5 
 
 11.8 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 103 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 Percentages not computed on account of small number of employees. 
 
 2 Including 6 week workers for whom earnings but not weekly rates of wages could be ascertained. 
 
 3 Including 1 week worker for whom earnings but not weekly rate of wages could be ascertained. 
 
 EMPLOYEES OTHER THAN OPERATORS. 
 
 ASSORTERS. 
 
 Assorters are employed only in large shops. Their work consists 
 in the preparation of bundles of work for the operators. Taking up 
 a bundle (which consists of a certain number of parts that go to make 
 up the waist or dress) as it comes from the cutter, the assorter adds to 
 it all the necessary parts which the operator will require in his work, 
 such as laces, embroideries, belts, and other kinds of trimmings. The 
 assorters must be intelligent and understand all the parts that go to 
 make up a waist. They have to match the laces and understand 
 how to substitute a lace of a given kind when the supply of the origi- 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY^ 105 
 
 nal lace is exhausted. A mistake made by the assorter will result 
 in serious delay in the work of the operator and may also cause 
 serious loss through the sewing on of the wrong lace or trimmings. 
 
 SEX. 
 
 Assorters are usually girls. Out of the total of 151 assorters given 
 in Table 49, only 4 were men. The source of supply of assorters is 
 cleaners and " cutting-out-lace " girls. The brightest among these 
 two classes of girls, those who show the most intelligence and the 
 keenest perception of color and lace design, are allowed to graduate 
 into the class of assorters 
 
 WAGES. 
 
 As will be seen from Table 49, wage records were obtained for only 
 151 assorters. There are probably more than that number of as- 
 sorters employed in the industry, although the number is hardly much 
 larger, since only the large shops can afford to employ this class of 
 workers. Of the total number, 142, or 94 per cent, were employed 
 in association shops, leaving but 9, or 6 per cent, employed in the 
 nonassociation shops, which are mostly small shops. Assorters are 
 paid by the week. As will be seen from the table, the wages of as- 
 sorters both in 1912 and 1913 ranged between $4 and $18 per week. 
 The number of those who received under $6 a week constituted over 
 8 per cent of the total number employed. More than one-fourth of 
 all the assorters received under $8 a week, and less than one-fifth of the 
 workers (18.5 per cent) received $6 and less than $8 a week. A lit tie 
 over one-half, or 51.8 per cent, received $9 and less than $14 a week. 
 Five women and one man were found receiving $14 and less than $18 
 a week. These workers, in addition to being assorters, acted as fore- 
 women and foreman, distributing work as well as preparing it. In 
 general, the higher-grade assorters act as assistants to the foremen 
 and forewomen in distributing work to the operators. 
 
 TABLE 49. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF ASSORTERS, WEEK WORKERS, RECEIVING 
 EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES PER WEEK, 1912 AND 1913, BY SEX. 
 
 Classified rates of wages or earnings, per 
 week, and classes of shops. 
 
 Females. 
 
 Males. 
 
 Number. 
 
 Per cent. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 $4 to S4.99 
 
 2 
 11 
 10 
 16 
 17 
 17 
 32 
 20 
 3 
 1 
 
 2 
 10 
 13 
 15 
 26 
 18 
 37 
 21 
 3 
 2 
 
 1.5 
 8.5 
 7.8 
 12.4 
 13.2 
 13.2 
 24.8 
 15.5 
 2.3 
 .8 
 
 1.4 
 6.8 
 8.8 
 10.2 
 17.7 
 12.3 
 25.2 
 14.3 
 2.0 
 1.3 
 
 
 
 5 to So. 99 
 
 
 
 $6 to $6 99 
 
 
 
 $7 to $7.99. 
 
 
 
 $3 to $3.99 
 
 
 
 $9 to $9 99 
 
 
 
 $10 to $11 99 
 
 
 
 $12 to $13.99 
 
 
 3 
 
 $14 to $15.99 
 
 1 
 
 $16 to $17.99 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 129 
 
 147 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 
 Association A 
 
 Workers in specified classes of shops. 
 
 51 
 
 77 
 
 64 
 74 
 9 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 3 
 
 Association B 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
106 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 CLEANERS. 
 
 Cleaning forms the lowest step in the industrial ladder in the dress i 
 and waist shops. It is the first occupation of young girls without 
 industrial training. Their work consists in cutting off loose threads 
 with the aid of scissors. Very little skill is required, although care- 
 lessness may result in great damage, since the thread has to be cut 
 close to the garment and an unskilled cleaner may cut into the waist 
 or dress in trying to cut off the thread. Cleaners who show aptitude 
 for more important work are graduated into other kinds of work, such 
 as finishing, assorting, operating, and even examining. 
 
 SEX. 
 
 Only girls are employed in this work, and 2,086 cleaners were found 
 working in the industry during 1913. 
 
 WAGES. 
 
 Table 50 gives the wages of cleaners in 1912 and 1913 in each of the 
 four branches of the industry and also for the industry as a whole. 
 As will be seen from that table, weekly rates were obtained for 2,006 
 cleaners in 1913. Of the remaining 80 cleaners, 20 were pieceworkers 
 and 60 were week workers for whom no wage data could be obtained. 
 As the number of pieceworkers is very small, only week workers 
 are considered in analyzing the earnings of the cleaners. Only a 
 little over 2 per cent of the cleaners were getting $3 and under $4 a 
 week in 1913, but those receiving under $6 a week exceeded one- third 
 of all the cleaners, or over 37 per cent. Nearly one-half of the girls, 
 over 47 per cent, received $6 and less than $8 a week; nearly 16 per 
 cent received $8 a week and over; and a few received $12. 
 
 Comparison of wages in 1912 and 1913. A comparison of the wages 
 earned during 1913 with those earned during the preceding year 
 before the adoption of the protocol shows a uniform decline in the 
 percentage of workers receiving less than $6 a week and an increase 
 in the percentage of those receiving $6 a week and over. In 1912 
 over 60 per cent of the cleaners received under $6 a week as com- 
 pared with 37.3 per cent in 1913. On the other hand, those receiv- 
 ing $6 and less than $8 constituted less than 29 per cent in 1912 and 
 over 47 per cent in 1913. Those earning $8 a week and over com- 
 prised 11 per cent in 1912 and nearly 16 per cent in 1913. These facts 
 are brought out in Table 50 and are shown graphically in Chart 9, in 
 which the broken line (representing the percentage of workers receiv- 
 ing specified wages in 1912) is above the solid line (representing 1913) 
 in the case of all wage groups below $6 and is below the solid line 
 for wages of $6 and over, showing the shifting of the workers from 
 the lower to the higher paid groups. 
 
 Wages in association and nonassociation shops. The figures in 
 Table 50 show 'the varying percentages of workers getting specified 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 107 
 
 rates of wages in the high-grade and low-grade shops belonging to 
 the association as well as in those not members of the association. 
 The most noticeable point in the table is the fact that 38 per cent of 
 the cleaners employed in nonassociation A shops, manufacturing the 
 cheaper garments, received $6 per week and under $7. The propor- 
 tion receiving that rate in the nonassociation B shops was 26.9 per 
 cent. In the association shops the same situation is found, namely, 
 that the wages in the A shops are higher than in the B shops. Thus 
 the percentage of cleaners receiving $6 to $6.99 per week in the asso- 
 ciation A shops was 29.3, while in the association B shops it was 25.8. 
 The percentage of cleaners receiving under $6 a week was nearly 
 
 CHART 9. PER CENT OF CLEANERS, FEMALE (WEEK WORKERS), RE- 
 CEIVING EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES PER WEEK, 1912 AND 
 1913. 
 
 5B 
 
 J5 
 50 
 
 Z5 
 ZO 
 15 
 /o 
 5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 35 
 
 2.5 
 
 ZO 
 15 
 10 
 5 
 fff 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 A 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 r 
 
 2 
 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 
 
 
 Weekly Rates of 
 
 
 / 
 
 i 
 
 / 
 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 
 
 
 Wages of Cleaners. 
 
 
 / 
 
 / 
 
 
 
 x \ 
 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 
 
 1912 
 
 
 
 1 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 \ 
 
 
 
 / 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 >S 
 
 ^^r , 
 
 =~~ - 
 
 $2 $3 $4- $5 $6 $7 $8 $9 $10 
 
 $12 
 
 $14 
 
 26 in the nonassociation A shops and over 35 in the association A 
 shops. This indicates a higher percentage of cleaners receiving 
 less than the minimum rate in the association shops manufacturing 
 the cheaper garments than in the nonassociation shops. In the 
 B shops, i. e., those manufacturing the higher-grade garments, the 
 percentage receiving under $6 a week was 36.5 in the nonassocia- 
 tion shops and 48.9 in the association shops. On the other hand, 
 for those receiving $7 and over per week, the percentages in the non- 
 association A shops and in the association A shops were practically 
 the same. In the B shops, the percentage in the nonassociation shops 
 was less than 37 and in the association shops over 25. 
 
108 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 In other words, the proportion of experienced cleaners getting more 
 than the minimum scale is about the same whether the shops are those 
 manufacturing high-grade or low-grade garments, whether belonging 
 to the association or not. The proportion of those receiving the 
 minimum scale of $6 a week is practically the same in all except the 
 nonassociation shops making the cheaper garments. On the other 
 hand the cleaners receiving less than the minimum scale are more 
 numerous in the association than in the nonassociation shops, irre- 
 spective of whether high-grade or low-grade garments are manufac- 
 tured. As the association shops include mostly large establishments 
 while the nonassociation shops are mostly of a small size, the difference 
 is apparently due to the fact that in large shops there are quite a 
 number of so-called floor girls and errand girls employed who are not 
 needed at all in the small shops. As the errand girls are not always 
 kept apart from the cleaners on the pay rolls and, moreover, are made 
 to work on cleaning when they have no errands to do, it was found 
 necessary to enter them all as cleaners. This may account for the 
 larger proportion of "cleaners" receiving less than the minimum scale 
 in the association shops as compared with the nonassociation shops. 
 
 TABLE 5O. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF CLEANERS, FEMALE, WEEK WORKERS,* 
 RECEIVING EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES PER WEEK, 1912 AND 1913, BY CLASS 
 OF SHOPS. 
 
 NUMBER. 
 
 Classified rates of 
 wages per week. 
 
 Association A. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 A. 
 
 Association B. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 B. 
 
 Total. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 19122 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Undr S3 
 
 5 
 81 
 212 
 247 
 188 
 81 
 68 
 18 
 17 
 8 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 5 
 171 
 356 
 401 
 293 
 152 
 112 
 28 
 21 
 9 
 
 
 $3 to $3 99 
 
 39 
 141 
 198 
 305 
 198 
 94 
 55 
 16 
 4 
 
 21 
 28 
 30 
 35 
 25 
 22 
 4 
 1 
 1 
 
 4 
 30 
 62 
 141 
 57 
 52 
 16 
 8 
 1 
 
 65 
 116 
 116 
 67 
 46 
 21 
 6 
 2 
 
 11 
 119 
 135 
 140 
 79 
 43 
 7 
 6 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 1. 
 2 
 16 
 14 
 10 
 4 
 2 
 2 
 1 
 
 46 
 292 
 411 
 600 
 344 
 193 
 80 
 32 
 8 
 
 $4 to 84.99 
 
 $5 to $5.99 
 
 8 
 3 
 
 $6 to $6.99 
 
 $7 to 87.99 
 
 $8 to 88.99 
 
 1 
 ..... 
 
 $9 to $9.99 
 
 $10 to $11.99 
 
 $12 to $13.99 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 928 
 
 1,041 
 
 167 
 
 371 
 
 439 
 
 542 
 
 14 
 
 52 
 
 31,548 
 
 <2,006 
 
 
 PER CENT. 
 
 Under S3 
 
 0.5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 
 $3 to $3.99 
 
 9.1 
 
 2.9 
 
 12.6 
 
 1.1 
 
 14.8 
 
 2.0 
 
 
 1.9 
 
 11.0 
 
 2.3 
 
 $4 to $4.99 
 
 22.9 
 
 13.5 
 
 16.7 
 
 8.1 
 
 26.4 
 
 22.0 
 
 
 3.9 
 
 23.0 
 
 14.5 
 
 $5 to $5.99 
 
 26.6 
 
 19.0 
 
 18 
 
 16.7 
 
 26 4 
 
 24 9 
 
 
 30 7 
 
 25 9 
 
 20.5 
 
 $6 to $6.99 
 
 20.3 
 
 29.3 
 
 20.9 
 
 38.0 
 
 15.3 
 
 25.8 
 
 
 26.9 
 
 18.9 
 
 30.0 
 
 $7 to $7.99 
 
 8.7 
 
 19.0 
 
 15.0 
 
 15.3 
 
 10.4 
 
 14 6 
 
 
 19 2 
 
 9.8 
 
 17.1 
 
 $8 to $8 99 
 
 7.3 
 
 9.0 
 
 13.2 
 
 14 
 
 4 8 
 
 7 9 
 
 
 7 7 
 
 7 2 
 
 9.6 
 
 $9 to $9.99 
 
 1.9 
 
 5.3 
 
 2.4 
 
 4.3 
 
 1.4 
 
 1.3 
 
 
 3.9 
 
 1.8 
 
 4.0 
 
 $10 to $11. 99 
 
 1.8 
 
 1.6 
 
 .6 
 
 2.2 
 
 .5 
 
 i.l 
 
 
 3.9 
 
 1.4 
 
 1.6 
 
 $12 to $13 99 
 
 .9 
 
 .4 
 
 .6 
 
 .3 
 
 
 4 
 
 
 1 9 
 
 6 
 
 .4 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 In addition to the week workers shown in this table, there were 45 pieceworkers in 1912 and 20 in 1913. 
 
 2 Percentages not computed for the year 1912 on account of small number of employees, 
 s Not including 44, for whom weekly rates could not be ascertained. 
 
 * Not including 60, for whom weekly rates could not be ascertained. 
 
.WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DKESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 109 
 
 TABLE 50.-NUMBER AND PER CENT OF CLEANERS, FEMALE, WEEK WORKERS, 
 RECEIVING EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES PER WEEK, 1912 AND 1913, BY CLASS 
 OF SHOPS Concluded. 
 
 SUMMARY OF PERCENTAGES. 
 
 Classified rates of 
 wages per week. 
 
 Association A. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 A. 
 
 Association B. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 B. 
 
 Total. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under $6 
 
 59.1 
 20.3 
 20.6 
 
 35.4 
 29.3 
 35.3 
 
 47.3 
 20.9 
 31.8 
 
 25.9 
 38.0 
 36.1 
 
 67.6 
 15.3 
 17.1 
 
 48.9 
 25.8 
 25.3 
 
 
 36.5 
 26.9 
 36.6 
 
 60.3 
 18.9 
 20.8 
 
 37.3 
 29.9 
 32.7 
 
 |6 to S6.99 
 
 
 $7 and over 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 CUTTERS. 
 
 The occupation of cutter is one of the most skilled and most 
 responsible in the industry. Upon the cutter depends not only the 
 fit and appearance of the garment, but, also, to a considerable extent, 
 the cost of it. An error made by the cutter may result in the partial 
 or total damage of the goods cut. Apart from that, a slight error 
 or failure to cut the goods to the exact size required, sometimes 
 within a fraction of an inch, or the notching of the cloth a fraction of 
 an inch out of the way, may cause the operators endless trouble in the 
 sewing together of the different pieces and result in the necessity of 
 ripping the work already done and the duplication of the work on 
 the part of the operators as well as of the cutters. In a shop in 
 which operators are paid by the week this may entail a very serious 
 loss to the manufacturer. In those in which the work is done by the 
 piece this may likewise be the case, if the blame can be clearly placed 
 on the cutter, for in that case the pieceworkers would be entitled to 
 pay on the spoiled garments. It happens very frequently, however, 
 that the cutting or notching, while not distinctly wrong, is done in 
 so careless or crude a fashion as to cause much trouble without com- 
 pensation for loss of time to the operator working by the piece. 
 
 The skill of the cutter also affects the cost of the garment so far as 
 the ability of the cutter to lay out his pattern economically is con- 
 cerned ; a cutter who is thoroughly familiar with his work will know 
 how to lay out his pattern on the cloth in such a way as to utilize 
 every available part of the cloth and reduce waste to a minimum; a 
 less skilled cutter will waste a great deal of the cloth, being unable to 
 utilize comparatively large pieces of cloth. This may account for 
 the seemingly long period of apprenticeship which the cutters' union 
 requires before admitting a worker to the class of full-fledged cutters. 
 It is the only trade in the industry for which the protocol has pro- 
 vided a graduated scale of compensation. 
 
 Under the protocol cutters are divided into full-fledged cutters 
 and apprentices. The apprentices are divided into three grades, 
 
110 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 thus making four grades in all. The three grades of apprentices 
 known as: Grade A, to which are admitted apprentices of less thj 
 one year's standing; grade B, which includes apprentices of mo] 
 than one year and less than two years' standing; and grade C, coi 
 sisting of apprentices of more than two years' and less than thn 
 years' tune. The protocol provides that on or about the 15th da] 
 of June and November in each year the cutters' union, known 
 Local No. 10, shall hold an examination for the purpose of admitti] 
 apprentices of grade C to the class of full-fledged cutters. Th< 
 protocol also provides that " after January 1, 1914, the followiii| 
 rule shall be adopted: In each shop there shall be not more than on< 
 apprentice for each five cutters employed, but in case there shall 
 less than five cutters employed one apprentice may be employed." 
 It also provides that "at least one cutter shall be employed in th< 
 shops of members of the association. " 
 
 The method of cutting the goods varies with the character of th< 
 garments manufactured in the industry. In shops manufacture 
 high-grade dresses and gowns of silk in which one garment is rriad< 
 at a time the cutter may cut only one or a very few garments of th< 
 same style and uses shears for that purpose. Where cheaper garmenl 
 are manufactured, a knife or a cutting machine is employed insteac 
 of shears. This is done to enable the cutter to cut as many 
 400 garments at once. It is done by stretching out bolts of materi* 
 on a long table, placing one layer on top of another until the nee ess i 
 thickness has been reached. The number of layers or thicknesses oi 
 cloth depends on the character of the material and on the size of th< 
 order. In shops making a medium grade and a high grade of gi 
 ments where no stock is ever made up the amount cut will depeni 
 entirely on the size of the order received, while in shops manufactuj 
 ing cheaper waists and dresses made of lingerie and other light cotto] 
 material, for which orders are usually received in large quantitie 
 and where there is no hesitation in making up garments in excess oi 
 the order so as to have stock in readiness, the cloth is piled high 
 the limit of the capacity of the knife and to the limit of the ability oi 
 the cutter to do his work without damage to the goods. 
 
 In the case of lawns, about 20 or 22 dozen layers are stretch( 
 one on top of the other and cut with a long knife or machine. Whei 
 lingerie, cotton voile, and similar light cottons are used, the numbc 
 of layers may reach about 300. In heavy linens about four dozei 
 sometimes eight dozen, layers are cut. In ratines, six to eight 
 dozen is the largest number. In case of silks, a short knife 
 used because the number of layers that can be cut at once is mu< 
 smaller than in cotton. This is due to the fact that silk being ver< 
 slippery and very light, it is exceedingly difficult for the cutter t< 
 keep the layers in a fixed, steady position. The highest number oi 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. Ill 
 
 layers cut at one time does not exceed 90 when a cutting machine is 
 employed and 40 if a short knife is used. The long knife is never used 
 on silks. 
 
 Woolen goods are easier to handle than silks, but not so easy to cut 
 as cotton. The cutting machine is usually employed in cutting out 
 the cloth. In the case of heavy woolen cloths, about 60 layers are 
 usually regarded as the maximum. For light serges and worsteds, 
 as many as 96 layers are cut at a time. 
 
 In large shops, where more than one cutter, is employed, there is 
 more or less division of labor. The assistants or apprentices do the 
 stretching of the cloth, other cutters do the cutting, while the most 
 responsible work, namely, the marking of the outline of the pattern 
 on the top layer of the cloth is done by the most experienced cutter, 
 who is also called the marker. 
 
 The apprenticing of a cutter. During the first year (grade A), the 
 cutter's apprentice is taught how to stretch the cloth, preparing it for 
 the marker and the cutter. He is also taught to cut out small parts 
 such as cuffs and other odd parts with a short knife. An opportunity 
 is also given him to cut "repairs"; that is, to correct outlines in gar- 
 ments which through an error of the cutter or the operator have to be 
 repaired. The repair cutting is done with shears on single garments. 
 
 During the second year (grade B) the apprentice gradually learns 
 to do more and more cutting. He assists the cutter in cutting out 
 those parts which do not have to be cut to the exact size but merely 
 in rough outline. These are parts that are cut much larger than the 
 final size in order to allow for plaits, tucks, etc., and which are later 
 1 'sloped" to the right size. He is also given smaller parts to cut and 
 odd parts like strips for tucking, binding, etc. 
 
 Sloping. The grade B cutter also does the sloping which consists 
 in cutting down parts of the garment such as a front or back of a waist 
 to the exact size after the plaits, tucks, or insertions have been put in 
 by the operator. 
 
 During the third year (grade C), the apprentice assists in laying out 
 the patterns and marking out the lays. He also does the general 
 cutting under the supervision of the cutter. After the third year, 
 upon passing an examination, he is admitted to the standing of a full- 
 fledged cutter. 
 
 SEX. 
 
 Only men are employed in cutting. In some shops, however, 
 women are employed as slopers. As will be seen from Table 8 only 
 6 women slopers were found employed in the 520 shops under investi- 
 gation. It will also be seen from the same table that there were 13 
 male slopers. This does not mean that there were only 13 men slopers 
 in the industry; the other slopers were in ah 1 probability entered on 
 the pay roUs as cutters. 
 
 
112 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 WAGES. 
 
 Information was obtained as to 1,701 cutters in 1913 and 1,397 in 
 1912. All of these were paid by the week. As will be seen from 
 Table 51, they were distributed among the four branches of the indus- 
 try as follows: Association A (lower-grade garments) 830; nonassocia- 
 tion A ; 213; association B, 560; nonassociation B, 61, making a total 
 of 1,664. For the remaining 37 cutters no information was obtainable 
 as to their weekly rates of wages, but merely of their total earning 
 during the busiest week. 
 
 Over 67 per cent or two-thirds of all the cutters in 1913 were in 
 those groups which included the protocol rates of $6, $12, $18, 
 and over. In 1912 less than 38 per cent of all the cutters receive 
 these rates. The proportion of cutters receiving these rates in the 
 different branches of the industry was as follows: Association B, 
 nearly 78 per cent; nonassociation B, over 72 per cent; association A, 
 over 62 percent; nonassociation A, over 56 per cent. It will be seen 
 from these figures that the enforcement of the protocol rates does 
 not depend so much on whether the shops belong to members of the 
 association or to nonmembers as on the grade of garments manu- 
 factured in the various shops. The higher the grade, the greater 
 the skill of the cutter required, the higher the pay he can command, 
 and the greater, therefore, the proportion of those receiving protocol 
 rates. On the other hand, the detailed comparison of rates prevail- 
 ing in association and nonassociation shops of the same grade which 
 follows, indicates that in some cases the association shops make a 
 better showing, while in other cases it is the nonassociation shops. 
 
 Comparing the figures in Table 51 showing the proportion of workers 
 receiving different rates of wages in association and nonassociation A 
 shops (those manufacturing lower-grade garments), we find a higher 
 percentage of cutters receiving $25 a week and over in the nonassocia- 
 tion shops than in the association shops and a lower percentage of 
 cutters receiving under $25 a week. Thus, the number of cutters re- 
 ceiving $6 and less than $7 a week constituted more than 5 per cent 
 of all the cutters in the association A shops and more than 3 per cent 
 in the nonassociation A shops. Those getting $12 and less than $14 
 a week were nearly 11 per cent of the total in the association shops 
 and nearly 10 per cent in the nonassociation shops. Those getting 
 $18 and less than $20 a week constituted nearly 14 per cent in the 
 association and 8.5 per cent in the nonassociation shops, and those 
 getting $25 and less than $27.50 were almost 28 per cent in the asso- 
 ciation and over 32 per cent in the nonassociation shops. 
 
 The contrary is true of the B shops (those manufacturing the 
 higher-grade garments). Thus the proportion of cutters receiving 
 the highest protocol rate ($25) and over was 64 per cent in the asso- 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DKESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 113 
 
 elation B shops and only a little over 49 per cent in the nonassociation 
 B shops. On the other hand, in the groups including two of the 
 : protocol rates under $25 ($18 and $12) the nonassociation shops had 
 ; a higher percentage of cutters than the association shops. Thus, in 
 I the group $18 to $19.99 were found 13.1 per cent of the cutters in 
 nonassociation B shops as against 7.4 per cent of those in association 
 B shops and in the group $12 to $13.99 were found 9.8 per cent of the 
 cutters in nonassociation shops as against 4.6 per cent of those in 
 association shops. In the group $6 to $6.99, that is, the group con- 
 taining the lowest protocol rate ($6), there were only 11 cutters in 
 the association B shops and none in the nonassociation B shops. 
 In fact, there were no cutters in the nonassociation B shops receiv- 
 ing under $8, while in the association B shops nearly 5 per cent of all 
 the cutters received $4 and less than $8 a week. 
 
 A comparison of Table 51 and Chart 10, showing the rates for cut- 
 ters, with Tables 50, 52, 54, and 55, and Charts 9, 11, 12, and 13, 
 representing the wages of cleaners, drapers, examiners, and finishers, 
 respectively, shows the striking effect of providing only one rate 
 of wages, as has been done in the protocol for those occupations and 
 four different rates as is the case with the cutters. In the trades 
 mentioned there is always only one high peak showing that the 
 largest single group of workers is the group receiving the minimum 
 protocol rate, while in the case of the cutters there are four distinct 
 peaks showing that wages tend to concentrate at the rates provided 
 in the protocol. 
 
 Table 51 shows the difference in the wages paid in the two classes 
 of association shops, A and B. In the higher-grade (B) shops the 
 proportion of cutters receiving $25 a week and under $27.50 rises to 
 56.2 per cent, while for the line representing the lower-grade (A) shops 
 it goes up only to 27.8 per cent. In the lower wage groups, the rela- 
 tive position of the percentages is reversed, that is to say, the pro- 
 portion of cutters in the group receiving $18, $12, and $6 a week, 
 as well as of those receiving the intermediate rates not fixed in the 
 protocol, is in every case higher in the lower-grade shops than in the 
 higher-grade shops. 
 
 Wages in 1912 and 1913. Table 51 throws an interesting light on 
 the changes which have occurred in the wages of the cutters since the 
 protocol has gone into effect. As will be seen from the last two 
 columns in the table, the percentage of those receiving the lower rates 
 of wages has uniformly declined, while the proportion of those 
 receiving $25 a week and over has increased from less than 19 per 
 cent of all the cutters in 1912 to 44 per cent in 1913. 
 
 This fact is shown even more strikingly when we look at the abso 
 lute numbers of cutters receiving different rates of wages as shown in 
 Table 51, for we find an increase in the number of workers receiving 
 42132 Bull. 14614 8 
 
114 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OP LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 protocol rates of wages and a decline in the number of those receiving 
 less than the protocol rates, in spite of the increase of the total number 
 of cutters from 1,328 in 1912 to 1,664 in 1913. Thus, the number of 
 those receiving $6 and less than $7 a week increased from 36 in 1912 
 to 63 in 1913, while the number of those receiving under $6 declined 
 from 27 to 20. The number of cutters receiving $12 and less than $14 
 a week increased from 113 to 142, while the number of those receiving 
 $7 and less than $12 a week declined from 210 to 165. The number 
 of those receiving $18 and less than $20 a week increased from 117 
 in 1912 to 182 in 1913, while those receiving $14 and less than $18 a 
 week declined from 223 to 196. Finally, the number of those receiv- 
 ing $25 a week and over increased from 250 in 1912 to 731 in 1913, 
 while those receiving $20 and less than $25 declined from 352 to 165. 
 
 The changes in the rates of wages paid to cutters since the protocol 
 went into effect are shown in Chart 10, in which the broken line repre- 
 sents the wages in 1912 and the solid line those for 1913. The great 
 rise in the number of those in the group receiving $25 a week is the 
 most conspicuous feature on that chart. The smaller increase in the 
 number of those in the groups receiving $18 and $6 a week and the 
 decline in the number of those receiving the intermediate rates is 
 likewise clearly shown. 
 
 TABLE 51. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF CUTTERS, WEEK WORKERS, RECEIVING EACH 
 CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES PER WEEK, 1912 AND 1913, BY CLASS OF SHOPS. 
 
 NUMBER. 
 
 Classified rates of 
 wages per week. 
 
 Association A. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 -A. 
 
 Association B. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 B. 
 
 Total. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 $3 to $3 99. 
 
 1 
 3 
 9 
 21 
 24 
 25 
 24 
 65 
 68 
 72 
 57 
 63 
 115 
 28 
 53 
 3 
 29 
 
 1 
 3 
 4 
 45 
 
 27 
 20 
 25 
 37 
 89 
 67 
 39 
 115 
 67 
 22 
 230 
 7 
 32 
 
 1 
 1 
 2 
 7 
 4 
 6 
 5 
 13 
 16 
 12 
 9 
 11 
 17 
 2 
 9 
 2 
 4 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 8 
 17 
 36 
 35 
 41 
 40 
 94 
 113 
 117 
 106 
 117 
 254 
 98 
 180 
 8 
 62 
 
 1 
 9 
 10 
 63 
 41 
 29 
 37 
 58 
 142 
 123 
 73 
 182 
 123 
 42 
 635 
 18 
 78 
 
 $4 to $4.99 
 
 3 
 2 
 7 
 4 
 6 
 4 
 10 
 21 
 25 
 16 
 18 
 18 
 5 
 69 
 1 
 4 
 
 4 
 6 
 8 
 6 
 9 
 10 
 16 
 28 
 30 
 37 
 33 
 118 
 64 
 114 
 3 
 24 
 
 3 
 4 
 11 
 10 
 2 
 5 
 10 
 26 
 28 
 17 
 41 
 33 
 12 
 314 
 8 
 36 
 
 
 
 $5 to $5.99 
 
 
 
 $6 to $6.99 
 
 
 
 $7 to $7.99 
 
 1 
 1 
 1 
 
 
 $8 to $8.99 
 
 1 
 
 3 
 1 
 6 
 3 
 1 
 8 
 5 
 3 
 22 
 2 
 6 
 
 $9 to $9.99. 
 
 $10 to $11.99 
 $12 to $13.99 
 $14 to $15.99 
 
 1 
 3 
 3 
 10 
 4 
 4 
 4 
 
 $16 to $17.99. 
 
 $18 to $19 99 
 
 $20 to $22. 49.. 
 
 $22.50 to $24.99 
 $25 to $27.49. . 
 
 $27.50 to $29.99 
 $30 and over 
 
 5 
 
 Total 
 
 660 
 
 830 
 
 121 
 
 213 
 
 510 
 
 560 
 
 37 
 
 61 
 
 i 1,328 
 
 1,664 
 
 
 1 Not including 69, for whom weekly rates could not be ascertained. 
 8 Not including 37, for whom weekly rates could not be ascertained. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 115 
 
 TABLE 51. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF CUTTERS, WEEK WORKERS, RECEIVING 
 EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES PER WEEK, 1912 AND 1913, BY CLASS OF SHOPS 
 
 Concluded. 
 
 PER CENT. 
 
 Classified rates of 
 wages per week. 
 
 Association A. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 A. 
 
 Association B. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 B. 
 
 Total. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 $3 to S3 99. 
 
 0.2 
 .5 
 1.4 
 3.2 
 3.6 
 3.8 
 3.6 
 9.9 
 10.3 
 10.9 
 8.6 
 9.5 
 17.4 
 4.2 
 8.0 
 .5 
 4.4 
 
 0.1 
 .4 
 .5 
 5.4 
 3.3 
 2.4 
 3.0 
 4.5 
 10.7 
 8.1 
 4.7 
 13.9 
 8.1 
 2.7 
 27.7 
 .8 
 3.9 
 
 0.8 
 .8 
 1.7 
 5.8 
 3.3 
 5.0 
 4.1 
 10.7 
 13.2 
 9.9 
 7.4 
 9.1 
 14.1 
 1.7 
 7.4 
 1.7 
 3.3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 0.2 
 .6 
 1.3 
 2.7 
 2.6 
 3.1 
 3.0 
 7.1 
 8.5 
 8.8 
 8.0 
 8.8 
 19.1 
 7.3 
 13.6 
 .6 
 4.6 
 
 0.1 
 .5 
 .6 
 3.8 
 2.5 
 1.7 
 2.2 
 3.5 
 8.5 
 7.4 
 4.4 
 10.9 
 7.4 
 2.5 
 38.2 
 I.I 
 4.7 
 
 |4 to $4 99 
 
 1.4 
 .9 
 3.3 
 1.9 
 2.8 
 1.9 
 4.7 
 9.8 
 11.7 
 7.5 
 8.5 
 8.5 
 2.3 
 32.4 
 .5 
 1.9 
 
 0.8 
 1.2 
 1.6 
 1.2 
 1.8 
 2.0 
 3.1 
 5.5 
 5.9 
 7.3 
 6.5 
 23.1 
 12.5 
 22.3 
 .6 
 4.7 
 
 0.5 
 .7 
 1.9 
 1.8 
 .4 
 .9 
 1.8 
 4.6 
 5.0 
 3.0 
 7.4 
 5.9 
 2.1 
 56.1 
 1.4 
 6.4 
 
 
 
 $5 to So 99. 
 
 
 
 $6 to $6 99 
 
 
 
 $7 to $7.99 
 
 2.7 
 2.7 
 2.7 
 
 
 $8 to 88 99 
 
 1.6 
 4.9 
 1.6 
 9.8 
 4.9 
 1.6 
 13.1 
 8.2 
 4.9 
 36.1 
 3.3 
 9.8 
 
 $9 to 39.99 
 
 $10 to $11 99 
 
 $12 to $13. 99 
 $14 to 115 99.. . . 
 
 2.7 
 8.1 
 8.1 
 27.1 
 10.8 
 10.8 
 10.8 
 
 "'ii's' 
 
 $16 to $ 17 99 
 
 $18 to 819 99 
 
 $20 to $22 49 
 
 $22.50 to $24.99 
 $25 to $27. 49 
 
 $27.50 to $29.99 
 $30 and over 
 
 Total 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 DRAPERS. 
 
 Draping is one of the most skilled occupations in the trade in con- 
 nection with the making of dresses and waists. Most of the drapers 
 graduate into that class of work after having worked as dressmakers 
 or examiners. 
 
 The drapers are roughly divided into two classes, those working 
 'on comparatively simple dresses and waists, and the high-grade 
 dressmaker drapers. A lower-grade draper through practice and 
 years of experience gradually works up to the higher grades. To do 
 this she must have, however, a native taste for the beautiful in dress. 
 The lower-grade drapers usually confine their attention to the simple 
 draping of waists, which consists in arranging the plaits, joining the 
 skirt to the waist with the aid of pins, seeing that the skirt hangs prop- 
 erly from the waistline, and draping the skirt. Drapers of this class 
 are usually promoted to this work after they have been working as 
 examiners or as plain dressmakers. They receive about $14 a week. 
 
 The high-grade draper or dressmaker draper, as she is sometimes 
 called, works on high-class dresses and gowns. In many cases she 
 makes practically the whole dress. After taking the cloth as it comes 
 from the cutter, she joins the different pieces of cloth and, fixing 
 them by means of pins, she drapes the cloth around the figure in 
 graceful folds, sewing together with the needle the different parts 
 where necessary. In many such cases there is but little work left 
 for the operator to do after the draper removes the garment from the 
 figure, most of the remaining work being done by hand by the fin- 
 isher. Drapers of this class get all the way from $14 to $20 a week, 
 although but few get more than $18. 
 
116 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 3 
 
 b 
 
 w < 
 tf 
 
 ^-s 
 
 s 
 
 w 
 
 3 
 
 o 
 
 
 
 M 
 W 
 
 \ 
 
 B 
 
 5 f 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 117 
 
 SEX. 
 
 Women are employed almost exclusively in this work. As will 
 be seen from Table 8, out of 1,321 drapers for whom wages were found 
 on the pay rolls in 1913, 1,315 were women and only 6 were men. 
 
 WAGES. 
 
 Draping is done almost entirely on a week basis. The protocol 
 recognizes this fact by providing a weekly rate of wages which is fixed 
 at a minimum of $14. Out of 1,321 drapers (Table 11), 1,273, or 96 
 per cent of all the drapers, were found working by the week and only 
 48, or 4 per cent, were pieceworkers. 
 
 Table 52 gives the wages of drapers in 1912 and 1913 in each of the 
 four branches of the industry as well as for the industry as a whole, 
 and also the percentage of the workers receiving various rates of 
 wages. Of the 1,259 drapers for whom weekly rates of wages were 
 obtained, 1,058, or 84 per cent, worked in association shops and only 
 201, or 16 per cent, were found employed in nonassociation shops. 
 
 Taking the minimum rate of wages as fixed in the protocol, $14, 
 we find that in association shops producing low-grade garments (A), 
 nearly 49 per cent of all the workers were in the wage group including 
 this rate and in the corresponding nonassociation shops over 47 per 
 cent, or practically the same proportion. On the other hand, in the 
 high-grade shops (B) belonging to the association nearly 57 per cent 
 were in the group receiving the minimum protocol rate, while in 
 the corresponding nonassociation shops only about 35 per cent were 
 in the group receiving the minimum rate. It must be borne in 
 mind, however, that the percentages just quoted include not only 
 those receiving $14 a week but also those receiving from $14 to 
 $15.99, although the great majority of them were receiving $14. 
 Taking those receiving $16 and over a week, we find that in the high- 
 grade (B) association shops less than 15 per cent belong to that class, 
 while in the high-grade nonassociation shops the percentage was 
 practically the same, namely, over 16. In the shops manufacturing 
 lower-grade garments (A), the proportion of drapers receiving $16 
 a week and over was over 10 per cent in the association and 12.5 per 
 cent in the nonassociation shops. 
 
 As will be seen from Table 52, the largest group after the $14 to 
 $15.99 was that of drapers receiving from $12 to $13.99 a week, which 
 constituted 25.5 per cent of all the drapers employed in the associa- 
 tion (A) shops (manufacturing low-grade garments) and over 18 per 
 cent in the corresponding nonassociation shops, while in the B shops 
 it constituted more than 20 per cent in the association branch and 
 nearly 37 per cent in the nonassociation. A comparatively large 
 proportion of drapers receiving $12 a week and less than $14, as well 
 as the drapers receiving under $12 a week, consist of the lower-grade 
 
118 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 drapers and those whom the manufacturers regard more or less as 
 apprentices in this kind of work. A personal investigation after the 
 figures were compiled has also disclosed the fact that in some shops 
 little or no distinction is made between joiners and drapers; sometimes 
 those who do joining work are called drapers and are paid the wages 
 of joiners, while in other shops workers who do real drapi-ng are called 
 joiners. 
 
 An examination of Table 52 shows that association shops manufac- 
 turing high-grade (B) and low-grade (A) goods employed 84 per cent 
 of all the drapers in the industry. As will be seen from the table, the 
 group of $14 to $15.99 workers is the largest of all, reaching nearly 57 
 per cent in the association B shops and nearly 49 per cent in the A 
 shops. Below the $14 rate it will be seen that the A shops in every 
 wage group have a higher percentage than the B shops. That is to 
 say, the proportion of workers receiving $5 and less than $14 a week 
 is greater in the low-grade shops than in the high grade. At $14 and 
 over the relative position is reversed. 
 
 Still more interesting is a consideration of the changes in. the wages 
 of all drapers since the adoption of the protocol shown in the last two 
 columns of Table 52 and also in graphic form in Chart 11. The most 
 conspicuous fact is the high peak representing the $14 to $15.99 group 
 for 1913, at over 51 per cent, while in 1912 this group is less than 33 per 
 cent. In 1912, the percentage of workers receiving $12 and less than 
 $14 a week was almost as high as that of those receiving $14 and less 
 than $16, while in 1913, the $12 to $13.99 group was only about 23 
 per cent, or 10 points below the 1912 line. The shifting that has 
 occurred in the industry by way of the increase of the compensation 
 to drapers is shown very clearly in this table and chart. For wage 
 groups below $14 the percentages in 1912 are in almost all cases 
 above those for 1913, while at $14 and above the position is reversed, 
 showing that in every wage group from $14 to $22.50 there was a 
 greater proportion of drapers in 1913 than in 1912. 
 
 An examination of the summary part of Table 52, in which these 
 facts are brought out not only for the industry as a whole, but also for 
 the different branches of the industry, shows, first, for the industry 
 as a whole, that the number of drapers receiving under $12 a week 
 declined from 27.5 per cent in 1912 to 13 per cent in 1913. Those 
 getting $12 and less than $14 a week declined from 32.6 per cent in 
 1912 to less than 23 per cent in 1913. This makes the total number 
 of drapers receiving less than the minimum protocol rate in 1913, 36 
 per cent of all the drapers. On the other hand, those getting $14 
 and less than $16 increased from nearly 33 per cent in 1912 to 51.5 
 per cent, or more than half of the entire number of drapers, in 1913, 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DEESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 119 
 
 and those getting $16 arid over increased from 7.1 per cent to nearly 
 13 per cent. 
 
 Taking the different branches of the industry, we find that the B 
 (high-grade) shops belonging to the association lead all the others in 
 the advance in wages for drapers, the proportion of those getting $14 
 and over in 1913 being 71.3 per cent, or nearly three-fourths of all 
 
 CHART 11. PER CENT OF DRAPERS (WEEK WORKERS) RECEIVING EACH 
 CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES PER WEEK, 1912 AND 1913. 
 
 $14 
 
 $:6 
 
 $20 
 
 $22 
 
 $24- $26 
 
 0% 
 
 $28 
 
 $4 $5 $6 $7 $3 $9 $10 $12 
 
 the drapers employed in those shops, as against 46.3 per cent during 
 the preceding year. In the lower-grade association shops the per- 
 centage of those receiving $14 and over was 58.9 per cent as com- 
 pared with 36.1 per cent the year before, and 'in tne corresponding 
 nonassociation shops it was 59.9 per cent, as compared with 26 per 
 cent the year before. 
 
120 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 TABLE 52. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF DRAPERS, WEEK WORKERS, 1 RECEIVING EACH 
 CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES PER WEEK, 1912 AND 1913, BY CLASS OF SHOPS. 
 
 NUMBER. 
 
 Classified rates of 
 wages per week. 
 
 Association A. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 
 Association B. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 B.* 
 
 Total. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $3 to $3 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $4 to $4 99 
 
 1 
 2 
 3 
 13 
 13 
 19 
 67 
 132 
 121 
 16 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 4 
 5 
 13 
 10 
 45 
 131 
 251 
 46 
 2 
 4 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 3 
 5 
 24 
 32 
 42 
 148 
 303 
 305 
 50 
 11 
 4 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 8 
 10 
 23 
 18 
 100 
 288 
 648 
 131 
 18 
 9 
 
 $5 to $5 99 
 
 1 
 1 
 ...... 
 
 1 
 13 
 
 30 
 15 
 2 
 
 2 
 4 
 2 
 5 
 3 
 17 
 28 
 72 
 17 
 2 
 
 
 
 $6 to $6 99 
 
 "'9' 
 14 
 21 
 
 61 
 128 
 163 
 28 
 8 
 3 
 
 "~2~ 
 5 
 5 
 33 
 111 
 308 
 62 
 12 
 5 
 
 2 
 2 
 1 
 7 
 13 
 6 
 4 
 
 ..... 
 
 $7 to $7.99 
 
 $8 to $S 99 
 
 $9 to $9. 99 
 
 ... 
 
 18 
 17 
 6 
 2 
 
 $10 to $11 99 ... 
 
 $12 to $13 99 
 
 $14 to $15.99 
 
 $16 to $17 99 
 
 $18 to $19 99 
 
 j9Q to $2 49 
 
 
 
 $^2 50 to $4 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 $ 9 5 to $ 9 7 49 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 391 
 
 514 
 
 66 
 
 152 
 
 438 
 
 544 
 
 36 
 
 49 
 
 931 
 
 * 1,259 
 
 PER CENT. 
 
 Under $3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $3 to $3 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $4to$4.99 
 
 0.2 
 
 0.2 
 
 
 
 0.5 
 
 
 
 
 0.3 
 
 0.1 
 
 $5 to $5 99 
 
 .5 
 
 .4 
 
 1.5 
 
 1.3 
 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 $3 to $5.99 
 
 .8 
 
 .8 
 
 1.5 
 
 2.6 
 
 
 
 
 
 .5 
 
 .6 
 
 $7 to $7 99 
 
 3.3 
 
 1.0 
 
 
 1.3 
 
 2.1 
 
 0.4 
 
 
 
 2.6 
 
 .8 
 
 $8 to $3 99 
 
 3 3 
 
 2 5 
 
 4 6 
 
 3 3 
 
 3 2 
 
 .9 
 
 
 
 3 4 
 
 1 8 
 
 $9 to $3 99 
 
 4.9 
 
 1.9 
 
 1.5 
 
 2.0 
 
 4.8 
 
 .9 
 
 
 
 4.5 
 
 1.4 
 
 $10 to $11 99 
 
 17.1 
 
 8.7 
 
 19 7 
 
 11.2 
 
 13.9 
 
 6.1 
 
 
 
 15 9 
 
 8 
 
 $12 to $13. 99 
 
 33.8 
 
 25.5 
 
 45.5 
 
 18.4 
 
 29.2 
 
 20.4 
 
 
 
 32.6 
 
 22.9 
 
 $14 to $15 99 
 
 31.0 
 
 48.8 
 
 22.7 
 
 47.4 
 
 37.2 
 
 56.6 
 
 
 
 32.8 
 
 51.5 
 
 $18 to $17 99 
 
 4.1 
 
 9 
 
 3 
 
 11 2 
 
 6 4 
 
 11 4 
 
 
 
 5 4 
 
 10 4 
 
 $18 to $19.99 
 
 .8 
 
 .4 
 
 
 1.3 
 
 1.8 
 
 2.2 
 
 
 
 
 1.4 
 
 $20 to $22 49 
 
 .2 
 
 .8 
 
 
 
 .7 
 
 .9 
 
 
 
 .4 
 
 .7 
 
 $22 50 to $ 9 4 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $25 to $27.49 
 
 
 
 
 
 .2 
 
 .2 
 
 
 
 .1 
 
 .1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 SUMMARY OF PERCENTAGES. 
 
 Under $12 
 
 30 1 
 
 15 6 
 
 28 8 
 
 21 7 
 
 24 5 
 
 8 3 
 
 
 
 27 5 
 
 13 
 
 $12 to $13.99 
 
 33.8 
 
 25.5 
 
 45.5 
 
 18.4 
 
 29.2 
 
 20.4 
 
 
 
 32.6 
 
 22.9 
 
 $14 to $15.99 
 
 31.0 
 
 48.8 
 
 22.7 
 
 47.4 
 
 37 2 
 
 56 6 
 
 
 
 32 8 
 
 51 5 
 
 $16 and over 
 
 5 1 
 
 10 1 
 
 3 
 
 12 5 
 
 9 1 
 
 14 7 
 
 
 
 7 1 
 
 12 6 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total.. 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 In addition to the week workers shown in this table there were 26 pieceworkers in 1912 and 48 in 1913. 
 
 2 Percentages not computed on account of small number of employees. 
 
 * Not including 21 females, 1 male, for whom weekly rates of wac;es could not be ascertained. 
 < Not including 9 females, 5 males, for whom weekly rates of wages could not be ascertained. 
 
 EMBROIDERERS. 
 
 The work of embroiderers is too well known to need any' explana- 
 tion. The embroiderers for whom information is given in Table 8 
 and Table 53 are all handworkers skilled in the use of the needle. 
 The majority of them are Italians. The skill of the embroiderer 
 calls not only for the deft use of the needle, but for keen perception 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 121 
 
 of colors and their different shadings, since colored thread is used to a 
 very large extent. The great majority of the embroiderers working 
 in the industry come with their skill previously acquired in their 
 home country. There is an increasing number of embroiderers 
 working on machines in some of the dress and waist making shops, 
 but no mention of them appeared on the pay rolls of 1913 and there- 
 fore they are not included in these tables. 
 
 Only 184 embroiderers were found mentioned as such on the pay 
 rolls of the shops investigated. A much larger number are actually 
 employed in the industry. On the pay rolls, many of these are prob- 
 ably described as finishers, since they do their work by hand, and a 
 great many are not mentioned at all, because the embroidery de- 
 partment is frequently in charge of a subcontractor, who pays his 
 help directly and is compensated by the firm on a piece basis. 
 
 SEX. 
 
 Only 1 man was found among the 184 embroiderers covered by 
 this report. 
 
 WAGES. 
 
 Of the 184 embroiderers reported in Table 11, 87, or a little less 
 than one-half, were paid by the week, and 97 were paid by the piece. 
 In 1912 the proportion was reversed, more than half being paid by 
 the week and 74, out of a total of 167, being paid by the piece. 
 
 The 184 embroiderers were distributed as follows among three 
 branches of the industry: Association A, 36; association B, 133; non- 
 association B, 15. From this it will be seen that 169, or more than 
 nine- tenths of all the embroiderers, were employed in association 
 shops, leaving less than one-tenth in the nonassociation shops. The 
 number being very small, no conclusions can be safely drawn as to 
 the wages for the separate branches of the industry. They are, 
 therefore, analyzed for the industry as a whole. 
 
 Wages of week workers. The largest single group of week workers 
 were those getting $8 a week and less than $9. These constituted more 
 than 29 per cent of all the week workers. Nearly one-half of all the 
 week workers received $9 and less than $14 a week. Only 1 girl 
 received under $6 a week. More than one-tenth of all the week 
 workers received $6 and less than $8 a week. 
 
 Earnings of pieceworkers. Of the 97 pieceworkers, 16.5 per cent 
 earned under $6 during the busiest week of the year. Nearly 29 per 
 cent earned $6 and less than $9 a week. Over 42 per cent, or a little 
 over four-tenths of the workers, earned $9 and less than $14, and 
 more than 12 per cent,- or about one-eighth, earned $14 and less than 
 $18 a week. 
 
122 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 Wages in 1912 and 1913. No provision has teen made in the pro- 
 tocol in regard to the wages of embroiderers. So far as the week work- 
 ers are concerned, there is no marked change in the rates of wages 
 from 1912 to 1913, with the exception of one group, namely, those 
 earning $8 and less than $9 a week, which increased from over 17 per 
 cent in 1912 to more than 29 per cent in 1913. The total number of 
 embroiderers working by the week declined from 95 in 1912 to 87 in 
 1913, showing a loss of 8 workers. On the other hand, the number of 
 pieceworkers increased from 74 to 97, an increase of 23 workers. A 
 dropping off is noticeable in the number of week workers receiving 
 under $8 a week, who numbered 23 in 1912 and only 11, or less than 
 one-half of the former number, in 1913. On the other hand, the 
 number of those receiving $8 and less than $9 increased from 16 to 
 25, showing a gain of 9, which may account for most of the decline 
 in the lower groups. From $9 and over there is also a decline in 
 every group except those getting $14 and less than $16 a week which 
 may be accounted for by their passing into the group of pieceworkers 
 where greater earnings are possible. 
 
 Earnings of pieceworkers in 1912 and 1913. The proportion of 
 pieceworkers earning under $6 during the busiest week of the year 
 declined from 20.2 per cent in 1912 to 16.5 per cent in 1913. Those 
 earning $6 and less than $9 a week formed practically the same pro- 
 portion of the total both years, namely, 29.8 per cent and 28.9 per 
 cent, respectively. Those earning $9 and less than $14 a week declined 
 from 46 per cent in 1912 to 42.2 per cent in 1913, while those earning 
 $14 a week and over increased from 4 per cent in 1912 to 12.4 per 
 cent in 1913. 
 
 Summing up the changes in the wages of embroiderers, it may be 
 said that among the week workers the number of those receiving 
 under $8 a week declined; those receiving $8 to $8.99 increased 
 perceptibly, and the number of those earning $9 and over remained 
 practically the same. Among pieceworkers, while no radical changes 
 in earnings occurred, there was a general tendency upward. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 123 
 
 TABLE 53 NUMBER AND PER CENT OT" EMBROIDERERS (WEEK WORKERS AND 
 PIECEWORKERS) RECEIVING EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES OR EARNINGS 
 PER WEEK, 1912 AND 1913, BY SEX. 
 
 Classified rates of 
 wages or earnings 
 per week, and 
 classes of shops. 
 
 Week workers receiving each classified rate of 
 wages. 
 
 Pieceworkers earning each clas- 
 sified amount during busiest 
 week of year. 
 
 Females. 
 
 Males. 
 
 Females. 
 
 Number. 
 
 Per cent. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Number. 
 
 Per cent. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under $3. . . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 8 
 3 
 2 
 2 
 4 
 7 
 11 
 13 
 15 
 6 
 2 
 
 4 
 1 
 4 
 10 
 
 7 
 11 
 4 
 17 
 20 
 5 
 7 
 
 10.8 
 4.0 
 2.7 
 2.7 
 5.4 
 9.5 
 14.9 
 17.6 
 20.3 
 8.1 
 2.7 
 
 7.2 
 4.1 
 1. 1 
 4.1 
 10.3 
 7.2 
 11.4 
 4.1 
 17.5 
 20.6 
 5.2 
 7.2 
 
 $3 to S3. 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $4 to S4 99 
 
 3 
 2 
 
 8 
 10 
 16 
 17 
 19 
 11 
 3 
 
 
 3.2 
 2.1 
 
 8.6 
 10.8 
 17.2 
 18.3 
 20.5 
 11.8 
 3.2 
 
 
 
 
 $5 toSo.99 
 
 1 
 2 
 8 
 25 
 16 
 15 
 10 
 6 
 1 
 1 
 
 1.2 
 2.3 
 9.3 
 29.1 
 18.6 
 17.4 
 11.6 
 6.9 
 1.2 
 1.2 
 
 
 
 $6 to $6 99. 
 
 $7 to $7.99 
 
 
 
 $8toS8.99 
 
 ..... 
 
 
 19 to $9.99 
 
 $10 to 111 99 
 
 1 
 
 $12 to $13.99 
 $14 toSIS 99 
 
 ..... 
 
 $16 to $17 99 
 
 
 $18 to $19.99 
 
 $20 to?22 49 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 1.1 
 
 1.1 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 1.3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $22 50 to $24 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $25 to $27.49 
 Total 
 
 Association A 
 Association B 
 Nonassociation A 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 2.1 
 
 1.2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ! 
 
 
 
 93 
 
 86 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 2 
 
 1 74 
 
 97 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 Workers in specified classes of shops. 
 
 8 
 72 
 
 6 
 66 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 15 
 53 
 ...... 
 
 30 
 66 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 Nonassociation B . . . 
 
 13 
 
 14 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 EXAMINERS. 
 
 The duty of an examiner consists in examining the garments after 
 they have been completely finished by the workers. There are two 
 distinct classes of examiners ; first, those who examine the garments 
 on a figure; second, those who examine the garments without the 
 use of a figure. The former are the examiners of higher-grade 
 garments, the latter of the cheap and medium grades of waists. 
 The class 2 examiners are usually promoted from among the more 
 intelligent and capable cleaners and finishers. They very seldom 
 get more than $10 a week, which is the minimum rate fixed under 
 the protocol. Those among this class of examiners who show 
 capacity for better work are promoted to draping at which they 
 can earn higher wages. The high-grade examiners are engaged 
 on dresses and on waists selling at wholesale for $48 per dozen and 
 over. These garments have to be put on a figure in order to be 
 examined. It is the duty of the examiner to see that the garment 
 thoroughly fits the figure and that the measurements at the waist 
 line are correct. They carefully go over the entire garment to see 
 that the sleeves hang right, that the collar fits properly, and that the 
 laces on the corresponding sides of the garment " match"; in other 
 
124 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 words, that the garment is properly made as to fit, measurement, 
 and " matching" of the corresponding parts and that there is no 
 flaw in the work of the different workers who made up the garment. 
 Examiners of this class are promoted from draping and dressmaking 
 and receive all the way from $14 to $19.99 a week. It is seldom 
 that they are promoted to any other occupation, although occasion 
 ally a high-class examiner, in changing factories, may go into high 
 class draping. Once in a while one is promoted to the position o 
 forewoman. 
 
 SEX. 
 
 As a rule, only women are employed as examiners. Among th< 
 852 examiners, reported in 1913, there were only 10 men, or but little 
 over 1 per cent of the total. 
 
 WAGES. 
 
 Examiners are always paid by the week. Of the 790 womer 
 examiners (Table 54) whose weekly rates in 1913 could be ascertained 
 the largest single group were those receiving $10 and less than $12 
 a week, who constituted nearly 38 per cent of the total. The nex 
 largest group were those getting $12 and less than $14, who consti 
 tuted almost 18 per cent of the total. A little less than 12 pe 
 cent received $14 and less than $16 a week, and only 3.2 per cen 
 received- $16 a week and over. Only 3 examiners in the entire 
 industry were found receiving $20 a week and over. The numbe 
 of those earning less than the minimum protocol rate of $10 a wee! 
 was 235, or nearly 30 per cent of the total in 1913. Sixteen examin 
 ers, or 2 per cent, received under $6 per week. 
 
 Nearly one-half (370) of the 790 women examiners worked in 
 association A shops; 323 worked in association B shops, leaving 
 only 76 in nonassociation A shops and 21 in nonassociation B shops 
 
 A comparison of the earnings of the women workers in the associa 
 tion A and nonassociation A shops in 1913 shows that the number o 
 those receiving $10 a week and over formed a larger percentage o 
 the total in the nonassociation shops than in the association shops 
 namely, over 67 per cent as against nearly 62 per cent. This is 
 also true for each of the following separate groups: $10 and les 
 than $12, $12 and less than $14, $14 and less than $16, $16 and less 
 than $18. In the case of those earning $8 and less than $10, th( 
 percentage is likewise larger in the nonassociation shops as com 
 pared with the association shops, being 25 per cent in the forme 
 and less than 19 per cent in the latter. Those earning under $8 con 
 stituted nearly 8 per cent in the nonassociation A shops and nearly 
 20 per cent in the association shops of the same class. 
 
 Comparing the A and B association shops, the percentage o 
 those earning $12 a week and over is found to be larger in the B 
 shops (those manufacturing the higher grade garments), while o 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 125 
 
 I those receiving under $12 a week there is a larger percentage in the 
 A shops. This is easily explained by the fact that the B shops 
 require examiners of greater skill, who naturally command higher 
 wages entirely apart from the protocol provision which specifies only 
 the minimum rate. The difference in the compensation of examiners 
 in the A and B shops can be clearly seen by reference to Table 54. 
 Both groups rise to a high point in the class of $10 to $11.99 a week 
 workers, which includes the minimum protocol rate of $10, the 
 ! percentage of those getting the minimum rate being higher in the 
 lower-grade shops than in the higher-grade. Above this rate, the 
 group percentages in the high-grade shops are in each case higher 
 than those in the lower-grade shops, while in the group below $9 a 
 week the reverse is true. 
 
 Comparison of wages in 1912 and 1913. A glance at Table 54 and 
 Chart 12 will show a uniform improvement in the earnings of examiners 
 which has taken place since the protocol went into effect. Although 
 during both years the $10 to $11.99 group forms the highest peak, 
 it does not rise as high in 1912 as in 1913. The 1913 percentages are 
 higher than the 1912 at all points representing wages of $10 and over, 
 while the reverse is true for wages below $10. The greatest rise, 
 however, occurred in the $10 to $11.99 group containing the rate 
 fixed by the protocol ($10), and a corresponding decline occurred 
 in the two groups from $8 to $9.99 a week. The percentage of 
 those receiving $10 a week and over increased from less than 58 in 
 1912 to over 70 in 1913 and correspondingly declined in the case of 
 those receiving under $10 a week. 
 
 TABLE 54. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF EXAMINERS, WEEK WORKERS, RECEIVING 
 EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES PER WEEK, 1912 AND 1913, BY CLASS OF SHOPS. 
 
 NUMBER. 
 
 Classified ratos of 
 wages per week. 
 
 Association 
 A. 
 
 Nonassor-iation 
 A. 
 
 Association 
 B. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 B.i 
 
 Total. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under S3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $3 to S3 99 
 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 8 
 19 
 41 
 30 
 39 
 146 
 66 
 23 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 4 
 11 
 22 
 49 
 53 
 95 
 298 
 140 
 92 
 14 
 8 
 3 
 
 $4 to 4 99 
 
 5 
 4 
 9 
 22 
 38 
 39 
 79 
 38 
 15 
 1 
 1 
 
 
 
 3 
 4 
 
 7 
 14 
 32 
 37 
 74 
 56 
 35 
 6 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 8 
 10 
 19 
 39 
 77 
 90 
 172 
 99 
 52 
 8 
 2 
 
 $5 to $5 99 
 
 2 
 2 
 3 
 7 
 13 
 15 
 3 
 2 
 
 2 
 2 
 2 
 9 
 10 
 32 
 12 
 5 
 2 
 
 1 
 1 
 6 
 14 
 42 
 110 
 68 
 61 
 11 
 8 
 1 
 
 
 
 $6 to $6 99 
 
 1 
 
 
 $7 to 7 99 
 
 
 $8 to S8 99 
 
 
 
 $9toS9.99 
 $10toS11.99 
 $12 to SI3.99. 
 
 1 
 4 
 2 
 
 4 
 10 
 4 
 3 
 
 $14 to 815.99... 
 $16 toS17 99 
 
 
 $18 to $19 99 
 
 
 
 $20 to $22.49... 
 
 $2 9 50 to $4 99 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $25 to $27 49 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $27 50 to $29 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $30 and over 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 251 
 
 370 
 
 48 
 
 76 
 
 269 
 
 323 
 
 8 
 
 21 
 
 576 
 
 3790 
 
 
 1 Percentages for nonrv>sociation B shops not computed on account of small number of employees. 
 
 8 Not including 64 females for whom weekly rates could not be ascertained. 
 
 3 Not including 52 females and 10 males for whom weekly rates could not be ascertained. 
 
126 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUEEAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 TABLE 54. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF EXAMINERS, WEEK WORKERS, RECEIV- 
 ING EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES PER WEEK, 1912 AND 1913, BY CLASS OF 
 SHOPS Concluded . 
 
 PER CENT. 
 
 Classified rates of 
 wages per week. 
 
 Association 
 A. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 A. 
 
 Association 
 B. 
 
 Nonassociati'on 
 B. 
 
 Total. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under $3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $3 to $3 99 
 
 
 0.3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 0. 
 
 1. 
 2. 
 6. 
 6. 
 12. 
 37. 
 17. 
 11. 
 1. 
 1. 
 
 $4 to $4.99 
 
 $5 to $5 99 
 
 2.0 
 1.6 
 3.6 
 8.9 
 15.1 
 15.5 
 31.4 
 15.1 
 6.0 
 .4 
 .4 
 
 1.1 
 2.2 
 5.1 
 11.1 
 8.1 
 10.5 
 39.5 
 15.1 
 6.2 
 .3 
 
 
 
 L"i- 
 
 
 
 
 1.4 
 1.7 
 3.3 
 6.8 
 13.4 
 15.6 
 29.9 
 17.0 
 9.0 
 1.4 
 .3 
 
 4.2 
 4.2 
 6.2 
 14.6 
 27.1 
 31.2 
 6.2 
 4.2 
 2.1 
 
 2.6 
 2.6 
 2.6 
 11.8 
 13.2 
 42.1 
 15.8 
 6.6 
 2.6 
 
 1.5 
 
 2.6 
 5.2 
 12.0 
 13.7 
 27.5 
 20.8 
 13.0 
 2.2 
 .4 
 
 0.3 
 .3 
 1.9 
 4.3 
 13.0 
 34.1 
 21.0 
 18.9 
 3.4 
 2.5 
 3 
 
 
 
 $6 to $6 99 
 
 
 
 $7 to $7 99 
 
 
 
 $8 to $8 99 
 
 
 
 $9 to $9 99 
 
 
 
 $10 to $11 99 
 
 
 
 $12 to $13 99 
 
 
 
 $14 to $15.99 
 $16 to $17 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 $18 to $19 99 
 
 
 
 $20 to $22 49 
 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 
 
 $22 50 to 824 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $25 to $27 49 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $27 50 to $29.99 . ... 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $30 and over 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 ICO. 
 
 
 
 SUMMARY OF PERCENTAGES. 
 
 Under $10. 
 
 46.7 
 
 38.4 
 
 
 
 36.1 
 
 19.8 
 
 
 
 42.2 
 
 29. 
 
 $10 to $11 99 
 
 31.4 
 
 39.5 
 
 
 
 27.5 
 
 34.1 
 
 
 
 29.9 
 
 37. 
 
 $12 and over 
 
 21.9 
 
 22.1 
 
 
 
 36.4 
 
 46.1 
 
 
 
 28.0 
 
 32. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 FINISHERS. 
 
 The protocol distinguishes between two kinds of finishers -dress- 
 maker finishers and plain finishers. For the former, a weekly rate 
 of not less than $8 a week is provided; for the latter, piece rates 
 are established with a provision as to the minimum earnings of $8 
 a week if the worker is retained after one week's trial. 
 
 Finishers do most of the sewing that has to be done by hand 
 The plain finishers sew on hooks and eyes, buttons, belts; they 
 baste the bottoms of skirts, etc. Any girl who can use a needle 
 can be put to work as a finisher. Dressmaker finishers are employee 
 on the higher grade of dresses. In addition to doing the same work 
 as the plain finishers, they do the other work that has to be done 
 by hand on higher-grade dresses, such as sewing on the trimmings 
 ornaments, sashes, rosettes, bows, ties, etc. This class of finishers is 
 obtained from among plain finishers and dressmakers who have 
 previously worked in custom dressmaking establishments in this 
 country or abroad. 
 
 SEX. 
 
 Only women are employed as finishers. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DKESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 127 
 
 WAGES. 
 
 For 1913 5,363 finishers were reported (Table 11), while for 1912 
 records were obtained for only 4,352. Of those employed in 1913, 
 3,334, or 62 per cent, worked by the week and 2,029, or 38 per cent, 
 worked by the piece. That is to say, only a little over one- third 
 were pieceworkers. 
 
 Wages of week workers. Of the 3,249 finishers working by the 
 <week (Table 55), those receiving the minimum rate of $8 a week 
 
 CHART 12. PER CENT OF EXAMINERS (WEEK WORKERS) RECEIVING 
 EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES PER WEEK, 1912 AND 1913. 
 
 35 
 
 Z5 
 
 20 
 
 15 
 
 10 
 
 l 
 
 h 
 
 Weekly Rates of 
 Wages of Examiners. 
 
 1312 
 
 1913 
 
 40% 
 
 Z5 
 
 20 
 
 15 
 
 /O 
 
 $4 $5 $6 $7 $8 $9 $10 $12 $14 $16 $18 $20 $22^ 
 
 and less than $9 numbered 1,148, constituting the largest single 
 group, namely, over 35 per cent of the total. The next largest group 
 were those receiving $9 and less than $10 a week, who formed nearly 
 one-fifth of the total, the two together constituting more than 55 
 per cent of the total, or considerably more than one-half of all the 
 women finishers working by the week. Nearly 16 per cent received 
 $10 and less than $12 a week, and a little less than 12 percent received 
 $7 and less than $8 a week. The percentage of those receiving $12 a 
 week and over was 5.5. The percentage of those earning less than 
 the minimum protocol rate of $8 a week was less than 24, or nearly 
 one-fourth of all the finishers working by the week, and the number 
 
128 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OP LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 of those earning under $6 a week formed a little less than 5 per cent 
 of the total. 
 
 A comparison of the wages of week-working finishers in the differ- 
 ent branches of the industry can be made from the figures of 
 percentages given in Table 55. This table shows that the number 
 of those receiving more than the minimum protocol rate of $8 a 
 week is higher in the nonassociation B shops (high-grade garments) 
 than in the association B shops and is higher in nonassociation A 
 shops than in the association A shops. The only exception is in the 
 case of those receiving $12 and less than $14 a week, in which the 
 percentage of workers in the nonassociation B and association B shops 
 is practically the same, while of workers receiving $14 a week anc 
 over there is only 1 person in the nonassociation B shops and only 
 4 in the nonassociation A shops. In the case of the A shops, the 
 percentages in nonassociation shops for groups receiving $8 anc 
 over are in practically all cases above those for association shops 
 though the difference between the two is very small. The relative 
 conditions are reversed for wages below $8 a week. 
 
 Earnings of pieceworkers. There was no such concentration o: 
 workers receiving a single rate of wages in the ca'se of the finishers 
 working by the piece as we have seen in the case of the finishers 
 working by the week, where more than one-third of the workers 
 earned $8 a week. As will be seen from Table 56, six wage groups 
 namely, those earning $6 and less than $7, $7 and less than $8, $8 
 and less than $9, $9 and less than $10, $10 and less than $12, anc 
 $12 and less than $14, contributed each about 10 per cent in rounc 
 numbers to the total of finisher pieceworkers in 1913, together 
 embracing over 61 per cent of all. The number of those who earnec 
 $14 a week or more during the busiest week of 1913 slightly exceedec 
 9 per cent, leaving about 30 per cent earning less than $6 during 
 the busiest week of the year. 
 
 A comparison of the earnings of pieceworkers in the different 
 branches of the industry can be obtained from Table 56. This table 
 shows that no such clear line of demarcation can be drawn between 
 the earnings of pieceworkers in the different branches of the industry 
 as in the case of the week workers. The nonassociation B shops 
 (higher-grade garments) contain the highest peak of all, 19 per cent 
 in the $8 and under $9 group, as against a little over 8 per cent for 
 the association B shops. In practically all the wage groups below 
 $9 the nonassociation B shops are above the association B shops; on 
 the other hand, above the $9 group the association B is considerably 
 above the nonassociation B, showing a larger percentage of the 
 higher-paid finishers in the association shops. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DBESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 129 
 
 The same is true in general of the association A and nonassocia- 
 tion A shops, although the distinction between these two is not so 
 clear and so much in favor of the association as is the case with the 
 B shops. The highest peak in the association A shops reaches less 
 than 12 per cent in the $9 and under $10 group while the nonassocia- 
 tion A shops reach the highest point at 16.5 per cent in the $10 and 
 under $12 group. If we draw the line at $10, the proportion of 
 finishers earning $10 a week or more in the association A shops is 
 less than 24 per cent, while in the nonassociation A shops it exceeds 
 29 per cent, showing a slight advantage in favor of the nonassociation 
 shops. 
 
 COMPARISON OF WAGES IN 1912 AND 1913. 
 
 Changes in wages of week workers. A glance at the last two col- 
 umns in Table 55 and at Chart 13 will show a uniform increase in 
 I the number of week workers receiving $8 a week or more and a 
 [reduction in the relative number of those receiving less than $8. 
 ; The percentage of those receiving the minimum protocol rate of $8 
 i and unjjer $9 rose from 21.2 to 35.3 per cent. The percentage of 
 I those receiving $8 a week or more increased from less than 51 in 1912 
 to over 76 in 1913. In every group below $8 a week there was a 
 i larger percentage in 1912 than in 1913. 
 
 Changes in the earnings of pieceworkers. No such striking change 
 iis seen in the case of the pieceworkers (see Table 56). The per- 
 centage of finishers earning $8 and less than $10 during the busiest 
 week of the year was practically the same during both years, namely ; 
 a little less than 20 in 1912 and' a little less than 21 in 1913. The 
 percentage of those earning $10 and less than $12 declined from 14 
 in 1912 to nearly 11 in 1913. Of those earning $12 a week and over, 
 there was an increase from less than 15 per cent in 1912 to nearly 19 
 per cent in 1913. Of those earning less than $8 a week there was a 
 decline from 51.5 per cent in 1912 to 49 per cent in 1913. The drop 
 is clearly shown to be in the $4 and under $6 and $10 and under $12 
 groups, with a consequent increase in the number of those earning 
 $6 and under $9 and $12 and over a week. 
 
 Summary. The figures in Tables 55 and 56 may be summed up as 
 follows: First, that there has been, on the whole, an increase in the 
 wages of finishers which was much more effective among the week 
 workers than among the pieceworkers; second, that there was a larger 
 percentage of higher paid workers in the high-grade shops than in 
 the low-grade shops; third, that in each of these classes of shops the 
 percentage of the higher paid week workers was greater in the non- 
 association than in the association shops; fourth, among the piece- 
 42132 Bull. 14614 9 
 
130 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOE STATISTICS. 
 
 workers, the highest percentage of finishers earning $8 a week and up 
 was in the high-grade association shops, where they numbered 58 
 per cent, followed by the low-grade nonassociation shops where they 
 numbered nearly 52 per cent, while in the high-grade nonassociation 
 shops and in the low-grade association shops it was practically th 
 same, nearly 46 per cent. In other words, where the wages wer 
 paid by the week, they were determined, in the long run, by the ski 
 
 CHART 13. PER CENT OF FINISHERS (WEEK WORKERS) RECEIVIN( 
 EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES PER WEEK, 1912 AND 1913. 
 
 *% 
 
 35 
 
 30 
 
 25 
 
 20 
 
 15 
 
 10 
 
 Weekly Rates of 
 Wages of Finishers 
 19/2 ---- 
 
 1913 
 
 40% 
 
 35 
 
 20 
 
 15 
 
 /O 
 
 $3 $4 $5 $6 $7 $8 $9 $10 
 
 $12 
 
 $14 
 
 $16 
 
 $18 
 
 $20 
 
 of the worker. The workers were enabled to command higher wages 
 in the shops manufacturing high-grade garments than in those manu- 
 facturing low-grade garments and requiring less skilled workers. On 
 the other hand, where the work was paid for by the piece, the earnings 
 were determined not only by the skill but by the speed of the workers, 
 and the rates paid, not being uniform in the different shops, resulted 
 in great differences in earnings without regard to the character of 
 the goods manufactured. 
 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 131 
 
 TABLE 55. NUMBER AND PER CENT OP FINISHERS, WEEK WORKERS, RECEIVING 
 EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES PER WEEK, 1912 AND 1913, BY CLASS OF SHOPS. 
 
 NUMBER. 
 
 Classified rates of 
 wages per week. 
 
 Association A. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 A. 
 
 Association B. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 B. 
 
 Total. 
 
 1912 - 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under $3... 
 
 1 
 11 
 35 
 92 
 180 
 234 
 218 
 141 
 82 
 20 
 7 
 
 
 1 
 2 
 
 5 
 14 
 
 25 
 65 
 43 
 32 
 24 
 6 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 14 
 66 
 179 
 382 
 635 
 548 
 383 
 287 
 67 
 19 
 4 
 2 
 
 
 $3 to $3.99 
 
 1 
 
 15 
 53 
 100 
 170 
 402 
 221 
 168 
 34 
 13 
 
 1 
 5 
 17 
 
 40 
 58 
 166 
 89 
 76 
 21 
 4 
 
 1 
 23 
 
 61 
 160 
 295 
 233 
 165 
 163 
 34 
 9 
 3 
 
 
 
 1 
 4 
 
 7 
 17 
 22 
 62 
 
 69 
 45 
 10 
 
 1 
 
 3 
 41 
 111 
 236 
 372 
 1,148 
 643 
 514 
 124 
 50 
 3 
 4 
 
 $4 to $4 99 
 
 17 
 34 
 79 
 122 
 518 
 264 
 225 
 59 
 32 
 3 
 3 
 
 3 
 12 
 
 17 
 41 
 54 
 45 
 18 
 7 
 3 
 
 $5 to S5.99... 
 
 $6 to ?699 . 
 
 $7toS7 99 
 
 $8 to $8.99 
 
 |9 to $9 99 
 
 $10 to $11. 99 
 
 $12 to $13.99 
 
 $14 to $15 99 
 
 $16 to $17.99. 
 
 1 
 
 $18 to S19 99 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1,023 
 
 1,178 
 
 218 
 
 477 
 
 1,147 
 
 1,356 
 
 200 
 
 238 
 
 12,588 
 
 23,249 
 
 
 PER CENT. 
 
 Under $3... 
 
 0.1 
 
 
 0.5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 $3 to $3.99 
 
 1.0 
 
 0.1 
 
 .9 
 
 0.2 
 
 0.1 
 
 
 
 0.5 
 
 .5 
 
 1 
 
 $4 to $4.99 
 
 3.4 
 
 1.3 
 
 2.3 
 
 1.0 
 
 2.0 
 
 1.3 
 
 1.5 
 
 1.7 
 
 2 6 
 
 1 3 
 
 $5 to S5 99 
 
 9.0 
 
 4.5 
 
 6.4 
 
 3.6 
 
 5.3 
 
 2.5 
 
 6.0 
 
 2 9 
 
 6 9 
 
 3 4 
 
 $6 to $6.99 
 
 17.6 
 
 8.5 
 
 11.5 
 
 8.4 
 
 13.9 
 
 5.8 
 
 8.5 
 
 7.1 
 
 14.8 
 
 7 3 
 
 $7 to $7.99 
 
 22.9 
 
 14.4 
 
 29.8 
 
 12.1 
 
 25.7 
 
 9.0 
 
 20.5 
 
 9.2 
 
 24 5 
 
 11 5 
 
 $8 to $8.99 
 
 21.3 
 
 34.1 
 
 19.7 
 
 34.9 
 
 20.3 
 
 38.2 
 
 27.0 
 
 26.1 
 
 21.2 
 
 35 3 
 
 $9 to $9.99 
 
 13.8 
 
 18.8 
 
 14.7 
 
 18.7 
 
 14.4 
 
 19.5 
 
 22.5 
 
 29.0 
 
 14.8 
 
 19 8 
 
 $10to $11.99 
 
 8.0 
 
 14.2 
 
 11.0 
 
 15.9 
 
 14.2 
 
 16.6 
 
 9.0 
 
 18.9 
 
 11.1 
 
 15.8 
 
 $12 to $13.99 ... 
 
 2.0 
 
 2.9 
 
 2.7 
 
 4.4 
 
 3.0 
 
 4.3 
 
 3.5 
 
 4.2 
 
 2.6 
 
 3.8 
 
 $14 to $15 99 
 
 .7 
 
 1.1 
 
 
 .8 
 
 .8 
 
 2.4 
 
 1.5 
 
 .4 
 
 .7 
 
 1 5 
 
 $16 to $17 99 
 
 
 
 .5 
 
 
 .3 
 
 .2 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 I 
 
 $18 to 819.99 .. 
 
 .2 
 
 .1 
 
 
 
 
 .2 
 
 
 
 .1 
 
 .1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 SUMMARY OF PERCENTAGES. 
 
 Less than $8 
 
 54.0 
 
 28.8 
 
 51.4 
 
 25.3 
 
 47.1 
 
 18.6 
 
 36.5 
 
 21.4 
 
 49.3 
 
 23.6 
 
 $8 to $8.99 
 
 21.3 
 
 34.1 
 
 19.7 
 
 34.9 
 
 20.3 
 
 38.2 
 
 27.0 
 
 26.1 
 
 21.2 
 
 35.3 
 
 $9 and over . . 
 
 24.7 
 
 37.1 
 
 28.9 
 
 39.8 
 
 32.6 
 
 43.2 
 
 36.5 
 
 52.5 
 
 29.5 
 
 41.1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 Not including 196, for whom earnings but not weekly rates of wages could be ascertained. 
 
 2 Not including 85, for whom earnings but not weekly rates of wages could be ascertained. 
 
132 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 TABLE 56 NUMBER AND PER CENT OF FINISHERS, PIECEWORKERS, EARNING EACH 
 
 CLASSIFIED AMOUNT DURING THE BUSIEST WEEK OF THE YEAR, 1912 AND 1913, 
 BY CLASS OF SHOPS. 
 
 NUMBER. 
 
 Classified earnings 
 per week. 
 
 Association 
 A. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 A. 
 
 Association 
 B. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 B.i 
 
 Total. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 ^ 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under S3 
 
 125 
 38 
 46 
 70 
 64 
 79 
 78 
 76 
 104 
 54 
 26 
 14 
 4 
 
 122 
 59 
 54 
 66 
 95 
 96 
 91 
 106 
 55 
 86 
 55 
 17 
 3 
 
 18 
 7 
 13 
 16 
 15 
 20 
 28 
 18 
 1 28 
 . 7 
 8 
 4 
 1 
 
 34 
 15 
 14 
 24 
 37 
 40 
 44 
 31 
 56 
 28 
 12 
 4 
 
 117 
 41 
 57 
 46 
 55 
 68 
 66 
 73 
 114 
 79 
 42 
 10 
 3 
 1 
 1 
 
 76 
 41 
 37 
 38 
 56 
 69 
 63 
 75 
 117 
 85 
 55 
 24 
 14 
 4 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 2 
 2 
 2 
 2 
 2 
 5 
 2 
 6 
 1 
 
 5 
 10 
 13 
 8 
 11 
 16 
 22 
 9 
 10 
 5 
 5 
 2 
 
 262 
 88 
 118 
 134 
 136 
 169 
 174 
 172 
 248 
 146 
 77 
 28 
 8 
 1 
 3 
 
 237 
 125 
 118 
 136 
 199 
 221 
 220 
 221 
 238 
 204 
 127 
 47 
 17 
 4 
 
 $3 to 3.99 
 
 $4 to $4.99. . 
 
 $5 to $5 99 
 
 $6 to $6.99... 
 
 $7 to $7.99 
 
 $8 to $8.99 
 
 $9 to $9.99 
 
 $10 to $11.99 
 
 $12 to $13.99 
 
 $14 to $15.99 
 
 $16 to $17.99 
 
 $18 to $19.99 
 
 
 $20 to $22.49 
 
 
 
 
 $22 50 to $24 99 
 
 '2 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 780 
 
 905 
 
 183 
 
 339 
 
 773 
 
 754 
 
 28 I 116 
 
 2 1, 764 
 
 s 2, 114" 
 
 
 PER CENT. 
 
 Under $3 
 
 16.0 
 
 13.5 
 
 9.8 
 
 10.0 
 
 15.1 
 
 10.1 
 
 
 4.3 
 
 14.9 
 
 11 2 
 
 $3 to $3.99 . 
 
 4.9 
 
 6.5 
 
 3.8 
 
 4.4 
 
 5.3 
 
 5.4 
 
 
 8.6 
 
 5.0 
 
 5.9 
 
 $4 to $4.99 
 
 5.9 
 
 6.0 
 
 7.1 
 
 4.1 
 
 7.4 
 
 4.9 
 
 
 11.2 
 
 6.7 
 
 5.6 
 
 S5toSo.99. 
 
 9.0 
 
 7.3 
 
 8.8 
 
 7.1 
 
 6.0 
 
 5.0 
 
 
 6.9 
 
 7.6 
 
 6.4 
 
 $6 to SG.99 
 
 8.2 
 
 10.5 
 
 8.2 
 
 10.9 
 
 7.1 
 
 7.4 
 
 
 9.5 
 
 7.7 
 
 9.4 
 
 $7 to $7 99 
 
 10 1 
 
 10 6 
 
 10 9 
 
 11 8 
 
 8 8 
 
 9.2 
 
 
 13.8 
 
 9 6 
 
 10 5 
 
 $8 to $8.99 
 
 10.0 
 
 10.0 
 
 15.3 
 
 13.0 
 
 8.5 
 
 8.3 
 
 
 19.0 
 
 9.9 
 
 10.4 
 
 $9 to $^ 99 
 
 9 7 
 
 11 7 
 
 9.8 
 
 9.2 
 
 9.5 
 
 10 
 
 
 7.8 
 
 9 7 
 
 10 5 
 
 $10 to $11. 99 
 
 13.4 
 
 6.1 
 
 15.3 
 
 16.5 
 
 14.8 
 
 15.5 
 
 
 8.6 
 
 14.0 
 
 11.3 
 
 $12 to $13 99 
 
 6.9 
 
 9.5 
 
 O O 
 
 8.3 
 
 10.2 
 
 11.3 
 
 
 4.3 
 
 8.3 
 
 9 6 
 
 $14 to $15.99 
 
 3.3 
 
 6.1 
 
 4.4 
 
 3.5 
 
 5.4 
 
 7.3 
 
 
 4.3 
 
 4.4 
 
 6.0 
 
 $16 to $17 99 
 
 1.8 
 
 1.9 
 
 2.2 
 
 1.2 
 
 1.3 
 
 3.2 
 
 
 1.7 
 
 1.6 
 
 2 2 
 
 $18 to $19 99 
 
 .5 
 
 3 
 
 6 
 
 
 .4 
 
 1 9 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 g 
 
 $20 to $22.49 
 
 
 
 
 
 .1 
 
 .5 
 
 
 
 .1 
 
 .2 
 
 $22 50 to $24 99 
 
 .3 
 
 
 
 
 .1 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 100.0 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 i Percentages for 1912 not computed on account of small number of employees. 
 
 * Including. 196 week workers for whom earnings but not weekly rates of wa^es could be ascertained. 
 
 * Including 85 week workers for whom earnings but not weekly rates of wages could be ascertained. 
 
 IRONERS AND PRESSERS. 
 
 The protocol provided for different rates of wages for ironers and 
 pressers without denning what was meant by each. Considerable 
 difference of opinion has developed between the \vorkers and the 
 manufacturers as to where the exact line is to be drawn between the 
 two classes of workers. 
 
 By pressers are meant those who work with a heavy flatiron, placing 
 a wet cloth between the iron and the garment that is pressed. By 
 ironers are meant those working with a light iron without the use of 
 a wet cloth. The heavy iron is used on serges and other woolen and 
 worsted cloths, heavy linens, ratines, and, sometimes, silks. The 
 light iron is used mostly on lingerie and light cotton cloth and most 
 silks. So far, there is complete agreement on both sides. The 
 difference arises in determining where the light iron ends and the 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 133 
 
 heavy iron begins. The workers are inclined to consider an iron 
 weighing 8 pounds or more as a heavy iron. Among the manufac- 
 turers, some draw the line at 12 pounds. There is a tendency to an 
 agreement on 10 pounds as .the line of demarcation. 
 
 In view of the contention as to the designation of pressers and 
 ironers, respectively, it was found impossible to account for each 
 separately. Several manufacturers call their workers pressers, 
 although they work with light irons; others call their people uniformly 
 ironers, although the majority of them may be pressers; while in some 
 shops the relative number of pressers and ironers changes with the 
 seasons and with the changes in the character of the garments manu- 
 factured. It was, therefore, found necessary to combine pressers and 
 
 ironers into one class. 
 
 SEX. 
 
 With but rare exceptions pressers are all men, while ironers are 
 mostly women. Of the pressers and ironers, 1,119 are reported in 
 Table 8 for 1913 and 816 for 1912. Of those in 1913, 537 were males 
 and 582 were females. 
 
 WAGES. 
 
 Although the protocol provides for weekly rates of wages for 
 ironers and pressers, nearly one- third of all the ironers and pressers 
 found on the pay rolls of the shops investigated were working by the 
 piece (see Table 11). The exact percentage of pieceworkers was 32 
 per cent in 1913 and 37 per cent in 1912. Although the proportion 
 of pieceworkers declined from 1912 to 1913, the actual number of 
 pieceworkers increased, being 298 in 1912 and 357 in 1913. 
 
 Wages of week workers, women. The minimum rates of wages pro- 
 vided by the protocol for ironers are $12 a week for women and $15 
 for men and $20 for pressers, who are all men. The number of 
 women week workers receiving a wage of $12 and under $14 a week 
 was 115 out of the total of 387, or nearly 30 per cent (Table 57). 
 Nearly 13 per cent of the women ironers received $14 and less than 
 $16; over 4 per cent received $16 and less than $18; 5 women ironers 
 received $18 and under* $20, and 2 women received $20 a week and 
 over. That is to say, less than 49 per cent of all the women ironers 
 working by the week received $12 a week or more, while over 51 per 
 cent, or more than half, received less than the minimum protocol 
 rate. Of these, nearly 21 per cent, or more than one-fifth of all the 
 women week workers, received $10 and less than $12 a week, and 
 nearly 12 per cent, or more than one- tenth, received $9 and less than 
 $10. The remainder, over 18 per cent, received $4 and less than $9 
 a week. Of these, 4 workers received $4 and less than $5 a week and 
 5 workers received $5 and less than $6. 
 
 Wages of week workers, men. On the whole the men week workers 
 have fared better than the women in receiving the protocol rates. 
 
134 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 The number of men ironers or pressers receiving $12 a week or mo] 
 constituted nearly 82 per cent of the total of 352 men ironers ai 
 pressers (Table 58). Those in the groups getting $15 (the minimi 
 protocol rate of ironers) or more constituted more than 69 per cent 
 the total; those receiving the minimum protocol rate of pressers 
 and more than that amount constituted over 28 per cent of the tot* 
 This does not mean that 28 per cent of the pressers received th( 
 minimum pressers' rate of $20, since the pressers and ironers 
 combined. On the other hand, there is no doubt that the nunil 
 of those who received $15 and less than $20 a week includes not onlj 
 ironers but also pressers. 
 
 Earnings of pieceworkers, women. Since pieceworkers are pi 
 sumed to work harder than week workers, especially during tl 
 busy season, and since the figures here given for pieceworkers cov< 
 their total earnings, including overtime, while the figures for th< 
 week workers are the weekly rates, not including overtime, it 
 natural to expect that the pieceworkers' earnings will exceed 
 weekly rates of wages for the corresponding workers. A comparisoi 
 of the piecework earnings and the weekly rates bears this out for th( 
 women, but not so strongly, if at all, for the men. 
 
 Earnings of pieceworkers , men. Thus, the proportion of men (Table 
 60) earning $12 a week and over by piecework was over 83 per cenl 
 as compared with nearly 82 per cent of men receiving these rates 
 the week (Table 58). The proportion of men earning $14 a week 01 
 more was more than 74 per cent as compared with more than 69 p< 
 cent receiving these rates by the week. 
 
 In the case of women pieceworkers (Table 59), nearly 67 p< 
 cent earned $12 a week or more, while among the women 
 workers less than 49 per cent received that rate, and the proportio] 
 of women pieceworkers earning $14 a week or more was over 57 p< 
 cent as compared with less than 20 per cent of women earning 
 amount by th'e week. Among the women week workers, the highesl 
 wage group was that of $20 and less than $22.50, while among th( 
 women pieceworkers nearly 9 per cent earned*$20 and less than $22. 5( 
 a week, over 9 per cent earned $22.50 and less than $25, nearly 3 
 cent earned $25 and less than $27.50, nearly 4 per cent earned $27. 5( 
 and less than $30, and 1 woman earned over $30. 
 
 The inference from these figures is clear that where women anc 
 men are compensated strictly on their respective merits that is, i] 
 proportion to the work turned out, receiving the same compensation 
 for equal quantities of work women come much nearer earning tl 
 same wages as the men than where the compensation is fixed accoi 
 to the sex as is the case with the weekly rates. 
 
 While the proportion of men earning $12 a week and over is pra< 
 tically the same among pieceworkers and week workers, namely, ov< 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 135 
 
 83 per cent in the former and nearly 82 per cent in the latter, the 
 difference between the two classes increases as the scale of wages 
 increases. Thus those receiving $16 a week or more constitute over 
 66 per cent among the pieceworkers and only 52.5 per cent among 
 the week workers; those receiving $20 a week or more form nearly 
 49 per cent among pieceworkers and less than 29 per cent among the 
 week workers; those receiving $25 a week or more constitute over 
 29 per cent among the pieceworkers and less than 4 per cent among 
 the week workers. 
 
 A comparison of the wages in the high-grade and low-grade shops 
 is made in Table 57, giving the wages of the women ironers working 
 by the week, this being the largest group in the occupation of ironers 
 and pressers. This table shows for a few of the lower wage groups 
 an excess of workers in the low-grade shops as compared with the 
 high grade. Corresponding to this is an excess in the proportion of 
 workers in the high-grade shops over the low-grade for the next 
 group of higher-paid workers. Thus there is a greater percentage 
 of workers receiving less than $8 a week in the A shops than in the 
 B shops. In the next three succeeding wage groups ($8 and under 
 $12 a week) the percentage for the B shops rises slightly above that for 
 the A shops. Again, for the group $12 and under $14 a week there 
 is a high peak above 32 per cent for the A shops, while the percentage 
 for B shops rises to a little over 23 per cent; and for the group $14 
 and under $16 the percentage for B shops is higher than that for 
 the A shops, showing that there is a greater percentage of the higher- 
 paid workers in the high-grade shops than in the shops manufacturing 
 the cheaper garments. 
 
 Wages in 1912 and 1913. The effect of the protocol upon the 
 wages of female ironers, week workers, is shown in Table 57 and in 
 Chart 14. The usual high peak is shown for the group containing the 
 protocol rate ($12), as is the case with week workers in all occupations 
 for which there is only one protocol rate. The number of those 
 receiving $12 to $13.99 a week has risen from less than 20 per cent 
 of all the women ironers to nearly 30 per cent, and those receiving 
 less than $12 formed a much larger proportion in 1912 than in 1913, 
 while those receiving $12 a week or more are relatively more numer- 
 ous in 1913. There is a clear shift ing of the entire force from lower- 
 paid positions to higher-paid. 
 
 Table 58 and Chart 15 show the changes in the wages of men pressers 
 and irpners, week workers, in the two years 1912 and 1913. The 
 change here does not show the same uniform movement upward as in 
 Chart 14. On the whole, however, it shows an improvement and a 
 decided increase in the number of those receiving $20 a week or 
 more and a slight increase in the number of those receiving $14 to 
 $15.99 a week. The $20 to $22.49 group forms the highest peak, 
 
136 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 rising to nearly 22 per cent, as against only 4 per cent in the year 
 1912. All the other groups above $20 show an increase with the 
 exception of the group of those receiving $30 and over, which has 
 declined from more than 5 per cent in 1912 to a little more than 1 per 
 cent in 1913. This represents, however /only 11 persons in 1912 and 
 5 persons in 1913. With the exception of those receiving $7 and 
 under $8 a week, all the wage groups below $15 show a falling off 
 since 1912. The percentage of ironers receiving $10 and under $12 
 
 CHART 14. PER CENT OF IRONERS, FEMALE (WEEK WORKERS), RECEIV- 
 ING EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES PER WEEK, 1912 AND 1913.' 
 
 55 
 50 
 Z5 
 20 
 15 
 SO 
 5 
 & 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 tv/o 
 
 35 
 50 
 25 
 20 
 15 
 10 
 
 5 
 
 n/ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 W 
 
 - Wag 
 
 eekfy Rates of 
 es of Ironers-Female. ' 
 
 wi a / 
 
 70/3 
 
 / 
 
 \ 
 
 
 
 % 
 
 ' \ 
 
 \ 
 
 
 
 
 
 t I 
 
 
 / 
 
 
 \\ 
 
 
 
 
 
 ' 
 
 -/ 
 
 
 \ \ 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 
 
 
 / 
 
 '/ 
 
 
 
 
 5 
 
 
 ^ O^ 
 
 tf: 
 
 
 
 
 
 \ " 
 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 
 3 $4 $5 $6 $7 $8 $9 $10 $12 $14 $16 Stover. 
 
 is practically the same for both years, namely, 8 and 7.4. All these 
 reductions have been accompanied by an increase in the number of 
 people receiving the protocol rate of $15, and especially in the number 
 of those receiving $20 a week and more. 
 
 Tables 59 and 60 show clearly the changes that have occurred 
 in the earnings of pressers and ironers working by the piece. Look- 
 ing first at the figures of percentages of female pieceworkers in these 
 tables, an almost uniform decline is found in the proportion of those 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DEESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 137 
 
 \ 
 
 ?> 
 
 V 
 
138 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUEEAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 earning less than $18 a week. The changes in the earnings of men 
 pieceworkers show the same tendency, though not with the 
 uniformity as among the women ironers. 
 
 The only exception to this uniform decline in the proportion 
 those earning less than $18 a week is in the case of those earning 
 $8 and less than $9, the proportion of whom increased from 2.3 per 
 cent in 1912 to 3.1 per cent in 1913 (representing 6 persons in 1912 
 and 6 in 1913), the proportion of those who earned $10 and less than 
 $12 a week remaining practically the same, namely, 14.5 per cent in 
 1912 and 13.4 per cent in 1913 (38 workers in 1912 and only 26 in 
 1913). This is also true of those earning $16 and less than $18 a 
 week, who constituted 13.5 per cent in 1912 and nearly 13 per cent 
 in 1913 (35 workers in 1912 and only 25 in 1913). 
 
 On the other hand, the proportion of those receiving $18 a week 
 and more increased from less than 19 per cent in 1912 to over 33 
 per cent in 1913. The inference from this would be that like the] 
 week rates, the piecework earnings have advanced since the adop-< 
 tion of the protocol. 
 
 Further details as to the changes in the rates of wages of week 
 workers and earnings of pieceworkers among ironers and pressers, 
 both women and men, in each of the four branches of the industry 
 will be found in Tables 57, 58, 59, and 60, which follow: 
 
 TABLE 57. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF IRONERS, FEMALE, WEEK WORKERS, RECEIV- 
 ING EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES PER WEEK, 1912 AND 1913, BY CLASS OP 
 SHOPS. 
 
 NUMBER. 
 
 Classified rates of 
 wages per week. 
 
 Association A. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 A.i 
 
 Association B. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 B.i 
 
 Total. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under 83... 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $3 to $3.99 
 
 2 
 1 
 
 6 
 13 
 13 
 18 
 23 
 39 
 22 
 14 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 1 
 8 
 17 
 21 
 32 
 37 
 73 
 54 
 25 
 4 
 
 "~4 
 5 
 16 
 19 
 27 
 46 
 81 
 115 
 50 
 17 
 5 
 2 
 
 $4 to $4.99 
 
 4 
 2 
 11 
 14 
 17 
 27 
 50 
 77 
 24 
 9 
 2 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $5 to $S.99. . . 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 8 
 13 
 12 
 32 
 32 
 11 
 3 
 
 3 
 4 
 5 
 9 
 17 
 28 
 31 
 25 
 8 
 2 
 1 
 
 
 
 $6 to $6.99... 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 $7 to $7.99 
 
 
 
 
 $8 to $3.99 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 $9 to $9.99 
 
 2 
 3 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 $10 to $11.99 
 
 
 $12 to $13.99 
 
 
 5 
 1 
 
 $14 to $15.99 
 
 
 
 $16 to $17.99 
 
 
 
 
 $18toS19.99 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 $20 to $22.49 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 152 
 
 238 
 
 2 
 
 8 
 
 118 
 
 133 
 
 3 
 
 . 8 
 
 275 
 
 3387 
 
 
 1 Percentages not computed on account of small number of employees. 
 
 2 Not including 30 for whom earnings but not weekly rates of wages could be ascertained. 
 Not including 20 for whom earnings but not weekly rates of wages could be ascertained. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 139 
 
 TABLE 57. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF IRONERS, FEMALE, WEEK WORKERS, RECEIV- 
 ING EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES PER WEEK, 1912 AND 1913, BY CLASS OF 
 SHOPS Concluded. 
 
 PER CENT. 
 
 Classified rates of 
 - wages per week. 
 
 Association A. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 A. 
 
 Association B . 
 
 Nonassociation 
 B. 
 
 Total. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under $3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $3 to S3 99 
 
 1 3 
 
 
 
 
 0.8 
 
 
 
 
 1.1 
 
 .4 
 2.9 
 6.2 
 7.6 
 11.6 
 13.5 
 26.5 
 19.6 
 9.1 
 1.5 
 
 
 J4 to S4 99 
 
 .7 
 3.9 
 8.6 
 8.6 
 11.8 
 15.1 
 25.7 
 14.5 
 9.2 
 .7 
 
 1.7 
 .8 
 4.6 
 6.9 
 7.1 
 11.3 
 21.0 
 32.4 
 10.1 
 3.8 
 .8 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1.0 
 1.3 
 4.1 
 4.9 
 7.0 
 11.9 
 20.9 
 29.7 
 12.9 
 4.4 
 1.3 
 .5 
 
 $5 to $5 99 
 
 
 
 1.7 
 3.4 
 6.8 
 11.0 
 10.2 
 27.1 
 27.1 
 9.3 
 2.5 
 
 2.3 
 3.0 
 3.8 
 6.8 
 12.8 
 21.1 
 23.3 
 18.8 
 6.0 
 1.5 
 .8 
 
 
 
 $6 to S6 99 .... 
 
 
 
 
 
 $7 to 37 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 $8 to 88 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 $9 to 8 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 $10 to 11 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 $12 to S13 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 $14 to 815 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 $16 to $17 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 $18 to 819 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 $20 to $22 49 
 
 
 .4 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 SUMMARY OF PERCENTAGES. 
 
 Under 12 
 
 75.7 
 
 52.5 
 
 
 
 61.0 
 
 49.6 
 
 
 
 69 8 
 
 51 2 
 
 $12 to S13 99 
 
 14.5 
 
 32.4 
 
 
 
 27.1 
 
 23.3 
 
 
 
 19.6 
 
 29 7 
 
 $14 and over 
 
 9.9 
 
 15.1 
 
 
 
 11.9 
 
 27.1 
 
 
 
 10 5 
 
 19 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100 o 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 TABLE 58. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF PRESSERS AND IRONERS, MALE, WEEK 
 WORKERS, RECEIVING EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES PER WEEK, 1912 AND 
 1913, BY CLASS OF SHOPS. 
 
 NUMBER. 
 
 Classified rates of 
 wages per week. 
 
 Association A. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 A.i 
 
 Association B. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 B.i 
 
 Total. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 J912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under $3 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 
 $3 to $3 99 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 $4 to 84 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $5 to $5 99 
 
 1 
 5 
 2 
 8 
 6 
 10 
 22 
 20 
 13 
 18 
 5 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 7 
 2 
 10 
 8 
 17 
 40 
 34 
 37 
 28 
 9 
 3 
 1 
 
 
 $6 to 86 99 
 
 5 
 11 
 
 9 
 4 
 17 
 
 24 
 38 
 28 
 18 
 45 
 7 
 5 
 1 
 
 
 
 1 
 1 
 2 
 
 
 
 6 
 14 
 12 
 5 
 26 
 44 
 59 
 56 
 30 
 76 
 10 
 7 
 1 
 5 
 
 |7 to S7 99 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 1 
 3 
 7 
 3 
 9 
 6 
 11 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 $8 to $3 99 
 
 
 2 
 2 
 4 
 11 
 11 
 16 
 8 
 2 
 
 
 $9 to SO 99 
 
 
 
 
 $10 to Sll 99 
 
 3 
 5 
 3 
 6 
 1 
 1 
 
 5 
 12 
 "17 
 
 17 
 4 
 18 
 2 
 2 
 
 
 1 
 1 
 1 
 2 
 2 
 2 
 
 $12 to 813 99 
 
 2 
 
 $14 to 815 99 
 
 $16 to 817.99 .... 
 
 2 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 $18 to 819 99 
 
 820 to?22.49 
 
 $22.50 to $24.99 
 $25 to 827 49 
 
 
 
 
 
 $27 50 to $29 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 6 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 5 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 11 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 120 
 
 214 
 
 20 
 
 43 
 
 66 
 
 85 
 
 6 
 
 10 
 
 2212 
 
 *352 
 
 
 1 Percentages not computed on account of small number of employees. 
 
 2 Not including 1 for whom earnings but not weekly rate of wages could be ascertained. 
 8 Not including 3 for whom earnings but not weekly rates of wages could be ascertained. 
 
140 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 TABLE 58. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF PRESSERS AND IRONERS, MALE, WEEK 
 WORKERS, RECEIVING EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES PER WEEK, 1912 AND 
 1913, BY CLASS OF SHOPS Concluded. 
 
 PER CENT. 
 
 Classified rates of 
 wages per week. 
 
 Association A. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 A. 
 
 Association B, 
 
 Nonassociation 
 B. 
 
 Total. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under $3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 0.5 
 .5 
 
 
 $3 to $3 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 1.5 
 
 1.2 
 
 
 
 0.3 
 
 $4 to $4.99 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $5 to $5 99 
 
 0.8 
 4.2 
 1.7 
 6.7 
 5.0 
 8.3 
 18.3 
 16.7 
 10.8 
 15.0 
 4.2 
 2.5 
 .8 
 
 
 
 
 3.0 
 3.0 
 
 
 
 
 1 4 
 
 
 $6 to $6 99 
 
 2.3 
 5.1 
 4.2 
 1.9 
 8.0 
 11.2 
 17.8 
 13.1 
 8.4 
 21.0 
 3.3 
 2.3 
 .5 
 
 
 
 1.2 
 
 
 
 3.3 
 1.0 
 4.7 
 3.8 
 8.0 
 18.9 
 16.0 
 17.4 
 13.2 
 4.2 
 1.4 
 .5 
 
 1.7 
 4.0 
 3.4 
 1.4 
 7.4 
 12.5 
 16.8 
 15.9 
 8.5 
 21.6 
 2.8 
 2.0 
 .3 
 1.4 
 
 $7 to $7.99 
 
 
 
 
 1.2 
 
 
 
 $8 to $8 99 
 
 
 
 3.0 
 3.0 
 6.1 
 16.7 
 16.7 
 24.3 
 12.1 
 3.0 
 
 2.3 
 
 
 
 $9 to $9.99 
 
 
 
 
 
 $10 to $11 99 
 
 
 
 6.0 
 14.1 
 20.0 
 20.0 
 4.7 
 21.2 
 2.3 
 2.3 
 
 
 
 $12 to $13 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 $14 to $15 99 ... 
 
 
 
 
 
 $16 to $17 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 $18 to $19.99 
 
 
 
 
 
 $20 to $22 49 
 
 
 
 
 
 $22 50 to $24.99 
 
 
 
 
 
 $25 to $27 49 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $27 50 to $29.99 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $30 and over 
 
 5.0 
 
 .9 
 
 
 
 7.6 
 
 3.5 
 
 
 
 5.2 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 TABLE 59. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF IRONERS, FEMALE, PIECEWORKERS, EARN- 
 
 . ING EACH CLASSIFIED AMOUNT DURING THE BUSIEST WEEK OF THE YEAR, 1912 
 
 AND 1913, BY CLASS OF SHOPS. 
 
 NUMBER. 
 
 Classified earnings 
 per week. 
 
 Association 
 A. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 A.i 
 
 Association 
 B. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 B.i 
 
 Total. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Undpr $3 
 
 5 
 4 
 
 2 
 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 9 
 4 
 4 
 8 
 11 
 10 
 6 
 29 
 38 
 28 
 31 
 35 
 14 
 20 
 10 
 2 
 3 
 
 7 
 
 $3 to $3.99 
 
 
 
 
 $4 to $4.99. . . . 
 
 3 
 6 
 11 
 6 
 5 
 13 
 31 
 18 
 20 
 23 
 8 
 19 
 10 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 1 
 4 
 5 
 13 
 18 
 11 
 12 
 12 
 11 
 13 
 15 
 5 
 6 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 1 
 1 
 5 
 6 
 17 
 26 
 18 
 22 
 25 
 17 
 17 
 18 
 5 
 7 
 H| 
 
 $5 to $5.99... 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 $6 to $6.99 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $7 to $7.99 
 
 
 
 4 
 1 
 15 
 7 
 8 
 11 
 12 
 . 6 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 8 
 7 
 6 
 11 
 5 
 4 
 2 
 
 
 
 $8 to $8.99 
 
 
 
 
 
 $9 to $9.99 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 $10 to $11.99 
 
 
 $12 to $13.99. .. 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 $14 to $15.99. . . 
 
 
 2 
 1 
 1 
 
 2 
 1 
 
 $16 to $17 99 
 
 
 
 $18 to $19.99,... 
 $20 to $22.49. . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $22.50 to $24.99.... 
 $25 to $27.49. . . 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 3 
 
 
 
 $27.50 to $29.99...... 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 $30 and over 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 183 
 
 131 
 
 1 
 
 10 
 
 76 
 
 50 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 2262 
 
 3195 
 
 
 1 Percentage not computed on account of small number of employees. 
 
 * Including 30 week workerafor whom earnings but not weekly rates of wages could be ascertained. 
 
 8 Including 20 week workers for whom earnings but not weekly rates of wages could be ascertained. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 141 
 
 TABLE 59. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF IRONERS, FEMALE, PIECEWORKERS, EARN- 
 ING EACH CLASSIFIED AMOUNT, DURING THE BUSIEST WEEK OF THE YEAR, 
 1912 AND 1913, BY CLASS OF SHOPS-Concluded. 
 
 PER CENT. 
 
 Classified earnings 
 per week. 
 
 Association A . 
 
 Nonassociation 
 A. 
 
 Association B. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 B. 
 
 Total. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under $3 . 
 
 2.7 
 2.2 
 1.6 
 
 1.5 
 
 
 
 5.3 
 
 4.0 
 
 
 
 3.4 
 1 5 
 
 3.6 
 
 $3 to $3 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 $4 to $4. 99 
 
 1.5 
 
 
 
 1.3 
 
 
 
 
 1.5 
 3.1 
 4.2 
 3.8 
 2.3 
 11.1 
 14.5 
 10.7 
 11.8 
 13.5 
 5.3 
 7.6 
 3.8 
 .8 
 1.1 
 
 1.0 
 .5 
 .5 
 2.6 
 3.1 
 8.7 
 13.4 
 9.2 
 11.3 
 12.8 
 8.7 
 8.7 
 9.2 
 2.6 
 3.6 
 .5 
 
 $5 to So. 99 
 
 3.3 
 6.0 
 3.3 
 2.7 
 7.1 
 17.0 
 9.8 
 10.9 
 12.6 
 4.4 
 10.4 
 5.5 
 .5 
 
 .8 
 .8 
 3.1 
 3.8 
 ' 9.9 
 13.7 
 8.4 
 9.2 
 9.2 
 8.4 
 9.8 
 11.5 
 3.8 
 4.6 
 
 
 
 2.6 
 
 
 
 
 $6 to $6 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $7 to $7.99 
 
 
 
 5.3 
 1.3 
 
 19 8 
 
 2.0 
 2.0 
 4 
 
 
 
 18 to 88 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 $9 to 89 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 $10 to 11.99 
 
 
 
 9.2 
 10.5 
 14.5 
 15.8 
 7.9 
 1.3 
 
 16.0 
 14.0 
 12.0 
 22.0 
 10.0 
 8.0 
 4.0 
 
 
 
 $12 to S13 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 $14 to $15.99 
 
 
 
 
 
 $16 to SI 7.99. 
 
 
 
 
 
 $18 to $19 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 $20 to $22. 49 
 
 
 
 
 
 $22 50 to $24.99 . 
 
 
 
 
 
 $25to27.49 
 827.50 to $29.99 
 
 
 
 1 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 3.9 
 
 
 
 
 $30 and over 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2.0 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 TABLE 6O.-NUMBER AND PER CENT OF PRESSERS AND IRONERS, MALE, PIECE T ' 
 WORKERS, EARNING EACH CLASSIFIED AMOUNT DURING THE BUSIEST WEEK OF 
 THE YEAR, 1912 AND 1913, BY CLASS OF SHOPS. 
 
 Classified earnings 
 per week. 
 
 Association 
 A. 
 
 Nonassocia- 
 tion A. 
 
 Association 
 B. 
 
 Nonassocia- 
 tion B. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Number. 
 
 Per cent. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under S3. . . 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 1.5 
 
 0.5 
 
 $3 to S3.99 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $4 to $4 99 
 
 
 2 
 3 
 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 
 1.6 
 2.2 
 .5 
 
 3.2 
 3.2 
 1.6 
 3.8 
 9.2 
 8.0 
 8.6 
 8.6 
 15.7 
 3.8 
 7.6 
 4.9 
 16.8 
 
 $5 to $5. 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 2 
 
 4 
 1 
 6 
 6 
 3 
 
 1.5 
 1.5 
 3.0 
 1.5 
 
 $6 to 36.99 
 
 1 
 2 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 2 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 
 
 $7 to $7 99 
 
 4 
 1 
 1 
 3 
 3 
 5 
 6 
 5 
 15 
 3 
 5 
 5 
 13 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $8 to S3 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 $9 to S9 99 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 $10 to $11 99 
 
 2 
 5 
 3 
 4 
 3 
 9 
 
 "~2~ 
 3 
 
 ""3" 
 2 
 1 
 2 
 2 
 
 3 
 12 
 5 
 7 
 9 
 4 
 2 
 8 
 3 
 16 
 
 
 2 
 4 
 3 
 2 
 
 7 
 2 
 
 
 
 2 
 9 
 
 " 8 
 5 
 4 
 13 
 5 
 4 
 5 
 6 
 
 7 
 17 
 15 
 16 
 16 
 29 
 7 
 14 
 9 
 31 
 
 3.0 
 13.4 
 12.0 
 7.4 
 6.0 
 19.4 
 7.4 
 6.0 
 7.4 
 9.0 
 
 $12 to S13 99 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 
 
 $14 to $15.99 
 
 
 1 
 
 $16 to $17 99 
 
 . 1 
 
 $18 to $19 99 
 
 
 $20 to $22 49 
 
 "1 
 2 
 
 
 3 
 ..... 
 
 1 
 2 
 
 $22.50 to $24 99 
 
 1 
 
 $25 to $27.49 
 $27.50 to $29.99 
 $30 a iid o^ 7 e^ 
 
 3 
 1 
 
 4 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 39 
 
 74 
 
 15 
 
 80 
 
 9 
 
 21 
 
 4 
 
 10 
 
 167 
 
 2185 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 1 Including- 1 week worker for whom earnings but not weekly rate of wages could be ascertained. 
 
 2 Including 3 week workers for whom earnings but not weekly rates of wages could be ascertained. 
 
 JOINERS. 
 
 In the dress and waist industry there are two classes of workers 
 known under the name of joiners. One is the class of operators who 
 join the waist to the skirt and stitch the belt over the two on the 
 
142 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 sewing machine. The other class of workers known as joiners is 
 but one degree removed from that of drapers. Their work consists 
 in joining the waist, skirt, and belt together on the figure by means 
 of pins. They are not supposed to do any draping beyond seeing 
 that the skirt hangs right from the waist and that the waist is 
 properly pinned to the skirt so as to fit the figure uniformly. 
 
 The source of supply of joiners is dressmakers and examinei 
 After joiners have attained sufficient skill through experience, th< 
 are graduated into the class of drapers and high-grade examiners. 
 
 SEX. 
 
 Only women are employed as joiners on figures. Machine or ope 
 ator joiners are, as a rule, women, though a few men are found 
 among this class of workers. It was impossible to ascertain from the 
 pay rolls whether the joiners mentioned there were of one or the 
 other class. The overwhelming majority of them, however, are 
 undoubtedly of the class who work on figures, though a few may be 
 operators. This may account for the presence of 11 men among the 
 total of 207 joiners in 1913, for whom information was secured. 
 
 WAGES. 
 
 Most joiners are paid by the week, the minimum weekly rate of 
 wages under the protocol being $12. As will be seen from Table 11, 
 out of 207 joiners for whom wages were obtained, only 12 were found 
 to be working by the piece. 
 
 The 207 joiners were distributed as follows among three of the 
 branches of the industry: Association A (lower-grade garments), 113; 
 association B (higher-grade garments), 56; nonassociation A, 38. 
 The numbers are too small to permit of analysis of the percentage 
 of workers receiving various rates of wages in the different branches 
 of the industry. Of the 166 women joiners (Table 61) whose weekly 
 rates were obtained, 74, or nearly 45 per cent, were in the group in-, 
 eluding the minimum protocol rate of $12 a week; 14, or over 8 per 
 cent of the total, received more than the protocol rate, so that the 
 proportion of those receiving the. protocol rate and over was 53 per 
 cent, or more than one-half of the total. 
 
 Wages in 1912 and 1913. Comparing the wages of joiners working 
 by the week in 1912 and 1913, a general reduction is found in the pro- 
 portion of workers receiving the lower rates of wages and an increase 
 among those receiving the higher rates. Thus, the number of female 
 workers receiving less than the protocol rate of $12 a week declined 
 from nearly 56 per cent in 1912 to 47 per cent in 1913. Those in 
 the group receiving the minimum protocol rate increased from over 
 39 per cent to nearly 45 per cent; those receiving $14 or more in- 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 143 
 
 creased from less than 5 per cent to over 8 per cent, so that the pro- 
 portion of joiners receiving $12 and over was 53 per cent in 1913 as 
 against more than 44 per cent in 1912. Table 61, which follows, 
 
 ; shows the number of joiners receiving each classified rate, and Chart 
 
 16 presents the figures in graphic form. 
 
 . TABLE 61. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF JOINERS, WEEK WORKERS,! RECEIVING 
 EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES PER WEEK, 1912 AND 1913, BY SEX. 
 
 Classified rates of wages per week, and 
 classes of shops. 
 
 Female. 
 
 Male. 
 
 Number. 
 
 Per cent. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 16 to SS.99 
 
 6 
 6 
 3 
 11 
 8 
 24 
 3 
 
 16 
 6 
 16 
 14 
 26 
 74 
 13 
 1 
 
 9.8 
 9.8 
 4.9 
 18.1 
 13.1 
 39.4 
 4.9 
 
 9.6 
 3.6 
 9.6 
 8.4 
 15.8 
 44.6 
 7.8 
 .6 
 
 
 
 $7 to 7 99 
 
 
 
 $8toS3.99... . 
 
 
 1 
 
 $9 to S9.99 
 
 
 $10 to 11 99 
 
 
 2 
 1 
 
 1 
 1 
 1 
 
 $12 to 813. 99 
 
 2 
 
 $14 to $15 99 
 
 $16 to $17 99 
 
 $18 to $19.99 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 261 
 
 3166 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 2 
 
 7 
 
 Association A 
 
 Workers in specified classes of shops. 
 
 30 
 30 
 1 
 
 79 
 54 
 33 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 2 
 4 
 
 Association B . . . . 
 
 
 
 
 Nonassociation A 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 1 In addition to the week workers shown in this table there were 2 pieceworkers, female, in 1912, and 8 in 
 1913, and 3 pieceworkers, male, in 1912 and 4 in 1913. 
 8 Not including 1 for whom weekly rate of wages could not be ascertained. 
 Not including 22 for whom weekly rates of wages could not be ascertained. 
 
 MARKERS. 
 
 Markers are usually young girls who mark with a pencil the spot 
 opposite the buttonhole where the button is to be sewed on the waist. 
 There is no skill required for this work and any young beginner who 
 comes into the factory may be put to mark buttons. 
 
 As will be seen from Table 8, only 18 markers were found on the 
 pay rolls of the 520 shops during the year 1913. Of these, 15 were 
 girls and 3 were boys. There were, no doubt, a great many more 
 markers in the industry, but in all probability they were entered on 
 the pay rolls as cleaners. This is quite natural, since a girl will be 
 put either on cleaning work or marking, according to the needs of the 
 shop. 
 
 As will be seen from Table 62, the lowest wage which markers 
 received in 1913 was $5 to $5.99 a week, as against $4 to $4.99 in 1912. 
 Altogether there were only 3 markers receiving less than $6 a week 
 during 1913, while 4 received $10 a week or more, the remainder re- 
 
144 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUEEAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 
 ceiving $6 and less than $10 a week. Nine out of 18, or exactly 
 one-half, received $6 and less than $8 a week. 
 
 CHART 16. PER CENT OF JOINERS, FEMALE (WEEK WORKERS), RECEIV- 
 ING EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES PER WEEK, 1912 AND 1913. 
 
 sol 
 
 50% 
 
 45 
 
 35 
 
 30 
 
 25 
 
 Weekly Rates of 
 Waes of Joiners. 
 
 1912 
 
 75/3 
 
 35 
 
 30 
 
 25 
 
 20 
 
 \/ 
 
 0% 
 
 $6 
 
 $0 
 
 $9 
 
 $10 
 
 $12 
 
 $18 
 
 TABTJS 62. MARKERS, RECEIVING EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES PER WEEK 
 
 1912 AND 1913, BY SEX. 
 
 Classified rates of wages per week, and classes of shops. 
 
 Femal.es. 
 
 Males. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 $4 to S4.99 . 
 
 2 
 1 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 $5 to $5 99 
 
 2 
 4 
 5 
 1 
 1 
 1 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 $6 to $6.99 
 
 
 $7 to $7.99... . 
 
 
 
 $8 to $8.99. . . . 
 
 
 
 $9 to $9.99 ' 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 $10 to $11.99 
 
 
 2 
 
 $12 to $13.99. 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 7 
 
 15 
 
 
 3 
 
 Association A 
 
 
 Workers in specified classes of shops. 
 
 6 
 1 
 
 12 
 1 
 2 
 
 
 3 
 
 Association B 
 
 
 Nonassociation A 
 
 
 
 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 145 
 
 SLOPERS. 
 
 Slopers are assistant cutters, whose work is described under the 
 heading cutters (see, especially, that part entitled "The apprenticing 
 of a cutter," "sloping," and "sex"). 
 
 The wages of slopers, so far as they have been found designated as 
 such on the pay rolls, are given in Table 63. 
 
 TABLE 63. SLOPERS, WEEK WORKERS, RECEIVING EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF 
 WAGES PER WEEK, 1912 AND 1913, BY SEX. 
 
 Classified rates of wages per week, and classes of shops. 
 
 Females. 
 
 Males. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 $6 to $6 99 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 $7 to $7.99 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 $8 to $8. 99 . ... 
 
 1 
 4 
 2 
 
 
 59 to $9 99 
 
 1 
 3 
 ..... 
 
 
 
 110 to $11.99 
 
 
 2 
 3 
 4 
 1 
 3 
 
 $12 to $13.99 
 
 8 
 2 
 
 $14 to $15 99 
 
 $16 to $17 99 
 
 
 $1 to $19 99 ... . 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 9 
 
 6 
 
 11 
 
 13 
 
 Association -V 
 
 Workers in specified classes of shops. 
 
 4 
 5 
 
 
 2 
 
 8 
 
 1 
 11 
 1 
 
 Association IJ . ... 
 
 6 
 
 Nonassociation A 
 
 
 
 
 SUBCONTRACTING AND PARTNERSHIPS. 
 
 Article XV of the protocol reads as follows: "All inside subcon- 
 tracting shall be abolished." No definition of subcontracting is given 
 in the protocol. 
 
 Subcontracting is practiced, as a rule, in shops in which workers 
 are paid on a piece basis. Manufacturers find it to their advantage 
 in certain cases to allow their skilled workers, mostly operators, to 
 employ assistants who are directly responsible to these workers and 
 who receive their wages from them. These assistants receive no official 
 recognition from the manufacturer and are not carried on the pay 
 roll of the factory. They receive their pay from the workers, who 
 employ them either on a weekly basis or on a basis of a percentage of 
 the earnings of their employer. The latter method is used only when 
 a worker employs but one assistant of sufficient skill to be acceptable 
 as a partner, though not necessarily an equal partner. 
 
 The term subcontracting does not apply to partnerships, by which 
 are meant combinations of two workers of practically the same skill 
 who divide their earnings equally, or nearly so. 
 42132 Bull. 14614 10 
 
146 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 ADVANTAGES OF SUBCONTRACTING TO MANUFACTURERS. 
 
 The advantages of subcontracting to manufacturers who maintaii 
 such a system in their shops are as follows : 
 
 1. It reduces the work of supervision to a minimum; it is easi< 
 to run a factory with, say, one hundred operators of whom ten or 
 dozen are subcontractors and the remaining number working for th( 
 subcontractors than it is to have a factory of the same size where eacl 
 worker is subject to the direct supervision of the manufacturer. L 
 the former case, he practically has 10 foremen who receive no wages f( 
 this work of supervision and are at the same time responsible for the 
 work of their respective teams or "sets, " as they are generally calle< 
 in the dress and waist industry. 
 
 2. It does away with the necessity of hiring assistant foremen 
 forewomen for the instruction of new and inexperienced help. 
 
 3. There is a further saving in the clerical work in the shop and i] 
 the office. Instead of distributing work among a hundred worke] 
 and keeping track of them in order to keep them busy, the work is 
 now given out to only 10 people, leaving it to them to look out foi 
 the rest. This not only means less distributive handling of the worl 
 by the supervisory and clerical force of the establishment, but 
 saves loss of time on the part of the individual workers in the intei 
 vals when they have completed their tasks and are waiting for 
 work, and to that extent it is a saving to the manufacturer in 
 number of hours his plant is partly or wholly idle. This loss of time is 
 common in all shops to a greater or less extent. 
 
 4. The problem of securing help during the height of the seasoi 
 is greatly simplified. During this period there is great rivalry a 
 manufacturers to secure necessary help, causing much annoyance 
 and a great deal of lost effort on the part of the management. Undei 
 the subcontracting system, the subcontractors attend to the hiriru 
 of their own help, and as they are workmen themselves and mingL 
 with the working people, they secure their assistants more readily 
 than the manufacturer. Frequently they enroll their relatives an< 
 personal friends and thereby secure more personal loyalty and steadi- 
 ness in employment among their assistants than is possible for th( 
 manufacturer. 
 
 5. In a large number of cases, the subcontractors attend to th* 
 repair of the machines used by their help and thereby save the manu- 
 facturer the cost of employing machinists or of taking the time of th< 
 foreman for that purpose. 
 
 6. Subcontracting secures a maximum of output from each worker. 
 As their own earnings depend directly upon the output of their 
 sistants, it is to the interest of the subcontractors to get the greatesl 
 possible output out of them. This is done in a number of ways; 
 (a) Extreme subdivision of labor is introduced, each worker in tl 
 set doing only a small part of the work in which he quickly special- 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 147 
 
 izes and attains great speed. (&) Under this system, the subcon- 
 tractor, who is himself a skillful and very rapid worker, sets the pace 
 for his assistants, who must keep up with him in order to keep him 
 supplied with the parts which he needs for his work, (c) This system 
 coupled with the fact that the assistants in the sets are working under 
 the very eye of their employer, who is constantly with them, insures 
 an application to their tasks and intensity of labor such as can not 
 be secured under any other system, (d) The advantages set forth 
 above result in so great an output per worker that it enables the 
 manufacturer to reduce gradually the piece rate per garment. As 
 the assistants employed by the subcontractors are paid by the week, 
 they are not concerned in this matter, so that the manufacturer meets 
 only with the resistance of the few subcontractors, if there be any 
 1 resistance at all, instead of the workers of the entire shop. On then- 
 part, the subcontractors are not greatly inclined to resist such reduc- 
 tions of pay, expecting to be able to make up for the loss by further 
 speeding up their help and by introducing new devices for increasing 
 the output. 
 
 7. The system of subcontracting results in an indirect saving, 
 inasmuch as it does away with the necessity of paying a higher rate 
 for overtime and of paying wages to week workers for certain holidays, 
 since these provisions of the protocol, which are generally enforced 
 with regard to wesk workers employed directly by the manufacturers, 
 have not been enforced in the case of employees of subcontractors. 
 
 8. The great increase in output secured from each machine under 
 the subcontracting system results in further savings to the manu- 
 facturer, inasmuch as the overhead expenses per garment are greatly 
 reduced thereby first, through the saving in the supervisory and 
 clerical force already mentioned ; and, secondly, through the fact that 
 the total overhead expense, such as rent, power, wear and tear of 
 machinery, office expense, etc., is now distributed over a much 
 larger number of garments than would otherwise be possible. 
 
 DISADVANTAGES OF SUBCONTRACTING. 
 
 Such were the advantages, from the point of view of the manu- 
 facturer, which were responsible for the existence and spread of the 
 subcontracting system. On the other hand, it was but natural that 
 the workers should find it objectionable, since the speeding up was 
 frequently carried to a point that injured their health. Through the 
 extreme subdivision of labor which this system always carried with it, 
 it also reduced the opportunity for the workers of learning the trade 
 sufficiently to enable them to be graduated into shops manufacturing 
 a better grade of garments, and thus made it impossible for them to 
 work up to a higher standard of wages. 
 
 The workers were not the only ones injured by the subcontracting 
 system. The general interests of the industry as a whole were like- 
 wise injured, for the system prevented the new recruits in the indus- 
 try from becoming skilled operators, without a sufficient supply of 
 
148 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 which the industry in New York can not retain its commanding posi- 
 tion in the growing market of ready-made high-grade and medium- 
 grade women's dresses and waists. The fact that 85 per cent of the 
 operators are women, most of them young, a very large portion oi 
 whom (roughly estimated by those in the industry to amount to om 
 fifth of the total) marry each year and leave the industry, calls for 
 constant recruiting of new workers who must be taught the trade oi 
 dressmaking as it is carried on in the shops. This may have fui 
 nished one of the reasons which prompted the association to agn 
 to the demand of the union in incorporating article 15 in the protocol 
 calling for the abolition of all inside subcontracting. 
 
 DECLINE OF SUBCONTRACTING. 
 
 One of the objects of the present investigation was to ascertain the 
 extent to which subcontracting has been abolished or reduced. The 
 only source of information was furnished by the pay rolls in the shops 
 investigated. The task, however, proved much more difficult than 
 was at first anticipated. The difficulty arises from the fact that there 
 is nothing on the pay rolls to indicate whether a worker has earned 
 the amount he is credited with by his own efforts or with the assist- 
 ance of others. The only guide in this matter is the amount of the 
 worker's earnings. When a worker appeared on the pay roll with 
 weekly earnings of $50 or $100 or more, such a figure at once attracted 
 the attention of the investigator and inquiries were made as to 
 whether the worker is an employer of additional labor. It happens, 
 however, especially at times when work is more or less slack, that the 
 combined earnings of a worker and his assistant may be below $25 
 or, in some instances, even below $20, and thus fail to attract any 
 attention. The agents of the board were instructed to inquire of the 
 manufacturer or his representative as to whether a worker had assist- 
 ants, in all cases where the weekly earnings exceeded $20. 
 
 Supplementary inquiries, which were made after the figures for the 
 industry were tabulated, disclosed the fact that, in some cases, cor- 
 rect information was not obtained, so that some of the individual 
 earnings of $20 a week and over appearing in the tables as earnings of 
 individual workers may in reality represent the earnings of two 
 partners or of a worker with one or more assistants. 
 
 The figures relating to subcontracting are summed up in Tables 64, 
 65, and 66, which are presented in the following pages. Table 64 
 gives the number of sets found working in 1912 and 19] 3, tabulated 
 according to the occupation of the workers and the number of workers 
 in each set, both for the industry as a whole and for the association 
 and the nonassociation shops separately. Table 05 shows the num- 
 ber of individual workers employed hi the s^ts tabulated by sex, so far 
 as known. Table 66 gives the earnings of vh-^se sets in the busiest 
 week of 1912 and of 1913, arranged according to occupation, extent 
 of earnings, and character of shop. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IX DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 149 
 
 SIZE OF SETS. 
 
 The " sets'' may bo of three kinds: First, partnerships, pure and 
 simple, consisting of two workers dividing their earnings according 
 to their respective skill; second, two partners employing one or more 
 assistants; third, one worker employing one or more assistants. In 
 all cases of sets an effort was made to ascertain the exact number of 
 people employed in the set., but as the assistants are seldom entered 
 on the pay rolls, it was not always possible to obtain the information. 
 
 TABLE 64.- NUMBER AND COMPOSITION OF PARTNERSHIPS AND SETS IN VARIOUS 
 OCCUPATIONS IN ASSOCIATION AND NONASSOCIATION SHOPS. 
 
 Occupation and year. 
 
 Association shops. 
 
 Nonassociation shops. 
 
 Sets or teams having each specified number of 
 persons. 
 
 Sets or teams having 
 each specified num- 
 ber of persons. 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 12 
 
 14 
 
 15 
 
 17 
 
 is 
 
 20 
 
 35 
 
 -In 
 
 To- 
 tal. 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 3 
 
 7 
 
 8 
 
 To- 
 tal. 
 
 2 
 3 
 
 Buttonhole makers: 
 Sets or teams 1912 
 1913.... 
 Cleaners: 
 Sets or teams 1912 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 2 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 8 
 8 
 
 1 
 
 t 
 
 c 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 .... 
 
 -- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1913 
 
 9 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 r 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Closers and hemmers: 
 Sets or teams 1912 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1913 
 
 6 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 q 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Drapers: 
 Sets or teams 1912 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 ^ 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 1913 
 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Finishers: 
 Sets or teams 1912 
 1913 
 
 19 
 12 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 21 
 12 
 
 1 
 
 I 
 
 1( 
 
 ] 
 
 
 
 
 
 a 
 
 
 
 7 
 12 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Embroiderers: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1913 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Joiners: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 24 
 37 
 
 Ironers and pressers: 
 Sets or teams 1912 
 1913.... 
 Lace runners: 
 Sets or teams 1912 
 
 18 
 19 
 
 8 
 9 
 
 6 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 2 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 39 
 32 
 
 13 
 
 24 
 
 8 
 11 
 
 "i 
 
 2 
 
 
 1 
 
 'i 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1913 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Operators N. S.: 
 Sets or teams 1912 
 1913 
 Body makers: 
 Sets or teams 1912 
 1913 
 Skirt makers: 
 Sets or teams 1912 
 1913 
 
 124 
 242 
 
 '.0 
 68 
 
 15 
 
 22 
 
 33 
 17 
 
 5 
 5 
 
 2 
 
 10 
 4 
 
 3 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 1 
 
 i 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 .- 
 
 -. 
 
 
 
 i 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 181 
 268 
 
 26 
 
 75 
 
 24 
 26 
 
 22 
 21 
 
 <> 
 
 45 
 112 
 
 1 
 20 
 
 5 
 
 8 
 
 1 
 
 3 
 
 8 
 8 
 
 ""2 
 
 i 
 i 
 
 "i 
 
 2 
 
 i 
 
 "i 
 
 I 
 
 1 
 
 - 
 
 -- 
 
 57 
 123 
 
 1 
 21 
 
 5 
 
 12 
 
 1 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Dressmakers: 
 Sets or teams 1912 
 1913.... 
 Sleeve makers: 
 Sets or teams 1912 
 1913 
 
 17 
 18 
 
 2 
 6 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 i 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 8 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 7 
 
 Sleeve setters: 
 Sets or teams 1912 
 1913.... 
 Sample makers: 
 
 3 
 
 7 
 
 1 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 9 
 
 6 
 
 1 
 
 
 - 
 
 
 
 -- 
 
 -- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 .... 
 
 ii 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Trimmers: 
 Sets or teams 1912 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1913.... 
 Tuckers: 
 Sets or teams 1912 
 1913.... 
 
 Total: 
 - Sets or teams 1912 
 1913 
 
 5 
 
 8 
 8 
 
 238 
 427 
 
 4 
 4 
 
 2 
 1 
 
 20 
 16 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 2 
 
 
 
 "i 
 
 
 -- 
 
 
 
 5 
 
 20 
 17 
 
 357 
 500 
 
 2 
 3 
 
 73 
 
 190 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 - 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 4 
 4 
 
 103 
 224 
 
 59 
 41 
 
 15 
 4 
 
 9 
 8 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 < 3 
 
 2 _ , 
 
 1 
 2 
 
 "i 
 
 2 
 1 
 
 i 
 
 i 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 18 
 27 
 
 3 
 3 
 
 i 
 
 '2 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
150 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUKEAU OF LABOE STATISTICS. 
 
 TABLE 64. NUMBER AND COMPOSITION OF PARTNERSHIPS AND SETS IN VARIOUS 
 OCCUPATIONS IN ASSOCIATION AND NONASSOCIATION SHOPS Concluded. 
 
 Occupation and year. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Earnings (num- 
 ber of persons in 
 sets unknown). 
 
 Sets or teams having each specified number of persons. 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 , 
 
 y 
 
 15 
 
 17 
 
 IS 
 
 . 
 
 35 
 
 15 
 
 No. 
 unkn. 
 
 To- 
 tal. 
 
 Lowest. 
 
 High- 
 est. 
 
 Buttonhole makers: 
 Sets or teams 1912 
 1913 
 Cleaners: 
 Sets or teams 1912 . . 
 
 8 
 10 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 12 
 11 
 
 $55.22 
 
 $69. 48 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 1913 
 
 ? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 f\ 
 
 
 
 Closers and hemmers: 
 Sets or teams 1912 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 5 
 q 
 
 
 23.79 
 
 1913 .. 
 
 fi 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Drapers: 
 Sets or teams 1912 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 3 
 4 
 
 
 58.53 
 
 1913 
 
 3 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Finishers: 
 Sets or teams 1912 
 1913 
 Embroiderers: 
 Sets or teams 1912 
 
 22 
 22 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 
 ? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 30 
 
 ?4 
 
 44.65 
 
 360. 81 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 4 
 1 
 
 15 
 
 56.70 
 
 445. 12 
 126. 32 
 
 1913 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Joiners: 
 Sets or teams 1912.... 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1913 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 Ironers and pressers: 
 Sets or teams 1912 
 1913 
 Lace runners: 
 Sets or teams 1912 
 
 31 
 43 
 
 16 
 
 20 
 
 6 
 4 
 
 6 
 
 2 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 67 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 73 
 
 42.93 
 
 81.17 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1913 
 
 ? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 9 
 
 
 
 Operators N. S.: 
 Sets or teams 1912 
 1913 
 Body makers: 
 Sets or teams 1912 
 1913 
 Skirt makers: 
 Sets or teams 1912 
 1913 
 Dressmakers: 
 Sets or teams 1912 
 1913 
 Sleeve makers: 
 Sets or teams 1912 
 1913 
 Sleeve setters: 
 Sets or teams 1912 
 1913 
 Sample makers: 
 Sets or teams 1912 
 
 169 
 354 
 
 21 
 
 88 
 
 20 
 30 
 
 18 
 21 
 
 2 
 6 
 
 3 
 13 
 
 41 
 25 
 
 5 
 6 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 1 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 3 
 
 11 
 
 5 
 
 5 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 5 
 2 
 
 "i 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 -. 
 
 -- 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 71 
 38 
 
 3 
 
 309 
 429 
 
 30 
 % 
 
 23.55 
 30.41 
 
 43.82 
 
 196.40 
 118.92 
 
 57.03 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 4 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 30 
 39 
 
 24 
 25 
 
 6 
 10 
 
 6 
 
 
 763.80 
 144.90 
 
 77.30 
 50.68 
 
 73.28 
 4.3. 31 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 i 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 16 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1913... 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 Trimmers: 
 Sets or teams 1912 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1913 
 
 <> 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 Tuckers: 
 Sets or teams 1912 
 1913 
 
 Total: 
 Sets or teams 1912 
 1913 
 
 10 
 11 
 
 311 
 617 
 
 5 
 5 
 
 68 
 
 2 
 1 
 
 23 
 19 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 1 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 5 
 2 
 
 29 
 23 
 
 42.35 
 56.20 
 
 126. 82 
 120.63 
 
 763.80 
 144.90 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 19 
 6 
 
 
 
 5 
 
 a 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 2 
 
 'i 
 
 a 
 
 i 
 
 "i 
 
 > 
 
 
 
 
 12 
 
 4 
 
 a 
 
 ! 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 i 
 
 9 
 
 4S 
 
 556 
 
 772 
 
 23.55 
 30.41 
 
 1 Including 1 hemstitcher. 
 
 In many cases, the number of people in a set tad to be estimated 
 with the aid of the manufacturer or the bookkeeper on the basis of 
 the earnings and his knowledge of the conditions prevailing in the 
 shop. In a number of cases, however, no reliable estimate could be 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 151 
 
 made, and these sets are entered in Table 64 in the column headed 
 ' ' Number unknown." 
 
 As will be seen from the table, the number of such sets was 96 in 
 1912 and 48, or exactly one-half that number, in 1913. Of the 48 
 sets, 38 were " operators not specified," 4 were pressers and ironers, 
 and the remainder were operators of various kin'ds, such as tuckers, 
 sleeve makers, hemstitchers, etc. Some indication of the size of 
 these sets may be obtained from their earnings, which are given in 
 Table 66. 
 
 As will be seen from Table 64, the total number of sets in the 
 industry increased from 556 in 1912 to 772 in 1913. These two 
 numbers would seem to imply that not only has the provision of 
 the protocol for the abolition of subcontracting failed to be carried 
 out, but the evil has grown in extent. As a matter of fact such is 
 not the case. An examination of the figures in Table 64 will dis- 
 close the fact that the increase occurred almost entirely in the num- 
 ber of sets consisting of two workers, while the number of sets con- 
 sisting of three workers or more has been reduced. Thus, in the 
 association shops there were 238 sets of two workers each in 1912 
 and 427 in 1913. In the nonassociation shops the number of those 
 sets was 73 in 1912, and 190 in 1913. On the other hand, the num- 
 ber of sets of three or more was reduced from 149 in 1912 to 107 in 
 1913. When each group of sets is taken up separately, it will be 
 found that the larger the number of workers in the group the greater, 
 as a rule, has been the decline in the number of such sets. Thus, 
 taking the association shops for an illustration, the number of sets 
 consisting of three persons was reduced from 59 in 1912 to 41 in 1913; 
 sets consisting of 4 each numbered 20 in 1912, and 16 in 1913; those 
 consisting of 5 each numbered 15 in 1912, and 4 in 1913; those con- 
 sisting of 6 each numbered 9 in 1912, and 3 in 1913, etc. 
 
 The increase in the number of sets consisting of two persons is 
 explained by the following situation: After the adoption of the pro- 
 tocol it was found in a great many cases that not only was it not prac- 
 ticable to do away with the "sets," but permission had to be given 
 for the introduction of the system of operators with assistants in 
 shops where it had not prevailed before. This happened in shops in 
 which the piecework system was for the first time introduced to take 
 the place of week work which had prevailed before the signing of 
 the protocol. In these shops generally the system of extreme sub- 
 division of labor prevailed, known as the "section" system. The 
 introduction of the piecework system was accompanied by the doing 
 jaway with section work, most of the work being done henceforth by 
 the body makers, and only certain parts, which represented distinct 
 occupations, being left to separate workers, such as sleeve setting, 
 
152 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 tucking, buttonhole making, etc. The sudden introduction of the 
 new system threatened many of the less skilled operators, who had 
 been accustomed to section work, with the loss of their positions, 
 since they were unable to do "body making." To prevent this 
 hardship to many workers and to enable the manufacturer at the 
 same time to train his employees gradually to the new system, the 
 union officials joined the officials of the association in granting per- 
 mission in such instances for the temporary introduction of the 
 subcontracting system, under which the less skilled workers were 
 enabled to remain in those factories as assistants to skilled operators? 
 receiving their pay from these operators. Under this arrangement, 
 the boss of the "set" becomes the instructor of his employees and 
 derives his compensation for the services thus performed in the 
 profit he makes on the work of his assistants. 
 
 Looking at the figures in Table 64 for 1913, it will be observed that 
 by far the largest number of sets occurs in the occupation of "opera- 
 tors not specified" in which there were 268 in the association shops 
 and 123 in the nonassociation shops. If to these be added the sets 
 entered under "buttonhole makers," "closers and hemmers," "lace 
 runners," "skirt operators," "waist operators," "dress operators," 
 "sample makers," "sleeve makers," "sleeve setters," "trimmers," 
 and "tuckers," all of whom are operators in the sense of operating 
 sewing machines, it will be found that the combined occupation of 
 operators totaled 666 sets. The other sets were distributed among 
 the following occupations: "Ironers and pressers," of whom there 
 were 32 sets in the association shops and 37 in the nonassociation 
 shops in 1913, as compared with 39 and 24, respectively, in 1912; 
 "finishers," of whom there were 12 sets in the association shops, all 
 consisting of two workers each, and in the nonassociation shops 12 
 sets, of which 10 consisted of two workers each and 2 of three workers 
 each. Those interested in further details as to the distribution of sets 
 by occupations and by the number of people in a set are referred to 
 Table 64. 
 
 SEX OF WORKERS IN SETS. 
 
 Table 65, which follows, gives the sex of the workers employed in 
 s.'ts, so far as it could be ascertained. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 15$ 
 TABLE 65 SEX OF EMPLOYEES WORKING IN PARTNERSHIPS AND 'SETS. 
 
 Occupation and 
 year. 
 
 Association shops. 
 
 Nonassociation shops. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Number of persons. 
 
 Num- 
 )er of 
 sets. 
 
 Number of persons. 
 
 Num- 
 ber of 
 sets. 
 
 Number of persons. 
 
 Num- 
 ber of 
 sets. 
 
 M. 
 
 F. 
 
 Sex 
 un- 
 known. 
 
 To- 
 tal. 
 
 M. 
 
 \ 
 
 F. 
 
 Sex 
 un- 
 Imown. 
 
 To- 
 tal. 
 
 M. 
 
 F. 
 
 Sex 
 un- 
 known. 
 
 To- 
 tal. 
 
 Buttonhole mak- 
 ers: 
 1912 
 1913 
 
 10 
 
 8 
 
 .... 
 
 1 
 4 
 
 8 
 8 
 
 1 
 
 18 
 17 
 
 2 
 4 
 
 8 
 24 
 
 2 
 10 
 
 45 
 24 
 
 15 
 14 
 
 8 
 8 
 
 1 
 2 
 
 4 
 9 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 
 21 
 12 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 .... 
 
 I 
 
 4 
 6 
 
 2 
 3 
 
 12 
 12 
 
 .... 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 
 10 
 10 
 
 1 
 
 22 
 23 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 8 
 24 
 
 4 
 10 
 
 70 
 50 
 
 15 
 14 
 
 10 
 11 
 
 1 
 2 
 
 4 
 9 
 
 2 
 4 
 
 28 
 24 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 Cleaners: 
 1912 
 1913 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Closers and he m- 
 iners: 
 1912 
 
 4 
 
 
 4 
 15 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 9 
 12 
 
 14 
 13 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 
 4 
 15 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 22 
 12 
 
 14 
 13 
 
 1913 
 
 gl 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 9 
 
 
 Drapers: 
 .1912 
 
 
 1 
 
 35 
 12 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 ... 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 7 
 
 47 
 38 
 
 i 
 i 
 
 1913 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 Finishers: 
 1912 
 
 ... 
 
 12 
 
 26 
 
 13 
 
 25 
 26 
 
 12 
 
 1913 
 
 Embroiderers: 
 1912 
 
 
 1913 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Joiners: 
 1912 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1913 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ? 
 
 
 2 
 
 67 
 93 
 
 1 
 
 24 
 37 
 
 
 
 
 
 190 
 176 
 
 1 
 
 63 
 69 
 
 Ironers and press- 
 ers: 
 1912 . . . 
 
 39 
 37 
 
 4 
 2 
 
 80 
 44 
 
 123 
 83 
 
 39 
 32 
 
 37 
 40 
 
 4 
 
 26 
 
 48 
 
 76 
 
 77 
 
 i 
 
 106 
 92 
 
 1913 
 
 L:e runners: 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1 
 
 102 
 138 
 
 27 
 34 
 
 23 
 20 
 
 20 
 11 
 
 1 
 
 { 
 
 1 
 
 99 
 192 
 
 15 
 64 
 
 10 
 
 20 
 16 
 
 ( 
 
 369 
 252 
 
 18 
 72 
 
 51 
 35 
 
 26 
 60 
 
 1( 
 
 4 
 
 570 
 582 
 
 60 
 170 
 
 84 
 62 
 
 66 
 
 ' 77 
 
 16 
 
 22 
 
 ( 
 
 20 
 
 2 
 
 181 
 268 
 
 26 
 75 
 
 24 
 26 
 
 22 
 21 
 
 i 
 
 { 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 145 
 228 
 
 28 
 46 
 
 27 
 
 36 
 
 20 
 12 
 
 | 
 
 1^ 
 
 i 
 
 146 
 
 289 
 
 16 
 
 80 
 
 11 
 
 21 
 
 18 
 
 2 
 
 6 
 
 fi 
 6 
 
 413 
 328 
 
 18 
 
 87 
 
 56 
 50 
 
 1 
 
 9 
 
 12 
 
 j 
 
 15 
 
 704 
 845 
 
 62 
 213 
 
 94 
 
 93 
 
 68 
 83 
 
 16 
 25 
 
 13 
 35 
 
 2 
 
 238 
 
 391 
 
 27 
 % 
 
 29 
 38 
 
 23 
 24 
 
 5 
 9 
 
 5 
 
 16 
 
 Operators, not 
 specified: 
 1912 
 
 43 
 
 90 
 
 1 
 
 12 
 
 4 
 
 16 
 
 ..... 
 
 47 
 97 
 
 1 
 16 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 44 
 76 
 
 134 
 
 263 
 
 ' If 
 
 
 
 10 
 31 
 
 j 
 
 . 6 
 
 57 
 123 
 
 21 
 12 
 
 1913 
 
 Body makers: 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 15 
 
 I 
 
 15 
 
 1 
 
 3 
 
 Skirt makers: 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Dressmakers : 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 Sleeve makers: 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1 
 
 -a 
 
 6 
 
 ] 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 ' 4 
 
 15 
 
 
 Bleeve setters: 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 ' \ 
 
 Sample makers: 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 Trimmers: 
 1912 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1913 
 Tuckers: 
 1912 
 1913 
 
 21 
 19 
 
 25 
 29c 
 
 28 
 
 48 
 34 
 
 10 
 
 T 
 81 
 
 1,09 
 1,20' 
 
 20 
 17 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 93 
 175 
 
 
 11 
 
 a 
 
 15 
 9 
 
 " < 
 
 25 
 24 
 
 348 
 470 
 
 J> 
 
 8 
 29 
 
 59 
 37 
 
 92 
 90 
 
 24 
 21 
 
 Total: 
 1912... 
 1913... 
 
 199 
 348 
 
 641 
 564 
 
 357 
 
 500 
 
 69 
 151 
 
 103 
 171 
 
 265 
 497 
 
 103 
 224 
 
 268 
 499 
 
 744 
 735 
 
 1.360 
 1,704 
 
 460 
 724 
 
 As will be seen from tlie figures for 1913, out of 1,704 persons 
 known to have been employed in the sets, 470 were men and 499 were 
 women, the sex of the remaining 735 workers, who numbered nearly 
 one-half of the total, being unknown. The women are thus seen to 
 be in a majority in spite of the fact that in most instances the heads 
 
154 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 of sets are men. Were the sex of the remaining workers ascertainabl* 
 there is no doubt that the women would have been found greatly 
 outnumber the men. 
 
 EARNINGS OF SETS. 
 
 Table 66, which follows, shows the number of sets in the differei 
 occupations earning certain amounts during the busiest week in 191! 
 and in 1913, both in the association and the nonassociation shops. 
 
 TABLE 66. NUMBER OF SETS IN VARIOUS OCCUPATIONS EARNING CLASSIFD 
 AMOUNTS OF WAGES IN THE BUSIEST WEEK IN 1912 AND IN 1913 IN ASSOCIATIO1 
 AND NONASSOCIATION SHOPS. 
 
 ASSOCIATION SHOPS. 
 
 Occupation and year. 
 
 Un- 
 der 
 $20 
 
 $20 
 to 
 
 $29 
 
 $30 
 to 
 $39 
 
 $40 
 to 
 $49 
 
 $50 
 to 
 
 $59 
 
 $60 
 to 
 $69 
 
 $70 
 to 
 
 $79 
 
 $80 
 to 
 
 $89 
 
 $90 
 to 
 $99 
 
 $100 
 to 
 $199 
 
 $200 
 to 
 $299 
 
 $300 
 
 and 
 over. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Buttonhole makers: 
 Sets 1912 
 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 . 
 
 1913 
 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 i 
 
 
 
 
 
 8 
 
 Cleaners: 
 gets 1912 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1913 
 
 1 
 
 i 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 Closers and hemmers: 
 Sets 1912 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 1913 
 
 1 
 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 9 
 
 Drapers: 
 Sets 1912 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 , 
 
 1913 . . . 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 Finishers: 
 Sets 1912 
 
 5 
 
 10 
 
 4 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 a 
 
 1913 
 
 1 
 
 10 
 
 
 i 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1? 
 
 Embroiderers: 
 Sets 1912 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 , 
 
 1913 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 Joiners: 
 Sets 1912 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1913 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Ironers and pressers: 
 Sets 1912 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 3 
 
 5 
 
 5 
 
 
 9 
 
 1 
 
 
 m 
 
 1913 . . . 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 5 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 j 
 
 
 
 
 32 
 
 Lar? runners: 
 Sets 1912 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1913 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 Operators N. S.: 
 Sets 1912 
 
 5 
 
 29 
 
 47 
 
 47 
 
 17 
 
 11 
 
 5 
 
 4 
 
 4 
 
 8 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 : 
 
 1913 
 
 8 
 
 45 
 
 89 
 
 70 
 
 29 
 
 13 
 
 5 
 
 2 
 
 
 7 
 
 
 
 268 
 
 Body makers: 
 Sets 1912 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 10 
 
 5 
 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 1913 
 
 3 
 
 25 
 
 29 
 
 10 
 
 4 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 75 
 
 Skirt makers: 
 Sets 1912 .. 
 
 
 3 
 
 g 
 
 4 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 2 
 
 
 I 
 
 1913 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 7 
 
 6 
 
 3 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 Dressmakers: 
 Sets 1912 
 
 1_ 
 
 2 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 
 
 1913 
 
 3* 
 
 2 
 
 5 
 
 7 
 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 3 1 
 
 21 
 
 Sleeve makers: 
 Sets 1912 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 5 
 
 1913 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 8 
 
 Sleeve setters: 
 Sets 1912 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 1913 
 
 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 2 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 9 
 
 Sample makers: 
 Sets 1912 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1913 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 - . 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 Trimmers: 
 Sets 1912 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1913 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Tuckers: 
 Sets 1912 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 5 
 
 1 
 
 
 20 
 
 1913 
 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 4 1 
 
 17 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total: 
 Sets 1912 . 
 1913. 
 
 15 
 21 
 
 53 
 91 
 
 83 
 154 
 
 75 
 115 
 
 34 
 50 
 
 22 
 29 
 
 15 
 9 
 
 12 
 
 7 
 
 8 
 6 
 
 32 
 14 
 
 6 
 1 
 
 2 
 3 
 
 "57 
 500 
 
 2 $537.92 and $644.87. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND' WAIST INDUSTRY. 155 
 
 TABLE 66. NUMBER OF SETS IN VARIOUS OCCUPATIONS EARNING CLASSIFIED 
 AMOUNTS OF WAGES IN THE BUSIEST WEEK IN 1912 AND IN 1913 IN ASSOCIATION 
 . AND NONASSOCIATION SHOPS-Continued. 
 
 NONASSOCIATION SHOPS. 
 
 Occupation and year. 
 
 Un- 
 der 
 $20 
 
 $20 
 to 
 829 
 
 $30 
 to 
 $39 
 
 $40 
 to 
 $49 
 
 $50 
 
 to 
 $59 
 
 $60 
 to 
 569 
 
 870 
 to 
 $79 
 
 $80 
 to 
 $89 
 
 $90 
 to 
 $99 
 
 $100 
 to 
 $199 
 
 S200 
 to 
 S299 
 
 S300 
 and 
 over. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Buttonhole makers: 
 g e t s 1912 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 1913 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 Cleaners: 
 Sets 1912 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1913 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Closers and hemmers: 
 Sets 1912 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1913 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Drapers: 
 Sets 1912 
 
 
 
 l 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 1913 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Finishers: 
 gets 1912 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 7 
 
 1913 
 
 3 
 
 6 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 12 
 
 Embroiderers: 
 Sets 1912 .. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1913 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Joiners: 
 Sets 1912 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1913 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 Ironers and pressers: 
 Sets 1912 
 
 
 2 
 
 6 
 
 4 
 
 3 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 24 
 
 1913 
 
 
 2 
 
 14 
 
 
 6 
 
 3 
 
 2 
 
 
 3 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 37 
 
 Lace runners: 
 ' Sets 1912 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1913 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Operators N. S.: 
 Sets 1912 
 
 5 
 
 12 
 
 23 
 
 7 
 
 5 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 57 
 
 1913 
 
 4 
 
 24 
 
 50 
 
 25 
 
 10 
 
 g 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 123 
 
 Body makers: 
 g e t s 1912 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 1913 .. 
 
 1 
 
 8 
 
 
 
 5 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 21 
 
 Skirt makers: 
 Sets 1912 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 5 
 
 1913. . 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 9 
 
 5 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 12 
 
 Dressmakers: 
 g e t s 1912.. 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1913 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 Sleeve makers: 
 gets 1912 . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1913 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 Sleeve setters: 
 gets 1912 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 1913 
 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 7 
 
 Sample makers: 
 Sets 1912 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1913 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Trimmers: 
 Sets 1912 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1913 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Tuckers: 
 gets 1912 
 
 
 1. 
 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 1913 
 
 
 i 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 " 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total: 
 Sets 1912 
 
 
 
 19 
 
 33 
 
 14 
 
 13 
 
 4 
 
 3 
 
 n 
 
 2 
 
 7 
 
 
 
 103 
 
 1913. 
 
 8 
 
 45 
 
 83 
 
 37 
 
 22 
 
 15 
 
 4 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 
 4 
 
 1 
 
 
 224 
 
 TOTAL. 
 
 Buttonhole makers; 
 Sets 1912 
 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 10 
 
 1913 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 11 
 
 Cleaners: 
 gets 1912 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 1913 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 Closers and hemmers: 
 Sets 1912 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 1913 
 
 1 
 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 i 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 9 
 
 Drapers: 
 Sets 1912 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 1913 . . . 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 4 
 
156 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 TABLE 66.-NUMBER OF SETS IN VARIOUS OCCUPATIONS EARNING CLASSIFIE1 
 AMOUNTS OF WAGES IN THE BUSIEST WEEK IN 1912 AND IN 1913 IN ASSOCIATIO] 
 AND NONASSOCIATION SHOPS Concluded. 
 
 TOTAL Concluded . 
 
 Occupation and year. 
 
 Un- 
 der 
 $20 
 
 $20 
 to 
 $29 
 
 $30 
 to 
 $39 
 
 $40 
 to 
 $49 
 
 $50 
 to 
 $59 
 
 $00 
 to 
 $69 
 
 $70 
 to 
 $79 
 
 $80 
 to 
 
 $89 
 
 $90 
 to 
 $99 
 
 $100 
 to 
 S199 
 
 $200 
 to 
 $299 
 
 $300 
 and 
 over. 
 
 Total 
 
 Finishers: 
 Sets 1912 
 
 6 
 
 12 
 
 4 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 28 
 
 1913 . 
 
 4 
 
 16 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 24 
 
 Embroiderers: 
 Sets 1912 . . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 1913 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 1 
 
 1 
 
 Joiners: 
 Sets 1912 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1913 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 j 
 
 Ironers and pressers: 
 g e t s _ 1912 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 
 10 
 
 8 
 
 8 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 1 
 
 12 
 
 1 
 
 
 63 
 
 1913 
 
 
 2 
 
 22 
 
 11 
 
 13 
 
 8 
 
 4 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 (59 
 
 Lace runners: 
 gets 1912 . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1913 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 Operators N. S.: 
 Sets 1912 
 
 10 
 
 41 
 
 70 
 
 54 
 
 22 
 
 12 
 
 5 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 11 
 
 2 
 
 22 
 
 238 
 
 1913 . 
 
 12 
 
 69 
 
 139 
 
 95 
 
 39 
 
 19 
 
 5 
 
 ; 
 
 1 
 
 9 
 
 
 
 391 
 
 Body makers: 
 gets 1912... 
 
 2 
 
 5 
 
 10 
 
 5 
 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 27 
 
 1913. 
 
 4 
 
 33 
 
 35 
 
 15 
 
 5 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 96 
 
 Skirt, makers: 
 Sets 1912 
 
 
 4 
 
 
 5 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 l 
 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 2 
 
 
 29 
 
 1913 .. 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 8 
 
 7 
 
 5 
 
 7 
 
 1 
 
 
 3 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 38 
 
 Dressmakers: 
 Sets 1912 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 6 
 
 6 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 23 
 
 1913 
 
 3 
 
 2 
 
 8 
 
 7 
 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 i 
 
 
 
 
 31 
 
 24 
 
 Sleeve makers: 
 gets 1912 . 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 i 
 
 
 
 
 
 5 
 
 1913... 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 j 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 9 
 
 Sleeve setters: 
 gets 1912... . 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 i 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1913 
 
 
 5 
 
 7 
 
 2 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 16 
 
 Samnle makers: 
 Sets 1912 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1913 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 Trimmers: 
 Sets 1912... 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1913 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Tuckers: 
 gets 1912 . 
 
 
 1 
 
 3 
 
 2 
 
 5 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 i 
 
 1 
 
 6 
 
 1 
 
 
 24 
 
 1913 
 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 <1 
 
 21 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ' Total: 
 Sets 1912 . 
 1913. 
 
 21 
 29 
 
 72 
 136 
 
 116 
 237 
 
 89 
 152 
 
 47 
 72 
 
 26 
 44 
 
 18 
 13 
 
 14 
 
 8 
 
 10 
 10 
 
 39 
 18 
 
 6 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 460 
 724 
 
 No definite conclusions can be drawn from these figures, their chief 
 value being that they furnish an indication of the size of the financial 
 operations of the subcontractors and the changes that have occurred 
 therein since the enactment of the protocol. From this point of 
 view, it is significant to note in association shops the decline in the 
 number of sets earning $200 or more from 8 to 4, and of those earning 
 from $100 to $200 from 32 to 14, while the number has increased 
 among those earning under $20 from 15 to 21; among those earning 
 from $20 to $29, from 53 to 91, and among those earning from $30 to 
 $39, from 83 to 154, etc. The increase in the number of sets earning 
 less than $70 a week is undoubtedly due to the great increase in the 
 number of sets consisting of two workers each, while the reduction in 
 the number of sets earning from $70 a week up is due to the falling 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 157 
 
 off in the number of large sets. A similar tendency is observed in 
 the non association shops. 
 
 REGULARITY OF EMPLOYMENT. 
 
 As already explained, the wages given in this report are for the 
 busiest week of the year. 
 
 These figures are of no value, however, as an indication of the 
 annual earnings of the men and women employed in the industry, 
 unless it is known to what extent they are employed throughout the 
 year. For the dress and waist industry, like other garment indus- 
 tries, fluctuates with the seasons, and very few workers are employed 
 regularly throughout the year. 
 
 The reasons why earnings of individual workers could not be 
 obtained for a whole year are explained at length on page 39 and 
 need not be repeated here. In order to ascertain the extent to which 
 the factories are busy throughout the year, and thereby lay a founda- 
 tion for an approximate estimate of the annual earnings of the 
 workers in the industry, the following method was employed: The 
 total wages paid out each week during the year 1912 and the number 
 of workers employed during those weeks were copied from the pay 
 rolls of the factories investigated. As in the case of the wages for 
 the busiest week, the wages paid to designers, foremen, forewomen, 
 and office help, so far as possible, were eliminated. 
 
 Table 67, which follows, shows for each week of the year 1912 the 
 number of employees in each branch of the industry and the total 
 number in the 260 shops covered, and the per cent that the total 
 number each week is of the number in the week showing maximum 
 number employed. Table 68 shows the aggregate wages paid each 
 week and the per cent these are of the maximum amount paid in 
 any week. These figures are given for each of the four branches into 
 which the industry has been divided, i. e.: (1) Association shops 
 manufacturing low-grade garments, designated as association A; 
 (2) Non association A, i. e., nonassociation shops manufacturing low- 
 grade garments; (3) Association B, including shops manufacturing 
 high-grade garments; (4) Nonassociation B, manufacturing high- 
 grade garments ; and finally (5) for the industry as a whole. 
 
158 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 TABLE 67 NUMBER OF PERSONS EMPLOYED IN 260 SHOPS IN THE DRESS AND WAIST 
 
 INDUSTRY IN 1912. 
 
 Week. 
 
 Number. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Group A. 
 
 Group B. 
 
 Associa- 
 tion shops. 
 
 Nonassoci- 
 ation shops. 
 
 Associa- 
 tion shops. 
 
 Nonassoci- 
 ation shops. 
 
 Number. 
 
 Per cent 
 
 (busiest 
 week= 
 100). * 
 
 1 
 
 7,990 
 8,198 
 8,433 
 8,751 
 9,232 
 9,482 
 9,926 
 10, 250 
 10, 619 
 10, 795 
 10,846 
 10,964 
 10,896 
 10,290 
 10,298 
 10,320 
 10, 272 
 10, 017 
 9,894 
 9,622 
 9,249 
 9,201 
 9,128 
 9,193 
 9,021 
 8,372 
 7,046 
 6, 085 
 5,550 
 5,608 
 5,905 
 6,671 
 7,505 
 8,295 
 8,904 
 7,644 
 7,639 
 7,735 
 7,800 
 7,906 
 7, 955 
 8,105 
 7,441 
 7,084 
 6,524 
 6,418 
 6,214 
 6,011 
 6,100 
 6,075 
 6,20 
 6,065 
 
 697 
 787 
 859 
 934 
 1,034 
 972 
 1,025 
 1,144 
 1.141 
 1,183 
 1,218 
 1, 227 
 ,201 
 ,135 
 ,134 
 ,113 
 ,166 
 ,151 
 ,120 
 ,086 
 ,002 
 ,011 
 ,028 
 .002 
 '988 
 862 
 775 
 611 
 512 
 512 
 596 
 656 
 908 
 962 
 1,015 
 399 
 372 
 382 
 428 
 373 
 370 
 382 
 368 
 357 
 323 
 295 
 296 
 268 
 225 
 250 
 277 
 260 
 
 5,704 
 6,266 
 6,553 
 6,940 
 7,213 
 7,469 
 7,791 
 7,822 
 8,010 
 8,017 
 8,033 
 7,916 
 7,818 
 7,496 
 7,496 
 7,328 
 7,154 
 6,968 
 6,743 
 6,455 
 6,225 
 5,976 
 5,894 
 5,995 
 5,647 
 5.008 
 4,224 
 3,871 
 3,989 
 4,751 
 5,648 
 6, 347 
 6,906 
 7,267 
 7.365 
 9,262 
 9,030 
 9,426 
 9,653 
 9,759 
 9,886 
 10,002 
 9,778 
 9,326 
 8,968 
 8,736 
 8,685 
 8,567 
 9,027 
 9,206 
 9,272 
 8,981 
 
 159 
 192 
 345 
 335 
 370 
 406 
 404 
 417 
 413 
 414 
 424 
 417 
 459 
 392 
 370 
 384 
 382 
 342 
 321 
 338 
 285 
 321 
 300 
 324 
 305 
 272 
 247 
 249 
 253 
 276 
 280 
 271 
 358 
 364 
 402 
 1,058 
 1,066 
 1, 117 
 1,149 
 1, 161 
 1,177 
 1,197 
 1,108 
 1,024 
 954 
 979 
 1,183 
 1,021 
 982 
 1,073 
 1,070 
 984 
 
 14,550 
 15, 443 
 16, 190 
 16,960 
 17,849 
 18,329 
 19, 146 
 19,633 
 20, 183 
 20,409 
 20,521 
 20, 524 
 20,374 
 19,313 
 19, 298 
 19, 145 
 18,974 
 18, 478 
 18, 078 
 17,501 
 16, 761 
 16, 509 
 16, 350 
 16,514 
 15,961 
 14,514 
 12, 292 
 10,816 
 10,304 
 11,147 
 12,429 
 13, 945 
 15, 677 
 16,888 
 17,686 
 18, 363 
 18, 107 
 18, 6CO 
 19, 030 
 19, 199 
 19,388 
 19, 686 
 18, 695 
 17,791 
 16, 769 
 16,428 
 16, 378 
 15, 867 
 16,334 
 16,604 
 16,879 
 16,290 
 
 98 
 99 
 100 
 100 
 99 
 94 
 94 
 93 
 92 
 90 
 88 
 85 
 82 
 80 
 80 
 80 
 78 
 71 
 60 
 53 
 50 
 54 
 61 
 68 
 76 
 82 
 86 
 89 
 88 
 91 
 93 
 94 
 94 
 96 
 91 
 87 
 82 
 80 
 80 
 77 
 80 
 81 
 82 
 79 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 7 ... 
 
 g 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 11 
 
 I' 7 
 
 13 
 
 14 
 
 15 
 
 10 
 
 17 
 
 18 
 
 1$ 
 
 20 
 
 21 
 
 22 
 
 23 
 
 24 . -- 
 
 25 
 
 26 
 
 27 
 
 28 
 
 29 ... 
 
 30 
 
 31 
 
 32 
 
 33 
 
 34 
 
 35 
 
 36 
 
 37 
 
 33 
 
 39 
 
 40 
 
 41 
 
 42 
 
 43 
 
 44 
 
 45 
 
 46 
 
 47- 
 
 48 
 
 49 
 
 50 . . 
 
 51 
 
 52 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 889 159 
 
 
 Average 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 17,100 
 
 S3. 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 i The busiest week means the week having the maximum number of employees. The figures in this 
 column indicate the percentage which the number of employees each week constituted of the number 
 of employees in the busiest week of the year. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 159 
 
 68. AMOUNT OF WAGES PAID IN 260 SHOPS OF THE DRESS AND WAIST 
 INDUSTRY IN 1912. 
 
 Week. 
 
 Wages. 
 
 Per cent 
 (busiest week=100). 1 
 
 Aver- 
 age 
 weekly 
 wage 
 per em- 
 ployee. 
 
 Group A. 
 
 Group B. 
 
 Total 
 for the 
 industry. 
 
 Group A. j Group B. 
 
 To- 
 tal. 
 
 Associa- 
 tion 
 shops. 
 
 Nonasso- 
 ciation 
 shops. 
 
 Associa- 
 tion 
 shops. 
 
 Nonasso- 
 ciation 
 shops. 
 
 Asso- 
 cia- 
 tion 
 shops. 
 
 Non- 
 asso- 
 cia- 
 tion 
 shops. 
 
 Asso- 
 cia- 
 tion 
 shops. 
 
 Non- 
 
 asso- 
 cia- 
 tion 
 shops. 
 
 $70, 100 
 80,464 
 85,830 
 92,555 
 98. 272 
 102, 949 
 109, 959 
 115, 652 
 124, 085 
 127, 342 
 127, 850 
 129, 018 
 125, 223 
 100,318 
 105, 556 
 110,020 
 112, 467 
 104,383 
 100,280 
 96,123 
 91.061 
 86, 579 
 91,821 
 93, 471 
 89, 335 
 81,026 
 59, 793 
 51, 732 
 48, 473 
 50, 898 
 54, 477 
 63,551 
 73, 276 
 83,809 
 95, 116 
 80,076 
 76,047 
 87,923 
 94, 776 
 94, 462 
 94,882 
 89,188 
 85,534 
 79,049 
 68, 186 
 68, 872 
 64,844 
 57, 267 
 61,616 
 63,897 
 64, 065 
 57, 594 
 
 $5, 526 
 7,046 
 7,598 
 8,975 
 10, 175 
 10,313 
 10, 675 
 11,292 
 12,713 
 13,033 
 14, 068 
 13, 579 
 12, 688 
 10, 575 
 11, 173 
 11,908 
 11,925 
 11, 597 
 10, 777 
 10, 695 
 8,921 
 9,753 
 10,411 
 10,114 
 9,497 
 7,381 
 6,118 
 4,615 
 3,813 
 4,204 
 5,151 
 5,707 
 8,443 
 9,537 
 10, 675 
 4,128 
 3,694 
 ,374 
 ,384 
 ,621 
 ,269 
 ,503 
 ,035 
 3,580 
 3,141 
 2,970 
 2,963 
 2,558 
 2,475 
 2,425 
 2,339 
 2,014 
 
 $53,640 
 64,287 
 68,841 
 75, 852 
 80,107 
 85,069 
 88,056 
 90,636 
 99,246 
 99,652 
 98, 757 
 97, 846 
 94, 828 
 80,182 
 80,746 
 82, 191 
 75, 413 
 73,889 
 71,103 
 67, 973 
 63,912 
 57,558 
 62, 154 
 62, 748 
 57, 559 
 50,296 
 37, 451 
 36, 528 
 39, 235 
 47, 693 
 52, 919 
 66,271 
 73, 964 
 80, 485 
 86,409 
 97,040 
 81,113 
 94, 324 
 105, 315 
 104, 255 
 108, 907 
 110, 458 
 101,692 
 95,908 
 86, 024 
 86,903 
 85,020 
 80,086 
 89, 165 
 92, 208 
 93,922 
 82,091 
 
 $1,218 
 1,801 
 3,280 
 3,291 
 3,828 
 4,175 
 4,282 
 4,349 
 4,570 
 4,954 
 4,819 
 4,734 
 4,212 
 3,508 
 3,796 
 3,934 
 3,790 
 2,566 
 3,475 
 3,326 
 3,011 
 2,973 
 2,998 
 3,154 
 3,143 
 2,703 
 2,197 
 2,404 
 2,628 
 2,495 
 2,832 
 2,807 
 3,639 
 3,971 
 3,767 
 10, 727 
 9,665 
 10.844 
 11,521 
 11,813 
 12, 751 
 12,477 
 10,887 
 9,578 
 8,385 
 9,008 
 9,475 
 9,217 
 9,199 
 10, 470 
 10, 136 
 9,128 
 
 $130, 484 
 153, 598 
 165,549 
 180, 673 
 192,382 
 202, 506 
 212, 972 
 221,929 
 240,614 
 244,981 
 245, 494 
 245, 177 
 236, 951 
 194,583 
 201,271 
 208, 053 
 203,595 
 192, 435 
 185,635 
 178,117 
 166,905 
 156.863 
 167, 384 
 169, 487 
 159, 534 
 141,406 
 105,559 
 95,279 
 94, 149 
 105,290 
 115, 379 
 138, 336 
 159, 322 
 177/802 
 195, 967 
 191, 971 
 170,519 
 197, 465 
 215, 996 
 215, 151 
 220,809 
 216, 626 
 202, 148 
 188, 115 
 165, 736 
 167, 753 
 162, 302 
 149, 128 
 162, 455 
 169,000 
 176, 462 
 150, 827 
 
 54 
 62 
 67 
 
 72 
 76- 
 80 
 85 
 90 
 96 
 99 
 99 
 100 
 97 
 78 
 82 
 85 
 87 
 81 
 76 
 75 
 71 
 67 
 71 
 72 
 69 
 63 
 46 
 40 
 38 
 39 
 42 
 49 
 57 
 65 
 74 
 62 
 59 
 68 
 73 
 73 
 74 
 69 
 66 
 61 
 53 
 53 
 50 
 44 
 48 
 50 
 50 
 45 
 
 39 
 50 
 54 
 64 
 72 
 73 
 76 
 80 
 90 
 93 
 100 
 97 
 90 
 75 
 79 
 85 
 85 
 82 
 77 
 76 
 63 
 69 
 74 
 72 
 68 
 52 
 43 
 33 
 27 
 30 
 37 
 41 
 60 
 68 
 76 
 29 
 26 
 31 
 31 
 33 
 30 
 32 
 29 
 25 
 22 
 21 
 21 
 18 
 18 
 17 
 17 
 14 
 
 49 
 58 
 62 
 69 
 73 
 77 
 80 
 82 
 90 
 90 
 89 
 89 
 86 
 73 
 73 
 74 
 68 
 67 
 64 
 62 
 58 
 52 
 56 
 57 
 52 
 46 
 34 
 33 
 36 
 43 
 48 
 60 
 67 
 73 
 78 
 88 
 73 
 85 
 95 
 94 
 99 
 100 
 92 
 87 
 78 
 79 
 77 
 73 
 81 
 83 
 85 
 74 
 
 10 
 14 
 26 
 26 
 30 
 33 
 34 
 34 
 36 
 39 
 38 
 37 
 33 
 28 
 30 
 31 
 30 
 20 
 27 
 26 
 24 
 23 
 24 
 25 
 25 
 21 
 17 
 19 
 21 
 20 
 22 
 22 
 29 
 31 
 30 
 84 
 76 
 85 
 90 
 93 
 100 
 98 
 85 
 75 
 66 
 71 
 74 
 72 
 72 
 82 
 79 
 72 
 
 53 
 63 
 67 
 74 
 78 
 82 
 87 
 90 
 98 
 100 
 100 
 100 
 97 
 79 
 82 
 85 
 83 
 78 
 76 
 73 
 68 
 64 
 68 
 69 
 65 
 58 
 43 
 39 
 38 
 43 
 47 
 56 
 65 
 72 
 80 
 78 
 69 
 80 
 88 
 88 
 90 
 88 
 82 
 77 
 68 
 68 
 66 
 61 
 66 
 69 
 69 
 61 
 
 $8.97 
 9.95 
 10.23 
 10.65 
 10.78 
 11.05 
 11.12 
 11.30 
 11.92 
 12.00 
 11.96 
 11.95 
 11.63 
 10.08 
 10.43 
 10.87 
 10.73 
 10.41 
 10.27 
 10.18 
 9.96 
 9.50 
 10.24 
 10.26 
 10.00 
 9.74 
 8.59 
 8.81 
 9.14 
 9.45 
 9.28 
 9.92 
 10.16 
 10.53 
 11.08 
 10.45 
 9.42 
 10.58 
 11.35 
 11.21 
 11.39 
 11.00 
 10.81 
 10.57 
 9.88 
 10.21 
 9.91 
 9.40 
 9.93 
 10.18 
 10.10 
 9.26 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 i;E: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 - ......... 
 
 .......... 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 Averages . 
 
 4,521,142 
 
 389, 144 
 
 4,097,927 
 
 293,911 
 
 9,302,124 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 67 
 
 53 
 
 71 
 
 44 
 
 73 
 
 10.46 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 The busiest week in each of these columns means the week in which the maximum amount of wages 
 was paid. The figures in this column indicate the percentage which the wages each week constituted 
 of the wages in the busiest week of the year. 
 
160 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 Table 69 which follows summarizes for the industry the figures 
 presented in the two preceding tables and adds two columns show- 
 ing the per cent of employees and of wages for each week as com- 
 pared with the averages for the year: 
 
 TABLE 69. FLUCTUATIONS OF EMPLOYMENT AND WAGES IN THE DRESS AND 
 WAIST INDUSTRY FOR 1912. 
 
 
 
 Week. 
 
 Number of 
 employees. 
 
 Amount of 
 wages paid 
 out. 
 
 Per cent (busiest 
 week =100).i 
 
 Per cent (average 
 for year =100). 2 
 
 Em- 
 ployees. 
 
 Wages. 
 
 Em- 
 ployees. 
 
 Wages. 
 
 1 
 
 14,550 
 15,443 
 16, ICO 
 16, 960 
 17,849 
 18,329 
 19, 146 
 19,633 
 20,183 
 20,409 
 20,521 
 20,524 
 20,374 
 19,313 
 19,298 
 19, 145 
 18,974 
 18,478 
 18,078 
 17,501 
 16, 761 
 16,509 
 16,350 
 16,514 
 15,961 
 14,514 
 12,202 
 10,816 
 10,304 
 11,147 
 12,429 
 13,945 
 15,677 
 16,888 
 17,686 
 18,363 
 18,107 
 18,660 
 19,030 
 19, 1C9 
 19,388 
 19,686 
 18,695 
 17, 791 
 16, 769 
 16,428 
 16,378 
 15,867 
 "N. 16,364 
 16,604 
 16,879 
 16,2CO 
 
 $130,484 
 153, 5C8 
 165,549 
 180, 673 
 192,382 
 202, 506 
 212,972 
 221,929 
 240, 614 
 244,681 
 245,494 
 245, 177 
 236,951 
 194,583 
 201,271 
 208,053 
 203,595 
 192,435 
 185,635 
 178, 117 
 166, 805 
 156,863 
 167, 384 
 169,487 
 159, 534 
 141,406 
 105,559 
 95,279 
 94,149 
 105, 2CO 
 115,379 
 138,336 
 159,322 
 177,802 
 195,967 
 191,971 
 170,519 
 197, 465 
 215,996 
 215,151 
 220,809 
 216,626 
 202, 148 
 188,115 
 165, 736 
 167,753 
 162,302 
 149, 128 
 162, 455 
 169,000 
 170, 462 
 150,827 
 
 71 
 75 
 79 
 83 
 87 
 89 
 93 
 96 
 98 
 99 
 100 
 100 
 99 
 94 
 94 
 93 
 92 
 90 
 88 
 85 
 82 
 80 
 80 
 80 
 78 
 71 
 60 
 53 
 50 
 54 
 61 
 68 
 76 
 82 
 86 
 89 
 88' 
 91 
 93 
 94 
 94 
 96 
 91 
 87 
 82 
 80 
 80 
 77 
 80 
 81 
 82 
 79 
 
 53 
 63 
 67 
 74 
 78 
 82 
 87 
 90 
 98 
 100 
 100 
 100 
 97 
 79 
 82 
 85 
 83 
 78 
 76 
 73 
 68 
 64 
 68 
 69 
 65 
 58 
 43 
 39 
 38 
 43 
 47 
 56 
 65 
 72 
 80 
 78 
 69 
 80 
 88 
 88 
 90 
 88 
 82 
 77 
 68 
 68 
 66 
 61 
 66 
 69 
 69 
 61 
 
 85 
 90 
 95 
 99 
 104 
 107 
 112 
 115 
 118 
 119 
 120 
 120 
 119 
 113 
 113 
 112 
 111 
 108 
 106 
 102 
 98 
 97 
 96 
 97 
 93 
 85 
 72 
 63 
 60 
 65 
 73 
 82 
 92 
 99 
 103 
 107 
 106 
 109 
 111 
 112 
 113 
 115 
 109 
 104 
 98 
 96 
 96 
 93 
 96 
 97 
 99 
 95 
 
 7 
 8 
 9 
 10 
 108 
 11 
 11 
 12 
 135 
 13 
 13 
 13 
 13 
 109 
 11 
 11 
 11 
 108 
 104 
 100 
 9 
 8 
 9 
 9 
 S 
 7 
 5 
 5 
 5 
 5 
 6 
 7 
 S 
 9 
 11 
 10 
 9 
 11 
 12 
 120 
 123 
 12 
 11 
 105 
 9 
 9 
 9 
 83 
 9 
 9 
 9 
 84 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 6 - . . .. 
 
 7 ; 
 
 8 
 
 g 
 
 10 
 
 11 
 
 12 
 
 13 
 
 14 
 
 15 . . 
 
 16 
 
 17 
 
 18 
 
 19 
 
 20 
 
 21 
 
 22 
 
 23 
 
 24 
 
 25 
 
 26 
 
 27 
 
 28 
 
 29 
 
 30 
 
 31 
 
 32 
 
 33 
 
 34 
 
 35 
 
 36. 
 
 37 
 
 38 
 
 39 . 
 
 40 
 
 41 
 
 42 
 
 43 
 
 44 
 
 45 
 
 46 
 
 47 
 
 48 
 
 49 
 
 50... 
 
 51... 
 
 52 
 
 Average 
 
 17,100 
 
 178,887 
 
 83.3 
 
 73 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 
 1 In the column for employee the busiest wesk means the week in whioh th3 maximum number were 
 employed; in the column far wages it rmans the week in whish the maximum amount was paid. 
 
 2 Percentage which employees or wages each week constituted of average employees or wages per week 
 
 Taking the figures for the industry as a whole, it will be seen thai 
 the average employment through the year as shown by the number 
 of employees each week was 83.3 per cent; expressed as a percentage 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IX DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 161 
 
 of the amount of wages paid out each week, the annual average was 
 73 per cent. That is to say, if the 20,524 people, the maximum 
 number employed in any week (Table 69), in the shops which had 
 
 \ records for the entire year, 1 were all to be given an equal chance 
 they would have employment 83.3 per cent of the year, or over 43 
 weeks. That does not mean, however, that they would be fully 
 employed during those weeks; it means merely that they would 
 be on the pay roll for that length of time, but the actual amount 
 of work they would have an opportunity of doing is shown by 
 
 I the average annual wage percentage, which, as will be seen from 
 
 ' Table 69, was 73 per cent. This percentage is based on the wages 
 actually paid out from week to week and is necessarily smaller than 
 the percentage of people employed, because workers, especially those 
 
 I paid by the piece, may be on the pay roll for a week, but be paid only 
 for the work actually done by them, which may last only a few hours 
 each day or a few hours for the entire week, especially when work 
 is not plentiful. 
 
 The highest percentage of employment is, of course, 100, and oc- 
 curred during the twelfth week (end of March), while the lowest was 
 50, found during the twenty-ninth week (early in August) . On the 
 other hand, taking the wages paid out (Table 68) it is found that 
 the highest amount, $245,494, was paid out during the eleventh week, 
 the lowest (in the twenty-ninth week) fell to $94,149, or 38 per cent 
 of the highest, and the average for the year was $178,887. That is to 
 say, if the work done during the year were spread out equally over 
 every week of the year, the wages paid out by these shops would 
 amount to $178,887 per week. 
 
 Another conclusion to be drawn from these figures is that employ- 
 ment is more steady than earnings in the industry; that is to say, 
 when work slackens most of the people are retained at the fac- 
 tories, but there is less work to go around and in consequence less 
 wages earned. For this reason the average wage per employee during 
 one of the busiest weeks (tenth) was $12, while during the twenty- 
 seventh week it dropped to $8.59, the weekly average for the year being 
 $10.46. Taking the average annual percentage that wages for each 
 of the four branches of the industry were of the maximum amount 
 of wages of any week, it will be found that they differ widely, the lowest, 
 44 per cent, being for the high-grade (B) nonassociation shops, and 
 the highest, 71 per cent, for the high-grade (B) association shops. 
 
 The fluctuations of employment in 1912, as expressed in the 
 amount of wages paid and the number of people employed, can 
 
 1 A very small number of shops has been included above in which wage records were missing for a few 
 weeks. But the wages paid out for these shops constituted too small a fraction of the total to affect the 
 results to any appreciable degree. 
 
 42132 Bull. 146 14 11 
 
162 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 be easily traced from week to week in the following charts pre- 
 pared for that purpose. 
 
 Chart 17 consists of two separate diagrams, the upper one showing 
 the fluctuations in the industry as a whole, while the lower diagram 
 shows the same facts for branch B, which consists of shops making 
 high-grade garments. The solid line in each case represents the 
 number of people employed, while the dotted shows the wages paid 
 out. For the purpose of graphic presentation, the average number 
 of people employed weekly throughout the year and the average 
 weekly wages paid out in the industry for the whole year were 
 designated as 100; and the number of people employed each week 
 and the amount of wages paid out each week were expressed as 
 percentages of those numbers. 
 
 SEASONAL RISE AND FALL IN NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES AND IN WAG] 
 
 Looking at the upper diagram in Chart 1 7, two high peaks are found 
 in the months of March and October, indicating the periods of greatest 
 activity, while the lowest point falls in the month of July, showing 
 the dullest month of the year for the industry. Between the high 
 and low points there are several fluctuations of a minor character. 
 
 Examining the lines closely, the first point that strikes the eye is 
 that while the two lines follow, as a rule, the same direction, they 
 rarely coincide. The broken line, denoting wages, rises to greater 
 heights and falls to lower depressions than the solid line, which 
 shows the fluctuations in the number of people employed. Thus, in 
 the month of March the wage line rises to 137 per cent, while the 
 employment line stops at 120 per cent. This means that while dur- 
 ing the busiest week in 1912, which occurred in March, there were 
 20 per cent more people employed in the shops than the average 
 throughout the year, the wages at the same time rose to 37 per cent 
 above the average. This is due to the fact that when factories are 
 busy to their capacity, they can not increase the number of their 
 employees beyond a certain limit, which is determined, first, by the 
 number of machines at the factory, and, second, by the available 
 supply of help which at that time of the year usually falls short of 
 the demand. At the same time the people employed at the factories 
 are kept more steadily at work than at other times in the year, and 
 therefore the individual earnings per employee increase in greater 
 proportion. This is especially true of pieceworkers, but is also true 
 of week workers, who are able to command during those weeks 
 higher rates of wages, which are further increased through working 
 overtime. 
 
 A marked excess of the percentage of wages over the percentage 
 of employees will be found at the other high peaks, viz, in February, 
 in April, at the end of August (35th week), at the end of September 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 163 
 
 (39th week), and the middle of October. The only exceptions to this 
 rule occur in the months of June, November, and December, when 
 the employment peak is above the wage crest. These exceptions 
 
 CH 
 
 w 
 
 A.RT 17. SEASONAL FLUCTUATIONS OF EMPLOYMENT AND WA( 
 IN WHOLE INDUSTRY AND IN 6 HIGH-GRADE SHOPS, 1912. 
 
 .J*w/ Ftk u , f l C)*cf, fl,t,} CJa^f J vn e jj f flvtusr S<r-fc< Oe'oien tfwefc^A 1 0tc* 
 
 }ES 
 
 I40i 
 
 not 
 no 
 too 
 
 
 . f 
 
 j 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ito 
 HO 
 
 
 i 
 
 \ 
 
 ^~> 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 * 
 
 
 
 
 // 
 
 i^ 
 
 \ 
 
 
 
 
 t 
 i 
 
 ^i 
 
 
 
 | 
 
 / 
 
 
 
 \ 
 
 
 
 'X 
 
 / ^ ' 
 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 
 
 90 
 
 ftft 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 \ 
 \ 
 
 / \\ 
 
 
 / 
 
 v' 
 
 
 g 
 
 / A 
 
 ^ 1 \ 
 
 / f 
 
 
 
 
 \ 
 
 ( \ 
 
 
 / 
 
 
 
 \ 
 
 / ^ \ 
 
 10 
 
 / Jb* asttrof FfvcTve rivfi 
 
 t Uvno/c lnai/5T#y 
 
 
 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 
 i 
 
 
 
 
 
 70 
 69 
 
 CotwjM 
 
 
 
 
 y 
 
 f 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 \ / 
 
 \ / 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 145 
 
 
 
 f \ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 140 
 
 110 
 100 
 
 90 
 
 to 
 
 70 
 
 tot 
 
 130 
 
 
 1 
 
 \ 
 \ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 / 
 
 \ 
 
 
 
 
 I 
 ] 
 
 \ 
 \ 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 / 
 
 \ / 
 
 \ 
 \ 
 
 
 
 
 A 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 ! 
 
 > 
 
 \ 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 
 
 
 t 
 
 
 
 H, 
 
 
 
 
 'r 
 
 
 X 
 
 \ 
 ^ 
 
 
 90 
 
 /, 
 
 
 
 \\ 
 
 K 
 
 
 / 
 
 ' 
 
 
 
 \\ 
 
 r\ 
 
 1 <>t 
 
 aw-*/ /7ircrerr/o/i 
 
 AgfieKade Shops 
 
 
 
 -^\ 
 
 / 
 
 
 
 
 \\ 
 
 / 1\ 
 
 i ' 
 
 70 
 
 } G*w 
 
 
 \ 
 
 tr iy 
 \ A' ^ 
 
 
 
 
 \ 
 i 
 
 -4 
 
 ( 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 V 
 
 r 
 
 / 
 
 V 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 serve to confirm the rule as will be explained below, after considering 
 the low points in the curves. 
 
 When the low points are examined it is found that here again the 
 wage line goes to greater extremes than the employment line and 
 
164 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 therefore declines to lower points than the latter. Thus at the lowest 
 ebb of the industry in July, the total wages paid out in the industry 
 decline to 53 per cent of the average weekly wage paid through the 
 year, while the per cent of employment goes down only to 60 per 
 cent. The meaning of this is that when business drops off, the 
 workers, especially those paid by the week, are not laid off in pro- 
 portion to the decline in business, which leaves less work for each 
 worker. In other words, while wages decline in proportion to the 
 dropping off in business, the number of workers is not reduced to the 
 same extent. What occurs in July will likewise be found at the other 
 low points, such as April (14th week), end of May (22d week), middle 
 of September, the three November points, and December. That the 
 high peaks of wages in June, November, and December did not rise to 
 the corresponding employment peaks was due to the fact that those 
 are three comparatively slow months when there are more people at 
 the factories than there is work to keep them all busy. When a tem- 
 porary improvement in the situation occurs during those months, 
 the wages rise more rapidly than the number of employees, but not 
 sufficiently for the wage line to rise above the employment line. Thus 
 before the rise in June the wage line was 88 per cent wiiile the employ- 
 ment line was at 97 per cent, making a difference of 9 points between 
 the two; the wages then rapidly increase in two weeks to 95 per cent 
 (24th week), while the number of workers remains the same, at 97 
 per cent), making the difference between the two lines only 2 points, 
 but not enough to send the wage line above the employment line. 
 Exactly the same thing happened in November and December. 
 
 Following the rise and fall of the curves through the year, the first 
 week of January is found to be at the lowest point of the year, with 
 the exception of July. This is natural; it coincides with the New 
 Year's holidays and the beginning of. and the preparation for the 
 new spring season. Wages are 73 per cent of the average, that is to 
 say, 27 per cent below normal; employment is 85 per cent of the 
 average, or 15 per cent below the normal. Both lines rise rapidly, 
 indicating that orders are coming in; additional workers are taken 
 on as fast as conditions warrant; wages are rising more rapidly than 
 the number of new workers, which means that the old hands have 
 more work to do; and at the end of the third week hi January the two 
 lines cross each other at 97 per cent, which means that wages have 
 overtaken employment and the industry is nearly normal. The 
 wheels of industry are now going faster and faster, the wage line 
 mounts higher and higher, the employment line likewise rises but 
 can not keep up with the wage line. This represents the time of 
 the year when manufacturers complain of lack of skilled help and 
 when the union can not meet the demand from the employers for more 
 help. This keeps up for about two months, when the amount of 
 
WAGES AND .-EMPLOYMENT IN .DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 165 
 
 weekly wages paid out in the middle of March reaches 137 per cent, 
 that is to say, 37 per cent above normal; and the employment line is 
 at 120 per cent, which means that the number of workers in the 
 industry is 20 per cent above the average. 
 
 The highest point reached is maintained for two weeks and then the 
 decline sets in, slowly at first, with temporary ups and downs through 
 April, May, and June, but each subsequent rise finds the curves at a 
 lower point than the preceding one, while each succeeding point of 
 decline exceeds the preceding one. Noting now the course of the two 
 lines, the first drop, both in the employment and in the wage lines, 
 which occurs at the end of March, is much more precipitous than in 
 the next few weeks. Up to this point everything was strained to the 
 limit of endurance to meet the rush orders; workers were kept busy 
 every minute of the day and made to work overtime ; all the machines 
 were in operation and anyone from outside the industry who could run 
 a sewing machine was put to work. As soon as the rush is over, the 
 last recruits and the less competent and the less desirable workers 
 from the manufacturer's point of view are the first to go; hence the 
 sudden decline of the employment line from the 12th to the 14th 
 week (end of March and beginning of April) . At the same time the 
 wage line drops much more sharply than the employment line, 
 because overtime is largely discontinued and there is less work during 
 the regular work hours to go around among those who remain on the 
 pay roll. After the line reaches bottom at the end of the first week in 
 April there is a new rise in wages, although the number of people 
 employed continues to decline slowly but surely. This temporary 
 improvement is due to the fact that the preceding slump affected the 
 entire industry, while from now on the factories making cheap waists 
 and dresses are able to find a market for staple summer goods among 
 the retail stores, and only those manufacturing fine dresses and gowns 
 have but little to do. 
 
 The contrast between the two branches of the industry can be seen 
 at a glance by looking at the lower diagram of Chart 8, which repre- 
 sents six shops making exclusively high-grade garments. Here the 
 wage line is seen to decline much more rapidly in the months of April 
 and May than in the upper diagram. At the end of May the wage 
 line drops to 88 per cent in the upper diagram, while in the lower 
 diagram it reaches the lowest point during that month at 66 per cent. 
 In June and July the wage line for the whole industry (upper dia- 
 gram) declines very rapidly, reaching bottom in the middle of July, 
 when wages decline to 53, i. e. 47 per cent below normal (only a little 
 over one- third of the wages paid out during the busiest week), while 
 the line fs>r the high-grade end of the industry (lower diagram) con- 
 tinues during the months of June and July (with some ups and 
 downs) at about the same level as it reached at the end of May. This 
 
166 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 is due to the fact that after the slump in May the high-grade garment 
 industry recovers part of the lost ground by making up garments at 
 reduced prices offered at special sales in the stores and is thus able to 
 keep moderately busy, while the manufacturers of low-priced gar- 
 ments, having satisfied the summer trade, are now only able to get 
 mostly small supplementary orders " to fill sizes." As they are selling 
 cheap goods regularly, they are not in the same position as the manu- 
 facturers of high-grade garments to make up special garments at 
 reduced prices. 
 
 Having reached bottom in July, both branches of the industry 
 begin to pick up for the fall season. The fall season is neither as long 
 nor as active as the spring season, which a glance at the two diagrams 
 in Chart 17 will show. Taking up first the upper diagram for the indus- 
 try as a whole, we see that the highest point reached by the wage line 
 is only 123 in October, as compared with 137 in March. While in 
 the spring nearly four months are above the average line, in the fall 
 only one and a half months are above that line. The rise in August 
 is rapid, but as it starts from the bottom in July, it does not reach 
 normal (100 per cent) until the last week in August. There is a big 
 slump in the middle of September, due to the Jewish holidays. This 
 explains why the solid line, representing the number of people 
 employed, continues to rise in spite of the fall in the wage line : The 
 people are all on the pay roll, but they earn but little on account of 
 the holidays. 
 
 Both the upper and lower diagrams show the same tendency; but 
 in the lower diagram (high-grade garment industry) the fall busy season 
 (represented by the area above the normal 100 per cent line) is twice 
 as large as in the upper diagram (representing the whole industry). 
 That is to say, the high-grade garment industry is busy three months 
 in the fall season as against one and a half months in the industry as 
 a whole. Not only does the fall season last longer in the higher end 
 of the industry, but it develops to a greater extent, the wage line 
 rising to 134 per cent (beginning of October) in that branch and only 
 to 123 per cent in the industry as a whole. In both diagrams the 
 decline sets in during October, passing under the normal line in the 
 early part of November, but here a change occurs in the relative posi- 
 tions of the high-grade branch of the industry and of the industry 
 as a whole. In the former the wage line drops to 64 per cent at 
 the end of November, while in the industry as a whole it does not go 
 below 83 per cent. This is due to the fact that many of the shops 
 manufacturing cheaper garments begin to get busy at this time on 
 advance spring orders or are making up stock in anticipation of the 
 rush order demand of the early spring months and the advance Jan- 
 uary sales, while the high-grade shops must still await the final 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 167 
 
 developments in the style adjustments for the coming spring, and 
 such a thing as making stock is entirely out of the question. 
 
 What has been said about the two branches of the industry is 
 shown in Tables 70 and 71, which follow, and is strikingly brought 
 out in Charts 18 and 19. 
 
 TABLE 70. FLUCTUATIONS OF EMPLOYMENT AND WAGES IN 1912 IN SIX SHOPS MANU- 
 FACTURING HIGH-GRADE GARMENTS EXCLUSIVELY. 
 
 Week. 
 
 Number 
 of persons 
 employed. 
 
 Amount paid 
 in wages. 
 
 Per cent (busiest 
 week=100).i 
 
 Per cent (average 
 foryear=100).2 
 
 Em- 
 ployees. 
 
 Wages. 
 
 Em- 
 ployees. 
 
 Wages. 
 
 1 
 
 529 
 561 
 646 
 642 
 651 
 677 
 681 
 685 
 684 
 691 
 685 
 681 
 647 
 611 
 612 
 581 
 586 
 545 
 544 
 533 
 493 
 489 
 493 
 483 
 482 
 495 
 461 
 473 
 493 
 528 
 560 
 589 
 632 
 635 
 639 
 634 
 646 
 679 
 675 
 647 
 633 
 624 
 602 
 609 
 601 
 596 
 584 
 488 
 509 
 523 
 569 
 550 
 
 $4,701 
 5,107 
 6,647 
 7,181 
 7,216 
 7,999 
 8,114 
 8,050 
 9,185 
 9,907 
 9,885 
 9,216 
 8,332 
 6,846 
 7,030 
 6,953 
 6,659 
 6,024 
 5,525 
 5,117 
 4,467 
 4,676 
 5,218 
 4,364 
 4,253 
 4,804 
 4,073 
 4,927 
 5,496 
 5,738 
 6,216 
 6,742 
 7,405 
 7,878 
 8,582 
 8,183 
 7,845 
 8,764 
 9,043 
 8,777 
 8,217 
 8, 195 
 8,017 
 7,588 
 6,863 
 6,386 
 5,858 
 4,284 
 5,062 
 5,199 
 6,149 
 5,360 
 
 77 
 81 
 93 
 93 
 94 
 98 
 99 
 99 
 99 
 100 
 99 
 99 
 94 
 88 
 89 
 84 
 85 
 79 
 79 
 77 
 71 
 71 
 71 
 70 
 70 
 72 
 67 
 68 
 71 
 76 
 81 
 85 
 91 
 92 
 92 
 92 
 93 
 98 
 98 
 94 
 92 
 90 
 87 
 88 
 87 
 86 
 85 
 71 
 74 
 76 
 82 
 80 
 
 48 
 52 
 67 
 72 
 73 
 81 
 82 
 81 
 93 
 100 
 100 
 93 
 84 
 69 
 71 
 70 
 67 
 61 
 56 
 52 
 45 
 47 
 53 
 44 
 43 
 48 
 41 
 50 
 55 
 58 
 63 
 68 
 75 
 80 
 87 
 83 
 79 
 88 
 91 
 89 
 83 
 83 
 81 
 77 
 69 
 64 
 59 
 43 
 51 
 52 
 62 
 54 
 
 90 
 95 
 110 
 109 
 111 
 115 
 116 
 116 
 116 
 118 
 117 
 116 
 110 
 104 
 104 
 99 
 100 
 93 
 93 
 91 
 84 
 83 
 84 
 82 
 82 
 84 
 78 
 80 
 84 
 90 
 95 
 100 
 107 
 108 
 109 
 108 
 110 
 115 
 115 
 110 
 108 
 106 
 102 
 104 
 102 
 101 
 99 
 83 
 87 
 89 
 97 
 94 
 
 70 
 76 
 99 
 107 
 107 
 119 
 121 
 119 
 136 
 147 
 147 
 137 
 124 
 102 
 104 
 103 
 99 
 89 
 82 
 76 
 66 
 69 
 77 
 65 
 63 
 71 
 60 
 73 
 82 
 85 
 92 
 100 
 110 
 117 
 127 
 121 
 116 
 130 
 134 
 130 
 122 
 122 
 119 
 113 
 102 
 95 
 87 
 64 
 75 
 77 
 91 
 80 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 . .. 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 7 . .. 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 11 
 
 12 
 
 13 .... .... 
 
 14 
 
 15 
 
 16 . . 
 
 17 
 
 18 
 
 19 
 
 20... 
 
 21 
 
 22 
 
 23 
 
 24 
 
 25 
 
 2fi 
 
 27 
 
 28 
 
 29 
 
 30 
 
 31 ... 
 
 32 
 
 33 
 
 34 
 
 35 
 
 36 
 
 37 
 
 38 
 
 39 
 
 40 
 
 41 
 
 42 
 
 43 
 
 44 
 
 45 
 
 46 
 
 47 
 
 48 
 
 49 
 
 50 
 
 51 
 
 52 
 
 Average 
 
 588 
 
 6,737 
 
 85.1 
 
 68 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 
 1 In the column for employees the busiest week means the week in which the maximum number were 
 employed; in the column for wages it means the week in which the maximum amount was paid. 
 
 2 Percentage which employees or wages each week constituted of average employees or wages per week 
 during year. 
 
168 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 TABLE 71. FLUCTUATIONS OF EMPLOYMENT AND WAGES IN 1912 IN SIX SHOPS MANU- 
 FACTURING LOW-GRADE WAISTS EXCLUSIVELY. 
 
 Week. 
 
 Number 
 of persons 
 employed. 
 
 Amount paid 
 in wages. 
 
 Per cent (busiest 
 week=100).i 
 
 Per cent (average 
 foryear=100).2 
 
 Em- 
 ployees. 
 
 Wages. 
 
 Em- 
 ployees. 
 
 Wages. 
 
 1 
 
 1, 151 
 1,175 
 1,148 
 1,189 
 1,199 
 1,235 
 1,248 
 1,264 
 1,251 
 1,263 
 1,214 
 1,257 
 1,250 
 1,191 
 1,237 
 1,269 
 1,272 
 1,290 
 1,290 
 1,296 
 1,298 
 1,282 
 1,257 
 1,235 
 1,205 
 1,136 
 1.070 
 847 
 720 
 744 
 864 
 904 
 975 
 997 
 1,048 
 1,106 
 1,104 
 1,180 
 1,224 
 1,283 
 1,329 
 1,360 
 1,407 
 1,422 
 1,416 
 1,446 
 1,459 
 1,446 
 1,441 
 1,413 
 1,413 
 1,272 
 
 S9.616 
 10, 752 
 11,333 
 12, 112 
 11,847 
 12,204 
 12,548 
 12, 768 
 13,411 
 13,497 
 13,129 
 13, 701 
 14,260 
 11,092 
 11,944 
 13,002 
 13,604 
 13,083 
 13,066 
 12,848 
 12,768 
 11,151 
 11,664 
 11,504 
 10,646 
 9,322 
 7,154 
 5,275 
 5, 250 
 5,270 
 6,018 
 6,917 
 7,915 
 8,905 
 10,044 
 10,389 
 8,049 
 9,584 
 Hi 956 
 12,930 
 13,633 
 13,940 
 13,881 
 14,256 
 13,907 
 14,528 
 14,291 
 13,159 
 13,927 
 23,040 
 12,867 
 10.596 
 
 79 
 81 
 79 
 81 
 82 
 85 
 85 
 87 
 86 
 87 
 83 
 86 
 86 
 82 
 85 
 87 
 87 
 88 
 88 
 89 
 89 
 88 
 86 
 85 
 83 
 78 
 73 
 58 
 49 
 51 
 59 
 62 
 67 
 68 
 72 
 76 
 76 
 81 
 84 
 88 
 91 
 93 
 96 
 97 
 97 
 99 
 100 
 99 
 90 
 97 
 97 
 87 
 
 66 
 74 
 78 
 83 
 82 
 84 
 86 
 88 
 92 
 93 
 90 
 94 
 98 
 76 
 82 
 89 
 94 
 90 
 90 
 88 
 88 
 77 
 80 
 79 
 73 
 64 
 49 
 36 
 36 
 36 
 41 
 48 
 54 
 61 
 69 
 72 
 55 
 66 
 82 
 89 
 94 
 96 
 96 
 98 
 96 
 100 
 98 
 91 
 96 
 90 
 89 
 73 
 
 95 
 97 
 95 
 93 
 99 
 102 
 103 
 104 
 103 
 104 
 100 
 104 
 103 
 98 
 102 
 105 
 105 
 107 
 107 
 107 
 107 
 106 
 104 
 102 
 100 
 94 
 88 
 70 
 59 
 61 
 71 
 75 
 81 
 82 
 87 
 91 
 91 
 97 
 101 
 106 
 110 
 112 
 116 
 117 
 117 
 119 
 120 
 119 
 119 
 117 
 117 
 105 
 
 84 
 94 
 99 
 106 
 104 
 107 
 110 
 112 
 117 
 118 
 115 
 120 
 125 
 97 
 104 
 114 
 119 
 114 
 114 
 112 
 112 
 98 
 102 
 101 
 93 
 82 
 63 
 46 
 46 
 46 
 53 
 60 
 69 
 78 
 88 
 91 
 70 
 84 
 105 
 113 
 119 
 122 
 121 
 125 
 122 
 127 
 125 
 115 
 122 
 114 
 113 
 93 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 
 7 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 H 
 
 12 
 
 13 
 
 14 - -- 
 
 15 
 
 16 . 
 
 17 
 
 18 
 
 19 . . 
 
 20 
 
 21 
 
 22 
 
 23 
 
 24 
 
 25 
 
 26 
 
 27 
 
 28 
 
 29 
 
 30 
 
 31 
 
 32 
 
 33 
 
 34 
 
 35 
 
 36 . .... ... 
 
 37 
 
 38 
 
 39 
 
 40 
 
 41 
 
 42 
 
 43 
 
 44 
 
 45. 
 
 46 
 
 47 
 
 48 
 
 49... 
 
 50 
 
 51 
 
 52 
 
 Average 
 
 1,211 
 
 11,434 
 
 83 
 
 78.7 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 
 1 In the column for employees the busiest week means the week in which the maximum number were 
 employed; in the column for wages it means the week in which the maximum amount was paid. 
 
 2 Percentage which employees or wages each week constituted of average employees or wage?? per ^eek 
 during year. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 169 
 
 In view of the fact that many of the shops manufacture a wide 
 range of goods and are therefore subject to conditions prevailing 
 both in the cheap and expensive shops in the industry, a clear view 
 of the conditions existing in each class of shops could be obtained only 
 by selecting a few shops manufacturing exclusively high-grade garments 
 and a few making exclusively cheap goods. The tables and charts 
 
 were prepared with this end in view. Chart 18 shows the fluctua- 
 tions in wages prevailing in six high-grade shops (solid light lines), 
 six large shops manufacturing cheap waists (broken line), and in 
 the industry as a whole (heavy line). Chart 19 shows the fluctua- 
 tion in employment for the same groups. 
 
 From these charts the contrast in the two ends of the industry 
 can be soon at a glance. A more rapid rise in wages during the 
 
170 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 months of January, February, and March in the high-grade shops asi 
 compared with the cheap shops is apparent. At the climax in March: 
 the wage line for the high-grade shops rises to 147 per cent, while for] 
 the cheap shops it stops at 125 per cent. In the latter part of March 1 
 both lines fall sharply and in the early part of April the line for thei 
 
 low-grade shops drops to 3 per cent below normal and the line for 
 the high-grade shops to 2 per cent above normal. From this drop 
 the cheaper branch of the industry quickly recovers, rising to 120 per 
 cent by the end of April, while the recovery in the high-grade is but 
 slight (105 per cent), only 3 per cent above the low point and only 
 

 WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 171 
 
 ! lasts one week, after which there is a steady decline during the 
 I months of April and May. The line for the cheaper branch con- 
 tinues to rise all through April and fairly holds its own during 
 May. In the latter part of May the low-grade line begins to decline, 
 i and from that time on there is an almost uninterrupted drop until 
 it reaches the lowest point at 46 per cent, or 54 per cent below 
 i normal in July, while the high-grade line, in spite of fluctuations, 
 ipractically holds its own through the month of June, for the reasons 
 explained above, and early in July starts on a rapid and steady 
 recovery. 
 
 This recovery, which marks the opening of the fall season, com- 
 mences early in July in the high-grade line and a few weeks later at 
 the cheap one. The two lines move in the same direction during 
 August, which marks the period of rising activity, but while the high- 
 grade line reaches the climax at the end of August at 128 per cent, 
 the high-water mark of the cheap line halts at 91 per cent, or 9 per 
 cent below normal. In September there is a perceptible drop in 
 the wage curves of both ends of the industry, due to the Jewish 
 holidays. That it is not due to a decline in business is shown by the 
 lines in Chart 19, in which the curves representing employment show 
 not only no decline, but on the contrary show a continuous increase. 
 The end of September marks the culmination of the fall season in 
 the high-grade line at 134 per cent, after which the curve takes a 
 sudden and swift drop, which continues without interruption for 
 two months, reaching bottom early in December at 64 per cent, or 
 36 per cent below normal. 
 
 The very opposite takes place at the cheap end of the industry. 
 At the end of September, when the high-grade curve reaches the 
 climax, the low-grade curve is at 105 per cent, or 29 points below 
 the high-grade. But instead of declining from this time on, as the 
 high-grade curve does, the low-grade continues to rise, overtaking 
 the high-grade in the middle of October at 122, from which it con- 
 tinues to rise until it reaches the climax in the middle of November 
 at 128. During these two months the waist manufacturers, espe- 
 cially at the cheaper end, have been busy supplying both an imme- 
 diate fall demand and an advance spring demand, while the fine dress 
 and gown shops have had little to do. In December there is a rapid 
 decline both of employment (Chart 19) and of earnings (Chart 18), 
 and a moderate rise in the expensive branch, which is beginning to 
 work on sample orders for the early spring trade. A decline sets 
 in in both curves in the second half of December, due to the Christ- 
 mas holidays and end-of-the-year stock taking, in anticipation of 
 the starting up of the wheels of industry after New Year's, as shown 
 by the rising curves during the month of January. 
 
172 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 In one respect the shops making exclusively cheap garments and 
 those manufacturing high-grade garments are alike; both have a 
 fairly long fall season, lasting about three months (see Chart 18), 
 the only difference being that in the high-grade dress shops the seasoi 
 starts and ends at earlier dates than in the cheap waist shops. II 
 seems strange, therefore, that the industry as a whole (represenl 
 by the heavy curve on Chart 18) should have a shorter season, lastinj 
 less than two months. One explanation for this is that the indusl 
 as a whole includes a large number of shops making a medium grade 
 of waists and no dresses. These shops make too high a grade oi 
 waists to venture to make stock for advance spring sales as th( 
 cheap waist manufacturers do, and, on the other hand, have not 
 the same demand for immediate fall deliveries as the dress manu- 
 facturers have. The result is a shorter season and a less active on< 
 while it lasts. 
 
 EMPLOYMENT AMONG WEEK WORKERS AND PIECEWORKERS. 
 
 An important question to those engaged in the industry is that 
 the comparative regularity of employment among pieceworkei 
 and week workers. In compiling the wages paid each week through- 
 out the year in the several shops, it was found impracticable to segre- 
 gate the earnings of the pieceworkers from those of the week workers. 
 This separation was made, however, in the case of two fairly large 
 shops manufacturing exclusively $9 waists and two shops manu- 
 facturing a medium grade of waists ranging from $16.50 to $36 a 
 dozen. These four shops may be considered as typical of the classes 
 of shops which they represent. 
 
 The figures referring to these shops are given in Tables 72 and 73, 
 which follow: 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 173 
 
 i 
 
 TABLE 72. FLUCTUATIONS OF EMPLOYMENT AND WAGES OF WEEK WORKERS AND 
 PIECEWORKERS IN TWO SHOPS MANUFACTURING S9-PER-DOZEN WAISTS EXCLU- 
 SIVELY. 
 
 : 
 
 Number of per- 
 sons employed. 
 
 Amounts paid 
 in wages. 
 
 Per cent of per- 
 sons employed 
 (busiest week = 
 100) .1 
 
 Per cent paid 
 in wages 
 (busiest week= 
 100). 2 
 
 Week 
 work. 
 
 Piece- 
 work. 
 
 Week 
 work. 
 
 Piece- 
 work. 
 
 Week 
 work. 
 
 Piece- 
 work. 
 
 Week 
 work. 
 
 Piece- 
 work. 
 
 . 
 
 116 
 118 
 115 
 114 
 115 
 115 
 119 
 114 
 119 
 121 
 122 
 122 
 123 
 123 
 120 
 122 
 124 
 ' 123 
 124 
 130 
 127 
 124 
 120 
 116 
 116 
 114 
 110 
 106 
 100 
 87 
 77 
 85 
 82 
 95 
 96 
 98 
 96 
 101 
 99 
 100 
 104 
 122 
 111 
 108 
 108 
 108 
 111 
 110 
 110 
 112 
 110 
 109 
 
 110 
 110 
 112 
 114 
 111 
 115 
 111 
 107 
 111 
 116 
 119 
 118 
 118 
 108 
 112 
 117 
 110 
 109 
 110 
 104 
 106 
 102 
 105 
 105 
 103 
 107 
 89 
 84 
 80 
 84 
 76 
 81 
 92 
 96 
 102 
 103 
 99 
 102 
 104 
 102 
 107 
 108 
 117 
 126 
 126 
 124 
 127 
 121 
 124 
 119 
 121 
 121 
 
 $835 
 990 
 1,021 
 1,046 
 987 
 1.098 
 1,061 
 1,077 
 1,190 
 1,289 
 1,320 
 1,462 
 1,362 
 1,104 
 1,171 
 1,244 
 1,271 
 1,189 
 1,218 
 1,251 
 1,190 
 971 
 1,034 
 992 
 1,004 
 967 
 746 
 558 
 623 
 461 
 365 
 503 
 668 
 826 
 908 
 894 
 698 
 816 
 980 
 1,116 
 1,197 
 1,404 
 1,304 
 1,228 
 1,166 
 1,389 
 1,190 
 1,082 
 1,108 
 1,092 
 1,096 
 1,050 
 
 81,291 
 1,341 
 1,592 
 1,615 
 1,343 
 1,566 
 1,490 
 1,422 
 1,716 
 1,765 
 2,011 
 2,062 
 2,075 
 1,873 
 1,459 
 1,953 
 1,775 
 1,604 
 1,605 
 1,552 
 1,549 
 1,277 
 1,362 
 1,375 
 1,275 
 1,398 
 1,056 
 663 
 656 
 740 
 324 
 478 
 696 
 917 
 924 
 1,009 
 719 
 963 
 ,273 
 ,303 
 ,478 
 ,612 
 ,611 
 ,926 
 ,875 
 ,710 
 ,859 
 ,684 
 ,658 
 ,514 
 1,482 
 1,561 
 
 89 
 91 
 88 
 88 
 88 
 88 
 92 
 88 
 92 
 93 
 94 
 94 
 95 
 95 
 92 
 94 
 95 
 95 
 95 
 100 
 98 
 95 
 92 
 89 
 89 
 88 
 85 
 82 
 77 
 67 
 59 
 65 
 63 
 73 
 74 
 75 
 74 
 78 
 76 
 77 
 80 
 94 
 85 
 83 
 83 
 83 
 85 
 85 
 85 
 86 
 85 
 84 
 
 87 
 87 
 88 
 90 
 87 
 91 
 87 
 84 
 87 
 91 
 94 
 93 
 93 
 85 
 88 
 92 
 87 
 86 
 87 
 82 
 83 
 80 
 83 
 . 83 
 81 
 84 
 70 
 66 
 63 
 66 
 60 
 64 
 72 
 76 
 80 
 81 
 78 
 80 
 82 
 80 
 84 
 85 
 92 
 99 
 99 
 98 
 100 
 95 
 98 
 94 
 95 
 95 
 
 57 
 68 
 70 
 72 
 68' 
 75 
 73 
 74 
 81 
 88 
 90 
 100 
 93 
 76 
 80. 
 85 
 87 
 81 
 83 
 86 
 81 
 66 
 71 
 68 
 69 
 66 
 51 
 38 
 43 
 32 
 25 
 34 
 46 
 56 
 62 
 61 
 48 
 56 
 67 
 76 
 82 
 96 
 89 
 84 
 80 
 95 
 81 
 74 
 76 
 75 
 75 
 72 
 
 62 
 65 
 77 
 78 
 65 
 75 
 72 
 69 
 83 
 85 
 97 
 99 
 100 
 90 
 70 
 94 
 86 
 77 
 77 
 75 
 75 
 62 
 66 
 66 
 61 
 67 
 51 
 32 
 32 
 36 
 16 
 23 
 34 
 44 
 45 
 49 
 35 
 46 
 61 
 63 
 72 
 78 
 78 
 93 
 90 
 82 
 90 
 81 
 80 
 73 
 71 
 75 
 
 2 
 
 3 .... 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 
 8 
 
 g 
 
 10 
 
 11 
 
 12 
 
 13 
 
 14 ... 
 
 15 
 
 16 . 
 
 17 
 
 18 
 
 19 - -- 
 
 20 
 
 21 
 
 22 - -- 
 
 23 
 
 24 . . .. 
 
 25 
 
 26 
 
 27 - -- 
 
 28 
 
 29 
 
 30 
 
 31 
 
 32 
 
 33 
 
 34 
 
 35 .... 
 
 36 
 
 37 
 
 38 
 
 39 
 
 40 
 
 41 
 
 42 
 
 43 
 
 44 
 
 45 
 
 46 
 
 47 
 
 48 
 
 49 
 
 50 
 
 51... 
 
 52 
 
 \ verage 
 
 111 
 
 108 
 
 1,035 
 
 1,405 
 
 85 
 
 85 | 71 
 
 68 
 
 
 1 The busiest week in each of these columns means the week having the maximum number of employees. 
 
 2 The busiest week in each of these columns means the week in which the maximum amount of wages 
 was paid. 
 
174 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUKEAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 TABLE 73 FLUCTUATIONS OF EMPLOYMENT AND WAGES OF WEEK WORKERS AND 
 PIECEWORKERS IN TWO SHOPS MANUFACTURING MEDIUM-GRADE WAISTS. 
 
 Week. 
 
 Number of per- 
 sons employed. 
 
 Amounts paid 
 in wages. 
 
 Per cent of per- 
 sons employed 
 (busiest week= 
 100) .1 
 
 Per cent paid 
 in wages 
 (busiest week= 
 100) .2 
 
 Week 
 work. 
 
 Piece- 
 work. 
 
 Week 
 work. 
 
 Piece- 
 work. 
 
 Week 
 work. 
 
 Piece- 
 work. 
 
 Week 
 work. 
 
 Piece- 
 work. 
 
 1 
 
 125 
 124 
 128 
 130 
 138 
 136 
 135 
 133 
 137 
 140 
 142 
 147 
 149 
 150 
 153 
 155 
 151 
 158 
 150 
 148 
 143 
 136 
 132 
 141 
 148 
 127 
 86 
 100 
 106 
 104 
 103 
 107 
 112 
 120 
 125 
 127 
 122 
 121 
 123 
 130 
 137 
 148 
 141 
 142 
 145 
 150 
 150 
 152 
 158 
 165 
 167 
 164 
 
 205 
 209 
 214 
 210 
 209 
 202 
 210 
 199 
 214 
 201 
 205 
 220 
 222 
 187 
 213 
 209 
 216 
 214 
 209 
 201 
 194 
 173 
 190 
 181 
 148 
 145 
 74 
 80 
 96 
 122 
 135 
 145 
 157 
 155 
 158 
 159 
 129 
 160 
 165 
 161 
 170 
 190 
 177 
 170 
 159 
 178 
 183 
 180 
 197 
 186 
 199 
 187 
 
 $984 
 1,213 
 1,216 
 1,231 
 1,308 
 1,272 
 1,242 
 1,276 
 1,316 
 1.393 
 1 398 
 1,428 
 1,510 
 1,268 
 1,482 
 1,503 
 1,545 
 1,414 
 1,406 
 1,305 
 1,195 
 1,190 
 1,188 
 1,381 
 1,155 
 960 
 587 
 711 
 825 
 833 
 747 
 934 
 1,004 
 1,110 
 1,149 
 1,143 
 894 
 1,144 
 1,139 
 ,169 
 ,292 
 ,342 
 ,329 
 ,333 
 ,115 
 ,478 
 ,330 
 ,347 
 ,534 
 ,599 
 ,585 
 ,418 
 
 $1,620 
 2,134 
 2,230 
 2,368 
 2,388 
 2,453 
 2,510 
 2,354 
 2,567 
 2,536 
 2,623 
 2,950 
 2,916 
 2,154 
 2,489 
 2,741 
 2,827 
 2,623 
 2,451 
 2,073 
 1,636 
 .108 
 ,641 
 ,531 
 ,025 
 ,091 
 273 
 176 
 690 
 813 
 1,017 
 1,145 
 1,432 
 1,457 
 1,588 
 1,324 
 1,024 
 1,614 
 1,830 
 1,792 
 2,030 
 1,981 
 728 
 ,718 
 .430 
 ,930 
 ,085 
 ,670 
 ,923 
 ,944 
 2,168 
 1,875 
 
 75 
 74 
 77 
 78 
 83 
 81 
 81 
 80 
 82 
 84 
 85 
 88 
 89 
 90 
 92 
 93 
 90 
 95 
 90 
 89 
 86 
 81 
 79 
 84 
 89 
 76 
 51 
 60 
 63 
 62 
 62 
 64 
 67 
 72 
 75 
 76 
 73 
 72 
 74 
 78 
 82 
 89 
 84 
 85 
 87 
 90 
 90 
 91 
 95 
 99 
 100 
 98 
 
 92 
 94 
 96 
 95 
 94 
 91 
 95 
 90 
 96 
 91 
 92 
 99 
 100 
 84 
 96 
 94 
 97 
 96 
 94 
 91 
 87 
 78 
 86 
 82 
 67 
 65 
 33 
 36 
 43 
 55 
 61 
 65 
 71 
 70 
 71 
 72 
 58 
 72 
 74 
 73 
 77 
 86 
 80 
 77 
 72 
 80 
 82 
 81 
 89 
 84 
 90 
 84 
 
 62 
 76 
 76 
 77 
 82 
 80 
 78 
 80 
 82 
 87 
 87 
 89 
 94 
 79 
 93 
 94 
 97 
 88 
 88 
 82 
 75 
 74 
 74 
 86 
 72 
 60 
 37 
 44 
 52 
 52 
 47 
 58 
 63 
 69 
 72 
 71 
 56 
 72 
 71 
 73 
 81 
 84 
 83 
 83 
 70 
 92 
 83 
 84 
 96 
 100 
 99 
 89 
 
 55 
 72 
 76 
 80 
 81 
 83 
 85 
 80 
 87 
 86 
 89 
 100 
 99 
 73 
 84 
 93 
 96 
 89 
 83 
 70 
 55 
 38 
 56 
 52 
 35 
 37 
 9 
 6 
 23 
 28 
 34 
 39 
 49 
 49 
 54 
 45 
 35 
 55 
 62 
 61 
 69 
 67 
 59 
 58 
 48 
 65 
 71 
 57 
 65 
 66 
 73 
 64 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 11 ... 
 
 12 
 
 13 . 
 
 14 
 
 15 
 
 16 
 
 17 ... 
 
 18 
 
 19 
 
 20 
 
 21 
 
 22 
 
 23 
 
 24 
 
 25 
 
 26 
 
 27 
 
 28 
 
 29 
 
 30 ; 
 
 31 
 
 32 
 
 33 
 
 34 
 
 35 
 
 36 .. 
 
 37 
 
 38 
 
 39 ... 
 
 40 
 
 41... 
 
 42. 
 
 43. . 
 
 44 
 
 45 
 
 46. 
 
 47 
 
 48 
 
 49. . 
 
 50 
 
 51... 
 
 52 
 
 Average 
 
 137 
 
 178 
 
 1,228 
 
 1,840 
 
 82 
 
 80 
 
 77 
 
 62 
 
 
 1 The busiest week in each of these columns means the week having the maximum number of employees. 
 
 2 The busiest week in each of these columns means the week in which the maximum amount of wages 
 was paid. 
 
 As will be seen from these figures the pieceworkers show practically 
 the same average percentage of employment for the year as the week 
 workers. The average weekly wage, however, forms a lower per- 
 centage for the pieceworkers than for the week workers. In the $9 
 group (Table 72) the week workers ' average weekly wage is 71 per cent 
 of the highest weekly wage, while in the case of the pieceworkers it is 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DKESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY, 175 
 
 68 per cent. In the shops manufacturing medium-grade garments 
 the week workers' average weekly rate is 77 per cent of the highest 
 weekly wage and that of the pieceworkers is only 62 per cent. 
 
 The shops to which the above figures refer are all conducted under 
 the piecework system. In all piecework shops there are several 
 occupations, however, that are paid by the week, such as cleaners, 
 finishers, examiners, cutters, etc. In these shops pieceworkers and 
 week workers do not compete with each other; on the contrary they 
 supplement one another. When the operators are busy there is 
 more work for the week workers; when the operators have little to 
 do there is but little finishing, cleaning, and other operations to 
 perform. How, then, is the fact to be explained that the average weekly 
 wage of the pieceworkers forms a lower percentage of the wages of the 
 busiest week of the year than in the case of the week workers ? Two 
 reasons may account for it: First, the manufacturers employ a rela- 
 tively larger number of pieceworkers than they do of week workers in 
 proportion to the quantity of work to be done during the rush weeks 
 of the year. When work falls off the piecework operators are allowed 
 to remain in the shop and divide whatever work there is among 
 themselves. In the case of the week workers, one of the considerations 
 in fixing the weekly rate of wages is the steadiness of .employment, 
 and it is to the interest of the manufacturer to have a smaller number 
 of experienced workers who will be given steady employment, in 
 consideration of which they will be willing to accept a smaller wage 
 than they would if the manufacturer employed a large number of 
 workers of various degrees of skill, a considerable part of whom 
 would have to be laid off when work slackens. Second, during the 
 busiest week of the year the pieceworkers work much harder, as 
 compared with the rest of the year, than the week workers. The 
 work is piled up beyond the capacity of the shop and, therefore, the 
 loss of time which usually takes place in the intervals between the 
 completion of one job and the beginning of another, is now reduced to 
 a minimum. Moreover, the pieceworker, knowing that another 
 "bundle" is awaiting him as soon as he is through with the one he 
 has on hand, works much harder than at other tunes of the year and 
 has a much greater incentive to do so than the week worker. All 
 these facts combine to raise the pieceworkers' earnings during the 
 busiest week of the year above the earnings during the rest of the 
 year to a much greater extent than in the case of the week workers, 
 and therefore make the average weekly earnings look much smaller in 
 comparison with the busiest week in the case of the pieceworker than 
 in that of the week worker. 
 
 The different policies in the treatment of pieceworkers and week 
 workers come even more clearly to light when shops in which the 
 piecework system prevails are compared with shops in which operators 
 
176 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 work by the week. In the former the tendency is to have as large a 
 number of operators as possible during the rush season, most of whom 
 are allowed to remain throughout the year sharing in what little work 
 there is. In the week- work shops the tendency is to retain only the 
 best workers during the slow season, so as to give them steady em- 
 ployment and thus retain a working nucleus throughout the year 
 ready to be enlarged as soon as the demands of the season warrant it 
 The policy of the union has been to oppose this system of employment 
 in the week shops and to attempt as far as possible to retain all of th< 
 workers in the employ of the shops. In the shops manufacturing the 
 cheaper garments, and especially in the smaller shops, the union hag 
 been fairly successful in having its policy adopted, and the week 
 workers in those shops work by turns during the slow period. Th< 
 workers are divided into two or more groups, which report for duty 
 on alternating days or weeks or whatever other periods are agreec 
 upon by the manufacturer and his employees. 
 
 HOURS OF LABOR. 
 
 It would have been interesting to secure information as to the 
 number of hours actually worked by the employees at different times 
 of the year. In some cases information on this point could not be 
 obtained at all, and in others would have been exceedingly difficult 
 and expensive to obtain. So far as pieceworkers arc concerned, no 
 record is kept of the tune they work except in a few shops. Even ii 
 these shops a record is kept only of the time the workers spend in th< 
 factory, which is not necessarily the tune they are actually at work 
 since pieceworkers frequently spend many hours a day in the factories 
 without doing any work, especially during the slow season. The only 
 employees for whom an accurate record of hours at work is kept are 
 the week workers, but in the majority of the shops this record is nol 
 preserved throughout the year, and the time has to be recalculatec 
 from the wages paid out each week. 
 
 HOURS DURING BUSIEST WEEK IN THE YEAR. 
 
 From the records obtained for the busiest week of the year in each 
 factory figures have been compiled as to the hours which the week 
 workers worked during that week. The hours worked by the cutters 
 have been separated from those worked by other employees, since th< 
 limitation as to overtime does not apply to them on the one hand, am 
 on the other, cutters as a rule work more steadily than the rest of thi 
 force. 
 
 As has been seen in Table 2 (p. 17), which represents a summary 
 for the entire industry, only a minority of the employees (not includ- 
 ing the cutters), namely, 37.5 per cent, worked the normal number oi 
 
WAGES AXD EMPLOYMENT IX DRESS AND -WAIST INDUSTRY. 177 
 
 50 hours; 29.4 per cent, or almost one-third,, worked less than 50 hours. 
 On the other hand, over 33 per cent worked overtime, so that over 70 
 per cent of all the week workers, not including cutters, worked 50 
 hours or more. Of those who worked under 50 hours nearly three- 
 fourths worked from 40 to 49 hours, leaving about 1,200 people, or 
 less than 10 per cent of the total number of workers working less than 
 40 hours. Among these, as will be seen from the table, are some who 
 worked less than 10 hours. 
 
 In the case of the cutters, more than 56 per cent worked the normal 
 number of 50 hours and more than 87 per cent worked 50 hours or 
 more, leaving but one-eighth of the people working less than 50 hours 
 and less than 4 per cent working less than 40 hours. 
 
 OVERTIME. 
 
 So far as overtime is concerned, it is interesting to compare the 
 figures of 1912 and 1913 when the protocol limited the overtime to 
 four hours a week and the normal hours to 50. Taking first week 
 workers other than cutters, in 1912, 66.8 per cent, or over two- 
 thirds, worked more than 50 hotfrs; in 1913 the percentage of those 
 working more than 50 hours dropped to 33.1 per cent, or one-half 
 of what it was the preceding year. This was due to the fact that 
 during 1912 the normal hours in the various shops were from 50 to 54 
 per week. Taking the number of those working 55 hours and over, 
 the percentage declined from nearly 33 per cent, or about one-third, 
 of all the employees in 1912 to less than one-tenth in 1913. 
 
 In regard to the employees working overtime, it should be stated 
 that the number given for 1913 is not entirely accurate, being in all 
 probability an understatement of the actual facts. This was due 
 [to the fact that under the protocol week workers are entitled to 
 double the regular rate when working overtime. In several instances 
 it was not clear from the books whether a worker paid for, say, 58 
 hours, actually worked 54 hours, being paid double for overtime, 
 or worked 58 hours, being paid for overtime at the regular hourly rate. 
 In all such cases, unless there was clear proof that the protocol 
 provision as to double rate for overtime was violated, the manu- 
 facturer was given the benefit of the doubt. But even allowing 
 for this understatement, there can be no doubt that the number 
 working in excess of 50 hours greatly declined during 1913, especially 
 when it is borne in mind that the figures given here are for the busiest 
 week in the year, when the number of hours worked is as a rule 
 greater than at other times of the year. 
 
 Two tables follow, the first of which, Table 74, gives the number 
 and per cent of cutters and of other employees (week workers) work- 
 
 42132 Bull. 14614- 12 
 
178 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 ing each classified number of hours in the association and nonassoei- 
 ation shops, while the second, Table 75, gives separate figures for the 
 factories manufacturing high-grade and low-grade garments in the 
 nonassociation and the association groups. 
 
 TABLE 74. NUMBER AND PER CENT OF WEEK WORKERS EMPLOYED EACH CLASSI- 
 FIED NUMBER OF HOURS DURING THE BUSIEST WEEK OF THE YEAR IN ASSO- 
 CIATION AND NONASSOCIATION SHOPS, 1912 AND 1913. 
 
 NUMBER. 
 
 Hours employed. 
 
 Association shops. 
 
 Nonassociation shops. 
 
 Cutters. 
 
 Other employees. 
 
 Cutters. 
 
 Other employ- 
 ees. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Under 10 hours 
 
 5 
 3 
 6 
 24 
 95 
 184 
 260 
 179 
 172 
 140 
 91 
 15 
 
 12 
 9 
 12 
 23 
 124 
 804 
 160 
 152 
 117 
 31 
 
 1 
 
 110 
 122 
 241 
 413 
 1,468 
 1,161 
 2,027 
 1,678 
 2^263 
 1,022 
 322 
 69 
 
 101 
 163 
 236 
 404 
 2,357 
 4,608 
 1,385 
 1,418 
 860 
 178 
 30 
 4 
 
 1 
 
 
 14 
 29 
 68 
 116 
 310 
 191 
 401 
 245 
 372 
 113 
 17 
 13 
 
 16 
 42 
 120 
 130 
 
 623 
 744 
 292 
 228 
 246 
 70 
 8 
 
 10 and under 20 hours .... 
 20 and under 30 hours . . . 
 30 and under 40 hours. . . 
 40 and under 60 hours . . . 
 50 hours 
 
 
 2 
 3 
 11 
 21 
 39 
 28 
 16 
 6 
 3 
 7 
 
 3 
 3 
 31 
 165 
 18 
 13 
 14 
 3 
 3 
 
 51 and under 53 hours . ... 
 53 and under 55 hours . . . 
 55 and under 60 hours . . . 
 60 and under 65 hours. . . . 
 65 and under 70 hours . ... 
 70 hours and over 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 1,174 
 
 1,455 
 
 10,896 
 
 11,744 
 
 137 
 
 253 
 
 1,889 j 2,519 
 
 
 PER CENT. 
 
 Under 10 hours 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 10 and under 20 hours . . 
 20 and under 30 hours. . 
 30 and under 40 hours . . 
 40 and under 50 hours . . 
 50 hours 
 
 11 
 16 
 
 1'2 
 55 
 
 22 
 11 
 
 28 
 39 
 
 12 
 15 
 
 15 
 65 
 
 28 
 10 
 
 37 
 30 
 
 51 and under 53 hours. . 
 53 and under 55 hours . . 
 55 and under 60 hours . . 
 60 and under 65 hours.. 
 65 and under 70 hours . . 
 70 hours and over 
 
 } - 
 1 36 
 
 21 
 11 
 
 34 
 34 
 
 24 
 9 
 
 49 
 23 
 
 12 
 
 8 
 
 34 
 
 27 
 
 21 
 13 
 
 
 ' 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 179 
 
 TABLE 75. WEEK WORKERS EMPLOYED EACH CLASSIFIED NUMBER OF HOURS DUR- 
 ING THE BUSIEST WEEK OF THE YEAR, IN LOW-GRADE AND HIGH-GRADE ASSO- 
 CIATION AND NONASSOCIATION SHOPS, 1912 AND 1913. 
 
 Group A. 
 
 Jnder 10 hours 
 
 10 and under 20 hours. 
 20 and under 30 hours . 
 30 and under 40 hours . 
 40 and under 50 hours . 
 
 50 hours 
 
 51 and under 53 hours . 
 53 and under 55 hours . 
 55 and under 60 hours . 
 60 and under 65 hours . 
 65 and under 70 hours . 
 70 and over 
 
 Total 
 
 Association. 
 
 Cutters. 
 
 1912 
 
 4 
 2 
 4 
 
 18 
 46 
 85 
 138 
 86 
 121 
 93 
 71 
 
 1913 
 
 7 
 
 8 
 
 17 
 
 78 
 
 444 
 
 83 
 
 109 
 
 Other employees. 
 
 Female. 
 
 1912 
 
 56 
 83 
 158 
 250 
 812 
 662 
 ,254 
 826 
 ,109 
 611 
 211 
 21 
 
 677 877 6,053 6,417 
 
 1913 
 
 100 
 
 129 
 
 232 
 
 1,240 
 
 2.699 
 
 756 
 
 634 
 
 454 
 
 85 
 
 25 
 
 3 
 
 Male. 
 
 1912 
 
 407 
 
 1913 
 
 60 
 189 
 38 
 31 
 17 
 25 
 
 378 
 
 Nonassociation. 
 
 Cutters. 
 
 1912 1913 
 
 3 
 
 24 
 124 
 14 
 12 
 12 
 
 1 
 
 196 
 
 Other employees. 
 
 Female. 
 
 1912 1913 
 
 20 
 
 56 
 
 85 
 
 241 
 
 163 
 
 254 
 
 119 
 
 174 
 
 36 
 
 10 
 
 12 
 
 1,178 
 
 13 
 
 28 
 107 
 
 85 
 469 
 272 
 229 
 179 
 137 
 
 40 
 4 
 
 1,563 
 
 Male. 
 
 1912 1913 
 
 151 
 
 2 
 5 
 5 
 
 14 
 30 
 152 
 18 
 12 
 32 
 14 
 
 284 
 
 Group B. 
 
 Under 10 hours 
 
 1 
 
 3 
 
 53 
 
 38 
 
 
 j 
 
 1 
 
 
 6 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 10 and under 20 hours . 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 38 
 
 59 
 
 1 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 5 
 
 9 
 
 
 
 20 and under 30 hours . 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 71 
 
 101 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 11 
 
 7 
 
 
 1 
 
 30 and under 40 hours . 
 
 6 
 
 6 
 
 153 
 
 160 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 1 
 
 
 20 
 
 29 
 
 
 2 
 
 40 and under 50 hours . 
 50 hours 
 
 49 
 
 99 
 
 46 
 360 
 
 590 
 443 
 
 1,018 
 1,616 
 
 21 
 12 
 
 39 
 104 
 
 6 
 1 
 
 7 
 41 
 
 53 
 15 
 
 123 
 304 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 16 
 
 51 and under 53 hours . 
 53 and under 55 hours . 
 55 and under 60 hours . 
 60 and under 65 hours . 
 65 and under 70 hours 
 
 122 
 93 
 51 
 47 
 20 
 
 77 
 43 
 
 28 
 7 
 2 
 
 650 
 752 
 995 
 370 
 82 
 
 563 
 735 
 378 
 67 
 3 
 
 27 
 24 
 89 
 10 
 3 
 
 28 
 18 
 11 
 
 1 
 
 16 
 5 
 2 
 2 
 
 4 
 1 
 2 
 2 
 
 103 
 110 
 166 
 47 
 4 
 
 44 
 36 
 75 
 15 
 4 
 
 5 
 5 
 
 4 
 4 
 
 1 
 1 
 2 
 1 
 
 70 and over 
 
 16 
 
 
 241 
 
 1 
 
 36 
 
 
 4 4 
 
 
 61 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 497 
 
 578 
 
 4,238 
 
 4,739 
 
 198 
 
 210 
 
 38 
 
 57 
 
 541 
 
 647 
 
 19 
 
 25 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 Highest 76J hours. 
 
 2 Highest 82J hours. 
 
 s Highest 75 hours. 
 Highest 78 hours. 
 
 6 Highest 73 hours. 
 
 Comparing the figures for 1912 with those for 1913, as shown 
 in Table 74, it is found that both in the association and the non- 
 association union shops the number of persons working more than 
 50 hours a week has been greatly reduced, while the number of those 
 working 50 hours a week or less has increased. Excluding cutters, all 
 of whom are men, the percentage of employees working 51 hours or 
 more has been reduced from 68 per cent, or more than two-thirds, in 
 association shops in 1912, to 33 per cent, or only one-third, in 1913, while 
 in the nonassociation shops,. the reduction has been from 61 percent 
 in 1912 to 34 per cent in 1913. Of those working 50 hours a week the 
 proportion has increased in the association shops from 11 per cent to 
 39 per cent, and in the nonassociation shops from 10 per cent to 30 per 
 cent. The percentage of those working less than 50 hours in the 
 

 180 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 association shops has increased from 22 in 1912 to 28 in 1913, and in 
 the nonassociation shops from 28 to 37. 
 
 The same tendency is observed in the case of the hours of the cut- 
 ters except that a much smaller proportion of persons were working, 
 less than 50 hours, namely, only 12 per cent in the association and 15 
 per cent in the nonassociation shops in 1913, and a much higher pro- 
 portion were working 50 hours in the week, namely, 55 per cent in 
 the association shops and 65 per cent in the nonassociation shops. 
 
 As will be seen from Table 74 there is no marked difference in the 
 Dercentage of employees working different numbers of hours in the 
 nonassociation and association shops. The difference is more marked 
 as regards cutters, the number of cutters working more than 50 hours 
 in 1913 constituting 32 per cent of the total in the association shops 
 and only 20 per cent in the nonassociation shops. 
 
 The reason for the greater extent of overtime among cutters in the 
 association shops as compared with the nonassociation shops lies in the 
 fact that during the " rush " weeks there is much greater activity in the 
 shops making the higher-priced garments than in those manufacturing 
 low-priced garments, the association having a higher percentage of the 
 high-grade garment shops than the nonassociation shops. This is 
 shown very clearly on Chart 18, where the high peak in March rises to 
 147 per cent for the high-grade garment shops, and only to 125 per cent 
 for the low-grade. The market demand may be just as great for the 
 low-grade garments as for the high-grade at that time, but the manu- 
 facturers of the low-grade garments have been able to work during the 
 preceding months making up stock, while the high-grade garment 
 manufacturers are not in a position to do so on account of the frequent 
 changes in styles. The relative position of the curves representing 
 these two branches of the industry during the period from the middle 
 of October to the middle of December shows this state of affairs. 
 
 HOURS OF WORK OF PIECEWORKERS. 
 
 As already stated, very few shops keep records of the time spent at 
 the factory by pieceworkers. 
 
 Records were obtained from 22 shops for 333 pieceworkeis in. 1913 
 and 98 in 1912. The figures for these are shown in Table 76, giving 
 separately the hours in association and nonassociation shops, as well 
 as the percentage for the two groups combined. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 181 
 
 VHLK 7(>.-TIOURS OF WORK OF PIECEWORKERS IN 22 SHOPS DURING THE BUSIEST 
 WEEK OF THE YEAR, 1912 AND 1913. 
 
 I lours worked. 
 
 Association shops. 
 
 Nonassociation 
 shops. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Number. 
 
 Per cent. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 19.5 
 
 41.7 
 30.9 
 
 7.8 
 
 Under 10 hours 
 
 
 2 
 6 
 12 
 19 
 123 
 62 
 18 
 6 
 
 
 2 
 4 
 8 
 12 
 16 
 41 
 2 
 
 
 4 
 10 
 20 
 31 
 139 
 103 
 20 
 6 
 
 t 8.2 
 
 41.8 
 21.4 
 
 } 16.3 
 | 12.2 
 
 10 and under 20 hours 
 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 5 
 41 
 21 
 7 
 9 
 9 
 3 
 
 20 and under 30 hours 
 
 1 
 5 
 32 
 13 
 7 
 9 
 9 
 3 
 
 30 and under 40 hours 
 40 and under 50 hours 
 50 
 
 9 
 
 8 
 
 51 and under 53 hours 
 53 and under 55 hours 
 
 
 55 and under CO hours 
 
 
 
 60 and under 65 hours 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 79 
 
 248 
 
 19 
 
 85 
 
 98 
 
 333 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 
 The extent of overtime seems to have been much less among piece- 
 workers than among week workers, those working more than 50 
 hours in 1913 being only 7.8 per cent of all the pieceworkers, as against 
 33.1 per cent among the week workers. Of those working less than 50 
 hours during the busiest week of the year, two-thirds worked from 40 
 to 49 hours; about one-fifth of all the workers worked from less than 
 10 to 39 hours during the busiest week in the year. No piecework- 
 ers were found working more than 54 hours during 1913 among the 333 
 employees for whom records were obtained. While the number of 
 workers for which these figures are given is comparatively small, the 
 figures may be accepted as fairly representative of the industry, since 
 they were obtained from 22 factories employing a total of about 900 
 workers, two-thirds of whom were employed in 1 1 association shops 
 and one-third in 11 nonassociation shops. The significant fact about 
 these figures is that even during the busiest week of the year more 
 than 60 per cent of the workers were at work less than 50 hours a 
 week. Moreover, the figures show merely the number of hours they 
 spent in the factories and not those they actually worked. 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 The protocol has provided definite minimum weekly rates of 
 wages for the following occupations: Drapers, joiners, examiners, 
 sample hands, ironers, pressers, finishers. There was also a supple- 
 mentary understanding as to a minimum rate for cleaners. For 
 cutters, in addition to the rate for competent skilled mechanics, three 
 rates were provided for apprentices, according to the length of service. 
 No provision was made as to the rates of wages to be paid in other 
 occupations, except that a basis was provided for the adjustment of 
 piece rates for operators. 
 
182 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 The report shows very clearly the effect of providing a sii 
 minimum rate for an occupation. Looking at the charts for cleaners, 
 drapers, examiners, finishers, ironers, joiners, and sample makers 01 
 the one hand and at those for cutters on the other, there is found i] 
 every case in the first-mentioned group one high peak correspond!] 
 to the minimum wage rate provided for in the protocol; in the cu1 
 ters' wages four peaks are found corresponding to the four rates prc 
 vided for in the protocol. In other words, there is a tendency foi 
 a great many, if not most, of the workers in this trade to concen- 
 trate about the minimum protocol rate. This explains the genera 
 complaint on the part of the workers that the minimum tends 
 become the maximum, and on the part of some employers that th< 
 protocol has dealt unjustly with them in compelling them to pa] 
 the minimum rate to apprentices by failing to provide a special rat 
 for the latter. The investigation has shown the contention of eithei 
 side to be extreme, though each has its justification in fact. The 
 figures show on the one hand that there are almost as many workers 
 receiving more than the minimum protocol rate as there are of those 
 getting the minimum, and on the other that from one-fourth to one- 
 half of the workers in each of the trades covered by the protocol 
 received less than the minimum rate provided therein. 
 
 GRADUATED SCALE OF WEEKLY WAGES. 
 
 The example of the cutters seems to point the way to a solution 
 of this difficulty by providing for reasonable rates to apprentices of 
 various degrees of skill. The large number of those who were paid 
 less than the protocol rate in the several trades is an indication 
 of the fact that it probably includes a considerable proportion of 
 apprentices who may not be able to earn the minimum rate pro- 
 vided for. The fact that there is no school to teach these trades 
 and that the only means open to newly recruited workers to learn 
 the trade is by entering the shops at wages commensurate with the 
 value of the services they can render, while acquiring the necessary 
 skill, furnishes a further corroboration of the fact that the nonpay- 
 ment of the minimum rate to a considerable number of workers was 
 not entirely due to a desire on the part of the manufacturers to 
 violate the provisions of the protocol. The fourfold rate for the 
 cutters points the way out of the difficulty for the other trades. At 
 least one rate, it seems, should be provided for apprentices in each 
 trade. One or more additional rates could probably be added for 
 workers of higher skill, the rate being made conditional either upon 
 the time the worker has spent in the trade or upon the skill to be 
 determined in a certain manner. The effect of providing these addi- 
 tional rates on the one hand would be to do away with the im- 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 183 
 
 proper payment below the protocol scale and thus meet the demand 
 of the manufacturers for a special rate of wages for apprentices, and 
 on the other it would provide for more than minimum rates to 
 highly skilled workers and thus meet the complaint of the workers 
 as to the tendency of the minimum rate to become the principal 
 rate for skilled workers. 
 
 While it is not within the province of this report to suggest a 
 detailed scheme and methods of grading the workers for such a pur- 
 pose, it will unquestionably be recognized by eveiy experienced 
 manufacturer and worker that the workers in the several trades of 
 this industry can be roughly divided into at least four groups: 1, 
 Apprentices; 2, workers who have graduated from the apprentice 
 stage but are of less than average skill; 3, workers of average skill; 
 4, workers of more than average skill. The four degrees of skill call 
 for four different rates of wages. As a matter of fact there are sev- 
 eral gradations from one group to the next which are recognized in 
 actual practice by as many different rates. 
 
 In providing for the rates that it has, the protocol has made a 
 beginning in an attempt at collective regulation of wages in the 
 industry under the joint auspices of the two partners to the industry, 
 the employers and the employees, for the benefit of the industry as 
 a whole. This benefit extends to the workers, inasmuch as it helps 
 to protect the weak members and the recent recruits. It benefits 
 the manufacturers, inasmuch as it tends to put an end to unfair 
 competition between manufacturer and manufacturer through the 
 payment of wages in some shops below the current rates. 
 
 It is not to be presumed in what has just been said or in what 
 follows that definite recommendations are here made, beyond sug- 
 gesting a number of measures for the purpose of discussion by the 
 two parties to the protocol. It is conceded on both sides that the 
 protocol has but made a beginning and that it needs further ampli- 
 fication and modification in a number of vital points. 
 
 REGISTRATION OF APPRENTICES. 
 
 The adoption of a special rate or rates for apprentices in the different 
 occupations suggests the necessity of some method of controlling the 
 apprentice situation. Such registration of each individual apprentice 
 employed in the shops supervised by the association or by the union 
 as will enable the wage-scale board and other officers of the associa- 
 tion and the union who are concerned in this matter to control the 
 situation and prevent possible abuse has been under consideration 
 by the wage-scale board and a registration card has even been 
 worked out for that purpose. 
 
184 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 TRADE SCHOOL. 
 
 Another measure for dealing with the apprentice problem is the 
 establishment of a school for the training of skilled workers. It is a 
 question whether there is another industry that has so difficult a 
 problem in this respect as the dress and waist industry in New York 
 City. On the one hand, standing at the head of the industry in the 
 country, supplying the constantly growing demand for high-grade 
 ready-made women's garments, it is in great need of workers of the 
 highest skill. The seasonal character of the market results in the 
 demand for such help usually outrunning the supply during certain 
 periods of the year. On the other hand, the fact that about 85 per 
 cent of its skilled operators are women, mostly young, of whom it is 
 calculated about one-fifth leave the industry each year to marry, 
 makes the problem of keeping up the supply of skilled workers a 
 very acute and difficult one. The apprenticing, as it goes on in the 
 shops, does not offer a very encouraging solution. As is pointed out 
 in the report, the new recruits enter the shops manufacturing cheaper 
 garments and are there given a training which does not fit them for the 
 work in the shops manufacturing the higher-grade garments. The 
 necessity of establishing a school for the purpose of training new 
 workers is so apparent that it has been suggested repeatedly by both 
 sides. It is to be hoped that means will soon be found for putting 
 into practice the idea here barely sketched. 
 
 Through a complete and intimate cooperation between the asso- 
 ciation and the union it should be possible to establish the school on a 
 largo scale, manned by competent instructors, taken preferably from 
 among the foremen and forewomen in the most successful shops, the 
 pupils or apprentices to be taught the trade by being given work of a 
 practical character, preferably on orders to be assigned to the school 
 by the manufacturers. The school could thus act as a contractor for 
 the manufacturer and in this manner would on one hand avoid com- 
 peting in the markets with established shops, and on the other would 
 offer a ready means for manufacturers to call for assistance when their 
 shops were worked to capacity. Such an arrangement would have the 
 further advantage of enabling the pupils to earn a living while learning 
 the trade and would make the school practically self-supporting. 
 
 The registration of apprentices, already suggested, would serve as 
 the first step in determining the available material for such a school 
 and the extent to which the industry could at once utilize it. Such 
 registration could be used also as a means of controlling the admission 
 of apprentices to the school and their distribution in the industry at 
 proper minimum rates of compensation. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 185 
 UNIFORM PAY ROLL. 
 
 A graduated scale of weekly wages, involving as it docs some control 
 by the wage-scale board over the matters of interpretation of the 
 degrees of skill possessed by different workers in cases of dispute 
 between manufacturers and their employees, implies the advisability, 
 if not the necessity, of a uniform pay roll to be designed by the wage- 
 scale board and supplied to all the manufacturers in the trade for the 
 purpose of securing a uniform record of wages paid throughout the 
 industry. The form for a uniform pay roll could easily be designed, 
 printed in large quantities by the wage-scale board, and supplied 
 to every manufacturer at a lower cost than the price now paid by 
 them for books of various descriptions bought at retail from stationery 
 stores. It would likewise facilitate future investigations of wages in 
 the industry when required. An investigation such as the present 
 could be carried out and completed in probably one-third the time 
 that it took if a uniform pay roll of the kind suggested were adopted 
 by the industry. 
 
 WHITE PROTOCOL LABEL. 
 
 At the time of the signing of the protocol the desirability of adopting 
 a label which would serve as a joint guaranty by the union and by the 
 association, as well as by representatives of the outside, public, of the 
 conditions under which the products of the industry are manufac- 
 tured, was clearly recognized, and found expression in article 2 of the 
 protocol, reading as follows: 
 
 To make more effective the maintenance of sanitary conditions 
 throughout the industry, to insure equality of minimum standards 
 throughout the industry, and to guarantee to the public garments 
 made in the shops certificated by the board of sanitary control, the 
 parties agree that there shall be instituted in the industry a system 
 of certificating garments by a label to be affixed to the garment. 
 Recognizing the difficulties of working out the details of such a plan 
 at this time, but believing that the plan has been sufficiently developed 
 and considered in the cloak industry, they believe that a complete 
 plan can be worked out in the dress and waist industry within a year. 
 To this end each party agrees to cooperate to the full extent of its 
 power in the formulation and effectuation of a system for the certifi- 
 cation of garments adequately safeguarding the employers, the 
 workers, and the consuming public. 
 
 The difficulties attending the working out of the practical application 
 of the protocol during the first year of its existence nave kept both 
 parties so busy that thus far little has been done toward the realization 
 of this promise. A beginning, however, has been made. It has been 
 recognized both by the representatives of the association and of the 
 union that the Consumers' League would be an admirable ally in this 
 undertaking and the proper body to represent the public in this matter. 
 
 
186 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 In turn, the National Consumers' League, at its last annual conven- 
 tion in Buffalo, held in December, 1913, authorized its executive 
 officers to join hands with the association and the union whenever the 
 two parties are prepared to introduce the label, and as soon as the 
 Consumers' League feels that the steps taken warrant the withdrawal 
 of its own label and the substitution of the protocol label instead. 
 
 The enforcement of the protocol rates of wages in the shops super- 
 vised by the association and the union, side by side with the existence 
 of shops not so supervised (especially outside the city of New 
 York) and paying lower wages, readily offers a condition of unfair 
 competition to the manufacturers of New York City. If any argu- 
 ment be needed for the earliest possible adoption of a label which 
 would insure the cooperation of a large part of the public with the 
 dress and waist industry of New York in a common effort to maintain 
 sanitary conditions and living wages in that industry, it is here 
 furnished. The existence of a new thought among the consumers 
 of the country, the great growth in numbers among such people 
 as a result of the agitation of organizations like the Consumers' 
 League <and similar bodies offers great encouragement to the industry. 
 The next step is to provide efficient machinery and channels through 
 which fair-minded consumers can exercise intelligently their prefer- 
 ence for goods manufactured under fair and wholesome conditions. 
 The taking of this step would be a measure of justice to the manu- 
 facturer now paying wages higher than those paid by his competitors 
 outside of the city, and at the same time would tend to protect and 
 maintain the standard of compensation provided in the protocol. 
 Last, but not least, it would protect the public from the use of gar- 
 ments made under insanitary conditions and by greatly underpaid 
 labor. 
 
 The adoption of the label would in its turn offer an additional cause 
 for the effective supervision by the wage-scale board or a similar body 
 over the wages paid in the shops desiring to use the label upon their 
 product, and the adoption of a uniform pay roll would furnish a basis 
 for efficient control. 
 
 UNIFORM PIECE RATES. 
 
 The question of the working out of a schedule of uniform piece rates 
 for work of similar character throughout the industry has been the 
 subject of serious consideration of the wage-scale board from its in- 
 ception. A beginning has been made through an intensive study of the 
 processes of the manufacture of waists. This study was carried on 
 in a number of shops during the fall season of 1913. Owing to the 
 brevity of the season and the complexity of the problem, material has 
 been collected to furnish a basis for the adoption of uniform piece rates 
 for the $9-a-dozen waists only. This material forms the contents of 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 187 
 
 Part II of this report. By way of anticipation, it may be stated 
 here that the experiment has furnished an affirmative answer to the 
 question whether the standardization of piece rates in an industry 
 like the dress and waist industry in which the character of the gar- 
 ments undergoes frequent and rapid changes decreed by fashion, is 
 practicable. 
 
 The standardization of rates, however, unavoidably carries with it 
 standardization of conditions. A uniform rate for the same kind of 
 work paid in a shop managed with the highest degree of efficiency, 
 where workers can turn out twice the product that is possible for 
 workers of equal skill in a shop suffering from lack of system and in- 
 telligent management, would be obviously unfair to the efficient manu- 
 facturer on the one hand and to the employees of the inefficient one 
 on the other. 
 
 It, therefore, follows that the adoption of uniform piece rates will 
 necessarily have to be preceded by the carrying out of plans such as 
 suggested above tending to lift the lower end of the industry to a 
 higher level and thus bring about greater uniformity throughout 
 the industry. 
 
 Without urging the adoption of the suggestions outlined above, and 
 offering them solely as a basis for discussion by the representatives of 
 the association and the union, it is hoped fervently that, having made 
 so promising a beginning in the adoption of the protocol, and having 
 weathered the storm of strife naturally concomitant with the first 
 attempt to bring into play a controlling power over the relations be- 
 tween employer and employee, the industry will gather strength for 
 further progress. Through mutual cooperation and increased con- 
 fidence of ihe two great partners in each other, it should proceed with 
 the work of upbuilding and general improvement and substitute 
 orderly and intelligent planning for the blind chance and groping so 
 conspicuously marking the days of the past. 
 
 

PART II. STANDARDIZATION OF PIECE RATES. 
 ADJUSTMENT OF PIECE RATES UNDER THE PROTOCOL. 
 
 The protocol adopted the following basis for the adjustment of 
 piece rates for new garments, which is set forth in the following para- 
 graphs of Article X of the protocol: 
 
 c. In settling prices the price per garment shall be based upon the estimated num- 
 ber of solid hours it will take an experienced good worker to make the garment without 
 interruption, multiplied by the standard price per hour. 
 
 d. If the piece-price committee and the employer shall be unable to agree after a 
 conference, the work shall then be proceeded with, but the determination of the price 
 to be paid for the work shall be made as follows: 
 
 e. One or more workers shall be selected to make the test for the purpose of deter- 
 mining the number of solid hours it will take an experienced good worker to make the 
 garment in question. 
 
 f . Both the employer and the piece-price committee shall agree upon the operative 
 who is to make the test, but in case they shall fail to agree the wage-scale board shall 
 make such designation. 
 
 This method of adjusting piece rates has been in effect for more 
 than a year since the adoption of the protocol. While it has helped 
 employer and employee to arrive at an agreement as to piece rates in 
 cases of disagreement, it has not proved an unqualified success and 
 has met with objections from both parties to the protocol. Although 
 paragraph "e" states that "one or more workers shall be selected to 
 make the test," paragraph "f" speaks of only one operative who is 
 to make the test, and in actual practice only one has been selected 
 as a rule. 
 
 The expression "an experienced good worker" is one that lends 
 itself to varied interpretations and as a result leads to dispute between 
 the employer and his employees or the price committee of his shop. 
 
 Even after an employer and the price committee have agreed upon 
 a worker who is to make the test, the result of the test is not always 
 accepted without objections on either side. If the employer's idea 
 as to what would be a proper price for a new garment differs very 
 widely from that of the price committee, and the result of the test 
 comes very close to his original offer, the workers are apt to find fault 
 with the test either on the ground that the operator chosen for the 
 test is an exceptionally fast worker, or they may charge speeding up 
 on the part of the manufacturer by holding out special inducements 
 
 189 
 
190 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 to the test worker to get through with her test in the shortest possible 
 time. The claim is then made that it is impossible for an operator 
 to keep up such speed working day in and out, and that therefore at 
 the rate settled by the test they will not be able to earn an adequate 
 wage. 
 
 On the other hand, if the test results in a confirmation of the work- 
 ers' original demand, or very nearly so, the employer is apt to find 
 fault with it and to claim that the operator chosen for the test, being 
 one of the workers to be benefited by whatever rate may be adopted, 
 has deliberately "soldiered" on the job and taken more time to com- 
 plete the garment than was necessary. 
 
 In all such cases an appeal may be taken to the wage-scale boar< 
 and a new test ordered under the supervision of the representative 
 of the union and of the association. All of this engenders frictioi 
 between the employer and his help, and interferes with the orderly 
 conduct of the business of the employer, and on the other hand cr* 
 ates a great deal of dissatisfaction among the workers on account 
 the delay in the adjustment of claims for back pay. 
 
 While cases of this kind are by no means the rule, they are of suffi- 
 ciently frequent occurrence to have caused considerable dissatisfac- 
 tion with the test system, both among manufacturers and operators, 
 and both sides would welcome a method that would do away with the 
 defects inherent in the present method of adjusting piece rates. 
 Even before the method had been sanctioned by the protocol, the 
 desirability of working out a scientific piece-rate schedule was present 
 in the minds of the framers of the protocol, and found expression in 
 the following provision in Article VII of the protocol which charged 
 the wage-scale board with the duty of preserving "data and statistics 
 with a view to establishing as nearly practicably as possible a scien- 
 tific basis for the fixing of piece and week work prices throughout the 
 industry that will insure a minimum wage and at the same time permit 
 reward for increased efficiency." 
 
 SCOPE OF THE INVESTIGATION. 
 
 After the completion of the statistical investigation into wages and 
 hours in the industry, the results of which are set forth in Part I of 
 the present report, the wage-scale board instructed the writer to make 
 a study of the manufacturing processes in the dress and waist indus- 
 try with a view to discovering, if possible, a basis for the construction 
 of a piece-rate schedule or schedules which could be applied through- 
 out the industry or branches of the industry independently of changes 
 in the styles of garments. 
 
 This study was carried out during the fall season of 191 3, lasting 
 between two and three months. It covered eight shops in which 
 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 191 
 
 the processes were studied in detail, in addition to several shops in 
 which a general study of the methods of manufacture and the organi- 
 zation of the work was made without the timing of the separate 
 processes. 
 
 Of the eight shops investigated, five are exclusively shops making 
 waists to sell at $9 per dozen, the three remaining shops manufac- 
 turing waists selling at $16.50 to $42 per dozen, and in a few instances 
 as high as $60 and $72 a dozen. Occasionally these shops also make 
 a few $9 styles to accommodate a special demand; but the bulk of 
 their production covers a range of $16.50 to $24. All the shops men- 
 tioned, with the exception of one manufacturing $9 waists, employ 
 their help on a piece-rate basis. By saying that a shop employs its 
 help on a piece-rate basis it is not meant that all the work is paid 
 for by the piece. Certain processes are invariably paid for by the 
 week. Among these are cutting, examining, draping, and sample 
 making. When a shop is designated as a piecework shop, it is meant 
 that the operating is paid for by the piece, but even in that case 
 many of the operating processes are paid for by the week. Thus, 
 taking the $9 shops with which this part of the present report deals, 
 we find the following division of labor and methods of compensation 
 prevailing: 
 
 In shop No. 1232 body making, which is paid on a piece basis, 
 includes the following processes: Closing shoulders, making centers, 
 tacking fronts and backs, setting collars. 1 All the trimming is done 
 by special operators called trimmers who are paid by the week. The 
 sleeve making is done by other operators, who are paid by the week; 
 the hemming is done by the piece; the closing and the sleeve setting 
 are done by a man operator, who is paid by the piece; the buttonhole 
 making is paid for by the week, as is also the button sewing. 
 
 In shop No. 1284 the body making is likewise done by the piece, 
 but, unlike the preceding shop, the trimming is done by the body 
 makers on a piece-rate basis. The closing and hemming are done 
 by the piece, all being attended to by one operator having four 
 assistants. The same operator with his assistants attends to the 
 sleeve setting; the sleeve making is done by the body makers on a 
 piece-rate basis; the buttonhole making is paid for on a piece-rate 
 basis and is attended to by one operator, who employs two assistants 
 on a week basis. The same is true of button sewing. Tucking is 
 done by the week. 
 
 In shop No. 1230 body making is done by the piece; the trimming 
 is done by the piece by a man having an assistant; the sleeve setting 
 is done by the piece, while the sleeve making, tucking, lace running, 
 buttonhole making, and button sewing are done by the week. 
 
 1 For a description of these processes, see Part I of this report, pages 93, 94. 
 
192 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 The method of compensation for the different operating processes 
 is shown in the following comparative statement for four of the prin- 
 cipal shops investigated, all making waists selling at $9 a dozen: 1 
 
 Buttonhole making. 
 
 Shop No. 1191. 
 
 Week work $15 per 
 week. 
 
 Week work. 
 
 Work done by a set of 
 3 to 5 persons work- 
 ing by the week; 
 each person does 
 one or more proc- 
 esses according to 
 his or her ability or 
 the requirements of 
 the shop at the 
 time. 
 
 Done by the body 
 makers paid by the 
 week. 
 
 This is the only work 
 paid by the piece 
 in this shop. 
 
 Week work. 
 
 Shop No. 1232. 
 
 Week work 18 
 per week. 
 
 Shop No. 1230. 
 
 Week work $4.50 
 per week. 
 
 Button sewing. 
 
 Week work. Week work. 
 
 Body making. 2 
 
 Work done by an 
 operator (usually 
 a man) working 
 with an assistant 
 (either man or 
 woman) ; opera- 
 tor paid by the 
 piece; assistant 
 paid by the oper- 
 ator, usually on a 
 weekly basis. 
 
 Work done by an 
 operator working 
 singly or with an 
 assistant. Of the 
 body makers 
 whose work was 
 timed, 6 were 
 men working 
 with 1 assistant 
 each; 2 w e r e 
 women with 1 as- 
 sistant each; 4 
 were women 
 working in part- 
 nerships of 2 each, 
 and 15 were wo- 
 men working 
 singly. Piece- 
 work. 
 
 Trimming. 
 
 Done by "trim- Done by body mak- 
 mers " working ers on a piece ba- 
 by the week. sis. 
 
 Closing and hemming. 
 
 Closing done by a 
 male operator by 
 the piece; hem- 
 ming done by 
 another man like- 
 wise by the piece. 
 
 All the closing and 
 hemming done 
 by 1 man piece- 
 worker with 1 as- 
 sistant who is 
 paid by the oper- 
 ator by the week. 
 
 Sleeve making. 
 Week work. Week work. 
 
 Sleeve setting. 
 
 Shop No. 1284. 
 
 Piecework 1 man 
 with assistants. 
 
 Piecework 1 man 
 with assistants. 
 
 Work done by an 
 operator working 
 singly or with an 
 assistant. Of the 
 body makers 
 under observa 
 tion, 7 were men 
 working with 
 assistant each, 
 were men work 
 ing singly, 6 were 
 women working 
 in partnerships o 
 2 each, and 10 
 were women 
 working singly 
 Piecework. 
 
 Done by body mak- 
 ers on a piece ba- 
 
 All the closing anc 
 hemming done 
 by 1 man piece- 
 worker with 4 as- 
 sistants who are 
 paid by the oper- 
 ator by the week. 
 
 Done by the body 
 makers; piece- 
 work. 
 
 Week w o r k girl, 
 $16; man, .$11. 
 
 Piecework 1 
 man. 
 
 Piecework 2 
 
 men with 1 assist- 
 ant each. 
 
 Piecework by the 
 operator doing 
 the closing and 
 hemming. 
 
 In the fifth shop, designated as shop No. 1110, only a few operations outside of body making proper 
 were timed, as will appear from the following pages. 
 
 a Work includes closing shoulders, making centers, tacking (shirring) fronts and backs, setting high 
 collars. 
 
WAGES A^D EMPLOYMENT IN DKESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 193 
 
 Tucking. 
 
 AVeek work 10 wo- Strip tucking by Week w o r k 3 Strip tucking by 
 
 men, $9 to $15; 3 the week; short men, $18 each; 1 the week; short 
 
 men, $14 to $18. tucking by the man $6; 5 women tucking by the 
 
 body makers by $7.50 to $14. body makers by 
 
 the piece. the piece. 
 
 Lace running. 
 
 Week w o r k girls, Week work $10 to Week work d one Week work 9 to 
 $10 to $13 a week. $16 a week. by the tuckers, $15 a week. 
 
 $15 to $18 a week. 
 
 In the three shops making medium-priced waists the following 
 conditions were encountered : 
 
 In one shop an opportunity was furnished to study only a few 
 processes. In each of the other two factories the investigators 
 spent about three weeks. As a result of the study it was discovered 
 that one of the two shops was undergoing a transformation, owing 
 to a radical change in its system of work, which resulted in con- 
 siderable disorganization during the time the processes were being 
 studied, and therefore yielded data which can not be taken as typical 
 for an average factory. This leaves more or less complete data for 
 only one shop of the class manufacturing medium-priced waists. 
 Some of the processes in this class do not differ from those employed 
 on $9 waists, and therefore have been combined with the figures 
 obtained from the other shops. A large number of the processes, 
 however, are either different from those employed in the $9 shops 
 or are carried on with materials not used in $9 shops, such as chiffon, 
 nets, and laces, and therefore are not embodied in this report, except 
 in the part relating to buttonhole making. 
 
 BASIS FOR PIECE-RATE COMPENSATION. 
 
 The chief difficulty with a piece-rate schedule for the making of 
 garments is in finding a satisfactory basis that will meet the varying 
 conditions under which the products of the garment industry are 
 made. Styles of garments change very radically, and the amount 
 of work necessary to produce two garments selling at the same price 
 may differ 100 per cent, and sometimes a great deal more. In one 
 case there will be comparatively little labor and finer material, and 
 more or better trimmings. In the other case there will be relatively 
 more labor with a consequent saving in the cost of material and trim- 
 mings. The selling price of the garment can not be used, therefore, 
 as a basis in fixing the piece rates for labor, as is, for instance, the 
 case in the coal industry, and in certain branches of the iron and 
 steel industry producing the cruder products. The price of the 
 garment does affect the character of the labor in a broad way, in so 
 far as labor of a higher skill is required in the higher-priced garments 
 42132 Bull. 14614 13 
 
194 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 and the work has to be done more carefully and therefore more: 
 slowly than in the garments of the cheaper grade. It is, therefore,! 
 necessary to time separately the operating processes in the $9 shops 
 and in the shops manufacturing the higher-grade garments. But I 
 there is no fixed relation between the price of a garment and the piece ! 
 rate paid to the operator for making the garment. It would not be! 
 practicable, therefore, to fix separate rates of compensation for 
 different garments according to their selling prices. In a shop 
 manufacturing waists selling from $16.50 to $42 per dozen, the same 
 operators are usually employed on all the garments except that if 
 only a small quantity of garments of the higher price is produced it 
 will be natural for the foreman to assign them to the best workers in 
 the shop. The greatest differences in the rates of pay according to 
 the price of the garment will occur in connection with body making, 
 since in addition to the work of mere sewing there is a good deal of 
 labor involved in the handling of the waist, which takes more time 
 in the higher-priced garments. Moreover, the higher-priced garments 
 are made in smaller quantities, and it takes an operator more time 
 to turn out a given garment working on a small quantity of gar- 
 ments than on a large one. 
 
 In the case of separate processes, however, outside of body making 
 proper, such as closing, hemming, tucking, lace running, buttonhole 
 making, button sewing, etc., the work does not differ much, if at all, 
 as between waists of different prices in the same shops. As betweea 
 different shops, it may be stated, as a rule, that a smaller stitch is 
 used on the finer garments and a larger one on the cheaper garments, 
 but even that, as will be shown further on, does not seem to have 
 an appreciable effect on the time it takes to do the work. 
 
 The amount of time taken for the same processes will differ a great 
 deal with the material used: Silks, such as Japanese or China silk, 
 cr6pe de Chine, and messaline are more difficult to handle than cottons 
 like voiles and lawns. In turn, chiffons, nets, and laces are more 
 difficult to handle than the solid silks just mentioned. Each of these 
 groups of materials would therefore require a different rate of com- 
 pensation and, as the prices of waists would vary with these materials, 
 it may be said in that sense that the price for labor differs with the 
 price of waists, although the relation between the two is but an 
 indirect one. 
 
 From the foregoing it will be clear that the price of a garment 
 could not serve as a basis for a piece-rate schedule. The outlook 
 seemed more promising if attention were turned to the discovery of 
 an irreducible unit of work common to all operating processes and 
 to all garments, irrespective of style or materials of which made. 
 A study of the processes of dress and waist manufacture led to the 
 conclusion that the stitch would furnish such a basis. The operating 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 195 
 
 work on all garments, from the cheapest cotton waist to the most 
 expensive silk gown trimmed with fine lace and embroideries, is 
 reduced to one common denominator the stitch made by the 
 needle of the sewing machine operated by the dress or waist maker 
 known as operator. The single stitch produced by two successive 
 movements of the machine needle forms the irreducible unit in the 
 operating processes corresponding to the atom in the chemical 
 composition of matter. 
 
 A further study of the manufacturing processes, however, showed 
 that the stitch would form too fine a basis on the one hand and not 
 an entirely accurate one on the other. The time it takes to do a 
 certain amount of machine sewing will depend not only on the number 
 of stitches, but also on the number of stops the operator will have to 
 make. With the machine making 3,400 revolutions per minute, an 
 operator on a Wilcox & Gibbs machine for one minute can produce 
 a seam containing 3,400 stitches if allowed to work without a stop. 
 If the sewing of the particular garment is made at the rate of 16 
 stitches to the inch, which is done on fine work, the operator will 
 stitch a seam equal to 212 inches or nearly 6 yards long. This 
 theoretical standard is more or less approximated on work in which 
 sewing can be carried on in straight seams extending over yards of 
 cloth, although even in this case the work accomplished will fall short 
 of the theoretical estimate on account of unavoidable causes, such as 
 the gradual working up of the speed ot the machine at the start, the 
 slowing down of the machine before each stop, the fixing or replacing 
 of the thread, the feeding of the cloth, etc. The only processes in 
 which such work can be done are strip tucking, strip hemming, and 
 lace running, in which work is done on long runs of cloth and is paid 
 for by the yard or 100 yards. In most of the other work the length 
 of a seam can not exceed the length of a waist or a skirt, and is 
 measured in inches and not yards, which means that the operator is 
 obliged, as a rule, to stop the machine at frequent intervals after 
 operating it for a fraction of a minute. That being the case, the 
 time lost in stopping and starting the machine and shifting the mate- 
 rial under the needle exceeds the time spent in the productive work 
 of making a seam of ordinary length. An illustration will make this 
 clear : 
 
 Taking, for example, two seams on a waist, one 6 inches (the 
 length of a shoulder seam) and the other 10 inches long (length of a 
 side seam from the armhole to the hem), 12 stitches to the inch, the 
 theoretical time required to do each on a Union Special machine 
 making 3,000 revolutions per minute is 1.4 and 2.4 seconds, respec- 
 tively. But the time it will take the operator to fix the garment in 
 position under the needle, start the machine, stop the machine after 
 the seam is made, take out the garment so as to change its position 
 
196 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 for the next process, or to replace it with the next garment, will 
 amount to anywhere from 10 to 25 times that interval, making the i 
 time spent in stitching the seam so small a fraction of the total as to ; 
 render the number of stitches or the length of the seam within certain 
 limits immaterial. The number of stitches contained in a given seam 
 would therefore fait to furnish an accurate basis for estimating the 
 time it would take to do the work, and hence would not be suitable 
 as a basis for a piece-rate schedule. 
 
 The seam of a waist, irrespective of its length, \vitlmi certain limits, 
 which will be considered elsewhere, is therefore more suitable as 
 unit of measure than a stitch. As a matter of fact, some manufac- 
 turers have been in the habit of fixing the rate per garment roughly 
 on a seam basis, calling it "a stitch rate." The term '"stitch" when 
 used in connection with piece rates in the dress and waist industry 
 is always meant in the sense of a seam. To bring the terms used in 
 this report in close consonance w T ith the trade terms, while avoiding 
 at the same time the erroneous use of the trade term of "stitch," 
 ihe expression "row of stitching" has been adopted in this report. 
 This term has the advantage of having the sound of "stitch" when 
 pronounced without conveying any other meaning than the word 
 "seam." At the same time it has the advantage over the term 
 "seam" since it can be applied to any kind of sewing, while "seam" 
 usually conveys the idea of the joining of two pieces of cloth. 
 
 The conclusion ariived at as to the adaptability of the row of 
 stitching as a unit of measure ot an operators work has met with 
 the approval of all the manufacturers who have either given a study 
 to the question or have tried it out in their own practice, as well as 
 with the approval of experienced operators. 
 
 So far as actual practice goes, the row of stitching has been used 
 only in a crude way, workers being paid at the rate of 6, 7, or 8 
 "stitches for a cent," as the phrase goes in the dress and waist 
 industry. No distinction is made as to the kinds of stitching or the 
 part of the garment on which they are made. 
 
 Here again the study of the processes and the timing of the 
 thousands of operations in various shops have shown the great differ- 
 ence in time it takes to do the different kinds of stitching. As will 
 be shown in connection with the discussion of the different processes, 
 an operator may earn as much money by being paid at the rate of 
 10 rows of stitching for 1 cent on some processes as he will at the 
 rate of 2 rows for 1 cent on others. In a crude way this has been 
 recognized by manufacturers, who pay the body makers a fixed 
 amount for the "body" and an additional amount for the other 
 parts of the garment at the rate of so many rows for 1 cent. The 
 body making proper consists of the closing (i. e., joining) of the 
 shoulders, the making of the center pieces or facings (the parts of the 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 19? 
 
 waist holding the buttonholes and buttons), the shirring of the 
 fronts and backs of the waist at the waistline, and the setting of the 
 collar. It consists of 14 to 16 rows of stitching per waist, and is 
 paid at the rate of 45 to 80 cents per dozen waists, which is equiva- 
 lent to about 2^ to 4 rows of stitching for a cent. For the remaining 
 work the body maker is paid at the rate of 6 to 8 rows for 1 cent. 
 
 In this way some measure of discrimination between the different 
 processes is introduced, though in a very crude manner, since some of 
 the processes paid for at the rate of 7 rows for a cent are more difficult 
 and require more time than those included in the "body" at the rate 
 of only 3 to 4 rows for a cent. 
 
 The necessity of timing each process separately and fixing a standard 
 of compensation for each, therefore, appeared very clear. The 
 method adopted for this purpose was as follows: In each shop inves- 
 tigated groups of three to five operators each were placed under the 
 observation of an agent of the wage-scale board. The time of starting 
 and completing each operation was carefully noted on a card. AU 
 interruptions in the work and the number of minutes they lasted 
 were noted as well as the causes of such interruptions, the causes 
 being grouped under three heads: (1) Waiting for parts, (2) machine 
 fixing, and (3) personal needs. 
 
 The work under each process has been reduced to the number of 
 rows of stitching per hour, which may serve as a basis for fixing the 
 compensation for each process in terms of rows of stitching for 1 cent. 
 
 The details are given below under each process. 
 
 TUCKING. 
 
 As explained on page 90, the work of tucking consists of making 
 folds or plaits of varying widths, and stitching them over on a machine. 
 Although the work is comparatively simple, some of it requires great 
 skill, and most of the tucking is done by operators called "tuckers" 
 who specialize in this work. Occasionally tucking is done by body 
 makers, especially when a waist contains but a few short tucks, when 
 it does not pa}^ to interrupt the work and turn it over to a tucker. 
 
 Tucking is divided into two broad cla; ses strip tucking and short 
 tucking. By strip tucking is meant tucking done on long strips of 
 cloth, sometimes hundreds of yards long, paid for at the rate of so 
 many cents per hundred yards, if done by the piece. Short tucking 
 consists of making individual tucks of varying length or width on the 
 waist or parts of waist or skirt. In strip tucking, once the strip of 
 cloth has been started going under the needle and the so-called knife 
 attachment has been adjusted to produce a tuck of a given width, 
 the operator has but little to do besides feeding the cloth under the 
 needle. There is no occasion for stopping the machine except when 
 tii'-' needle breaks, or the thread breaks or gives out. In short tuck- 
 
198 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 ing the operator must be constantly on the lookout and the machii 
 is started and stopped at intervals of a few seconds, as the tucks ai 
 short, and there is nothing but the operator's watchfulness and ski] 
 to regulate the operation of the machine. 
 
 From this it follows that, all things being equal, it requires great 
 skill to do short tucking than strip tucking. Short tucking is doi 
 only by body makers, or experienced tuckers, while strip tucking is 
 frequently done by beginners who are learning to do tucking. Evei 
 if there were no difference in the wages paid to those who do stri] 
 tucking and the operators who do short tucking, strip tucking woul< 
 naturally be cheaper. In short tucking more time is consumed ii 
 stopping and starting the machine and adjusting the material undei 
 the needle for each tuck than in the actual process of making 
 tuck; in strip tucking this loss of time is largely eliminated. For thu 
 reason, on all cheap waists and on a large part of the medium-pri< 
 waists, the effort is always made to arrange the tucking in such 
 manner as to make it possible to produce it in the form of stri] 
 tucks, which are then cut up into the required lengths and fitte< 
 into the waists according to the design. This greatly reduces the cosl 
 of tucking. 
 
 It is not always possible, however, to do the tucking of a waist ii 
 this manner. Where the tucks on a waist or part of a waist, such 
 a sleeve or a cuff, are arranged so that they run through the enth 
 length of that part, strip tucking is possible; on the other hand, 
 where the tucks are arranged in clusters in which the Individ ui 
 tucks are of varying lengths and cover only a part of the length or th< 
 width of a waist, sleeve, or cuff, strip tucking is not possible, and the 
 tucks must be made separately on each waist. In some shops 
 attempt is made in such cases to save time through the process knowi 
 as " double tucking," which consists of joining together two parts of 
 waist having similar tucks, such as two fronts or two backs, am 
 making the tuck on the two in one process; the two parts are thei 
 cut apart. In spite of the loss of time which is caused by joining the 
 two pieces together and cutting them apart, the time saved in n< 
 having to stop and start the machine for each tuck is more than suffi- 
 cient to result in a net saving of time. The tables following show tl 
 average time required to do tucking of various kinds. 
 
 STRIP TUCKING. 
 
 Strip tucking was timed in 6 shops. Of these, 4 shops, nameb 
 Nos. 1191, 1230, 1232, and 1284, were shops making exclusively $9-i 
 dozen waists, while shops Nos. 1090 and 1.1 16. manufactured mediuj 
 priced waists, selling from $16.50 up. The total number of persoi 
 under observation for strip tucking in these 6 shops was 23. 
 total number of yards tucked, on which these tables are based, ws 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DEESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 199 
 
 69,527^, representing a total expenditure of time equivalent to 373 
 hours and 21 minutes for one person. It is therefore believed that 
 the figures here presented are based upon a sufficiently broad scale 
 to yield a fair average. While these averages represent quite a wide 
 range, they have the merit of representing conditions as they are. 
 Moreover, all the averages are weighted averages ; that is to say, the 
 work of each person and of every shop has been given a weight in 
 proportion to their respective output. An illustration will make 
 this clear: If there were two tuckers in a shop, one turning out 50 
 yards per hour and the other 500 yards per hour, this would represent 
 an average of 275 yards an hour; but if the shop employs only five 
 workers producing 50 yards per hour and 25 workers producing 500 
 yards an hour each, the true shop average is a weighted average, 
 which is obtained in the manner shown in the following figures : 
 
 Number of Hourly output Total output 
 
 workers. per worker. per hour. 
 
 5 50 250 
 
 25 500 12, 500 
 
 30 550 12, 750 
 
 Weighted average hourly output per worker 12,750^30 = 425. 
 In other words, while the simple average would be 275 yards, the 
 weighted or true average is 425 yards. This method has been used 
 throughout these calculations, both in getting the average output 
 of each worker from the several jobs for which he was timed, as well 
 as in getting the shop average from the several workers' averages, 
 and, finally, the average for the industry from the several shop aver- 
 ages. In this way extremes, whether in the form of very high or 
 very low output, do not appreciably affect the average, since they 
 are given a weight proportional to the extent to which they occur 
 in the shops or in the industry. 1 
 
 The output per hour on strip tucking varies with 
 
 1 . The skill of the individual worker. 
 
 2. The machine on which it is done. 
 
 3. The number of needles on the machine. 
 
 4. The width of the tuck. 
 
 5. The width of the material. 
 
 6. The fineness of the stitch. 
 
 .7. The material on which the tucking is done. 
 
 8. The size of the job; that is to say, the number of yards the 
 operator can work on without a stop. 
 
 1. That the skill of the worker will affect his output needs no expla- 
 nation. Unfortunately, there is no direct way of tracing the connec- 
 tion between the skill of the worker and his output as shown in the 
 
 i Figures of exceptionally low output due to the fact that they represented the work of apprentices or 
 beginners were discarded. 
 
200 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 tables, except in so far as the wages of the week workers give an 
 indication of this, for in a general way it is true that the more skillful 
 workers command higher wages. However, there is no strict pro- 
 portion between the skill and the wages of the worker, and it will 
 frequently be found that workers of fairly equal skill will be getting 
 different rates of wages, depending on the length of service of the 
 workers in the shop, then* ability to bargain for better compensation, 
 and other more or less incidental causes. 
 
 2. The machine used is an important factor in determining the out- 
 put of the operator. The two machines in general use for tucking are 
 the Wilcox & Gibbs and the Singer, the former being the faster of the 
 two. The Wilcox & Gibbs machine makes about 3,400 revolutions 
 per minute, while the Singer makes all the way from 1,600 to 2,400 
 revolutions, according to the way in which the shafts and pulleys 
 are arranged in the different shops. 
 
 3. Much of the tucking is done in clusters of from 2 to 10 tucks each; 
 and sometimes even more. In order to save time, machines are made 
 with more than one needle. The multiple-needle machine most in 
 use in the dress and waist industry is the 5-needle machine, though 8 
 and 10 needle machines are also to be found. If a cluster of less 
 than 5 tucks has to be made, one or more needles is taken out for the 
 time being. By the use of a 5-needle machine a cluster of 5 tucks can 
 thus be made in one operation, where five operations would be needed, 
 if an ordinary single-needle machine were used. However, owing 
 to the more complicated character of the machine, it can not be 
 operated as fast as the single-needle machine, and the greater the 
 number of needles the slower the operation. 
 
 4. On tucks not exceeding half an inch in width, the difference in 
 width does not affect the output. On wider tucks, the greater the 
 width the more difficult for the operator to keep the material from 
 creasing under the "foot," and therefore the smaller the output. 
 
 5. The wider the material the more difficult it is to handle it in the 
 machine, and therefore the less will be the output of the operator. 
 
 6. All other things being equal, the finer the stitch that is, the 
 greater the number of stitches to the inch the less will be the number 
 of yards stitched in a given period of time. This is especially true of 
 work like strip tucking, where the machine can be kept in continuous 
 operation over a great many yards of cloth without stopping. 
 
 7. The output on cotton material, like voile or lawn, will be 
 greater, all other things being equal, than on material like chiffon, 
 which easily stretches and therefore must be handled with great care 
 and at a lower speed. 
 
 8. Other things being equal, the larger the j ob given to the worker at 
 a time the greater will be the output, since he will be enabled to work 
 longer without interruption. On strip tucking, whether done by a 
 

 WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 201 
 
 gle-needle or multiple-needle machine, there may be more than 
 one tuck or more than one cluster on a given strip of cloth. If the 
 work calls for, say, 5 tucks on a single-needle machine, or 5 clusters 
 on a multiple-needle machine, the operator will have to make 5 runs 
 on a strip furnished to him before he is through with the job. As the 
 machine must be stopped at the beginning and end of each run, the 
 question is not so much as to the number of yards to the job as of 
 the number of yards to each run. This is indicated in the last column 
 of Tables 77 A and 77B. 
 
 The results given in Tables 77A and 77B were obtained on the basis 
 explained above. The figures appearing in the column headed "yards 
 per hour/' represent in each case an average of two or more jobs com- 
 pleted by the same person, this average being obtained on the same 
 basis as the shop average and the average for the industry that is 
 to say, each job being given a weight corresponding to its size. 
 
 Taking first the work done on a single-needle Wilcox & Gibbs 
 machine, we find a fairly uniform output if we compare the average 
 output of three shops, of which two make $9-a-dozen waists, while 
 one, No. 1116, manufactures a medium grade of goods. This shop- 
 shows the lowest output per hour of the three, namely, 239 yards 
 per hour (line 11), while the highest, in shop No. 1230, is only 
 258 yards per hour (line 4), and the average for the three shops is 
 247 yards per hour (line 12). On the other hand, the average for 
 shop No. 1090 is only 176 yards per hour (line 14). This is due 
 chiefly to the fact that the tucking in shop No. 1090 was done on a 
 Singer machine. These figures were therefore not included with the 
 average representing the output of the shops mentioned above on a 
 Wilcox & Gibbs machine. 
 
 CHIFFONS VERSUS COTTON. 
 
 A small amount, 175J yards of strip tucking, was done on chiffon 
 in shop No. 1090 on a single-needle Singer machine while the inves- 
 tigation was in progress, showing an output of 92 yards per hour. 
 The operator was under observation for 115 minutes, or nearly 2 
 hours. As this operator earned practically the same amount of 
 money as the one who showed an output of 176 yards per hour on 
 the same machine on cotton material, the two figures seem to offer 
 a fair basis for adjusting the rate on chiffons, which should be higher 
 than the rate on cotton on the same machine. 
 
202 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 
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WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 203 
 
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 Shop No. and 
 operator No. 
 
 5-NEEDLE MACHINE. 
 
 99-waist shops. 
 
 Shop No. 1230: 
 Operator No. 1 
 Operator No. 2 
 
 ! 
 
 Shop No. 1284: 
 Operator No. 12. .. 
 Shop No. 1232: 
 Operator No. 23. .. 
 
 Average, 3 shops. 
 
 8-NEEDLE MACHINE. 
 
 Medium-price waist 
 shops. 
 
 Shop No. 1090: 
 Operator No. 20 . . 
 
 || 
 
 S2 
 
 
 
 15 2 
 
 a 
 
 S 
 

 WA'.iES AXD EMPLOYMENT IX DBESS AXD-' WAIST '' INDUSTRY. 205- 
 SINGER 4-NEEDLE MACHINE. 
 
 The average output per hour on a 4-iioodle machine in two $9-a- 
 dozen waist shops was 155 and 159 yards per hour, respectively. 
 The hourly output of the individual workers in these shops on this 
 class of work varied from 77 to 199 yards per hour. This variation 
 was due not only to the differences in the speed of the different 
 operators, which is reflected in their weekly wages shown in the fifth 
 column of Table 77B, but also to the differences in the size of their 
 jobs, and more particularly the number of yards to the run. Thus 
 the lowest output of 77 yards per hour (line 10 of Table 77B) was on 
 a job having the smallest number of yards per run, namely, 15; the 
 highest output of 199 yards per hour was by a worker who had from 
 50 to 168 yards of tucking per run. It is true that the output per 
 Hour is not directly proportional to the length of the run so far as it 
 can be seen from the table, but that is due to the presence of other 
 factors affecting the output, mentioned elsewhere. The average 
 I output on a 4-needle Singer machine in shop No. 1116, which is 
 ! outside of the $9-a-dozen group, was 110 yards per hour. Though 
 lower than the figures for the $9-a-dozen shops, it has been included 
 Jin the general average first, because there is no reason why the 
 work 011 the same machine should be any more difficult in this shop 
 [ than in $9-a-dozen waist shops, there being no essential difference 
 in the stitches per inch, width of the material, width of the tuck, or 
 ! length of the run; second, because the total quantity timed in this 
 I shop (850 yards) is so small, as compared with the total of the other 
 two shops (20,879 yards), as to have no appreciable effect upon the 
 ffonoral average. 
 
 SINGER 5-NEEDLE MACHINE. 
 
 The average output per hour on the 5-needle Singer machine was 
 i found to be 130 yards. This average was based on timing the tuck- 
 ing of 8,336 yards in three $9-a-dozen waist shops, and represents a 
 j range in individual production of from 73 to 258 yards per hour, the 
 lowest output being that of a girl receiving $8 a week (line 17) and 
 the highest of one receiving $12.50 a week (line 15). It should be 
 |5noted, however, that the same girl had an output of only 157 yards 
 on a 4-iieedle machine. The output of 258 yards must therefore be 
 regarded as exceptional and may be partly explained by the fact that 
 ! it was achieved on a very small job of 86 yards, which lasted only 20 
 minutes. The output on small jobs of this kind can never be taken 
 as reliable, and is apt to be either too large or too small, as will be 
 seen from the tables in this report. The operator may be fortunate 
 in making a short run under very favorable conditions which could 
 not last if she continued to work for a considerable length of time, 
 and the output will appear very large; or the contrary may be the 
 case, and the output will turn out very small. 
 
206 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 SINGER 8-NEEDLE MACHINE. 
 
 Only one worker in shop No. 1090 was found to operate an 8-needl 
 machine in the course of the investigation. The job on which sh 
 was timed consisted of two runs of 225 yards each, showing an outpu 
 of 146 yards per hour. 
 
 SHORT TUCKING. 
 
 Short tucking was timed in the same shops as the strip tucking 
 The total number of persons under observation for short tucking 
 these six shops was 54. Of these 22 were men and 32 were women 
 These people tucked 282 -J-J dozen waists while under observation 
 which took the equivalent of 449 hours and 27 minutes for one per 
 son. The same method was used in calculating the averages in th 
 case of short tucking as in the case of strip tucking, and in fact tlii 
 method has been used throughout this part of the report, unles 
 otherwise stated. The output of a worker engaged in making short 
 tucks will depend, apart from the individual speed of the worker and 
 of the machine, (1) on the length of the tuck, (2) the width of the 
 tuck, (3) the fineness of the stitch, (4) the material of which the gar- 
 ment is made, (5) the number of tucks to the waist, (6) the size of the 
 bundle which the worker receives, (7) on whether the tucks are of 
 uniform or various widths, and (8) on whether they are arranged 
 singly or in clusters. 
 
 1 . All other things being equal, the longer the tuck the more time 
 it will take to make it. That is true, however, only when we speak of 
 tucks differing considerably in length, such as a tuck of 5 or 6 inches 
 as compared with one of 21 to 24 inches. It would not be true of 
 tucks differing by a few inches. Within certain limits the length of 
 the tuck is not material because the time lost in starting and stopping 
 the machine and shifting the material far exceeds the time taken to 
 make the tuck, and as the making of a tuck 4 inches long or 9 inches 
 long is a matter of seconds in either case, the difference in time taken 
 to do the different tucks within those limits is so small as to be negli- 
 gible for practical purposes. Moreover, as the same worker makes all 
 the tucks on a waist, no matter what their length, the average rate 
 finds its counterpart in the average time it will take to do the average 
 tuck representing different lengths. For purposes of comparison, 
 the data have been tabulated separately in two groups so far as the 
 length of the tucks is concerned, namely, those 9 inches or less and 
 those over 9 and up to 24 inches long, 24 inches being the extreme 
 length of a waist. Occasionally tucks exceed that length when made 
 across the waist, in which case they may reach the length of 36 inches 
 or more. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 207 
 
 2. The width of the tuck will affect the output on short tucks in 
 the same manner as on strip tucking as explained ahove. 
 
 3. The number of stitches per inch naturally affects the output, but 
 it is of less practical importance on short tucking than on strip tucking, 
 for reasons already explained. 
 
 4. The effect of the material on output has been explained under 
 strip tucking. 
 
 5. The number of tucks per waist is of great importance in determin- 
 ing the output. The more tucks a waist contains, the fewer waists an 
 operator must handle to turn out a given number of tucks, and as the 
 handling of the material takes up a considerable part of the total 
 time at work, this is an important factor in affecting the output. 
 
 6. The size of the bundle that is, the number of waists contained 
 in a single job is of great importance in determining the output of an 
 operator. The larger the job, the longer the operator can carry on 
 his work without interruption. The mere stopping of work to fold 
 the waists and tie up the bundle and take it to the foreman in order 
 to get the next bundle, results in the loss of at least five minutes. 
 If, in addition to that, the operator must wait for his next job because 
 the foreman is too busy to attend to him at once, the time lost 
 between the completion of one job and the commencement of the 
 other may be increased very materially. If the bundle given to the 
 worker is large the time lost in tying up the bundle and getting the 
 next bundle will constitute a much smaller percentage of the time 
 actually spent at work than in case the bundle is small. 
 
 7. If the tucks are all of uniform width, the gauge which regulates 
 the width of the tuck has to be set only once. On the contrary, if 
 the tucks are of varying widths, the gauge has to be reset every time 
 that a tuck of a new width has to be made. 
 
 8. If tucks are arranged in uniform clusters that is to say, clusters 
 in which the distance between the tucks is the same, and in which the 
 tucks are of uniform width it is much easier for the operator to 
 handle them than if the distance between the tucks varies and the 
 width of the tucks varies at the same time. 
 
 The only way in which to obtain conclusive data as to the effect 
 of each of these factors on output would have been to test the same 
 worker on jobs, of the same character, varying only one of these 
 factors at a time. As the tests had to be conducted in shops without 
 disturbing their routine and merely timing the work of the operators 
 under such conditions as were found to exist at the time, such a 
 procedure was impossible. For this reason it will be difficult to 
 analyze in detail the causes of the difference in output in the different 
 shops given in the tables, though in a general way the connection 
 between the causes mentioned arid the output may be seen. 
 
208 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 WILCOX & GIBBS MACHINE. 
 
 Comparing lines 1 and 2 of Table 77C, we find that both have 34 
 tucks to a waist, but while the tucks in line 1 are of uniform length 
 and width, 3J inches long and ^ inch wide, the tucks in line 2 vary 
 in length from 5 to 7i inches. This makes it more difficult for the 
 operator, who must watch the length of each tuck. The result is a 
 smaller output, 183 tucks per hour, while in the former case it is 219 
 tucks per hour, in spite of the fact that the smaller output was pro- 
 duced on a Wilcox & Gibbs machine and the larger on the slower 
 machine. 
 
 Line 3 shows an output of only 48 tucks per hour. In this case 
 there is only 1 tuck to the waist against 34 tucks to the waist in 
 lines 1 and 2, and the width of the tuck is 1 inch as against T V inch 
 and J inch in the jobs given above. As already explained, the fewer 
 tucks to the waist the greater the proportion of time lost on each 
 tuck in handling the work. Likewise the width of the tuck, especially 
 when it reaches 1 inch and over, makes the work more difficult for 
 the operator to handle and reduces the output. Similar causes 
 account for the great difference in output in the other jobs given in 
 the following lines of Table 77C, although it is difficult to point out 
 in each case the particular cause or causes responsible for the result, 
 in view of the fact that frequently two or more causes combine to 
 affect the output. Thus the output in line 5 is 237 tucks per hour, 
 while in line 6 it is 200 tucks. As the number of tucks to the waist 
 in line 5 is 12, and in line 6 it is twice as large, and as there is no 
 essential difference in other respects, the output in line 6 should ha\e 
 been considerably greater than in line 5; instead of that, it is smaller. 
 The reason is that line 5 represents the work of four of the best 
 operators in the shop, receiving $12, $14, $15, and $18 per week, 
 respectively, two of them being men, while the work in line 6 repre- 
 sents the output of two girls receiving $10 and $11 per week who are 
 slower workers than the others. 
 
 The same observations can be made with reference to tucks exceed- 
 ing 9 inches in length. Line 10 shows an output of 123 tucks per 
 hour when there are 18 tucks to the waist. 
 
 Line 11 shows an output of 134 tucks per hour with the number 
 of tucks per waist increased to 20. 
 
 Line 12 shows an output of 252 tucks per hour with the number of 
 tucks per waist rising to 52. 
 
 The number of tucks per waist drops to 42 in line 13, and the out- 
 put drops to 225 tucks per hour. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 209 
 
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 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
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WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 211 
 
 In line 14 the number of tucks per waist drops further to 22 with 
 the result that the output per hour goes down to 166. But in line 
 15, with the same number of tucks per waist, the output rises to 257 
 tucks per hour, which is accounted for by the fact that in this case 
 the tucks are all of uniform width, namely, J inch, whereas in the 
 preceding cases there were tucks of three different widths: Pin (-% 
 i inch), J inch, and } inch. 
 
 In line 16 the number of tucks per waist rises to 66 and all of them 
 are of uniform width, namely, pin-tuck size, and as should be 
 expected, the output per hour increases very materially, namely, to 
 371 tucks. 
 
 Enough has been said in explanation of the figures to show the 
 effect of the different causes on the output per hour. 
 
 DOUBLE TUCKS. 
 
 As already explained (p. 198), it is customary in many shops to 
 join together two parts of a waist having similar tucks, such as two 
 fronts or two back 5, and thus make the tucks on the two waists in 
 one process. In spite of the loss of time in joining the two pieces 
 together and cutting them apart, there is a considerable saving of 
 time, because it does not take much more time to do a tuck of double 
 length than it does to do a single tuck. Table 77D shows the out- 
 put on double tucks. It wi 1 ! be seen that the output on these double 
 tucks does not differ much from that on single tucks. Thus the 
 output on double tucks of the total length of 10 inches (that is, 2 
 tucks of 5 inches each), 12 tucks to the waist, is 214 tucks per hour. 
 
 Line 2 shows the output to be only 111 tucks per hour when the 
 length of the tucks on the waist is 14 inches and 54 inches. 
 
 Line 3 shows an output of 100 tucks per hour when the length of 
 the double tuck is 36 inches and there are only 7 tucks to the waist. 
 
 Line 4 shows the output of 154 tucks per hour with the length of 
 the double tuck only 13 inches and the number of tucks to the waist 
 being 9. 
 
 In line 5 the output per hour drops to 62 because the length of 
 the double tuck increases to 42 inches, the number of tucks to the 
 waist drops to 6, and the total number of tucks to the job drops to 
 only 144. 
 
 Finally, line 6 shows an output of 91 tucks per hour on the same 
 length of tuck with the number of tucks per waist increased to 8. 
 
 Lines 8 to 10 show the time it takes to join the two similar parts of 
 a waist in order to make a double tuck. This work was timed only 
 in shop No. 1230, which is a typical $9-a-dozen waist shop. The output 
 of one operator, receiving $18 per week, was 189 rows of stitching per 
 hour; that is to say, 189 pairs of parts. The output of the other 
 operator, also receiving $18 per week, was 206 rows of stitching per 
 hour, the average of the two being 202. Both operators were men. 
 
212 BULLETIN OF THE BUBEAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
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 WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 213 
 SINGLE-NEEDLE SINGER MACHINE. 
 
 Table 77E shows the output on a Singer single-needle machine. 
 The same causes which affect the output on a Wilcox & Gibbs ma- 
 chine will also affect work done on a Singer machine. Thus the 
 output in line 1 on a job in which there are 84 tucks per waist (J 
 inch wide) is 125 tucks per hour, and in line 2, representing similar 
 work by another operator, the output is practically the same, namely, 
 122 tucks per hour. In line 3 the production drops to 104 tucks 
 per hour on the same class of work, but with only 2 dozen waists to 
 the job instead of 3 dozen as in the preceding case. It should be 
 noted that in each of the above cases the tucks exceeding 23 inches 
 in length were " cross-tucks/' i. e., tucks running across the waist, 
 which had to be stitched over the tucks covering the waist length- 
 wise. This makes the work somewhat more difficult, and therefore 
 takes more time than ordinary tucking. As the cross tucks could 
 not be timed separately from the other tucks, the output is given 
 for the entire job. The average for the three jobs was 118 tucks 
 per hour. 
 
 The same operator shows an output of 110 tucks per hour in line 
 4, although the number of tucks per waist is only 18 instead of 84 
 as in the preceding case, and although the width of the tuck is f 
 inch, but in this case the operator had the advantage of having tucks 
 of only two different lengths, whereas in the preceding case she had 
 six different lengths of tucks to look out for; also there were no cross 
 tucks to be made in this case. 
 
 The output in line 5 drops to 76 tucks per hour on exactly the same 
 kind of work as that shown in line 4. This work was done by an 
 operator who, on the average, earned more money than the operator 
 in line 4, and who, in line 1, shows a bigger output than the other 
 operator. The only reason which may account for it, so far as it 
 appears from the table, is that the job in line 5 consists of 1 dozen 
 waists whereas in the preceding case it consists of 2 dozen. 
 
 Finally, the output in line 6 is only 55 tucks per hour on exactly 
 similar work as in line 5 except that the tucks, instead of being of 
 one width of f inch, are of two widths, namely, J inch and 1 inch, 
 respectively, which makes the job more difficult on account of the 
 necessity of adjusting the gauge twice and of the greater difficulty 
 of handling tucks of greater width. 
 
 SHORT TUCKING ON A MULTIPLE-NEEDLE SINGER MACHINE. 
 
 The work on a multiple-needle machine is necessarily slower than 
 on a single-needle machine: First, because it requires more careful 
 handling on the part of the operator in looking after more needles 
 and threads at the same time; second, because the multiple-needle 
 
214 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOE STATISTICS. 
 
 
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 No. 1090: 
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 rator No. 191. 
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 Shop 
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WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DEESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 215 
 
 machine works more slowly than a single-needle machine; third, 
 because the adjusting of the material under the foot takes longer 
 than on a single-needle machine. Table 77F shows in detail the 
 output on such a machine. 
 
 Taking first shop No. 1090, we find the output to vary from 78 
 to 88 clusters per hour, making an average of 84 clusters (line 4). 
 
 As will be seen from the figures in lines 1 to 3, it does not make 
 much difference as to whether the machine contains 5 or 6 needles. 
 
 Lines 5 to 10 show the output per hour in shop No. 1116. In this 
 case the output varies more owing to the greater variation in the 
 character of the work, although it is all done by one operator. 
 
 Lines 5 and 6 show practically the same output, namely, 101 and 
 103 clusters per hour, under similar conditions of work, such as the 
 number of tucks per cluster, and the length and width of the tucks. 
 
 Line 7 shows an output of only 83 clusters per hour under prac- 
 tically similar conditions, except that the tucks aie slightly longer. 
 
 Line 8 shows an output of 192 clusters per hour by the same opera- 
 tor when all the clusters are of the same length. 
 
 Line 9 shows the output to be only 110 clusters on the same kind 
 of clusters of uniform length when the number of clusters per waist 
 is reduced from 8 to 4. 
 
 As the output in lines 5 to 9 represents the work of the same opera- 
 tor, and the work is of a fairly uniform character, an average of the 
 above may be of practical value. Line 10 shows the average output 
 on the above work to be 109 clusters per hour. 
 
 Lines 11 to 13 show the output on double clusters in shop No. 
 1230. In this case similar clusters on similar parts of different waists 
 are made in one operation. That is to say, 2 backs or 2 fronts are 
 joined together, the clusters in both are made in one operation, and 
 the two parts are later cut apart. The work of making a double 
 cluster is, however, a much more difficult operation than making a 
 double tuck. As the cluster does not extend through the entire length 
 of the waist (the length in this case being 11 inches for the double 
 tuck, or 5i inches for each cluster) the operator must pull the material 
 through the foot until she reaches the point where the cluster is to 
 start. As she has nothing to guide her but her eye, she frequently 
 discovers, after the cluster is completed, that it has not ended at 
 the proper point, with the result that it has to be ripped and the 
 work started over again. At best, the work has to be done slowly 
 in order to make sure that the tuck will be started and finished at 
 the right point. The result is a very low output as compared with 
 the preceding figures, namely, 43 clusters per hour in the case of 
 one operator, and 28 in the case of another, the average being 37 
 clusters per hour with 3 clusters to the waist. 
 
216 
 
 5 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LAB0R STATISTICS. 
 
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WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DEESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 217 
 
 LACE RUNNING. 
 
 I The work of lace running consists of joining strips of lace to strips 
 of cloth, or to other strips of lace of various widths. Most lace run- 
 ning is done in long strips which may run into hundreds of yards, hut 
 there is also considerable work done on short pieces which go into 
 individual waists. The skill of the lace runner consists of handling 
 the lace carefully and running the material and the lace in such a 
 manner that the machine is operated steadily without a break and so 
 that the unwinding of the lace and of the cloth which are in rolls takes 
 'place almost automatically and without requiring the stopping of the 
 machine on the part of the operator. 
 
 Although it takes, only a few days to learn lace running, the oper- 
 ator acquires greater skill in the course of time, which accounts for 
 the fact that the wages of lace runners in the dress and waist industry 
 vary all the way from $5 to $16 a week and more. The difference 
 between the $16 and $5 lace runners is accounted for by the great dif- 
 ference in output of the two classes of workers, determined by the 
 skill with which they can fill the requirements described above. 
 
 There are two methods of joining lace to cloth. In one the lace is 
 put on top of the cloth; in the other the cloth is put on top of the 
 lace. In either case the operator holds the lace in one hand and the 
 cloth in the other, running the two simultaneously under the needle, 
 taking care that the lace is stitched onto the cloth at a uniform distance 
 from the edge of the cloth. In either case the cloth is run through 
 an attachment which turns in the edge of the cloth so that it will not 
 be seen under the lace. 
 
 The "cloth on top" method is the more difficult because when the 
 cloth is put on top of the lace the operator can not see readily the posi- 
 tion of the lace, and must stop frequently to make sure that the lace 
 is being stitched to the cloth at a uniform distance from the edge. 
 When the lace is put on top, the entire work is in plain view of the 
 operator who -can therefore handle it with greater ease. 
 
 The work of lace running was timed in five shops with 9 persons, 
 involving a total expenditure of time equivalent to 103 hours and 39 
 minutes for one person, and covering 14,680 yards of lace. The out- 
 put per hour, apart from the individual skill of the worker, will differ 
 with the machine, the character of the material, the width of the 
 material, the number of stitches per inch, and according to whether 
 the lace or the cloth is stitched on top. In the work which was timed 
 the stitches per inch differed so little, running mostly from 9 to 11 to 
 the inch, that no distinction can be made on that score. The same is 
 likewise true of the material, which consisted, in all cases, of cotton 
 goods such as voile, lawn, and cr6pe, which do not differ materially 
 from each other so far as their effect on output is concerned. All the 
 
218 BULLETIN OF THE BUKEAU OF LABOK STATISTICS. 
 
 work timed was done on Wilcox & Gibbs machines. There are, there- 
 fore, only two factors to be considered in determining the output oi 
 the work that was timed, namely, the width of the material and the 
 relative positions of the cloth and the lace. 
 
 LACE ON TOP. 
 
 Taking first the work with the lace on top, we find the average out- 
 put per hour, with the width of the material from 2 J to 6 inches, to 
 have been 157 yards in shop No. 1284, 151 yards in shop No. 1235, 
 143 yards in shop No. 1232, and 206 yards in shop No. 1116. Shop 
 No. 1116 thus shows the highest output, although it makes a higher 
 grade of waists than the others; at the same time it is the only shop in 
 which the work was done on a piece-rate basis, lace running being 
 done by week workers in all the other shops reported in the table. 
 The average output for the above shops on the above widths was 162 
 yards per hour. 
 
 On material running in width from 16 to 26 inches the output was 
 naturally less, since the wider the material the more difficult the 
 handling of it. The output for the different shops was 100 yards 
 per hour for shop No. 1284 and 118 for shop k>. 1191, the average 
 being 111 yards per hour. 
 
 The output of the individual worker in each of these shops is like- 
 wise given in Table 78 and shows the variation in output due to differ- 
 ence in individual skill. 
 
 CLOTH ON TOP. 
 
 In this class of work three different widths of material were used 
 (1) Material ranging in width from 1 \ to 4 inches, the average output 
 on this in shop No. 1284, representing the work of two operators 
 working on 856 yards, being 146 yards per hour; (2) material ranging 
 in width from 9J to 12 inches, representing the work of one operator 
 working on 425 yards for a period of 3J hours, the output per hour 
 being 121 yards; (3) with the width of the material running from 16 
 to 30 inches, the average output for the same shop for the same two 
 operators as above on a total of 655 yards being 81 yards per hour. 
 
 JOINING LACE TO LACE. 
 
 This work was timed in two shops. In shop No. 1191 (a $9-a-dozcn 
 waist shop) a girl receiving $13 a week and timed for a period of 1 hour 
 and 35 minutes showed an output of 126 yards per hour. In shop 
 No. 1116 (manufacturing medium-price waists), a girl working by the 
 piece and timed for a period of 4 hours and 50 minutes, showed an 
 output of 184 yards per hour, the average for the two shops being 170 
 yards per hour. Either the average or the output of the individual 
 workers can be taken as a basis in determining the rate by taking a 
 corresponding rate per hour in connection therewith. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 219 
 
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 Lawn and embroid- 
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 3 I 
 
 
 
 Wages or earn- 
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220 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUKEAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
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WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 221 
 
 
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222 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 In addition to the three kinds of lace running described, a number 
 of special jobs were timed, as follows: 
 
 JOINING VOILE AND NET STRIPS. 
 
 Work of one operator in one shop, working for 3 hours and 10 min- 
 utes, earning 35 cents an hour; output per hour, 141 yards. 
 
 JOINING RUFFLED LACE EDGING TO LACE INSERTION. 
 
 This represents the work of one operator receiving $10 a week in 
 shop No. 1232, working for 1 hour and 54 minutes; output per hour, 
 76 yards. 
 
 JOINING LACE TO SLEEVES. 
 
 This work consists of short runs, each 16 inches long, representing 
 the full width of an open sleeve. Ordinarily, work of this kind is 
 done by body makers, and is given in another table representing short 
 runs of lace joining in which 110 attachment is used. In the particular 
 case given in this table the work was done by a lace runner with the 
 aid of an attachment. The operator, a girl receiving $12 a week, was 
 timed for 6 hours and 33 minutes, producing an output of 220 sleeves 
 per hour. 
 
 HEMMING. 
 
 The operation of hemming consists of turning in the raw edge of 
 any material and stitching it over to give it a finished appearance. 
 As a rule a special attachment is used known as the "hemmer, " 
 which automatically turns in the cloth so that the turning in of the 
 hem and the stitching over are all done in one operation. There are 
 two kinds of hemming strip hemming and waist hemming. Strip 
 hemming is done on long strips of cloth similar to strip tucking and 
 lace running on a Wilcox & Gibbs 'machine and is paid for by the 100 
 yards, while waist hemming consists of hemming the bottom or other 
 parts of a waist. 
 
 Strip hemming was timed in three shops, covering the work of 8 
 persons who hemmed a total of more than 19,000 yards of cotton 
 goods in what is equivalent to 58 hours and 45 minutes for one 
 person. (Table 79A.) In addition to that, 260 yards of chiffon hem- 
 ming was also timed. The materials hemmed were voile, lawn, net, 
 and chiffon. The average output per hour is given for each person 
 timed, as well as for each material. There being but little difference 
 between voile and lawn, a combined average is given for the two 
 materials, and separate averages are given for net and chiffon. The 
 output per hour on voile and lawn varied from 286 to 451 yards per 
 hour, the average output for the four persons working on the two 
 materials being 358 yards per hour. The output on net for four 
 workers in shop No. 1230 varied from 256 to 350 yards per hour, the 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 223 
 
224 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
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WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 225 
 
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226 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 CLOSING. 
 
 The operation of closing consists of joining the front and back pai 
 of the waist, forming a seam on each side of the waist running from tl 
 armhole to the hem. On cheap waists this work is usually done 01 
 the Union Special machine. This machine works very fast, ma] 
 about 3,000 revolutions per minute. The machine is equipped wil 
 a knife which automatically cuts off the raw edge, and the seam 
 finished off (felled) on the wrong side in one operation. For this reasoi 
 the Union Special offers the least expensive way of doing this worl 
 Another machine used on $9-a-dozen waists is the Metropolitan, whic] 
 likewise cuts off the raw edge automatically, and in addition puts 
 binding on the wrong side of the seam, all in one operation. This 
 makes the machine more complicated and more difficult for the open 
 tor to handle, so that it can not be operated as rapidly as the Unioi 
 Special. 
 
 The medium and high price waists are closed with a French seai 
 usually on a Singer machine, which involves three separate operations 
 (1) The sewing together of the two parts of the waist on the righl 
 side; (2) cutting off the raw edge with a pair of scissors; (3) tun 
 over the waist and putting in the second row of stitching on th< 
 wrong side. Some of the Singer machines are equipped with a knii 
 which automatically cuts off the raw edge, but most of the factoric 
 still do without the automatic knife, and scissors are employed ins'teac 
 
 In the old-style waists, in which the sleeves were closed before bei 
 joined to the armhole of the waist; the closing of the waist consiste< 
 only of joining the sides from armhole to hem, as already explainec 
 In the new-style waists, with the so-called kimono sleeves, as well 
 in the tailor-made shirt waists, the sleeves are attached to the shoul 
 ders of the waist before being closed, and the closer sews up (closes] 
 the sleeves and sides of the waist in one operation. 
 
 Table 80 gives the figures for closing both sides and sleeves, closii 
 sides only, and sleeves only. The figures relate to shops making 
 exclusively $9-a-dozen waists. On these the Union Special and Met- 
 ropolitan machines were used. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 227 
 
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228 BULLETIN OP THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
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WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DKESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 229 
 CLOSING SIDES AND SLEEVES. 
 
 The operation of closing sides and sleeves was timed in 4 shops and 
 represents the work of 11 persons, closing 362-^ dozen waists with a 
 total time expenditure equivalent to 88 hours and 24 minutes for one 
 person. 
 
 An examination of the average output of each shop shows the fol- 
 lowing results: Shop No. 1191, the only shop in which this work is 
 done on a weekly basis, shows the lowest output, 81 rows of stitching 
 per hour. The highest output, 125 rows of stitching per hour, was 
 recorded in shop No. 1110. This figure is exceptionally high and due 
 to conditions which do not prevail in other shops. Shop No. 1 1 1 is a 
 smaller establishment than the other factories for which figures are 
 presented here. It employs from 60 to 70 operators when working 
 to capacity. There is but one person responsible for the closing of all 
 the waists in this shop. This work is done by a man who employs four 
 assistants by the week, who work on closing and hemming. This 
 obviates the necessity of counting the work, the closer being paid 
 each week for as many dozen waists as have been cut up for manufac- 
 turing. No time is lost in waiting in line for a " bundle," bringing it 
 to the machine, untying it, counting the waists, folding the waists, 
 making them up into a bundle after the work is finished, and taking 
 it back to the foreman; instead of that, waists are piled up in large 
 heaps as they are finished by other operators, and are turned in in 
 similar heaps without counting after the closing has been finished. 
 
 On the other hand, the low figure of 81 rows of stitching per hour in 
 shop No. 1191 can be explained by the fact that the closers in this shop 
 are required to work on very small bundles, getting only a few waists 
 at a time, frequently as few as three or four waists, being obliged to 
 leave the machine at frequent intervals to get a new supply and to 
 go through all the stages preceding and following the work of closing 
 proper, mentioned above. Moreover, most of the closing in this shop 
 was done on a Metropolitan machine, which, for reasons explained 
 above, is a slower machine than the Union Special used in the other 
 three shops. 
 
 The average for each of the other two shops is remarkably uniform, 
 being 1 03 rows of stitching for shop No. 1284 and 1 00 for shop No. 1 230, 
 giving an average for the two shops of 101 rows of stitching per hour. 
 Combining these two normal shops with the high and low output 
 shops mentioned above, a general average is obtained of 98 rows of 
 sti telling per hour, which is practically the same as the average for 
 the two normal shops. 
 
 CLOSING SIDES. 
 
 This operation takes considerably less time, as the seam is only 
 about half the length made in the operation in which the sides and 
 sleeves are closed together. The work was timed in two shops on a 
 
230 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 total of nearly 105 dozen waists, with a total expenditure of time 
 equivalent to 15 hours and 19 minutes for one person. 
 
 In shop No. 1191 the closing was done on a Metropolitan machine by 
 a male operator, who turned out 160 rows of stitching per hour. L 
 shop No. 1284 the work was done by a man working with a wonu 
 assistant on a Union Special machine, with an output of 183 rows ol 
 stitching per hour. 
 
 CLOSING SLEEVES. 
 
 As in the case of closing sides, the closing of sleeves takes less timi 
 than the combined closing of sides and sleeves. This work was time< 
 in three shops on a total of 193 dozen waists, which took the equiv 
 lent of 24 hours and 28 minutes for one person, all the shops using 
 Union Special machine. The output per hour in the different sho] 
 is fairly uniform, being 177 rows of stitching per hour in shop N< 
 1230, 183 in shop No. 1191, and 204 in shop No. 1284, the highest 
 output being in the shop in which the work is done by the piece. II 
 is interesting to note that the outputs in shops Nos. 1191 and 123( 
 are practically the same, although in the former the operator receive 
 $15 per week and in the latter only $6.50 per week, both operators 
 being men. The average output for the three shops is 190 rows of 
 stitching per hour. 
 
 In addition to the work referred to above, sleeves were closed on 20^ 
 dozen waists in shop No. 1191, while the operator at the same time 
 shirred the top of the sleeves. The output per hour was 117 rows of 
 stitching as compared with 183 rows by the same operator when no 
 shirring was done. 
 
 SLEEVE SETTING BY SLEEVE SETTERS. 
 
 The work of the sleeve setter consists of sewing the sleeves to the 
 waist. There are two ways of doing this work. In the waists which 
 were mostly in style prior to 1913, the sleeves were closed by the 
 sleeve maker and set into the armhole of the w T aist by the sleeve 
 setter. The setting of the closed sleeve requires great skill. As a 
 rule the sleeve is larger than the armhole and while it is being set 
 into the waist it has to be gathered into folds (shirred), the sleeve 
 setter knowing practically by instinct just how much to gather in 
 so that the sleeve will fit perfectly into the armhole and will "hang 
 right" from the body of the waist. The work is usually done on a 
 Union Special machine, which has a knife attachment, trimming off 
 the raw edge on the wrong side as fast as the sleeve is sewed onto the 
 waist, and felling the seam. It is also done on a Metropolitan ma- 
 chine, which automatically binds the seam on the wrong side instead 
 of felling it. 
 
 In the styles that have been in vogue since 1913 the sleeves are 
 usually sewed onto the body of the waist before being closed. The 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 231 
 
 closer then closes the sleeves and the sides of the waist in one opera- 
 tion. The change in the style and the introduction of the so-called 
 "yoke sleeve" has deprived the sleeve setters of the work of sleeve 
 setting, the open yoke sleeve being usually attached to the waist by 
 the body makers. The sleeve setters are now employed mostly on 
 other work requiring the use of the Union Special or Metropolitan 
 machines. The work of the sleeve setters is given in Table 81, that 
 of the body makers on yoke sleeves in Table 88, and on straight 
 sleeves in Table 99. 
 
 The work of sleeve setting proper was timed in three $9-a-dozen 
 waist shops, involving the work of 2 men and 3 women, with a total 
 output of over 252 dozen waists at an expenditure of time equiva- 
 lent to 77 hours and 53 minutes for 1 person. 
 
 In shop No. 1232 the work was done by a week worker on a Union 
 Special machine on open sleeves and shows an output of 123 sleeves 
 per hour. 
 
 In shop No. 1284 the work was done on closed sleeves, likewise on 
 a Union Special machine, by 1 male and 1 female working by the 
 piece, and the output was 89 sleeves per hour for 1 worker and 116 
 sleeves for the other, the average for the shop being 110 sleeves per 
 hour. It is natural that the output on closed sleeves should be less 
 than on open sleeves. 
 
 In shop No. 1191 sleeves were also closed before being set, but the 
 sleeve setter was given shirred sleeves instead of plain sleeves, as in 
 shop No. 1284. The work was done by a girl receiving $16 per week 
 and a man receiving $11 per week, the girl being the more skillful of 
 the two. Taking the work of the girl, we find her output to be 101 
 sleeves per hour when working on a Union Special machine, and 90 
 sleeves per hour when working on a Metropolitan machine. 
 
 Work was also timed in shop No. 1191, in which sleeves were set 
 and shirred at the same time. This naturally slowed down the work 
 still more, the output of the girl dropping to 71 sleeves per hour on a 
 Metropolitan machine, and 72 sleeves per hour on a Union Special. 
 That is to say, while on the preceding work there was a difference 
 of :about 10 per cent in output in favor of the Union Special machine 
 as compared with the Metropolitan; there was practically no differ- 
 ence in the output of the two machines when shirring had to be done 
 simultaneously with the sleeve setting. That was probably due to 
 the fact that the difference in speed between the two machines was 
 offset by the delay resulting from the necessity of shirring the sleeves 
 while they were being set. The work of the $ll-a-week man likewise 
 showed a larger output when setting sleeves already shirred as com- 
 pared with the output obtained when the shirring had to be done 
 together with the sleeve setting, his output being 58 and 44 sleeves 
 per hour, respectively. 
 
232 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 
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WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 233 
 
 The average output, on the two kinds of work for shop No. 1191 
 was 63 and 58 sleeves per hour, respectively. Either the average for 
 the entire shop or the output of either worker could be used as a basis 
 in determining the rate by taking a different rate per hour as a basis 
 in each' case. 
 
 BUTTONHOLE MAKING. 
 
 There are two types of buttonhole-making machines, one made by 
 the Singer Co. and the other known as the Reece machine. The 
 Reece machine is very rapid, but on account of the inferior appear- 
 ance of its work is used only on cheap garments. The skill of the 
 buttonhole maker consists not only in operating the machine and in 
 being able to properly space the buttonholes on the garment, but in 
 his ability to do the necessary repairing of the machine, which is sub- 
 ject to frequent breakdowns. Where girls are employed they are not 
 expected to attend to this part of the work, which falls on the machin- 
 ist employed in the factory. In several shops the buttonhole maker 
 acts also as machinist, attending to the ordinary repairing of all the 
 sewing machines on the premises. 
 
 Buttonhole making was timed in six shops. Three of these shops 
 used Singer machines exclusively, two used Reece machines exclu- 
 sively, and one used both. Only one of the shops making cheap 
 waists used a Singer machine. 
 
 The output of a buttonhole maker will vary with (1) the machine, 
 (2) the number of buttonholes to the waist, (3) the size of the button- 
 hole, (4) the material, and (5) last but not least, with the size of the 
 " bundle," that is, the number of waists the operator gets at a time. 
 
 Let us consider briefly how each of these factors will affect the out- 
 fput: 
 
 1. As already stated, the Reece machine works more rapidly than 
 the Singer, being, on the average, about twice as fast as its rival. On 
 this point, the figures presented in the tables following can not be 
 regarded as conclusive in view of the fact that the two machines were 
 not tested under exactly similar conditions and with the same opera- 
 tors, so that other factors apart from the relative merits of the two 
 Eachines affected their respective outputs. 
 SINGER MACHINE. 
 The new Singer machines are equipped with an automatic thread 
 :pper which saves the time of cutting off the thread between the but- 
 nholes with scissors. It is claimed, however, by some manufac- 
 turers that the clipper effects no saving of time, because the machine 
 equipped with the clipper finishes off the buttonhole with a "bar" on 
 either side of the buttonhole, which, while increasing the durability 
 of the buttonhole, takes up enough more time to do the work to 
 
 
234 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 offset whatever saving of time the clipper may cause. Moreover, 
 in the shops investigated/ with one exception, the cutting off of the 
 thread is done by the cleaners so that it does not take the time of the 
 buttonhole maker. In the shop in which the cutting off is attended to 
 by the buttonhole maker herself it is done while the machine is making 
 the buttonhole on the next waist, which adds to her labor without 
 taking more of her time. The question of the presence or absenc< 
 of an automatic clipper on the machine is therefore of no importance 
 in considering its output. 
 
 NUMBER OF BUTTONHOLES TO A WAIST. 
 
 2. The larger the number of buttonholes to a waist the greater will b< 
 the output per hour, all other things being equal. This is due to tl 
 fact that the greater the number of buttonholes to a waist the less 
 be the proportion of time lost by the operator in handling the waisl 
 An illustration will make this clear. If a waist has only one button- 
 hole, the operator must pick up the waist from the bundle, unfold it, 
 find the place where the buttonhole is to be made, place it under the 
 needle, and as soon as the buttonhole is made he must remove 
 waist from the machine and put it aside, and then go through the 
 same series of motions to make the next buttonhole. Added to this 
 will be the time lost in bringing and taking away the bundle, untyii 
 the bundle before starting the work, and putting the waists togethc 
 and tying up the bundle when the work is finished. When the waisl 
 has 8 buttonholes, the time taken by all the motions described abov< 
 outside of the actual making of the buttonhole, is no greater per waisl 
 than in the case of the waist having but one buttonhole. Therefoi 
 the time lost per buttonhole will be only one-eighth of what it was b 
 the former case. 
 
 The figures of output, both on the Singer and the Reece machines 
 have been arranged in Tables 82A and 82B according to the numb< 
 of buttonholes to a waist, and the output noted in each case. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 235 
 
 232 
 
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236 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
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WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 237 
 
 5 3 S 
 
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238 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUBE&V OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
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WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DBESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 239 
 
 
 
 
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 per hour. 
 
 
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240 BULLETIN OF THE BUKEAU OF LABOK STATISTICS. 
 
 The number of buttonholes is indicated in the table separately for 
 the back, front, and cuffs, but the figures of output have been arranged 
 in the table according to the largest number of buttonholes on any 
 one part of the waist; that is to say, if a waist, as in line 15, table 
 82A, has 3 buttonholes in the back, 5 in the front, and 4 on the cuffs, 
 making a total of 12 buttonholes, it is not classed with the waists hav- 
 ing 12 buttonholes, but with those having 5. The reason for this is 
 that the proportion of time lost in the various motions describee 
 above to total time at work will be nearer to the 5-buttonhole wais 
 than to the 12-buttonhole waist. While a little time is saved by 
 having the additional buttonholes on the same waist, the time 
 takes to turn over the waist when the operator is through with th( 
 front, then to find the back and place it in position in the machine 
 and then when he is through with the back, to find the cuff of one 
 sleeve and place that in position in the machine, then remove the cuf 
 and replace it with the other cuff, is almost, and in some cases just as 
 great as in putting one waist aside and taking up another. The advan 
 tage of having a large number of buttonholes accrues only when the 
 buttonholes are all arranged in a row, as is the case when they are al 
 in the front or all on the back of the waist, or on the neckband, etc 
 In that case the skilled operator works with great speed. As fast as 
 buttonhole is made he moves the waist by a quick jerk a distance o 
 about 3 or 4 inches, according to the waist, which he automatically 
 determines by the movement of his hand, which becomes accus 
 tomed to this manipulation when the operator is working continually 
 on the same kind of work. In a shop where there is a great variety 
 of styles, and the number of buttonholes varies a great deal fron 
 style to style the operator is less accustomed to measure the distanc< 
 mechanically and his speed is affected thereby. 
 
 SIZE OF BUTTONHOLES. 
 
 3. Other things being equal, the larger the buttonhole the longer i 
 takes to make it and the less, therefore, is the number of buttonhole, 
 made in a given time. This is true, however, only when there is a 
 considerable difference in size. For buttonholes of less than 
 inch the difference in the time it takes to make a buttonhole forms so 
 small a proportion of the total time, in which is included the los 
 in handling the waist, as to make no appreciable difference in th< 
 output. It is possible that, if a series of tests had been made on but 
 tonholes of different sizes by the same operator under exactly similai 
 conditions, in so far as they affect the output, that a graded scale o 
 output for buttonholes of various sizes, even less than 1 inch, coulc 
 be constructed. This was impossible, however, under the conditions 
 surrounding the present investigation, when workers had to be time< 
 on such work as they were found to be doing in each shop. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DEESS AND WAIST INDUSTEY. 241 
 
 MATERIAL. 
 
 4. The material of which a waist or dress is made is the factor of 
 least importance in the matter of output. A waist made of fine 
 
 f net or lace may prove more difficult to handle, owing to the greater 
 delicacy of the material, and therefore show a smaller output. 
 
 SIZE OF THE BUNDLE. 
 
 5. The size of the bundle has been found to be by far the most 
 important factor in determining the output of an operator in the 
 shops under investigation. As will be seen from Table 82 A, shops Nos. 
 1116 and 1110 show the largest output. A reference to the last 
 column of the table showing the size of the bundles will disclose the 
 fact almost invariably that these two shops furnish work to their 
 employees in large quantities at a time. In shop No. 1110 there 
 is no such thing as a bundle so far as the buttonhole maker is con- 
 cerned ; there being but one buttonhole maker in the shop, there is no 
 attempt to count the waists, and he is paid each week according to 
 the cutter's slip showing the number of waists cut for the shop. 
 When the waists are ready for the buttonhole maker they are either 
 brought to him or taken by himself in as large heaps as he can carry 
 in his arms. They are all dumped in a basket at his side, and when 
 completed are dumped just as indiscriminately in another basket, 
 which is taken to the examiner's table without being counted or put 
 up in bundles. In this way much of the loss of time caused by the 
 handling of the waists in other shops is eliminated here. 
 
 In shop No. 1116, where such a system is impossible, owing to the 
 variety of styles and materials and where waists are put up in bundles 
 on the average of about 2 J dozen each, the individual bundles, as they 
 kome from the body makers, are combined into larger bundles, so 
 that the buttonhole maker gets large bundles containing as many as 
 10 or 12 dozen waists or more; moreover, the buttonhole maker never 
 has to go for his work and is not expected to tie and untie the bundles; 
 all that is attended to by a girl assistant who is employed in the shop 
 by the week to serve the buttonhole maker and button sewer in 
 this way. On the other hand, shop No. 1090, which shows as a rule 
 the smallest output, although equipped with as modern machinery 
 as shop No. 1116, furnishes the work to the buttonhole maker in 
 bundles containing frequently less than a dozen waists, and seldom 
 exceeding 2J dozen, and the buttonhole maker must untie and tie up 
 each bundle, which necessitates the spreading out of each waist so 
 that it will lie flat in the bundle. The results will be seen from 
 the following figures: 
 
 Taking up first waists having 4 buttonholes in the front or back, 
 we find the output on cotton waists in shop No. 1116 to be 583 
 buttonholes per hour (line 7, Table 82A), while in shop No. 1090 
 42132 Bull. 14614 16 
 
 
242 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 the output is 207 buttonholes per hour (line 8, Table 82 A), or con- 
 siderably less than half. When to the 4 buttonholes on the front 
 are added 3 buttonholes on the neckband, the output in shop No. 
 1090 is increased to 277 buttonholes (line 10). On the other hand, 
 with buttonholes of more than one size requiring a change of knife 
 which cuts the hole in the material to the required size, the outpu 
 in this shop is reduced to 157 buttonholes per hour (line 9). Or 
 erpe de Chine and net, the output is further reduced to 118 and 14 
 buttonholes per hour, respectively. 
 
 The same is true of waists having 5 or 6 buttonholes on the front 
 The output on 5 and 6 buttonhole waists being about the same, th 
 two have been combined into one average. The average output ii 
 shops Nos. 1110 and 11 16 is 518 buttonholes per hour (line 21), whil 
 in shop No. 1090 it is 188 (line 27), or over one- third the output in 
 the other shop. Of the two former shops the work in one is given 
 out in bulk, as already explained, and in the other the bundles vary 
 from 7 to 14 dozen each, while in shop No. 1090 the bulk of the work 
 was in bundles from |- dozen to 2 dozen each, and only a few bundles 
 were of a larger size. In shop No. 1235 the output is 283 buttonholes 
 per hour (line 31), this shop showing a greater efficiency in production 
 than in shop No. 1090. It should also be observed that shops Nos. 
 1090 and 1235 employ women buttonhole makers, while shops Nos. 
 1116 and 1110 employ men, whose earning capacity is much greater 
 than that of the women. Line 35 shows an average output of 224 
 buttonholes per hour in shop No. 1090 on waists made of net or net 
 and chiffon. This shows that the output of the buttonholes on cot- 
 ton waists in the same shop is too low and may have been caused by 
 trouble with the machine, the extremely small size of the bundles, 
 or some other cause, although it should be noted that the average of 
 188 buttonholes was based on a test lasting a total of 1,591 minutes, 
 or more than 26 hours, while the test on the net and chiffon waists 
 lasted only 329 minutes, or 5J hours. 
 
 The same relation between the respective outputs of the above 
 shops is seen in connection with waists having 7, 8, and more button- 
 holes to the front. Thus shop No. 1116 shows an output on this 
 class of cotton waists of 588 buttonholes per hour (line 54), while 
 the average output for shops Nos. 1090 and 1235 was 278 buttonholes 
 per hour (line 49), or only about one-half. The output on net and 
 silk waists in shop No. 1090 was 340 buttonholes per hour (line 57), 
 which is again higher than the output on cotton waists for the same 
 shop. On the other hand, the average output on silk waists in shop 
 No. 1116 was 483 buttonholes per hour (line 60), which is nearly 
 one-fifth lower than the output on cotton waists in the same shop. 
 
 The output on waists having 9 buttonholes or more to the front 
 does not seem to vary much with the number of buttonholes, and 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 243 
 
 the figures are, therefore, combined without regard to the number 
 of buttonholes. The average output on cotton waists having 9 
 buttonholes or more in shop No. 1116 is iound to be 705 per hour 
 (line 70), while in shops Nos. 1090 and 1235 the average was 249 but- 
 tonholes per hour (line 66), or only a little over a third. As usual, 
 the chief point of difference between the two seems to be in the size of 
 the bundles and the sex of the operators. The same relation holds 
 good of* waists other than cotton. The output on net waists in shop 
 No. 1116 was 687 buttonholes per hour (line 71), while the average 
 for shops Nos. 1090 and 1235 was 404 buttonholes per hour. It 
 is possible, however, that the figure 687 is too high, having been 
 obtained as the result of a test consisting of only one bundle of 3J 
 dozen, which was done in 33 minutes. Experience has shown that 
 a test is not conclusive unless it is made on several bundles. On 
 the other hand the average of 404 holes for the two shops, Nos. 
 1090 and 1235, is more reliable, although consisting of figures some 
 of which are not consistent with each other. Thus the output on 
 silk waists in shop No. 1090 varies from 158 to 280 buttonholes 
 per hour (lines 72 to 74), which is less than half the output on net 
 shown in line 80 in the same shop. It is also less than the output 
 on chiffon and net waists, viz, 304 buttonholes per hour, shown in 
 line 76. Both net and chiffon on net are more difficult to handle 
 on the machine than silk, as they stretch and tear more easily. The 
 difference may have been due to accidental causes, such as the 
 condition of the operator as well as the condition of the machine, 
 but being based as it is on a large number of waists with the work 
 extending over 102 minutes, or over an hour and a half, it is nearer 
 to actual average conditions as they prevail in a shop than the 
 figure for shop No. 1116 in line 71. 
 
 REECE MACHINE. 
 
 As already explained on page 68, the Reece machine is much faster 
 than the Singer, but the appearance of the buttonholes made on this 
 machine is such that it is used only on cheap garments. 
 
 The output on cotton waists having one or two buttonholes was 
 found to differ but little, the average output being 238 buttonholes 
 per hour. 
 
 On waists having four buttonholes the output in shop No. 1235 
 was found to be 324 buttonholes per hour, while in shop No. 1230 it 
 was 552. The larger output in shop No. 1230 is due to a number 
 of reasons: The smaller size of the buttonhole, being only f inch 
 in shop No. 1230 and 1 inch in shop No. 1235; the fact that in shop 
 No. 1235 the operators are required to untie and tie the bundles; 
 which carries with it the necessity of spreading out each waist and 
 putting the waists on top of each other in making up the bundle, 
 
244 BULLETIN OF THE BUBEAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 while in shop No. 1230 the buttonhole maker is not required to untie 
 or make up bundles, with the consequent saving of time. 
 
 The output on waists containing five buttonholes was found to 
 vary from 654 buttonholes per hour in shop No. 1230 to 847 in shop 
 No. 1284. As the work is done in both shops under fairly similar 
 conditions, the difference in output is probably due chiefly to the 
 fact that the buttonhole makers in shop No. 1230 are women, while 
 in shop No. 1284 they are men. Either figure could therefore be 
 taken as a basis for a piece rate by making a proper allowance for 
 an hourly rate for men and women operators. 
 
 On six-buttonhole waists the output per hour was 501 buttonholes 
 in shop No. 1235, 801 buttonholes in shop No. 1230, and 939 in shop 
 No. 1284. As usual, shop No. 1284 shows the highest output and 
 shop No. 1235 the lowest. The reasons for the low output in shop 
 No. 1235 have already been explained. The high output of shop 
 No. 1284 is due both to the fact that the buttonhole maker is not 
 required to tie and untie bundles, and the further fact that in shop 
 No. 1284 the work is done by men, while in the other two shops it is 
 done by women. 
 
 The same relation between the respective outputs of the three 
 shops holds true with regard to seven-buttonhole waists. Again 
 shop No. 1284 leads the rest with 1,103 buttonholes per hour (line 
 13), and No. 1235 lags behind with 720 buttonholes (line 11). 
 
 The output on eight-buttonhole waists does not seem to differ from 
 that on seven-buttonhole waists, being 1,008 buttonholes per hour 
 in shop No. 1284. This shows that when the number of buttonholes 
 on a waist gets fairly large, a difference of one buttonhole has no 
 appreciable effect on the output. 
 
 BUTTON SEWING. 
 
 FLAT PEARL BUTTONS. 
 
 The button sewing timed in the shops was done on machines 
 exclusively. Button sewing by hand is the work of finishers. As 
 explained in Part I of this report (see page 70), most of the button 
 sewers are women, of whom less than one-fifth work by the piece. In 
 the $9-a-dozen waist shops in which button sewing was timed, the 
 work was done by the week with the exception of shop No. 1110, in 
 which it was done by the piece. Piecework also prevailed in shops 
 Nos. 1235 and 1116, the only medium-priced waist shops reported in 
 Table 83A. 
 
 The work of the machine button sewer consists of picking up the 
 waist, inserting in the machine the spot marked with a pencil or 
 otherwise, opposite the buttonhole, placing a button in a special 
 holder, and setting the machine in motion, which automatically sews 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 245 
 
 the button to the waist. The operator then removes the waist, 
 moves it to the point where the next button has to be sewed on, 
 inserts a new button, and repeats the same operations. 
 
 As in the case of buttonhole making, the output on button sewing 
 will vary (1) with the skill of the operator; (2) with the number of 
 buttons to the waist; (3) with the kind of button; (4) with the size 
 of the bundle which the operator gets at a time; (5) with the con- 
 ditions governing the handling of the work; that is to say, whether 
 or not the bundle has to be tied and untied by the operator. 
 
 1. As a rule, there is only one button sewer in a shop. This was the 
 case in all the shops in which work was timed with the exception of 
 shop No. 1230, in which two button sewers were found. All the button 
 sewers, except one in shop No. 1110, were women. Although this 
 shop shows a slightly higher output per hour than the other two shops 
 on the same kind of waists, the difference is probably due not so 
 much to the difference in ways as to the fact that in this shop there 
 is no tying and untying of bundles, the material being handled in 
 large bulk, as explained under buttonhole making. 
 
 2. The number of buttons to the waist is an important factor for the 
 same reason that the number of buttonholes is. (See page 234.) 
 
 3. The kind of button may affect the output materially. A pearl 
 button having two bored holes in it is somewhat more difficult to han- 
 dle than a crochet button, for the reason that the operator need not 
 pay any attention to the way the crochet button is inserted in the 
 holder of the machine, since, no matter what the position of the but- 
 ton is, the needle will go through it, the button consisting of uniform 
 material, with the exception of the outward metal ring around which 
 the crochet thread is wound. Not so with a pearl button: Unless the 
 button is inserted in the holder of the machine so as to place the hole 
 directly under the needle, the needle will strike the hard surface of the 
 button and break, causing stoppage of work and the necessity of re- 
 placing the needle. The operator can not, therefore, insert a pearl 
 button as rapidly as she does a crochet button. 
 
 4-5. The size of the bundle and the manner of handling it are of 
 great importance for the same reasons which were explained in con- 
 nection with buttonhole making. 
 
 Table 83A shows the output on pearl buttons and 83B on crochet 
 buttons. The work was timed in 5 shops, of which 3 are $9-a-dozen 
 waist shops and 2 making medium-priced waists. The figures have 
 been arranged according to the number of buttons to a front or back 
 of a waist, similarly to the arrangement of the buttonhole data. 
 Taking first the pearl buttons, we find that for 4-button waists the. 
 output in shop No. 1230 is 553 buttons per hour (line 1). This 
 average is based upon the work of 1 button sewer on 792 buttons. 
 
246 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 Doze 
 aists 
 
 ! 
 
 5*85 
 
 10 t^- 
 
 t* !> 
 
 to ,H 1-4 o oe r^ 
 
 <N COCO 
 l f^- CO i-< 
 
 O 00 CO 
 
 SUi 
 
 ' 
 
 "9 
 ll 
 3 
 
 OOO O O5( 
 
 100^0*110 
 
 O 00 
 5*0 
 
 
 
 fl 44 
 
 c3 S 
 
 ofe 
 
 OT p^ 
 
 |fa 
 
 2. 00 
 9.00 
 
 88 
 
 e^c3J 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 88 8 
 
 (N O5 O5 
 
 S-^^ * 
 Cx 
 
 ! 
 jl 
 
 Week work 
 do ...... 
 
 Piecework . 
 
 pi 
 
 flf 
 
 
 c5 o o c3 
 ^ ^^^ 
 
 00 >' 
 
 ^^ -< 
 
 O OJ^H 
 
 3 II 
 
 
 . 
 
 ^ floo 
 
 02 CCCOOQCOCQ 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMEKT I1T DKESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 247 
 
 pi 
 
 *& 
 
 Siiis 
 
 lltf 
 
 Illl 
 
 sggtsss 
 
 1010 ooco 
 
 if 
 
 a 
 
 ^a 
 Ii 
 
 : :' : : 
 
 6 o c> 
 fc o' o'J? 
 
 02 MM 
 
 t-l IN CO -*>O O 
 
248 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 On the five-button waists we have the record of work done by 4 
 operators in 3 shops, 3 of them women and 1 man, who were timed on 
 11,815 buttons. The output is fairly uniform in the 3 shops, ranging 
 from 726 in shop No. 1230 (line 2) to 771 in shop No. 1110, the average 
 for the 3 shops being 746 buttons per hour. The highest output in 
 shop No. 1110 may be due to two causes: (1) That the operator is a 
 man; (2) that the work is handled in bulk instead of in bundles, as 
 explained in connection with buttonhole making. 
 
 For six-button waists we have the record of 4 shops, 2 of them 
 $9-waist shops, and 2 medium-priced waist shops. The output 
 seems to vary according to the character of the shops. Thus, in the 
 two $9-a-dozen waist shops (lines 6 and 7) the output is 760 and 875 
 buttons per hour, respectively, the average being 803 buttons per 
 hour, while in the two medium-priced waist shops (lines 9 and 10) the 
 output is 514 and 595 buttons per hour, respectively, the average 
 being 586 buttons per hour. 
 
 In the case of seven-button waists, we have the record of 4 shops, 
 3 of them with a "fairly uniform output per hour, while the fourth 
 shop, No. 1235, has a low output of 417 buttons per hour (line 12). 
 This low output is explained by the fact that the waist had a loose 
 facing which had to be turned over by the button sewer and creased. 
 The respective outputs per hour in the 3 other shops, ranging from 
 672 buttons per hour in shop No. 1116 (medium-priced waist shop) 
 to 868 in shop No. 1230 ($9-a-dozen waist shop), have been combined 
 with the data for the 8 and 9 button waists into one average for the 
 reason that the output in those shops does not vary much for the 
 three classes of waists. The average for the three, as will be seen 
 from line 19, is equal to 772 buttons per hour based on a total of 23,938 
 buttons in the 3 shops. 
 
 CROCHET BUTTONS. 
 
 The work on crochet buttons was timed in three shops. Of these 
 one, No. 1230, was a $9-a-dozen waist shop, and two, Nos. 1235 and 
 1116, were medium-priced shops. 
 
 The three-button waists were timed in shop No. 1230, showing an 
 output of 788 buttons per hour. Another operator in the same shop 
 showed an output of only 678 buttons per hour on five-button waists. 
 As the size of the jobs was practically the same in each case, as will 
 be seen from the table, the only explanation for the lower output on 
 the waist containing the larger number of buttons lies in the difference 
 in skill of the two operators. 
 
 The output on six-button waists was 769 buttons per hour in shop 
 Xo. 1230 and 589 in shop No. 1235. The higher output was turned out 
 by two operators in a $9-a-dozen waist shop on 3,564 buttons. The 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 249 
 
 lower output was produced by an operator in a medium-priced waist 
 shop on 540 buttons which were sewed on 7J dozen waists furnished to 
 the operator in three bundles of 2^ dozen each, whereas the size of the 
 bundles in the $9 shop varied from 2-f to 12 dozen. The chief 
 reason, however, for the lower output was that the buttons had to be 
 sewed on in two rows of three each for ornamental purposes, for which 
 no marking is clone. The operator had to see, therefore, that the 
 buttons were spaced equally and each placed in a straight line with 
 the corresponding buttons in the other row. That this was the chief 
 cause of the smaller output may be seen from the fact that the output 
 on seven-button waists by the same operator (line 5), for which the 
 spacing was marked in the usual manner, was 861 buttons per hour 
 on bundles no larger than in the preceding case. 
 
 On nine -button waists the output in another medium priced waist 
 shop (line 6) was 1,251 buttons per hour. This figure was obtained, 
 however, by timing an operator on a small lot of waists (3| dozen) 
 containing a total of 396 buttons. 
 
 BODY MAKING. 
 
 The operations included in body making have been described in 
 Part I of this report under "Waist operators" (pp. 93, 94) and also 
 on previous pages of Part II. It will therefore be sufficient for the 
 present to state briefly that body making includes all tho opera- 
 tions which are required to make the body of the waist and which 
 are described in greater detail in the following sections. Tho body 
 makers are among the most skillful operators in the trade, since 
 they make practically the entire garment outside of the few special 
 operations described in the preceding sections. 
 
 Most of the headings of the columns in the tables which follow speak 
 for themselves. ' The column marked "Kind of seam" is subdivided 
 into two columns, marked "First" and "Second," which require an 
 explanation. While most operations are done with one seam, there 
 are some operations which it takes two seams to complete. This is 
 true of the French seam (described under "Closing," p. 226) and of 
 most of the work of joining lace to other material. As each seam is 
 made under different conditions, the second seam usually requiring a 
 great deal less time than the first, the work on each seam was timed 
 separately whenever possible and the data tabulated accordingly. 
 
 In timing work in which a seam consisted of two rows of stitching, 
 it was not always possible to time the first and second rows of stitch- 
 ing on the identical waists. An operator might be timed on the first 
 row on an entire bundle and before she took up the work of the 
 second row of stitching she might be started on a new bundle and 
 not have an opportunity to return to the old bundle until the inves- 
 
 
250 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUEEAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 tigator had left the shop, or had been assigned to time a new set oj 
 operators. In such case it would be necessary to time the scconc 
 row of stitching upon a different bundle of waists, consisting perhaps 
 of a larger or a smaller number. For this reason the total number oi 
 waists, as well as the total number of rows of stitching timed on th< 
 first seam, as shown in Tables 84 to 89, 91, 92B, 93 to 96, 98, and 99, 
 is seldom the same as that on the second row. But in figuring ou! 
 the time it will take to do the entire operation consisting of the tw< 
 rows of stitching, it was necessary to take an equal number of waisl 
 for each row of stitching, since this is the way the work is actuall; 
 done, and because otherwise either the first or the second row oi 
 stitching would be given an undue weight. The following illustra- 
 tion will show the method of calculation followed: 
 
 Kind of scam. 
 
 Dozen 
 waists. 
 
 Rows of stitching. 
 
 Minutes 
 work took. 
 
 Rows per 
 hour. 
 
 First. 
 
 Second. 
 
 Per waist. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Plain 
 
 
 a 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 100 
 50 
 
 20 
 5 
 
 300 
 
 ? 
 
 
 Plain 
 
 
 To find the average output per hour on the combined process, 
 reduce the number of rows of stitching in the first seam from 100 t< 
 50, so as to have the same number of rows in the first and secon< 
 seam. The number of minutes will have to be reduced in the sam< 
 proportion, so that we will have the following computation: 
 
 
 
 Rows. 
 
 Minutes. " 
 
 First seam 
 
 50 
 
 10 
 
 Second seam 
 
 50 
 
 
 
 
 5 % 
 
 Total 
 
 100 
 
 15 
 151 
 
 
 
 
 If it takes 15 minutes, or one-quarter of an hour, to do 100 rows oi 
 stitching in the combined operation, the number of rows per hou] 
 will be four times as large, or 400. 
 
 The following symbols are used in the tables to indicate the dif- 
 ferent kinds of seams used: 
 
 P stands for a plain (ordinary) seam. 
 
 F is a French seam. (For explanation of French scam, see p. 226.] 
 
 S signifies shirring. (For a description of shirring, see pp. 278, 
 279.) 
 
 PS signifies a shirred seam. It is used in the tables of this rep< 
 to indicate that the operator had to join a shirred part of a waist 
 another part. 
 
 P + S indicates that the operator had to join two or more parts 
 of a waist while shirring one of them at the same time. 
 
 PB means that the seam is made on a bias. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DKESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 251 
 JOINING PARTS OF SHOULDERS WITH LACE BEADING BETWEEN THEM. 
 
 This work was timed on two distinct styles of waists, the old-style 
 waist, which was common before 1913, in which the fronts and backs 
 were joined at the shoulder, the seam extending from the neck to 
 the armhole over a length of 5 to 7 inches, and the new-style waist 
 in which the shoulder seam joins the front and back parts of the waist, 
 or of the yoke, extending some distance over the arm, forming the 
 so-called "drop shoulder," the seam being from 11 to 15 inches long. 
 The work consists of sewing on a narrow strip of lace, known as 
 "lace beading," to the front and back shoulder pieces and then 
 turning back the edge of the material, visible under the lace, on the 
 wrong side and stitching it over so that the raw edge will not protrude 
 under the lace. The work of stitching over the raw edge forms the 
 second seam or "stitch," as it is called in the trade. The work on 
 the first seam naturally takes a longer time to do than on the second, 
 for the reason that on the first seam the operator must handle two 
 pieces of material, the lace beading and the shoulder piece, and must 
 take care that the seam forms a straight line at a uniform distance 
 from the edge of the material. On the second seam she has only the 
 raw edge to stitch over but no joining of separate pieces, and the 
 work can therefore be done much more quickly. In all the three shops 
 both on the short and the long seams, as well as on the French seam, 
 it will be found that the output on the second seam is uniformly 
 higher than on the first. Thus in the first item in Table 84 we find 
 the output on the first seam to be 194 rows of stitching per hour 
 (line 1), while on the second it is 291 or 50 per cent higher than on 
 
 the first. Similar differences between the output on the first and 
 second seams will be found on comparing line 4 with line 5, lines 7 
 and 8, 10 and 11, 13 and 14. 
 
 Another interesting comparison which Table 84 furnishes is as to the 
 respective productivity of men and women operators. Lines 1 to 3 
 
 [ of the table show the output of 10 men, lines 4 to 6 that of 10 women 
 on the same kind of work in the same shop. The average output of 
 the 10 men on both seams is 233 rows of stitching per hour and of 
 
 I the 10 women 171 rows per hour. That is to say, the men show an 
 output over 36 per cent greater than the women. 
 
 The work was timed in two shops: No. 1232, the most efficient of 
 the shops investigated, and No. 1284, which has been found to fall 
 below the average shop on several operations. The short seam was 
 timed in shop No. 1284, while the long seams were found in shop 
 No. 1232. As will be seen from Table 84, the average output per 
 hour was 210 rows of stitching in shop No. 1284 (line 9), and 207 in 
 shop No. 1232 (line 12), the somewhat higher figure in the less effi- 
 cient shop being due in this case to the much shorter seams which 
 were made in that shop. In determining the stitch rate for these 
 
252 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUEEAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 operations on the basis of the figures given here, it would be necessary 
 to take into account the differences in the earning capacities of the 
 operators in the respective shops. 
 
 The French seam work was found in shop No. 1230, although this 
 shop manufactures only cheap waists. The work was done by four 
 men and three women, and showed an average output of 162 rows 
 of stitching per hour on the first seam, 243 on the second, and 194 
 on the complete operation. 
 
 TABLE 84. JOINING PARTS OF SHOULDERS WITH LACE BEADING BETWEEN THEM. 
 [For explanation of method of computing averages in this table see p. 250.] 
 
 Line 
 No. 
 
 Shop number. 
 
 Number 
 and sex of 
 operators. 
 
 Kind of 
 seam. 
 
 Length 
 of seam 
 (inches). 
 
 Waists 
 (dozen). 
 
 Stitching. 
 
 Male. 
 
 Fe- 
 male. 
 
 First. 
 
 Sec- 
 ond. 
 
 Rows 
 per 
 waist. 
 
 Total 
 rows. 
 
 Time 
 worked 
 (min- 
 utes). 
 
 Rows 
 per 
 hour. 
 
 1 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 11 
 
 12 
 
 13 
 14 
 
 15 
 
 Shop No 128 1 
 
 10 
 
 
 p. 
 
 
 5 to 7 
 5 to 7 
 
 9U 
 
 92J 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 2,190 
 2,220 
 
 676 
 
 458 
 
 194 
 
 291 
 
 Do 
 
 10 
 
 
 
 P. 
 
 Vverage 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 233 
 
 Shop No. 1284 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 433 
 
 258 
 
 
 10 
 10 
 
 E. 
 
 
 5 to 7 
 5 to 7 
 
 a 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 980 
 996 
 
 136 
 232 
 
 Do 
 
 
 P. 
 
 Average 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 171 
 
 Average shop No. 1281: 
 First seam 
 
 
 
 
 
 5 to 7 
 
 5 to 7 
 
 18* 
 
 
 
 
 10 
 10 
 
 10 
 10 
 
 P. 
 
 "P." 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 3,170 
 3,216 
 
 1,109 
 716 
 
 172 
 269 
 
 Second seani 
 
 Average 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 210 
 
 183 
 238 
 
 Shop No 1232 
 
 T 
 
 5 
 
 T 
 
 6 
 
 !_ 
 
 
 
 2~ 
 2 
 
 
 864~ 
 
 {*.(* 
 
 ODD 
 
 p. 
 
 
 11 to 15 
 11 to 15 
 
 110 
 110 
 
 2. 640 
 2,640 
 
 Do 
 
 P. 
 
 \^ T erage 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 207 
 
 162 
 243 
 
 Shop No. 1230 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 564 
 324 
 
 209" 
 
 80 
 
 4 | 3 
 2 3 
 
 F. 
 
 "F." 
 
 6* to 8 
 7 to 8 
 
 23i 
 13$ 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 Do 
 
 Average . . . 
 
 i 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 194 
 
 JOINING YOKES TO FRONTS OR BACKS WITH INSERTIONS. 
 
 Seam 12 to 15 inches long. 
 
 This work was observed in three shops making waists to sell for $9 
 per dozen, involving the work of 19 men and 21 women, who spent 
 the equivalent of 54 hours and 38 minutes for one person in turning 
 out from 160 to 165 dozen waists. 
 
 The character of this work involves the same operations as in 
 sewing on lace beading to shoulders, described in the preceding 
 section, and in joining lace to material, described under lace run- 
 ning. That is to say, a distinction must be made in - the .first 
 place between the process in which the lace is sewed on top of the 
 cloth and that in which the cloth appears on top of the lace; in the 
 second place, the first row of stitching, which involves the sewing on 
 of the lace, must be distinguished from the second row by which the 
 protruding edge of the cloth is stitched back. As will be seen from 
 Table 85, two shops (Nos. 1284 and 1230) follow the method of sewing 
 the cloth on top, while in one shop (No. 1232) the lace is stitched on 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DEESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 253 
 
 top. As a result, the first two shops show a smaller output per hour 
 than the last-mentioned shop. Where the cloth appears on top the 
 rows of stitching per hour vary from 96 to 108 on the first seam, and 
 from 139 to 144 on the second, the average for the two seams in both 
 shops being 116 rows of stitching per hour. For the lace on top 
 process the rows of stitching per hour were 168 on the first seam and 
 207 on the second, the average for the two seams being 186 per hour. 
 
 The last item in the table represents the same work as described 
 above, except that cording is inserted instead of lace beading. This 
 work is much more difficult and takes more time ; the cording being 1 
 quite thick, its movement under the "foot" (the name of the attach- 
 ment which presses down the material, thereby helping the gears 
 under the material to push it along as fast as it is stitched), is slow; 
 care must also be taken that the seam is put in neatly next to the 
 cord so that the needle neither catches the cord nor nlakes the seam 
 too far from the cord, which would leave it loose in the cloth. All 
 these conditions combine to greatly reduce the output. 
 
 Only 7J dozen waists with cording were made while the investiga- 
 tion was in progress, and this happened in shop No. 1232 which has 
 the highest output of any shop on most of the work on which com- 
 parison can be made between the different shops. These 7J dozen 
 were made by three different operators, all men, each making 2J 
 dozen. The average output was 87 rows of stitching per hour. For 
 additional figures on cording, see page 281 relating to sleeve setting. 
 
 TABLE 85. JOINING YOKES TO FRONTS OR BACKS WITH INSERTIONS. 
 Seam 12 to 15 inches long. 
 
 [For explanation of method of computing averages in this table, see p. 230.] 
 
 Line 
 
 No. 
 
 Shop number. 
 
 Number 
 and sex of 
 operators. 
 
 Kind of 
 seam. 
 
 Waists 
 (dozen). 
 
 Stitchin.e. 
 
 Male. 
 
 Fe- 
 male. 
 
 First. 
 
 Sec- 
 ond. 
 
 Rows 
 per 
 waist. 
 
 Total 
 rows. 
 
 Time 
 worked 
 (min- 
 utes). 
 
 Rows 
 per 
 hour. 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 5 
 
 G 
 
 7 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 11 
 
 12 
 13 
 
 Cloth on top: 
 Shop No. 1284 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 9 
 12 
 
 P. 
 
 "~"p~." 
 
 53 * 
 
 64^ 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 1,280 
 1.550 
 
 798 
 668 
 
 96 
 139 
 
 Do 
 
 Average 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 114 
 
 Shop No. 1230 
 
 
 
 pT 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 5 
 
 8 
 
 ""P." 
 
 22 
 
 30 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 528 
 736 
 
 294 
 307 
 
 108* 
 144 
 
 Do 
 
 Average 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 123 
 
 Average, shops Nos. 
 1230 and 1284: 
 First seam 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 4 
 6 
 
 14 
 
 20 
 
 p. 
 
 "'P.' 
 
 75 J 
 95J 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 1,808 
 2,286 
 
 1,092 
 975 
 
 99 
 141 
 
 Second seam 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 116 
 
 Lace on top: 
 Shop No. 1232 
 Do 
 
 Average. 
 
 13 
 13 
 
 
 p. 
 
 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 
 .723 
 
 488 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 ""p"." 
 
 | 
 
 2,028 
 1,686 
 
 168 
 207 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 186 
 87 
 
 With cording: 
 Shop No. 1232 | . 3 
 
 
 p. 
 
 
 
 7J 
 
 2 
 
 180 
 
 124 
 
254 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 JOINING YOKE BEADING TO BACKS. 
 
 Seam 27 to 30 inches long. 
 
 This work was timed in three $9-a-dozen waist shops, involving 
 the work of 10 men and 9 women, with a total output of 49f| to 57J 
 dozen waists at an expenditure of time equivalent to 15 hours and 1 
 minutes for one person. The work is in every way similar to thai 
 described in the preceding section except that it is done on waisl 
 having closed backs which are double the length of the open bad 
 given in the preceding section. As will be seen by comparing th< 
 figures in Tables 85 and 86, the output for each shop is materially lowei 
 on the full backs as compared with the half backs. Thus, taking 
 first the shops where the cloth is stitched on top of the lace, we fin< 
 that in shop No. 1284 the average output is 79 rows of stitching pei 
 hour on the full backs (see table below), as against 114 on the hali 
 backs (see preceding table), a difference of 31 per cent. For shop No. 
 1230, the respective outputs are 75 and 123 rows per hour, or 
 difference of 39 per cent. The average output for the two shops is 7: 
 rows of stitching per hour on the first seam, 87 rows on the second, 
 and 78 rows per hour for the combined process as compared with 
 rows of stitching for the half backs, or a difference of 33 per cent. 
 That is to say, in the two shops mentioned the output on full bacj 
 was on the average about one-third less per hour than the outpu 
 on half backs. 
 
 For shop No. 1232, in which the lace is stitched on top of the cloth, 
 the output on full backs was 98 per hour as compared with 186 
 half backs, or a difference of 47 per cent. 
 
 TABLE 86. JOINING YOKE BEADING TO BACKS. 
 Plain seam 27 to 30 inches long. 
 
 [For explanation of method of computing averages in this table, see page 250.] 
 
 Line 
 
 No. 
 
 1 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 6 
 
 7 
 8 
 
 Shop number. 
 
 Number 
 and sex of 
 operators. 
 
 Kind of 
 seam. 
 
 Lencth 
 of seam 
 (inches). 
 
 Waists 
 (dozen). 
 
 Stitching. 
 
 Rows 
 per 
 hour. 
 
 Male. 
 
 Fe- 
 male. 
 
 First. 
 
 Sec- 
 ond. 
 
 Rows 
 per 
 waist. 
 
 Total 
 rows. 
 
 Time 
 worked 
 (min- 
 utes). 
 
 Cloth on top: 
 Shop No. 1284... 
 
 
 6 
 g 
 
 P. 
 
 ""p~." 
 
 27 
 27 
 
 20 
 25 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 240 
 300 
 
 203 
 201 
 
 
 Do 
 
 
 Average.. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 Shop No. 1230 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 5 
 
 5 
 
 
 60~ 
 60 
 
 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 P. 
 
 ""p~.~ 
 
 27 to 30 
 27 to 30 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 50 
 46 
 
 Do 
 
 2 
 
 Average 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total, shops Nos. 
 1230 and 1284: 
 First seam 
 Second seam 
 
 2 
 
 8 
 g 
 
 P. 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 
 253 
 247 
 
 . . . . 
 
 27 to 30 
 27 to 30 
 
 25 
 30 
 
 300 
 360 
 
 Average 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 146 
 
 Lace on top: 
 Shop No. 1232... . 
 
 g 
 
 ^^^^^ 
 
 p 
 
 == 
 
 27 to 31 
 29 to 31 
 
 32* 
 
 19H 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 390 
 239 
 
 '_'..-- 
 
 318 
 99 
 
 Do.... 
 
 6 
 
 1 
 
 
 P. 
 
 Average 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 255 
 
 JOINING YOKES WITH LACE BEADING TO OPEN FRONTS OR BACKS, 
 WITH A SHIRRED SEAM. 
 
 Seam 11 to 15 inches long. 
 
 This work was timed in only one $9-a-dozen waist shop, involving 
 the work of 11 men and 8 women, with a total output of 46 to 53 
 dozen waists, at an expenditure of time equivalent to 17 hours and 5 
 minutes for one person. The work differs from that described in the 
 preceding section in that a shirred seam takes the place of a plain 
 seam. This process is naturally more difficult for the operator. 
 Comparison is possible only for one shop, No. 1232, since only in 
 that shop work was found of a similar character with plain and 
 shirred seams, respectively. The average output for this shop on 
 this kind of work was 143 rows of stitching per hour, as compared 
 with 186 rows of the plain seam (see lines 10 and 11 in Table 85). In 
 other words, the additional work of shirring or handling a shirred 
 seam results in a loss of about 23 per cent in the output of the operator, 
 and work of this kind seems to call for a proportionately greater 
 compensation than in the case of a plain seam. 
 
 An examination of Table 87 shows that the operators do their work 
 in different ways. In the column headed "Kind of seam" it will be 
 found that the first seam has been made in two different ways, indi- 
 cated by the symbols "PS" and "P + S," respectively. The former 
 indicates that the shirring was done before the joining in a separate 
 operation; the latter, that the joining and the shirring were done 
 together in the same operation. A comparison of lines 1 and 4 of 
 Table 87 shows an output of 116 rows of stitching per hour by the 
 first method and 111 by the second, or a difference of 4 per cent in 
 favor of the former method. But this does not take account of the 
 time taken to do the shirring as a separate operation, which does not 
 appear in the table. The fact should be noted that when the separate 
 operation of shirring is saved, the handling of the work becomes 
 much more difficult for the operator, so that what is saved by elimi- 
 nating one operation is largely or entirely offset through the loss of 
 time in handling the combined operation in one process. 1 Moreover, 
 as it is left to the discretion of the operator to do the work either by 
 the one or by the other method, there is no occasion for different rates 
 
 for the two methods. 
 
 . +. 
 
 1 It will be noted that there is no difference in the time it takes to do the second seam under either process, 
 since the second seam is identical in both cases, consisting of stitching over a shirred seam. For this reason 
 no attempt was made to separate the work on the second seam under the two processes, and lines 2 and 5 
 represent the same work. 
 
256 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 TABLE 87. JOINING YOKES Y T ITH LACE BEADING TO OPEN FRONTS OR BACKS WITH 
 
 SHIRRED SEAM. 
 
 Seam 11 to 15 inches long. 
 
 [For explanation of method of computing averages in this table see page 250.] 
 
 Line 
 No. 
 
 Shop number. 
 
 Number 
 and sex of 
 operators. 
 
 Kind of 
 seam. 
 
 Length 
 of seam 
 (inches). 
 
 Waists 
 (dozen). 
 
 Stitching. 
 
 Male. 
 
 Fe- 
 male. 
 
 First. 
 
 Sec- 
 ond. 
 
 Rows 
 per 
 waist. 
 
 Total 
 rows. 
 
 Time 
 worked 
 (min- 
 utes). 
 
 Rows 
 per 
 hour. 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 Joining yoke to a shirred 
 front or back: 
 Shop No 1232... 
 
 7 
 11 
 
 8 
 8 
 
 PS. 
 
 
 11 to 15 
 11 to 15 
 
 42A 
 46^ 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 1,018 
 1,106 
 
 528 
 352 
 
 % 
 
 Do 
 
 PS. 
 
 \verage 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 143 
 
 111 
 189 
 
 Joining yoke to front or 
 back and shirring at the 
 same time: 
 Shop No. 1232 
 
 
 
 1 ' 
 
 P+S. 
 
 1 " 
 
 11 to 15 
 11 to 15 
 
 114 
 
 46^ 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 268 
 1,106 
 
 
 6 
 
 
 145 
 352 
 
 Do 
 
 11 
 
 8 
 
 
 P+S. 
 
 Average . . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 jj 
 
 Average for both 
 operations 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ' 
 
 
 
 
 
 | 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 JOINING YOKE SLEEVES TO FRONTS OR BACKS WITH BEADING 
 
 BETWEEN. 
 
 This work was timed in three $9-a-dozen waist shops, involvii 
 the work of 17 men and 40 women, with a total output of 508 dozei 
 waists at an expenditure of time equivalent to 163 hours for on< 
 person. As in the case of the operations described above, th< 
 average output per hour in the shops using the " cloth on top"metho< 
 of sewing on the lace beading is below that in the shop using th( 
 "lace on top" method, the two being 143 and 184 rows of stitching, 
 respectively. 
 
 Lines 9 to 12 of Table 88 represent the same work as describe< 
 above, except that the operator has to shirr the front or back in th< 
 same operation. This makes the work more difficult and con 
 quently slower. As will be seen from lines 9 and 10 of Table 88, 
 the output for shop No. 1230 in this case is 104 rows of stitchii 
 per hour as compared with 144 rows of stitching without the shir- 
 ring, or a reduction of output equal to about 28 per cent. The 
 average for shop No. 1232 (lines 11 and 12 of the table) is 138 rcr 
 of stitching per hour as compared with 184 without the shirring, 01 
 a reduction of output equal to 25 per cent. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DKESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 257 
 
 TABLE SS.-JOIN1NG YOKE SLEEVES TO FRONTS OR BACKS YTITH LACE BEADING 
 
 BETWEEN. 
 
 Plain seam 11 to 16 inches long. 
 
 [For explanation of method of computing averages in this table see page 250.] 
 
 Line 
 No. 
 
 Shop number. 
 
 Number 
 and sex of 
 operators. 
 
 Kind of 
 seam. 
 
 Stitches 
 per inch. 
 
 Waists 
 (dozen). 
 
 Rows 
 per 
 waist. 
 
 Stitching. 
 
 Male. 
 
 Fe- 
 male. 
 
 First, 
 
 ond. 
 
 Total 
 rows. 
 
 2,724 
 2,340 
 
 Time 
 worked 
 (min- 
 utes). 
 
 Rows 
 per 
 hour. 
 
 1 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 6 
 
 7 
 8 
 
 9 
 10 
 
 11 
 12 
 
 Cloth on top: 
 Shop No 1284 . . 
 
 6 13 
 
 6| 10 
 
 P. 
 
 
 
 113J 
 
 97i 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 1,305 
 
 861 
 
 125 
 163 
 
 Do 
 
 p. 
 
 
 Average 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 142 
 
 Shop No 1230... 
 
 
 P. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 8 
 8 
 
 23 
 .23 
 
 
 8 to 10 
 8 to 10 
 
 345i 
 337^ 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 8,284 
 8,098 
 
 3,953 
 
 2,883 
 
 126 
 
 169 
 
 Do .. 
 
 P. 
 
 A verage 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 144 
 
 *126 
 167 
 
 Average, shops Nos. 
 1284 and 1230: 
 First seam 
 
 14 
 14 
 
 36 
 33 
 
 P. 
 
 
 
 ~~ 
 
 4582 
 434ii 
 
 
 11,008 
 10,438 
 
 5,258 
 3,744 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 Second seam 
 \verage 
 
 p. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 143 
 
 Lace on top: 
 Shop No. 1232 
 Do 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 50 
 51i 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 1,200 
 1,230 
 
 
 3 
 3 
 
 4 
 4 
 
 P. 
 
 
 
 471 
 319 
 
 153 
 
 231 
 
 p 
 
 
 Average . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 184 
 
 Shirring fronts or backs at 
 the same time. 
 Cloth on top: 
 Shop No 1230.. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 890 
 
 786 
 
 
 4 
 4 
 
 12 
 
 9 
 
 P+S. 
 
 
 
 lit 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 636 
 
 347 
 
 84 
 i:3() 
 
 Do 
 
 P+S 
 
 
 Average. . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 104 
 
 103 
 
 208 
 
 Lace on top: 
 Shop No 1232 
 
 
 
 
 
 ' 
 
 1% 
 7J 
 
 2 
 . .2 
 
 180 
 180 
 
 105 
 52 
 
 
 
 
 P+S 
 
 
 Do 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 p'+s 
 
 
 Average. . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 138 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 JOINING PARTS OF BACK WITH FRENCH SEAM, FORMING TUCK AT 
 
 THE SAME TIME. 
 
 This work does not frequently occur and was found in only one 
 shop, No. 1230, in which 6 men and 9 women operators were timed 
 on nearly 57 dozen waists, working for a period equivalent to 1,126 
 minutes, or more than 18 hours for one person. In this style of 
 waist, buttoning in the front, the back was cut in three parts, the 
 central part consisting of a strip 3 inches wide which was joined to 
 each of the other two parts with a French seam, in which the second 
 seam was finished on the right side instead of the wrong side, as is 
 usually done, and thus formed a tuck. The output on this work on 
 the first seam, in which 6 men and 9 women were engaged, was 100 
 rows of stitching per hour. On the second seam the output of 3 
 men was 148 rows of stitching per hour, and of 5 women, 114 rows, the 
 42132 Bull. 14614 17 
 
258 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 
 average for the men and women on the second seam being 127 rows 
 of stitching per hour. The output for the two seams was 112 
 of stitching per hour. 
 
 TABLE 89. JOINING PARTS OF BACK WITH A FRENCH SEAM, FORMING A TUCK 
 
 THE SAME TIME. 
 
 Line 
 
 No. 
 
 Shop number. 
 
 Number 
 and sex of 
 operators. 
 
 Kind of 
 seam. 
 
 Length 
 of seam 
 (inches). 
 
 Waists 
 (dozen). 
 
 Stitching. 
 
 Male. 
 
 Fe- 
 male. 
 
 First. 
 
 Sec- 
 ond. 
 
 Rows 
 per 
 waist. 
 
 Total 
 rows. 
 
 Time 
 worked 
 (min- 
 utes). 
 
 Rows 
 per 
 hour. 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 3 
 
 4 
 5 
 
 Shop No. 1230 
 
 6 
 3 
 
 9 
 
 P. 
 
 
 16 to 17 
 
 16 to 17 
 16 to 17 
 
 son 
 
 11* 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 1,366 
 
 298 
 3<>0 
 
 816 
 
 121 
 189 
 
 - 
 
 IS 
 
 Do 
 
 P. 
 P. 
 
 Do 
 
 
 5 
 
 
 Average, lines 2 and 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Average, lines 1 and 
 4, 1st and 2d 
 seams 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 29J dozen did not have the second stitch. 
 JOINING SIDE PIECES TO FRONTS. 
 
 This work consists of sewing side pieces or gores to fronts below 
 the waist line. The pieces are short, ranging from 3 to 9 inches in 
 length, most of them being between 3 and 5 inches. The work was 
 done by 26 men and 26 women in three shops on nearly 236 dozen 
 waists at an expenditure of time equivalent to over 22 hours for one 
 person. The output ranged from 191 rows of stitching per hour in 
 shop No. 1284 to 310 in shop No. 1232, the average being 250 rows 
 of stitching per hour. 
 
 TABLE 90. JOINING SIDE PIECES (GORES) TO FRONTS. 
 [No hemming attachment used.] 
 
 Line 
 No. 
 
 Shop number. 
 
 Number 
 and sex of 
 operators. 
 
 Kind of 
 seam. 
 
 Length 
 of seam 
 (inches). 
 
 Waists 
 (dozen). 
 
 Stitching. 
 
 Male. 
 
 Fe- 
 male. 
 
 First. 
 
 Sec- 
 ond. 
 
 Rows 
 per 
 waist. 
 
 Total 
 rows. 
 
 Time 
 worked 
 (min- 
 utes). 
 
 Rows 
 per 
 hour. 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 3 
 
 4 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 Shop No. 1284... 
 
 
 4 
 
 P. 
 p 
 
 
 
 3 to 4 
 3 to 5 
 5 to 9 
 5 to 8 
 5 to 8 
 
 12* 
 6f 
 
 H7H 
 48| 
 50$ 
 
 2 
 2 
 2 
 2 
 2 
 
 300 
 156 
 2,830 
 1, 164 
 1,208 
 
 94 
 41 
 
 547 
 318 
 358 
 
 191 
 228 
 310 
 220 
 
 202 
 
 Do 
 
 3 
 
 Shop No. 1232 
 
 15 
 8 
 
 8 
 
 P. 
 p 
 
 
 
 Shop No. 1230. . . 
 
 Do 
 
 
 14 
 
 p 
 
 
 Average, 3 shops. . . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 250 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 259 
 JOINING LACE TO STANDING COLLARS. 
 
 This work was timed in three shops, taking in the work of 13 men 
 and 8 women on 118 dozen waists in a period of time equivalent to 
 1,065 minutes, or more than 17 hours for one person. The work con- 
 sists of joining the lace to a collar of voile or lawn, or lace, the lace 
 in each case appearing on top of the other material, and stitching 
 back the raw edge of the material on the second seam. The results 
 are found to be fairly uniform in all shops, ranging from 132 rows of 
 stitching in shop No. 1284 to 182 in shop No. 1232, the average for 
 the three shops on both seams being 161 rows of stitching per hour. 
 On collars made of lace, which were found only in shop No. 1284, the 
 output was 119 rows of stitching per hour for 5 men and 101 rows of 
 stitching for 4 women. It being more difficult to join lace and lace 
 than to join lace and cotton material, it is natural that the output 
 on the former should be less than on the latter. 
 
 Line 19 shows the output when the lace is joined to the collar in 
 one seam instead of by the two-seam process described above, the raw 
 edge of the material being turned in while the lace is stitched to it. 
 The output of one man and two women, working on 25 dozen waists 
 for a period equivalent to 139 minutes, or practically 2 J hours for 
 one person, was 129 rows of stitching and 129 "bendings" 1 per hour. 
 Figuring 2 bendings as equivalent to 1 row of stitching, as is the cus- 
 tom among some manufacturers, this would be equivalent to 194 
 rows of stitching per hour, or 11 rows of stitching more than the out- 
 put in the same shop by the two-seam process. 
 
 Lines 20 and 21 show the output on facing collars with a finished 
 binding. The binding is attached only at the two extreme ends of 
 the collar, being 3 to 4 inches long. The work is done in two opera- 
 tions, the binding being first stitched to the edge of the collar on the 
 right side and then turned over and stitched to the collar on the wrong 
 side, which makes it look like a facing on the collar corresponding to 
 the facing on the back. Five men and three women were timed in 
 shop No. 1232 on 57 % dozen waists, working for a period equivalent 
 to 218 minutes, or more than 3J hours for one person. The average 
 output of the 8 operators was 613 rows of stitching on the first seam, 
 867 rows on the second, and 720 rows of stitching per hour on the 
 combined operation. 
 
 * Whenever the material is turned in as described above, a fold is formed which is known in the 
 trade as a "bending." 
 
260 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 TABLE 91. JOINING LACE TO STANDING COLLARS. 
 [For explanation of method of computing averages in this table see p. 250.] 
 
 Line 
 No. 
 
 Shop number. 
 
 Num- 
 ber 
 and 
 sex of 
 oper- 
 ators. 
 
 Kind of 
 seam. 
 
 Length 
 of seam 
 inches). 
 
 Waists 
 (doz- 
 en). 
 
 Stitching. 
 
 Bendings. 
 
 M. 
 
 F. 
 
 1st. 
 
 2d. 
 
 Rows 
 per 
 waist. 
 
 Total 
 rows. 
 
 Time 
 work- 
 ed 
 (min- 
 utes). 
 
 Rows 
 per 
 hour. 
 
 Per 
 
 waist. 
 
 To- 
 tal. 
 
 Per 
 hour. 
 
 1 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 11 
 
 12 
 
 13 
 14 
 
 15 
 
 16 
 
 17 
 
 18 
 19 
 
 20 
 21 
 
 22 
 
 Collars made of cotton 
 material : 
 Fhop No. 1232 
 Do 
 
 6 
 fi 
 
 
 P 
 
 "P." 
 
 14 to 18 
 14 to 18 
 
 65 
 32* 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 780 
 390 
 
 277 
 118 
 
 169 
 198 
 
 
 
 
 Average 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 182 
 
 
 
 
 Shop No. 1230 
 Do 
 
 T 
 
 1 
 2 
 
 P. 
 
 "P." 
 
 17 
 15 to 17 
 
 4 
 3i* 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 48 
 47 
 
 18 
 20 
 
 160 
 141 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 148 
 
 
 
 
 Shop No 1284 
 
 
 
 p 
 
 = 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 - - 
 
 = 
 
 
 
 
 14 to 15 
 
 134 
 
 1~ 
 
 ! 
 
 162- 
 210 
 
 61 
 111 
 
 159 
 114 
 
 Do 
 
 
 9 
 
 
 P. 
 
 14tol5 
 
 
 
 
 Average 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 132 
 
 
 
 
 Average, 3 shops: 
 First seam . . . 
 Second seam . 
 
 Average 
 
 8 
 7 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 
 P. 
 
 "P." 
 
 - ".' 
 
 14 to 18 
 14 to 18 
 
 82J 
 53H 
 
 ! 
 
 990 
 647 
 
 
 
 356 
 249 
 
 167 
 156 
 
 
 
 ~ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 161 
 
 
 
 
 Collars made of lace: 
 Shop No 1284 
 
 5 
 
 ~~ 
 
 P 
 
 = 
 
 15 to 16i 
 15 to 16| 
 
 26 
 26 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 312 
 312 
 
 182 
 132 
 
 103 
 142 
 
 ""^ 
 
 = 
 
 
 Do 
 
 T 
 
 
 
 P. 
 
 
 
 
 Average 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 119 
 
 
 
 
 Shop No 1284 
 
 = 
 
 
 
 
 
 94 
 11 
 
 ~7 
 
 
 
 114 
 132 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 p 
 
 
 15 to 16J 
 15 to 16fc 
 
 73 
 73 
 
 94 
 
 108 
 
 
 
 
 Do 
 
 
 4 
 
 
 P. 
 
 
 
 
 Vverage, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 101 
 
 
 
 
 Shop No. 1232 
 
 Facing collars with a 
 finished binding: 
 Shop No. 1232 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 ______ 
 25 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 " ~ 
 
 300~ 
 
 
 2 
 
 P. 
 
 
 
 14 to 15 
 
 i 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 300 
 
 1,380 
 1,200 
 
 139 
 
 135 
 83 
 
 U29 
 
 129 
 
 5 
 
 3 
 ^ 
 
 P. 
 
 "P." 
 
 3 to 4 
 3 to 4 
 
 8 
 
 613 
 
 867 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Average 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 720 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 Collars made of voile. 
 JOINING "LITTLE SKIRTS" TO WAISTS. 
 
 Practically all medium and high priced waists are cut in such a 
 manner as to end at the waist line, an additional piece called "skirt" 
 or "little skirt" being joined to the waist so as to form its continuation 
 below the waist line. Most of the $9-a-dozen waists are cut full 
 length, so as to save the labor of joining the little skirt to the waist. 
 Sometimes little skirts are used in these waists. This happens either 
 when embroidered fronts are used and it is desired to save the em- 
 broidery below the waist line, where it is not seen at all or where the 
 nature of the pattern makes it advisable to cut the waist in this man- 
 ner so as to utilize the material to better advantage. 
 
 Table 92 A gives the record of various operations in connection 
 with the joining of little skirts to waists. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 261 
 JOINING LITTLE SKIRTS TO OPEN FRONTS AND SHIRRING AT THE SAME TIME. 
 
 Lines 1 to 5 show the output on the operation of joining little skirts 
 to open fronts and shirring at the same time. The work consists of 
 two operations : In the first, the little skirt and the front are put right 
 side to one another and joined along the raw edge. In the second 
 operation the raw edge is stitched back. This work was timed in 
 two $9-a-dozen waist shops covering the work of 9 men and 4 women 
 on nearly 48 dozen waists, involving an expenditure of time equiva- 
 lent to 544 minutes, or over 9 hours, for one person. 
 
 Lines 1 and 2 show the output on the first seam in two different 
 shops, the figures being 132 and 108 rows of stitching per hour, respec- 
 tively, tfee average for the two shops being 126 (line 3). 
 
 Line 4 shows the output on the second seam, which is always much 
 greater than on the first, to be 319 rows of stitching per hour. This 
 makes the output on the combined operation, taking the first and sec- 
 ond seams, 187 rows of stitching per hour, as shown in line 5. 
 
 - 
 
 JOINING TO OPEN FRONTS WITHOUT SHIRRING. 
 
 Iii this case the shirring or tacking of the waist was done after the 
 little skirts were joined to the fronts. This accounts for the length of 
 the seam of the open front at the waist line being as much as 14 inches. 
 The work was timed in shop No. 1232, which has the record of the 
 highest output of all the shops investigated, and represents the work 
 of 3 men and 3 women on 15 dozen waists for a period of time equiva- 
 lent to 99 minutes for 1 person. The operation consisted of sewing 
 the front and skirt together, as explained above, except that there 
 was no shirring, and the output was 218 rows of stitching per hour as 
 compared with 132 in the same shop on the same kind of fronts when 
 shirring had to be done at the same time. In other words, the addi- 
 tion of shirring resulted in this case in nearly 40 per cent reduction 
 of output. 
 
 JOINING TO CLOSED FRONTS WITHOUT SHIRRING. 
 
 Four men and three women were timed on this work in the same 
 shop on nearly 50 dozen waists, which took the equivalent of 344 
 minutes, or nearly 6 hours, for 1 person. The work was exactly the 
 same as that recorded in the preceding operation, and the output is 
 nearly half, namely, 104 rows of stitching per hour, which is explained 
 by the fact that the length of the seam was more than double that in 
 the preceding case, since the work was done on a closed front. 
 
 J JOINING TO CLOSED BACKS AND SHIRRING AT THE SAME TIME. 
 
 The shirring on a closed back is very slight and therefore does not 
 uce the output of the operator very much. The work was timed 
 ;hop No. 1232 only, but was done in two different ways. On the 7i 
 dozen reported in line 8 of Table 92A the raw edge of the little 
 
262 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 skirt was turned in before it was joined to the waist, and the output was 
 90 rows of stitching and 90 bendings per hour. On the 27J dozen 
 waists recorded inline 9, the raw edge was not turned in, and the output 
 was 137 rows of stitching per hour. If a bending be considered equiv- 
 alent to half a row of stitching, as is customary with some manufac- 
 turers, the output in the two cases will be practically the same. 
 
 JOINING TO VESTS, NO SHIRRING. 
 
 This work, given in line 10, is similar to the joining of the skirts to 
 fronts, given in line 6, the only difference being the length of the seam 
 which was only from 1J to 4 inches in this case as compared with 12 
 to 14 inches in the former case. The output was 200 rows of stitching 
 per hour as against 218 rows of stitching on the 14-inch seam. The 
 reason for the smaller output is the fact that the side edge of the li ttle 
 skirt was hemmed before being joined to the vests, and in joining the 
 two the operator had to be careful to have the facing of the vest and 
 th$ turned-in edge of the li ttle skirt form one straight line. To what 
 extent this reduced the output of the operator will be seen from the 
 operation recorded in lines 11 to 13, the description of which follows: 
 
 JOINING TO EMBROIDERED CENTERS. 
 
 In this case the part of the little skirt attached to the embroidered 
 center, forming a seam of practically the same length as in the preced- 
 ing case, has no turned-in edge, and therefore it does not matter whether 
 the raw edge of the center and of the little skirt coincide exactly, 
 since both of them will be faced later. The result is a much larger 
 output, namely, 294 rows of stitching per hour in shop No. 1232 and 
 269 in shop No. 1230, making an average of 282 rows of stitching per 
 hour for the two shops. 
 
 Line 14 represents the same work except that the upper edge of the 
 little skirt, before being attached to the center, is turned in, there being 
 thus one bending to each row of stitching. The total output is 182 
 rows of stitching and 182 bendings per hour. 
 
 JOINING TO OPEN FRONTS WITH TWO SEAMS AND TWO BENDINGS TO EACH FRONT. 
 
 In this case the fronts are cut in such a manner as to leave a corner 
 into which the little skirts fit, so that instead of being joined to the 
 front along the waist line only, as is usually the case, they are joined 
 along two sides: First along part of the waist line, a distance of 6 
 inches, and then along a line forming an angle with the waist line and 
 running below it a distance of 4 inches. In this manner two seams 
 and two bendings are formed on each front, making a total of 4 seams 
 and 4 bendings to the waist. This work was done in shop No. 1230 
 by 1 man and 4 women on 15 dozen waists, working for a period 
 equivalent to 231 minutes, or nearly 4 hours for one person, and 
 showed an output of 187 rows of stitching and 187 bendings per hour. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DEESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 263 
 
 JOINING LITTLE SKIRTS TO BACKS OR FRONTS OF WAIST, SHIRRING AT THE SAME 
 TIME AND SEWING ON TAPE. 
 
 Iii the operations described in Table 92 A no tape is used to cover 
 up the raw edges of the little skirt and the waist on the wrong side. 
 On higher-grade waists it is customary to cover up the raw edges with 
 tape. This was also found to be the case with some of the cheaper 
 waists in the shops investigated. The output per hour on this class 
 of work is given in Table 92B. 
 
 Lines 1 to 3 show the output when little skirts are joined to 
 closed fronts, the front being shirred at the same time, and the tape 
 being sewed on to the little skirt, all in one operation. That is to say, 
 the operator must handle at the same time the following parts: The 
 front, the little skirt, and the tape; and while she joins the three 
 together she mus*t shirr the front at the same time. In the second 
 operation the tape is stitched over the shirred front so as to cover up 
 the raw edge. The second operation being much simpler than the 
 first, the output is greater, as will be seen from lines 1 and 2, namely, 
 84 rows of stitching as compared with 50 on the first seam, the average 
 for the two being 63 rows of stitching per hour. 
 
 Lines 4 to 6 relate to the same class of work, except that the work 
 is done in 3 operations instead of 2, as follows : 
 
 First operation, shirring the front and joining the little skirt to the 
 front at the same time. 
 
 Second operation, sewing on tape to the little skirt. 
 
 Third operation, stitching tape over the raw edge of the shirred 
 front. 
 
 The second and third operations were timed together, and show an 
 output of 130 rows of stitching as against 60 on the first operation, or 
 an average of 82 for the combined output as compared with only 63 
 when the whole work was done in two operations. 
 
 Lines 7 to 9 relate to similar work except that the little skirt is 
 joined to closed backs instead of closed fronts. As the backs are not 
 shirred as much as the fronts, the work does not take so much time. 
 As will be seen from lines 7 to 9, the output on the first seam was 
 83 rows of stitching per hour, on the second 207, the average being 
 119 rows of stitching per hour. 
 
 Lines 10 to 12 relate to similar work, except that instead of one 
 closed front we have two open fronts, with the result that the seam 
 measures only from 9^ to 11 inches as against 18 to 21 inches on a 
 closed front, and the output was 90 rows of stitching per hour on the 
 first seam, 193 on the second, the combined output being 122 rows of 
 stitching per hour. 
 
 All of this work was timed in only one shop, No. 1284. 
 
264 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 TABLE 92A. JOINING LITTLE SKIRTS TO WAIST. 
 [For explanation of method of computing averages in this table see p. 250.] 
 
 
 
 Num- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ber 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 and 
 sex of 
 
 Kind of 
 seam. 
 
 
 
 Stitching. 
 
 Bendings. 
 
 Line 
 No. 
 
 Shop number. 
 
 oper- 
 ators. 
 
 
 Length 
 of seam 
 (inches). 
 
 Waists 
 (doz- 
 en). 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Time 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 M. 
 
 F. 
 
 1st. 
 
 2d. 
 
 
 
 Rows 
 per 
 waist. 
 
 Total 
 rows. 
 
 work- 
 ed 
 (min- 
 
 Rows 
 per 
 hour. 
 
 Per 
 waist. 
 
 To- 
 tal. 
 
 Per 
 
 hour. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 utes). 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Joining little skirts to 
 open fronts, shirring 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 at the same time: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 Shop No. 1232 
 
 7 
 
 2 
 
 P+S 
 
 
 8 to 13| 
 
 37J 
 
 2 
 
 900 
 
 409 
 
 132 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 Shop No. 1230 
 
 9 
 
 2 
 
 P+S 
 
 
 10 to 15 
 
 10iV 
 
 2 
 
 242 
 
 135 
 
 108 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 Average 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 126 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 Shop No. 1232 
 
 
 
 
 
 8tol3i 
 
 25 
 
 
 600 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ? 
 
 
 PS 
 
 2 
 
 113 
 
 319 
 
 
 
 
 5 
 
 Average, lines 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 and 4 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 187 
 
 
 
 
 
 Joining to open fronts, 
 
 
 -= 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 = 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 no shirring: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 6 
 
 Shop No. 1232 
 
 ^ 
 
 s 
 
 P 
 
 
 12 to 14 
 
 15 
 
 2 
 
 360 
 
 99 
 
 218 
 
 
 
 
 
 Joining to closed fronts, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 no shirring: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 7 
 
 Shop No. 1232 
 Joining closed backs, 
 
 4 
 
 3 
 
 P 
 
 
 26 to 30 
 
 &f 
 
 1 
 
 598 
 
 344 
 
 104 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 shirring at the same 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 time: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 8 
 
 Shop No. 1232 
 
 ? 
 
 1 
 
 P+S 
 
 
 15 to 16 
 
 1\ 
 
 1 
 
 90 
 
 60 
 
 90 
 
 1 
 
 90 
 
 90 
 
 9 
 
 Do 
 
 4 
 
 -[ 
 
 P+S 
 
 
 15 to 18 
 
 27J 
 
 1 
 
 330 
 
 145 
 
 137 
 
 
 
 
 
 Joining to vests, no 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 shirring: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 10 
 
 Shop No 1232 
 
 i\ 
 
 o 
 
 P 
 
 
 1$ to 4 
 
 15 
 
 2 
 
 360 
 
 108 
 
 200 
 
 
 
 
 
 Joining to embroidered 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 centers: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 11 
 
 Shop No. 1232 
 
 
 4 
 
 P 
 
 
 4 
 
 20 
 
 2 
 
 480 
 
 98 
 
 294 
 
 
 
 
 12 
 
 Shop No. 1230 
 
 ? 
 
 4 
 
 P 
 
 
 3 to 6 
 
 15J 
 
 2 
 
 372 
 
 83 
 
 269 
 
 
 
 
 13 
 
 Average 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 282 
 
 
 
 
 14 
 
 Shop No. 1230 
 
 5 
 
 2 
 
 P 
 
 === 
 
 3 to 6~ 
 
 19j" 
 
 2 
 
 462 
 
 152 
 
 182 
 
 2 
 
 462 
 
 182 
 
 
 Joining to open fronts, 
 with two seams and 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 two bendings to each 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 front: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 15 
 
 Shop No. 1230 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 
 P 
 
 .... 
 
 6 
 
 15 
 
 4 
 
 .720 
 
 231 
 
 187 
 
 4 
 
 720 
 
 187 
 
 TABLE 92B. JOINING LITTLE SKIRTS TO BACKS OR FRONTS OF WAIST, SHIRRING 
 AND SEWING ON TAPE AT THE SAME TIME. 
 
 [For explanation of method of computing averages in this table, see p. 250.] 
 
 Line 
 No. 
 
 Shop number. 
 
 Number 
 and sex of 
 operators. 
 
 Kind of 
 seam. 
 
 Length 
 of seam 
 (inches). 
 
 Waists 
 (dozen). 
 
 Stitching. 
 
 Male. 
 
 3 
 3 
 
 Fe- 
 male. 
 
 First. 
 
 Sec- 
 ond. 
 
 R'ows 
 per 
 waist. 
 
 Total 
 rows. 
 
 Time 
 worked 
 (min- 
 utes). 
 
 Rows 
 per 
 hour. 
 
 1 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 Joining to 'closed fronts, 
 shirring, and sewing on 
 tape: 
 Shop No. 1284.. 
 
 5 
 5 
 
 P+S 
 
 " PS ' 
 
 18 to 21 
 18 to 21 
 
 8* 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 438 
 438 
 
 526 
 313 
 
 50 
 
 84 
 
 Do. . 
 
 Average. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 63 
 
 60 
 
 130 
 
 Shop No. 1284 
 Do.. . 
 
 
 
 P+S 
 
 /PS" 
 
 V P 
 
 19 
 
 } 19 
 
 17 
 16* 
 
 1 
 2 
 
 204 
 398 
 
 205~ 
 183 
 
 2 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 Average 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 82 
 
 rr 
 
 
 ____ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 265 
 
 TABLE 92B. JOINING LITTLE SKIRTS TO BACKS OR FRONTS OF WAIST, SHIRRING 
 AND SEWING ON TAPE AT THE SAME TIME Concluded. 
 
 Line 
 No. 
 
 7 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 11 
 
 12 
 
 Shop number. 
 
 Number 
 and sex of 
 operators. 
 
 Kind of 
 seam. 
 
 Length 
 of seam 
 (inches). 
 
 Waists 
 (dozen). 
 
 Stitching. 
 
 Male. 
 
 Fe- 
 male. 
 
 First. 
 
 Sec- 
 ond. 
 
 Rows 
 per 
 waist. 
 
 Total 
 rows. 
 
 Time 
 worked 
 (min- 
 utes). 
 
 Rows 
 per 
 hour. 
 
 Joining to closed backs, 
 shirring, and sewing on 
 tape: . 
 Shop No. 1284 
 Do 
 
 3 
 3 
 
 7 
 9 
 
 P+S 
 
 
 US to 154 
 13 to 15i 
 
 36J 
 42J 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 438 
 510 
 
 316 
 
 148 
 
 83 
 207 
 
 PS 
 
 Average. . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 119 
 
 Joining to open fronts, 
 shirring, and sewing on 
 tape: 
 Shop No. 1284 
 
 
 
 
 
 9J to 11 
 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 7 
 
 7 
 
 P+S 
 
 
 44| 
 481 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 1,074 
 1,158 
 
 720 
 360 
 
 90 
 193 
 
 Do... 
 
 PS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 122 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 One case of 17 inches. 
 HEMMING EDGES OF LITTLE SKIRTS AND JOINING PARTS OF LITTLE SKIRTS. 
 
 The work of joining two parts of a little skirt together is very 
 simple, the two being put right side to one another and joined, either 
 leaving the edges raw, or turning in the raw edges like a hem. 
 
 Lines 1 to 3 (Table 92C) show the output on the simpler process, 
 that is, when the edges are left raw. This work was done in shop 
 No. 1232, known for its high output, which in this -case was 450 rows 
 of stitching per hour, the work being done by 5 men and 3 women 
 on 50 dozen waists. 
 
 Lines 4 to 6 show the output when the raw edges are turned in 
 before being stitched together. This work was done in shop No. 
 1284, and shows an average output of 212 rows of stitching per hour 
 and an equal number of bendings per hour. Assuming 2 bendings 
 to be equal to 1 row of stitching, the output does not vary much from 
 that of shop No. 1232, given in line 30. 
 
 Line 7 shows the output when a French seam is used in joining 
 the two pieces together. This method is used very seldom on cheap 
 waists, and was timed in shop No. 1230 on about 6J dozen waists, 
 representing the work of 1 man and 2 women, and showed an output 
 of 220 rows of stitching per hour, which, as should be expected, is 
 much below that shown by the other operations. 
 
 Lines 8 to 11 show the output when the edges of little skirts are 
 turned in so as to form a hem, the work being done on a Singer machine 
 without any hemming attachment. The output of the three shops will 
 be seen to vary from 213 rows of stitching per hour in shop No. 1230 
 to 320 in shop No. 1232, the average for the three shops being 252 
 rows of stitching per hour. 
 
266 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOE STATISTICS. 
 
 JOINING LITTLE SKIRTS TO WAISTS BY A CLOSER. 
 
 Although the work of joining little skirts to waists is usually clone 
 by body makers, as has been shown in this section, occasionally il 
 can be done by a closer, as was the case in shop No. 1230, shown ii 
 line 12 of the table. The work of joining in this case is somewhat 
 similar to closing sides, being done on a Union Special machine, but 
 the seam is much longer, being 24 to 34 inches long, and the work 
 takes more time than ordinary closing, because the waist has to be 
 shirred while the work of joining takes place. This requires greater 
 care in adjusting the folds so as to make the length of the skirt and 
 the shirred waist exactly alike. 
 
 As will be seen from line 12 of Table 92C, the output was 48 rows 
 of stitching per hour in shop No. 1230, the work being done by a 
 male operator of average speed. This figure could not be taken, 
 however, as a balSis for a rate to body makers doing the same work on 
 a Singer machine. 
 
 TABLE 92C. HEMMING EDGES OF LITTLE SKIRTS AND JOINING PARTS OF LITTLE 
 
 SKIRTS TOGETHER. 
 
 Line 
 No. 
 
 Shop number. 
 
 Num- 
 ber 
 and 
 sex of 
 oper- 
 ators. 
 
 Kind of 
 seam. 
 
 Length 
 of seam 
 (inches). 
 
 Waists 
 (doz- 
 en). 
 
 Stitching. 
 
 Bendings. 
 
 M. 
 5 
 
 F. 
 8 
 
 1st. 
 
 P. 
 
 p. 
 
 2d. 
 
 Rows 
 per 
 
 waist. 
 
 Total 
 rows. 
 
 Time 
 work- 
 ed 
 (min- 
 utes). 
 
 Rows 
 per 
 hour. 
 
 Per 
 
 waist. 
 
 To- 
 tal. 
 
 Per 
 hour. 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 5 
 
 e 
 
 7 
 
 8 
 9 
 10 
 
 11 
 12 
 
 Joining little skirts to- 
 gether in front of 
 waist: 
 Shop No. 1232 
 Do 
 
 M to 5 
 
 32| 
 17! 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 390 
 210 
 
 57 
 23 
 
 411 
 548 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Average 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 450 
 
 
 
 
 Shop No. 1284 
 
 
 
 P. 
 p 
 
 **= 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 474 
 438 
 
 256 
 179 
 
 5 
 
 'T" 
 
 4 
 3^ to 4 
 
 m 
 
 36 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 474 
 438 
 
 111 
 
 147 
 
 256 
 179 
 
 \verage 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 212 
 
 
 
 212 
 
 Shop No. 1230 
 Hemming edges of lit- 
 tle skirt, two skirts 
 to the waist: 
 Shop No. 1232 
 Shop No. 1230 
 Shop No. 1284 
 
 Average ... 
 
 
 
 
 P. 
 
 
 
 2~ 
 
 2 
 2 
 2 
 
 
 42 
 
 225 
 366 
 114 
 
 220 
 
 320 
 213 
 240 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 5 
 3 
 
 a 
 
 a 
 
 s 
 in 
 1 
 
 F. 
 
 P. 
 P. 
 P. 
 
 5 
 
 5 
 4J to 6 
 4 to 5 
 
 6A 
 
 50 
 54* 
 19 
 
 154 
 
 1,200 
 1,300 
 456 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 252 
 
 
 
 Joining little skirts to 
 waists by a closer, 
 shirring at the same 
 time. 2 
 Shop No. 1230 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 27 
 
 1 
 
 
 409 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 i 
 
 
 P+S 
 
 
 24 to 34 
 
 324 
 
 48 
 
 
 
 
 
 One case of 4. 
 
 2 Union Special machine used. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DBESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 267 
 
 CENTERS. 
 
 The extreme ends of the backs or fronts of waists are lined with 
 material to give them extra strength to hold the buttonholes and 
 buttons, and are therefore known as buttonhole pieces and button 
 pieces, respectively. 
 
 As a rule, the lining consists of a separate piece of material. Some- 
 times it is formed by turning in the end of the back or front about 
 three-quarters of an inch, so as to give it double thickness. On light 
 materials, such as lawn, chiffon, etc., the strip is made usually of 
 triple thickness by adding a separate strip to the above. The piece 
 of double or triple thickness thus formed is known as a facing, in 
 addition to being also called a buttonhole piece or button piece, 
 according to the use to which it is put. When the separate strip is 
 stitched over the front on the outside instead of being stitched on the 
 inside as a lining, the piece of double or triple thickness thus formed 
 is calle'd a "center." A center may, therefore, be defined as a narrow 
 strip of cloth running longitudinally in the center of the front. 
 Facings are made both in the front and back of waists. Centers are 
 made only in front. The line is not always clearly drawn between 
 facings and centers in the trade, and frequently all kinds of button 
 and buttonhole pieces are referred to as centers. In some cases by cen- 
 ters are also meant embroidered or lace- trimmed strips of cloth at- 
 tached to or inserted in the front of the waist to secure an ornamental 
 effect, as well as to save material in laying out the patterns on the 
 cloth; such centers may consist of one or more thicknesses of material. 
 
 A great variety of work is connected with centers, some of which 
 was timed in the various shops as recorded in the tables following. 
 
 JOINING CENTERS TO LACE OR LACE BEADING ATTACHED TO FRONTS. 
 
 This work was timed in three shops on 60 dozen waists made by 7 
 men and 11 women working what would be equivalent to 1,762 
 minutes, or more than 29 hours for one person. 
 
 The work consists of sewing on the lace to the centers or fronts by 
 means of two seams, as explained in sections 8 and 9. 
 
 As will be seen from lines 1 to 9 of Table 93, the output on the work 
 of joining centers to lace beading was fairly uniform in the two shops 
 in which the work was timed. The output on the first seam was 101 
 rows of stitching per hour in shop No. 1232, and 94 in shop No. 1230. 
 The output on the second seam was 189 rows of stitching per hour in 
 the former shop, and 153 in the latter. The combined output on the 
 two seams was 132 rows of stitching per hour in shop No. 1232, and 
 116 in shop No. 1230, the average for the two shops being 122 rows of. 
 stitching per hour. In the work just described, the center was joined 
 
268 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 to the lace beading after the beading had been joined to the front, the 
 beading being stitched on top of the cloth. 
 
 Lines 10 to 12 relate to similar work, except that instead of being 
 joined to a lace beading, the center is joined to lace. This work is 
 more difficult for the reason that a lace beading has a fairly heavy 
 selvage which makes it easy to sew it on to the cloth, requiring no 
 particular care on the part of the operator, as the seam remains 
 practically invisible on the selvage. This is not the case with lace, in 
 which the selvage frequently consists of only 1, 2, or 3 threads. In 
 stitching the lace to the cloth the operator must be careful to have 
 the seam run along this narrow selvage, which results in slowing down 
 the work considerably. The output, as will be seen from lines 10 to 12, 
 was only 79 rows of stitching per hour as compared with 122 with 
 lace beading, mentioned before. In determining the relative merits 
 of the two kinds of work, it should be borne in mind that the tests 
 were not made in the same shops, the work on lace beading .having 
 been done in shops Nos. 1232 and 1230, while that with lace was done 
 in shop No. 1284 in wjiich some of the operators who were timed on 
 this work were neither so skilled nor so fast as the operators in the 
 other two shops. 
 
 FACING BACKS. 
 
 Line 13 shows the output in forming a facing on one back by 
 turning it in and interlining, while on the other back, instead of a 
 lining, a label is inserted, making a total of 2 rows of stitching and 
 4 bendings per waist. The output on this work was 133 rows of 
 stitching and 266 bendings per hour. 
 
 FACING FRONTS WITH MATERIAL OF DOUBLE THICKNESS. 
 
 This work is done by taking a strip of material 2J inches wide and 
 folding it over lengthwise to the required width of the facing and 
 joining it to the edge of the front on the right side in two operations, 
 as follows: First, stitching on the facing to the edge of the front on 
 the right side; second, the facing is turned over on the wrong side of 
 the front, the raw edge of the facing is turned in and stitched to the 
 front. As will be seen from lines 14 to 22 of Table 93 the output 
 on this work on the first seam was 82 rows of stitching per hour in 
 shop No. 1230 and 84 in shop No. 1284; on the second seam it was 
 120 rows of stitching in shop No. 1230 and 106 in shop No. 1284. 
 The combined output on the two seams was 97 rows of stitching in 
 shop No. 1230, 94 in shop No. 1284, the average for the two shops 
 being 94 rows of stitching and 94 bendings per hour. 
 
 FACING BACKS WITH MATERIAL OF DOUBLE THICKNESS. 
 
 This work is done in the same manner as facing fronts, described 
 above, except that the facing is extended along the collar and in 
 addition to the two operations just mentioned, there is a third 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DEESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 269 
 
 operation consisting of turning in the top of the facing and stitching it 
 to the collar, making a seam three-fourths inch long. The second and 
 third operations being done one after the other, they had to be timed 
 together, and are therefore given in the form of a combined product 
 per hour. The output on the first operation, as will be seen from 
 lino 23, was 86 rows of stitching and 86 bendings per hour. On the 
 second and third operations, the output was 57 rows of stitching 
 23 to 24 inches long and 57 rows three-fourths inch long with an 
 equal number of bendings in each case. 
 
 FACING FRONTS AND INSERTING LACE ON ONE SIDE OF WAIST AT THE SAME TIME. 
 
 This work includes the following operations: One front ends with 
 an embroidered center having a scalloped edge. A strip of lace was 
 used as a facing and in turn was lined by a strip of material folded 
 in two, lengthwise, with each of its raw edges bent in. The three 
 parts, that is to say, the embroidered front, the lace and the facing 
 were placed on top of each other in the order named, and all joined 
 in one seam, thus making three bendings and one row of stitching 
 for one front. The other front had an ordinary facing. Only one 
 row of stitching in that operation was timed in connection with the 
 work recorded in line 25, the stitching over and the bendings being 
 timed in connection with another operation. We thus have a total 
 of 2 rows of stitching and 3 bendings per waist, the output per hour 
 being 36 rows of stitching and 55 bendings. 
 
 JOINING CENTERS TO FRONTS WITH BENDINGS IN FORM OF A TUCK. 
 
 In this work the raw edge of the center is turned in and stitched on 
 top of the front. The stitching is done at some distance from the 
 edge so as to form a tuck. This work is necessarily slower than 
 the ordinary way of finishing the strip, because the operator must 
 be careful to see that the width of the tuck is the same as that of 
 the other tucks on the front. The output of 2 men and 1 woman, 
 working on 8J dozen, was 57 rows of stitching and 57 bendings per 
 hour. 
 
 
270 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 TABLE 93. CENTERS. 
 [For explanation of method of computing averages in this table see page 250.] 
 
 Line 
 No. 
 
 Shop number. 
 
 Num- 
 ber 
 and 
 sex of 
 oper- 
 ators. 
 
 Kind of 
 
 seam. 
 
 Length 
 of seam 
 (inches). 
 
 Waists 
 (doz- 
 en). 
 
 Stitching. 
 
 Bendings. 
 
 1C. 
 
 P. 
 
 1st. 
 
 2d. 
 
 Rows 
 per 
 waist. 
 
 Total 
 rows. 
 
 Time 
 work- 
 ed 
 (min- 
 utes). 
 
 Rows 
 per 
 hour. 
 
 Per 
 
 waist. 
 
 To- 
 tal. 
 
 r 
 
 hour. 
 
 1 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 11 
 
 12 
 
 13 
 
 14 
 15 
 
 16 
 
 17 
 
 18 
 
 19 
 
 20 
 21 
 
 22 
 
 23 
 24 
 
 25 
 
 26 
 
 Joining fronts with lace 
 beading to centers: 
 Shop No. 1232 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 P. 
 
 "P. 
 
 19 
 19 
 
 ? 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 180 
 120 
 
 107 
 
 38 
 
 101 
 189 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Average 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 132 
 
 
 
 
 Shop No. 1230 
 Do 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 a 
 
 P. 
 
 "P." 
 
 16 to 18 
 16 to 17 
 
 * 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 348 
 156 
 
 223 
 61 
 
 94 
 153 
 
 
 
 
 
 Average 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 116 
 
 
 
 
 Average, shops 
 Nos. 1230 and 
 1232: 
 First seam.. 
 Second seam. 
 
 Average 
 
 J 
 
 
 
 
 16 to 19 
 16 to 19 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ::_:: 
 
 5 
 5 
 
 P. 
 
 "P." 
 
 22 
 1H 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 52S 
 276 
 
 330 
 99 
 
 96 
 167 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 .... 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 122 
 
 
 
 
 Joining front with lace 
 to embroidered cen- 
 ter: 
 Shop No. 1284 
 
 
 
 
 
 19 to 23 
 18 to 23 
 
 
 
 912 
 
 828 
 
 796 
 537 
 
 
 
 
 = 
 
 4 
 
 2 
 
 5 
 
 t. 
 
 P. 
 
 "P." 
 
 38 
 31* 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 69 
 93 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Average 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 79 
 
 
 
 
 One back turned in 
 and interlined; other 
 back turned in and 
 label inserted : 
 Shop No. 1232 
 Facing fronts with ma- 
 terial of double 
 thickness: 
 Shop No. 1230 
 Do 
 
 4 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 2 
 
 P. 
 P. 
 
 "P." 
 
 21 
 
 21 
 21 
 
 42i 
 
 4 
 3 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 1,020 
 
 96 
 
 72 
 
 461 
 
 70 
 36 
 
 133 
 
 82 
 120 
 
 4 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 2,040 
 
 96 
 72 
 
 120 
 
 Average 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 97 
 
 
 
 106 
 
 Shop No. 1284... 
 
 1)0 
 
 ~<i 
 6 
 
 
 
 
 19 to 23 
 19 to 23 
 
 22 
 20 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 540 
 
 480 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 P. 
 
 P." 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 540 
 480 
 
 385 
 272 
 
 84 
 106 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 Average 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 91 
 
 
 
 108 
 
 Average, shops 
 Nos. 1230 and 
 1284: 
 First seam... 
 Second seam. 
 
 Average 
 
 7 
 6 
 
 i 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 26 
 
 23 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 P. 
 
 "P." 
 
 21 
 21 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 636 
 552 
 
 455 
 308 
 
 84 
 108 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 636 
 552 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 94 
 
 
 
 j 
 
 Facing backs with ma- 
 terial of double 
 thickness: 
 Shop No. 1284 
 
 Do 
 
 
 i 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 2 
 2 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 648 
 648 
 648 
 
 96 
 204 
 
 450 
 ) 680 
 
 158 
 215 
 
 86 
 
 / 57 
 \ 57 
 
 36 
 57 
 
 2 
 2 
 2 
 
 3 
 2 
 
 (MS 
 648 
 648 
 
 144 
 204 
 
 2 
 ^ 
 
 P. 
 
 P. 
 
 23 to 24 
 /23to24 
 
 18 
 19 
 
 27 
 27 
 27 
 
 4 
 8j 
 
 Facing fronts and in- 
 serting lace on one 
 side of waist at the 
 same time: 
 Shop No. 1284 
 Joining centers to 
 fronts with bend- 
 ings in form of tuck: 
 Shop No. 1230 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 P. 
 P. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DKESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 271 
 * RUFFLES AND CENTERS. 
 
 JOINING PLAITED RUFFLES TO FRONTS AND CENTERS. 
 
 Line 1 of Table 94 relates to work in which the center is folded in 
 two, the ruffle is put on top of the open edge of the center, and the 
 free edge of the lace beading which is attached to the front is put on 
 top of the ruffle, and all of this is joined in one seam. In addition to 
 being obliged to handle all these parts at the same time, the operator 
 must shirr the ruffle while the stitching is being done. The compli- 
 cated character of the work makes it necessarily slow. The output 
 on this work in shop No. 1230 was found to be 58 rows of stitching per 
 hour in addition to 58 bendings. 
 
 Line 2 represents the same class of work except that instead of a 
 folded center we have a vest and the front has a raw edge instead of 
 a lace beading. In this case the ruffle is inserted in the same manner 
 as in the preceding case, except that instead of the lace beading the 
 turned-in raw edge of the front is put on top of the ruffle and the whole 
 stitched together, there being thus 2 bendings to each .row of stitch- 
 ing. The output on this operation is slightly greater than in the 
 preceding case, namely, 63 rows of stitching per hour and 126 bend- 
 ings. This is due to two reasons: First, that the ruffles had been 
 shirred and stitched before they were given to the operator, whereas 
 in the preceding case they had to be shirred by the operator while the 
 rest of the work was being done; second, the work was done in shop 
 No. 1232, which has generally a record for a higher output than shop 
 No. 1230, in which the preceding job was done. 
 
 Line 3 relates to somewhat more difficult work. An embroidered 
 center is stitched to the front on the wrong side. 1 It is then turned over 
 on the right side of the front and the ruffle inserted between the free 
 edge of the center and the front, and the three stitched together. The 
 reason this work is more difficult than the preceding two is that the 
 center and front having been stitched together in the first place, it is 
 necessary to take care that the center lies flat on the front, and that 
 the three pieces are perfectly aligned, as the material on top (in this 
 case the center) has a tendency to get out of line with' the material 
 underneath (i. e., the front) on account of the pressure of the "foot," 
 which is greater on the top layer of the material than on the lower 
 one. If this is not corrected by the operator before it is stitched, the 
 center will wrinkle all over and spoil the appearance of the waist. 
 This accounts for the smaller output on this kind of work which was 
 only 51 rows of stitching and 102 bendings per hour in the same shop 
 in which the work described in the preceding paragraph was done. 
 
 1 This part of the work is not included in the figures given in line 3 of the table. 
 
272 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 JOINING SHIRRED LACE TO LACE CENTERS. * 
 
 Line 4 shows the output when shirred lace is stitched to a lace center 
 1 inch wide and 20 inches long, the lace being stitched on along the 
 upper and side edge of the center. The difficult part of this work is in 
 turning the corner as the operator turns from the upper to the side 
 edge. At this corner the shirred lace must be bent in and extra shirr- 
 ing and stitching must be done to prevent the turned-in part of the 
 lace from protruding at the corner, so as to give it a neat and flat 
 appearance. The operation requires only one seam and resulted in 
 an output of 31 rows of stitching per hour. 
 
 Line 5 represents a similar process except that the lace was shirred 
 at the same time as it was joined to the center instead of having been 
 shirred previously, as in the preceding case. This made the work still 
 slower, resulting in an output of 26 rows of stitching per hour in the 
 same shop, No. 1284. 
 
 JOINING LACE TO PLAITED RUFFLES. 
 
 Line 6 shows the output when lace is stitched to a plaited ruffle, the 
 shirring being done while the stitching goes on. As this work was 
 done on a straight line, there being no corners to turn, the output was 
 larger than in the two preceding cases, namely, 36 rows of stitching 
 per hour on the first seam. On the second seam, consisting of the 
 stitching back of the raw edge of the ruffle, the output was 97 rows of 
 stitching per hour, the average for the two being 53. 
 
 JOINING LACE BEADING TO PLAITED RUFFLES. 
 
 Lines 9 to 11 represent practically the same operations, except that 
 lace beading is used in place of lace and that the work is done by the 
 yard instead of on individual waists. This work was likewise done 
 in shop No. 1284. The output on the first seam was 27 yards per 
 hour. On the second seam, consisting of stitching back the ra\7 edge 
 of the ruffle, the output was 80J yards per hour, the average of the two 
 being 40 yards. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DEESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 27$ 
 
 TABLE 94. RUFFLES AND CENTERS. 
 [For explanation of method of computing averages in this table see p. 250.] 
 
 Line 
 
 No. 
 
 Shop number. 
 
 Num- 
 ber 
 and 
 sex of 
 oper- 
 ators. 
 
 Kind of 
 seam. 
 
 Length 
 of seam 
 (inches.) 
 
 Waists 
 (doz- 
 en). 
 
 Stitching. 
 
 Bendings. 
 
 If. 
 
 F. 
 
 1st. 
 
 2d. 
 
 Rows 
 per 
 
 waist. 
 
 Total 
 rows. 
 
 Time 
 work- 
 ed 
 (min- 
 utes). 
 
 Rows 
 per 
 hour. 
 
 Per 
 
 waist. 
 
 To- 
 tal. 
 
 Per 
 hour. 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 3 
 
 4 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 ; 
 
 10 
 11 
 
 Joining plaited ruf- 
 fles to fronts and 
 centers: 
 Shop No. 1230... 
 Shop No. 1232... 
 Do 
 Joining shirred lace 
 to lace centers: 
 Shop No. 1284... 
 
 2 
 1 
 
 3 
 
 2 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 3 
 ^ 
 
 P+S 
 PS 
 PS 
 
 PS 
 
 P+S 
 
 P+S 
 
 PS 
 
 17 to 19 
 24 
 23 
 
 20 
 18 
 
 19 to 20 
 19 to 20 
 
 H* 
 
 10 
 
 in 
 
 i 
 
 2 
 
 7 
 
 land 2 
 2 
 2 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 190 
 240 
 420 
 
 24 
 
 48 
 
 84 
 
 84 
 
 196 
 228 
 493 
 
 46 
 109 
 
 139 
 
 52 
 
 58 
 63 
 51 
 
 31 
 26 
 
 36 
 97 
 
 land 2 
 4 
 4 
 
 190 
 480 
 840 
 
 58 
 126 
 102 
 
 Do 
 
 
 
 
 
 Joining lace to plaited 
 
 Shop No. 1284... 
 Do 
 
 ... 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Average 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 53 
 
 
 Joining lace beading 
 to plaited ruffle: 
 Shop No. 1284... 
 Do 
 
 2 
 ? 
 
 . 1 
 
 P+S 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 13,048 
 12,076 
 
 "m 
 
 43 
 
 227 
 2 80| 
 
 
 
 
 PS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Average 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 . 
 
 
 
 . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 40 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 Inches. 
 
 2 Yards. 
 
 VESTS AND FLIES. 
 
 A vest is made by folding a piece of material about 24 inches long 
 lengthwise and stitching over the upper end of it diagonally across. 
 Some vests are made of a piece of material of single thickness lined 
 with a layer of other material. This is true especially of vests made 
 of heavy material, such as madras, heavy linen, or any embroidered 
 material, the lining being made of much lighter material. The next 
 step is to turn the vest inside out ; the two open ends are then turned 
 in slightly to conceal the raw edges, and the raw edge of the front of 
 the waist is inserted and the whole is stitched together, thus forming a 
 vest. 
 
 JOINING LINED VESTS TO FRONTS. 
 
 Line 1 of Table 95 shows the output on work of this kind in which 
 only the operation of joining the vest to the front was timed. Instead 
 of inserting the raw edge of the front into the open vest, the work was 
 simplified, since it was done on very cheap waists, by turning in the 
 raw edge of the front, placing it on top of the open end of the vest, 
 and stitching the whole together. This work was done by 6 men and 
 4 women in shop No. 1232, and showed an output of 63 rows of 
 stitching and 63 bendings per hour. 
 42132 Bull. 14614 18 
 
274 BULLETIN OF THE BUBEAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 TURNING OUT AND JOINING LINED VESTS TO FRONTS. 
 
 Line 2 shows the output on the same kind of work, to which is added 
 the turning out of the vest which precedes its joining to the waist. 
 The output is therefore less than in the preceding case namely, 53 
 rows of stitching and 53 bendings per hour. 
 
 TURNING OUT VESTS. 
 
 Finally, line 3 shows the operation of turning out lined vests, the 
 output being 147 vests per hour in addition to 147 bendings. The 
 turning out of the lined vests takes more time than that of vests 
 made of one piece of material folded over, because in the case of the 
 lined vest the operator must see to it that the seam joining the vest 
 with the lining lies exactly on the edge of the turned-out vest. 
 
 MAKING FLIES. 
 
 The making of a fly is similar to the making of a vest. A strip of 
 material is folded over lengthwise, but instead of being stitched at the 
 top on a bias line, it is stitched straight across that is, along the top 
 edge and then, as in the case of the vest, it is turned inside out. The 
 raw edges of the strip are then turned in and the open ends of the fly are 
 closed by stitching the two together. In some cases the fly is left 
 open, and the stitching is done simultaneously with the joining of the 
 fly to the waist. 
 
 JOINING FLIES TO FRONTS. 
 
 Line 4 shows the output on the work of joining flies to fronts, the 
 work having been done by 3 women in shop No. 1284 on 7J dozen 
 waists. The output was 39 rows of stitching and 39 bendings per 
 hour. The turning-in in this case is that of the raw edge of the front 
 to which the fly is attached. It should be taken into account that 
 while joining the flies the operator had to carefully measure the 
 front so that the collars, laces, etc., on the two fronts would "match," 
 that is, come exactly opposite each other when the waist is buttoned, 
 and this necessarily slows down the work. Also, that instead of one 
 row of stitching on each front, there were really two rows of stitching, 
 one from 18 to 20 inches long, and the other 3 inches long, made as a 
 continuation of the long seam connecting the upper end of the fly with 
 the collar on a bias line. 
 
 line 5 shows the second part of the operation of making flies, con- 
 sisting of turning out the fly, turning in the two raw edges, and 
 closing up the fly by stitching them together. The output was 61 
 rows of stitching in addition to 123 bendings, shown in the table, and 
 the further addition of the turning out of 61 flies, which is not shown 
 in the table. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IX DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 275 
 
 BINDING TOP OF A V-SHAPED CENTER. 
 
 Lines 6 to 8 refer to the binding of the upper V-shaped edge of a 
 center. As in all work of this kind, the binding is first stitched along 
 the upper edge of the center and then turned over on the wrong side of 
 the center and the raw edge of the binding is turned in and stitched over 
 the center. As will be seen from lines 6 and 7, the output per hour 
 on the first seam is 132 rows of stitching, while on the second it is only 
 64. In addition to the 64 rows of stitching, the second operation also 
 includes 64 ben dings. Moreover f the binding had to be turned in at 
 each of the 3 parts of the V-shaped center so as to keep the ends from 
 protruding and give the whole a neat appearance. 
 
 FACING CENTERS ON TOP. 
 
 This is done by folding the center in two along a vertical line and 
 stitching it over along the upper edge. Line 9 shows the output on 
 a center with a V-shaped top edge, so that when folded over lengthwise, 
 it forms a vest whose upper edge runs on a bias, the output being 253 
 rows of stitching per hour in addition to 253 bendings. Line 10 shows 
 the output on similar work on a center whose upper edge consists of a 
 straight horizontal line. In this ease the stitching is done on a 
 straight instead of a bias line, and the output is greater, namely, 313 
 rows of stitching per hour in addition to 313 bendings. 
 
 TABLE 95. VESTS AND FLIES, 
 [For explanation of method of computing averages in this table see p. 230.] 
 
 Line 
 
 No. 
 
 Shop number. 
 
 Num- 
 ber 
 and 
 sex of 
 oper- 
 ators. 
 
 Kind of 
 
 seam. 
 
 Length 
 of seam 
 (inches). 
 
 Waists 
 
 (doz- 
 en). 
 
 Stitching. 
 
 Bendings. 
 
 M. 
 
 F. 
 
 1st. 
 
 2(5. 
 
 Rows 
 per 
 
 waist. 
 
 Total 
 rows. 
 
 Time 
 work- 
 ed 
 (min- 
 utes). 
 
 Rows 
 per 
 hour. 
 
 Per 
 
 waist. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Per 
 hour. 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 3 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 r 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 10 
 
 Joining lined vests 
 to fronts: 
 Shop No. 1232. . . 
 Turning out and 
 joining lined vests 
 to fronts: 
 Shop No. 1232... 
 Turning out vests: 
 Shop No. 1232... 
 Joining Hies to fronts: 
 Shop No. 1284 
 
 6 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 3 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 4 
 
 P 
 P 
 
 
 20 to 24 
 
 23 
 /18to20 
 1 3 
 
 20J to 23 
 
 6 
 6 
 
 5 
 
 Si 
 
 11 
 11 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 1 
 
 1,198 
 120 
 
 132 
 
 132 
 
 132 
 
 1,145 
 
 136 
 123 
 
 278 
 
 60 
 
 124 
 
 63 
 53 
 33 
 
 61 
 
 132 
 64 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 2 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 1,198 
 
 120 
 
 302 
 180 
 
 264 
 
 63 
 
 53 
 147 
 39 
 
 123 
 
 P 
 
 P 
 
 "I" 
 
 MAKING FLIES. 
 
 Turning out and 
 stitching side: 
 Shop No. 12S4... 
 Binding top of a V- 
 shaped center: 
 SnopNo. 1230... 
 Do 
 
 Average, 
 
 i 
 
 i 
 
 1 
 
 132 \ 64 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 86- 
 
 
 
 
 
 Facin? centers on 
 top : 
 Shop No. 1232... 
 Do 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 
 FB 
 P 
 
 
 5 
 2 
 
 lo 1 " 
 
 r 
 
 2 
 
 118 
 240 
 
 28 
 46 
 
 253 
 
 313 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 118 
 240 
 
 253 
 313 
 
 
 
 
 
 
276 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 TACKING FRONTS AND BACKS. 
 
 This work was timed on more than 175 dozen waists in three 
 $9-a-dozen waist shops, representing the work of 9 men and 16 
 women, at a total expenditure of time equivalent to 32 hours and 6 
 minutes for 1 person. 
 
 The process of "tacking consists of gathering in (or shirring) the 
 material at the waistline in folds, and stitching them over so as to 
 retain them permanently. The work is divided into two operations: 
 First, the waist is gathered in, either by hand or with the aid of a 
 shirring attachment, 1 and as fast as the folds are formed they are 
 pushed under the needle and stitched over. The second operation 
 consists of putting in an additional row of stitching a short distance 
 from and parallel to the first row so as to secure them more firmly. 
 
 The first lot of waists, represented by lines 1 and 2 of Table 96, 
 consisting of 65 dozen . waists, operated by 6 men and 2 women 
 operators, was made up of waists buttoning in the back, and there- 
 fore having closed or full fronts and open or half backs. As the 
 waist is always more full in the front than it is in the back, a great 
 deal more shirring must be done in the front than in the back; since, 
 in addition, the front in a back-buttoned waist is more than twice as 
 wide as either of the backs, it will take a great deal more time to tack 
 the front than either back. The result of the timing of the lot men- 
 tioned, which consumed 573 minutes, or nearly 10 hours, shows that 
 the output per hour in tacking the closed fronts was 297 rows of 
 stitching, while on the open backs it was 614, or more than twice the 
 above number. As the operators are not paid for tacking fronts or 
 backs, but for tacking the whole waist, and as there were two backs 
 to each front, the average was found by adding the output on one 
 front to that on two backs and dividing the total by 3, the average 
 output thus obtained being 454 rows of stitching per hour (line 3). 
 It should be observed, however, that this output was obtained in 
 shop No. 1232, which shows on all work a higher output than any 
 other shop, and that on this work the men predominated, number- 
 ing 6, to 2 women, and that the average earnings of these men are 
 50 cents an hour and more. 
 
 Lines 4 to 10 of the same taole show the output on front-buttoned 
 waists; that is, waists having closed backs and open fronts. While 
 in this style of waist the front is likewise shirred more fully than the 
 back, there being two fronts, the amount of tacking in the back 
 exceeds that in either front, though it is less than the tacks of the 
 combined fronts. Lines 4 to 6 show the output on the above work in 
 shop No. 1232. The work was done by the same 6 men assisted by 4 
 women on 76f dozen waists, which consumed the equivalent of 837 
 minutes for one person, and shows an output of 375 rows of stitching 
 
 1 No shirring attachment was used in the work covered by Table 96. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 277 
 
 per hour on the closed backs and 408 rows of stitching on the open 
 fronts. The average output for both operations is 396 rows of stitch- 
 ing per hour. In shop No. 1230, in which there were 3 men operators 
 as against 12 women, the average output on the same kind of work 
 was 286 rows of stitching per hour. Lines 9 and 10 represent the 
 average of the two shops, which is 354 rows of stitching per hour. In 
 determining a standard rate, either the output of shop No. 1232, 
 No. 1230, or the average may be taken, provided the proper allowance 
 per hour be made corresponding to the figure chosen. 
 
 TACKING FRONTS OR BACKS WITH TAPE. 
 
 Lines 11 and 12 show the output for tacking fronts or backs with 
 tape. This work differs from that described above in that the 
 operator sews on a piece of narrow tape over the "little skirt" (the 
 part of the waist below the waistline) and the shirred front or back 
 on the wrong side of the waist to keep the folds in place more firmly. 
 The operations of shirring the front or back of the waist, sewing on 
 the little skirt to the waist, and sewing on the tape to the two, are all 
 done at the same time, which makes the work more difficult for the 
 operator than ordinary tacking and reduces the output. The figures 
 obtained are for shop No. 1284, which, on work of this kind, shows 
 an output similar to that of shop No. 1230. The output shown here 
 for open backs on seams from 4 J to 7 inches long is 256 rows of stitch- 
 ing per hour, and on fronts open and closed (mostly closed) on seams 
 from 7 to 8 inches, 151 ro\vs per hour. 
 
 TABLE 96. TACKING FRONTS AND BACKS. 
 [For explanation of method of Computing averages in this table see p. 250.] 
 
 Line 
 No. 
 
 Shop number. 
 
 Number 
 and sex of 
 operators. 
 
 Kind of 
 seam. 
 
 Length 
 of seam 
 after it 
 is tacked 
 (inches). 
 
 Waists 
 (dozen). 
 
 Stitching. 
 
 Male. 
 
 Fe- 
 male. 
 
 First. 
 
 Sec- 
 ond. 
 
 Rows 
 per 
 waist. 
 
 Total 
 rows. 
 
 Time 
 worked 
 (min- 
 utes). 
 
 Rows 
 per 
 hour. 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 3 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 8 
 
 9 
 10 
 
 11 
 12 
 
 Tacking closed fronts: 
 Shop No 1232. . 
 
 6 
 6 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 P+S 
 P+S 
 
 PS 
 PS 
 
 i 7 to 10 
 31 to 5 
 
 65 
 55 
 
 2 
 4 
 
 1,560 
 2,640 
 
 315 
 258 
 
 297 
 614 
 
 Tacking open backs: 
 Shop No. 1232 
 
 Average 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 454 
 
 Tacking closed backs: 
 Shop No. 1232 
 
 6 
 6 
 
 4 
 
 . 4 
 
 P+S 
 P+S 
 
 PS 
 PS 
 
 4$ to 8 
 2 31 to 6 
 
 76| 
 76f 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 1,842 
 3,684 
 
 295 
 542 
 
 375 
 
 408 
 
 Tacking open fronts: 
 Shop No 1232 
 
 Average 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 396 
 
 Tacking closed backs: 
 Shop No. 1230 
 
 2 
 3 
 
 8 
 9 
 
 1 
 3 
 
 10 
 12 
 
 14 
 16 
 
 2 
 1 
 
 P+S 
 P+S 
 
 PS 
 PS 
 
 3 4 to 6 
 3J to 7 
 
 s 4J to 8 
 3Jto7 
 
 4* to 7 
 7 to 8 
 
 34i 
 34 
 
 1B8 
 
 13 
 
 2 
 4 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 4 
 2to4 
 
 820 
 1,640 
 
 2,662 
 5,324 
 
 840 
 552 
 
 I 516 
 
 } 1,353 
 
 197 
 219 
 
 286 
 
 354 
 
 256 
 151 
 
 Tacking open fronts: 
 Shop No 1230 . 
 
 Average, shops 1232 
 and 1230: 
 Tacking closed backs. 
 Tacking open fronts . . 
 Tacking fronts or backs 
 with tape: 
 Backs Shop No. 1284. 
 Fronts Shop No.1284 
 
 P+S 
 
 P+S 
 P+S 
 
 PS 
 
 PS 
 PS 
 
 1 One case of 12. 
 
 2 Two cases of 8. 
 
 3 One case of 2. 
 
278 BULLETIN OF THE BUEEAU OF LABOE STATISTICS. 
 
 SHIRRING. 
 
 This work differs from the tacking described in the preceding sec- 
 tion in that it is done with only one row of stitching, the folds being 
 left quite loose, while in tacking two rows of stitching are made which 
 keep the folds in a fixed position. The shirring with one row of 
 stitching is done merely in preparation for the next operation. Lines 
 1 to 3 in Table 97 relate to the shirring of backs and fronts at the top 
 where they are to be attached to the yoke. Some operators do this 
 work by placing the finger behind the "foot" (the attachment which 
 helps to push the material forward as fast as it is stitched). This 
 prevents the material from passing forward after it is stitched over, 
 and it automatically piles up in folds, that is to say, it is being shirred. 
 Although this method offers the quickest way of doing this work, 
 there is danger of the material being caught in the gear under the 
 foot, and many operators prefer to shirr the material by hand as 
 described under tacking. 
 
 When the shirring is done at the bottom (i. e., near the waist line), 
 it can not be done in the manner first described, for the reason that 
 the folds are too many and too full to form automatically under the 
 "foot" and the material is gathered into folds (shirred) by hand and 
 pushed under the needle. An examination of Table 97 will show that 
 the output on fronts and backs varied in the same shop from 285 to 
 367 rows of stitching per hour (lines 1 and 2). This was due to the 
 difference in the length of the seam, which is practically double in one 
 case as compared with the other. While ordinarily a difference of a 
 few inches in the length of a seam does not perceptibly affect the 
 output, the case is different in this instance, since the time of the 
 operator is taken up chiefly by the handwork of shirring rather than 
 by the machine work of stitching. 
 
 Line 4 shows the output on shirring an entire waist at the waist 
 line, the length of the seam being from 28 to 30 inches as compared 
 with from 3 to 12 inches on the work described above. This work is 
 more difficult and takes a longer time. First, because a row of stitch- 
 ing in this case represents a back and 2 fronts, or 1 front and 2 backs, 
 according to whether the waist is buttoned in the front or in the back; 
 second, because the operator must be very careful, in shirring the 
 waist, to see that the fronts, backs, and sides retain a proper propor- 
 tion; third, because the shirring at the waist line i much more elab- 
 orate than at the top and therefore takes more time. The output in 
 line 4 is seen to be 56 rows of stitching per hour, which is equivalent 
 to 168 fronts and backs, and is considerably below the output in 
 shops Nos. 1232 and 1230 on separate fronts or backs. 
 
 Lines 5 to 7 show the output per hour in shirring lace. This lace 
 comes in narrow strips, about 12 yards long, and the work of shirring 
 

 WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 279 
 
 these strips is much simpler than shirring parts of waists. The aver- 
 age output per hour in shop No. 1230 was 52 yards, in shop No. 1284 
 71 yards, the average for the two being 65 1 yards. 
 
 TABLE 97. SHIRRING DIFFERENT PARTS OF WAIST: SHOPS NOS. 1232 AND 1230, SINGER 
 MACHINE; SHOP NO. 1284, STANDARD MACHINE.. 
 
 Line 
 
 No. 
 
 Shop number. 
 
 Number 
 and sex of 
 operators. 
 
 Kind of shirring. 
 
 Length of 
 seam after 
 shirring 
 (inches). 
 
 Waists 
 (doz- 
 en). 
 
 Shirring. 
 
 Rows 
 per 
 waist. 
 
 Total 
 rows. 
 
 Time 
 worked 
 (min- 
 utes). 
 
 Rows 
 per 
 hour. 
 
 Male. 
 
 Fe- 
 male. 
 
 1 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 Shop No. 1232.... 
 
 9 
 8 
 2 
 
 7 
 5 
 3 
 3 
 
 Fronts and backs. 
 Fronts 
 
 7 to 12 
 
 5 to 6 
 3 to 5 
 28 to 30 
 
 el* 
 11 
 
 Ito2 
 2 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 997 
 1,560 
 270 
 63 
 
 U,854 
 1 5,623 
 
 210 
 
 255 
 62 
 67 
 
 59 
 132 
 
 285 
 367 
 261 
 
 56 
 
 252 
 271 
 
 Shop No. 1230... 
 Shop No 1284 
 
 Backs. . . 
 
 Whole waist 
 Lace 
 
 Shop No. 1230. . 
 
 
 
 3 
 3 
 
 
 
 Shop No. 1284.... 
 Average.. 
 
 1 
 
 do 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 65 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 Inches. 
 
 2 Yards. 
 
 SETTING HIGH COLLARS. 
 
 This work is done in two operations. In the first operation the 
 collar and waist are joined together. In the second operation the 
 raw edge is turned in and stitched over. The work on the first seam, 
 however, is not as simple as sewing on an ordinary piece of lace. The 
 neck of the waist forms a more or less circular curve, while the collar 
 is cut in almost a straight line. In joining the collar to the waist, 
 the least deviation of the seam from the edge of the neck sends the 
 collar along a more or less concentric line of a larger circumference 
 since it is farther from the center of the circle formed by the neck 
 line. As a result of this, after the collar has been stitched down to 
 the waist, it will be found not to reach all the way around, and the 
 operator must rip it off and do the work all over again. As an aid to 
 the operator, and to save ripping, the collar is folded so as to indicate 
 the middle, and a notch is made in the neckband of the waist at 
 the corresponding point. But even with these guides it takes 
 considerable skill and experience to set a collar that will be smooth 
 and even, and whose ends will meet without wrinkling the waist at 
 the neck. 
 
 
280 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 TABLE 98. SETTING HIGH COLLARS. 
 [For explanation of method of computing averages in this table see p. 250.] 
 
 Line 
 
 No. 
 
 Shop number. 
 
 Number 
 and sex of 
 operators. 
 
 Kind of 
 seam. 
 
 Length 
 of seam 
 (inches). 
 
 Waists 
 (dozen). 
 
 Stitching. 
 
 Male. 
 
 Fe- 
 male. 
 
 First. 
 
 Sec- 
 ond. 
 
 Rows 
 per 
 waist. 
 
 Total 
 rows. 
 
 Time 
 worked 
 (min- 
 utes). 
 
 Rows 
 per 
 hour. 
 
 1 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 Shop No 1232 
 
 7 
 7 
 
 
 p 
 
 
 14 to 151 
 14 to!5 
 
 60 
 60 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 720 
 720 
 
 517 
 350 
 
 84 
 123 
 
 Do 
 
 
 
 P 
 
 Average 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 100 
 
 Shop No 1284 
 
 4 
 
 = 
 
 P 
 
 "p" 
 
 14tol5i 
 14tol5i 
 
 37~ 
 34J 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 444 
 414 
 
 286~ 
 264 
 
 93 
 94 
 
 Do 
 
 1 
 
 3 
 
 \verage 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 94 
 
 Average, shops Nos. 
 1232 and 1284: 
 First seam 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 78J 
 77i 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 1,164 
 1,134 
 
 803 
 614 
 
 11 
 
 
 p 
 
 
 14 to 151 
 14tol5i 
 
 87 
 111 
 
 Second seam .. 
 
 Average, lines 7 
 and 8 
 
 8 
 
 3 
 
 
 P 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 97 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 SLEEVE SETTING BY BODY MAKERS. 
 
 In the new style of waists, in which the sleeves are not set in at 
 the armhole of the waist, but are attached a few inches below the 
 shoulder, the sleeves are attached in a straight line to the edge of 
 the drop shoulder, and the work is done by body makers, as it does 
 not differ from the stitching that has to be done by body makers 
 on other parts of the waist. The work is, therefore, done on a Singer 
 machine, although this machine is not as fast as the Union Special 
 or Metropolitan, which are used by the sleeve setters, and although 
 the sleeve setters have the further advantage of specializing exclu- 
 sively in the work of sleeve setting, it will be seen by comparing 
 the figures in Tables 81 and 99 that the output of the body makers 
 exceeds that of the sleeve setters, which is due to the fact that the 
 sleeves on which sleeve setters are employed are set in at the armhole 
 on a curve and therefore are more difficult to handle than the sleeves 
 attached by the body makers in a straight line. 
 
 Table 99 shows the output on work of this kind done under different 
 conditions. Lines 1 and 2 show the output when sleeves are joined 
 with a plain seam, without lace or other insertion. The work was 
 timed only in one shop, No. 1232, which has the record of having 
 the highest output of all the shops investigated, and shows an aver- 
 age output of 159 sleeves per hour, as against only 123 sleeves in the 
 same shop by sleeve setters. (See line 1, Table 81.) The output on 
 similar sleeves in the same shop in which a tuck f-inch wide was 
 made in stitching over the sleeve where it is attached to the drop 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 281 
 
 shoulder was 139 (lines 3 and 4, Table 99), or a reduction of nearly 
 13 per cent in the output as compared with the preceding case. 
 
 Lines 5 and 6 show an output of 149 sleeves per hour when the 
 sleeve is joined first to lace beading and the latter joined in turn to 
 the drop shoulder. Line 7 shows the output in shop No. 1230 in 
 joining sleeves to a beading in one operation instead of two operations, 
 as indicated in lines 5 and 6. As explained elsewhere, the necessity 
 of turning in the edge of the cloth and stitching it down at the same 
 time as the joining of the two pieces of material takes place results 
 in the slowing down of the operation, which offsets to a large extent 
 the saving of time due to the elimination of one seam. The output 
 in this case was 79 rows of stitching per hour in addition to 79 bend- 
 ings, which, if figured at the rate of two bendings to one row of stitch- 
 ing, would be equivalent to nearly 120 rows of stitching per hour, as 
 compared with 149 rows of stitching per hour in shop No. 1232 
 (lines 5 and 6), done by the two-seam process. However, the 79 
 rows of stitching and 79 bendings take the place of 158 rows of stitch- 
 ing under the double-seam process, resulting in a saving of 9 rows 
 of stitching per hour. This saving is insignificant; as a rule, it is 
 much greater; but true comp'arison in the present instance is impos- 
 sible because the two processes were timed in two different shops 
 with different sets of workers who differ in skill and speed. 
 
 Lines 8 and 9, shop 1230, show the output to be 127 rows of stitching 
 per hour when instead of a lac beading the insertion consists of a 
 hemstitched beading. As already explained, the work of inserting 
 a hemstitched beading always takes more time than that of a lace 
 beading, because in the former case the cloth is sewed on top of the 
 beading, while in the latter the lace is sewed on top of the cloth, 
 which does not require the same care in stitching. 
 
 Line 10 shows the output on the same kind of work with a cording 
 to be only 108 rows of stitching per hour, or about one-third less 
 than without a cording in the same shop (lines 1 and 2) . The reasons 
 for the smaller output on work with cording are explained on page 
 253 in connection with the work of joining yokes to fronts or backs 
 (Table 85). It should be noted that this output does not include the 
 sewing on of the cord, and that a special attachment known as the 
 " cording foot" was used in joining the sleeve to the drop shoulder. 
 
282 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 TABLE 99. SLEEVE SETTING BY BODY MAKERS: SINGER MACHINE. 
 [For explanation of method of computing averages in this table see p. 250.] 
 
 Line 
 No. 
 
 Shop number. 
 
 Num- 
 ber 
 and 
 sex of 
 oper- 
 ators. 
 
 Kind of 
 seams. 
 
 Length 
 of seam 
 (inches). 
 
 Waist 
 (doz- 
 en). 
 
 Stitching. 
 
 Bondings. 
 
 If. 
 
 F. 
 
 1st. 
 
 2d. 
 
 Rows 
 per 
 waist. 
 
 Total 
 rows. 
 
 Time 
 work- 
 ed 
 (min- 
 utes). 
 
 Rows 
 per 
 hour. 
 
 Per 
 
 waist. 
 
 To- 
 tal. 
 
 Per 
 
 hour. 
 
 1 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 8 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 Sleeve setting: 
 Shop No. 1232 
 Do 
 
 4 
 4 
 
 4 
 4 
 
 P 
 
 p- 
 
 17 to 18 
 17 to 18 
 
 m 
 
 17i 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 420 
 420 
 
 181 
 135 
 
 139 
 
 187 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Average 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 159 
 
 
 
 
 Setting sleeves and 
 forming f-inch tuck 
 at the seam: 
 Shop No. 1232 
 
 2 
 
 9 
 
 4 
 4 
 
 P 
 
 "p" 
 
 17 to 18 
 17 to 18 
 
 15 
 15 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 360 
 360 
 
 154 
 156 
 
 140 
 138 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Average . . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 139 
 
 
 
 
 Joining lace beading 
 to sleeve and then to 
 drop shoulder: 
 Shop No. 1232 
 
 6 
 6 
 
 
 P 
 
 
 
 "a" 
 
 
 1,990 
 1,990 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 6 
 
 6 
 
 "p" 
 
 15 to 16 
 15 to 16 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 919 
 
 685 
 
 130 
 174 
 
 Do 
 
 
 
 
 Average . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 149 
 
 
 
 
 Shop No. 1230 . 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 t 
 
 
 8 
 
 10 
 9 
 
 P 
 P 
 
 "p" 
 
 13 to 17 
 
 13 to 17 
 13 to 17 
 
 21| 
 
 '& 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 520 
 
 1,468 
 1,022 
 
 397 
 
 784 
 417 
 
 79 
 
 112 
 147 
 
 2 
 
 520 
 
 79 
 
 Joining hemstitched 
 beading to sleeve and 
 then to edge of drop 
 shoulder: 
 Shop No. 1230 
 Do 
 
 
 
 
 Average 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 127 
 
 
 
 
 S, tting sleeves with 
 cording: i 
 Shop No. 1232 
 
 9 
 
 
 
 
 "~ == 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 P 
 
 
 7| 
 
 2 
 
 180 
 
 100 
 
 108 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 Sewing on of cord not included. 
 JOINING BELTS TO WAISTS. 
 
 By a belt in the waist industry is meant a piece of material about 
 3 to 4 inches wide and from 26 to 34 inches long, which is joined to 
 the waist at the waistline. The work requires several operations, 
 which are described below in the order in which they were timed in 
 the shops. 
 
 FOLDING OVER EDGE OF BELT AND STITCHING. 
 
 The belt is folded over about 1J inches. The turned-in raw edge 
 is then stitched to the belt so that the belt now consists of two parts, 
 one part of double thickness, about 1J inches wide, the other of 
 single thickness also about 1 J inches wide. 
 
 This work was timed in shop No. 1284 on 18f dozen waists, done 
 by 1 man and 3 women, with an average output of 102 rows of stitch- 
 ing and 102 bendings per hour (line 1, Table 100). 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DKESS AND WAIST INDTJSTEY. 283 
 JOINING BELT TO SHIRRED WAIST. 
 
 The belt is now ready to be joined to the waist, which is either 
 shirred previously or at the same time as the joining is done. The 
 belt is joined to the waist by stitching the remaining raw edge to the 
 waist on the wrong side. 
 
 Line 2 of Table 100 shows the output when a belt is joined to a waist 
 previously shirred, while lines 3 to 5 show the output when a belt is 
 attached to a waist while the waist is being shirred. The output in 
 the first case is 46 rows of stitching per hour in shop No. 1284. In 
 the second case it is 40 rows of stitching per hour, or 15 per cent less 
 in the same shop but with different operators, and 51 rows of stitch- 
 ing per hour in shop No. 1232, making an average output for the two 
 shops of 44 rows of stitching per hour. It is natural that the output 
 should be considerably less when the shirring has to be done while 
 the belt is joined to the waist than in the case when the shirring has 
 been done previously. The difference in output would probably be 
 greater than shown in the table if both operations were timed with 
 the same operators. Unfortunately, this could not be done because 
 different methods were used by different operators. The operators 
 who did the shirring at the same time as the joining were more skilled 
 and faster workers than the 3 women who did the work of shirring 
 and joining in separate operations. 
 
 STITCHING BELT OVER SHIRRED WAIST. 
 
 After the belt has been joined to the waist on the wrong side, it is 
 turned over on the right side of the waist and stitched to the waist 
 along its (the belt's) upper edge. At each side of the belt, which is 
 now about 1 inch wide, the raw edge is turned in as in a facing and 
 stitched over. The belt is then stitched over the waist along its 
 lower edge. In this way it forms, together with the part of the waist 
 over which it is stitched, a belt of triple thickness. The operations 
 involve a total of 4 rows of stitching (2 long and 2 short) and 3 bend- 
 ings (1 long and 2 short). As it was impossible to time the long and 
 short seams separately, the output must be given for the two com- 
 bined. The output in this case was 58 long and 58 short rows of 
 stitching per hour, in addition to 29 long and 58 short bendings. 
 
 JOINING BELT TO WAIST AND SHIRRING AT THE SAME TIME. 
 
 The operation for which the figures are given in line 7 of the table 
 is similar to that given in line 4, except that in this case after the 
 raw edge of the belt has been turned in it is stitched right side to the 
 wrong side of the waist, while in the operation given in line 4 it was 
 stitched wrong side to the wrong side of the waist (the raw edge of 
 the belt to the raw edge of the waist), and therefore required no 
 bendings. The output in the case of line 7 is 39 rows of stitching and 
 
284 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 39 bendings as compared with 51 rows of stitching with no bendings 
 in line 4. The belt is now turned over on the right side of the waist; 
 the raw edge of the belt is turned in and stitched over the waist; the 
 side ends, 1 inch each, are likewise turned in and stitched to the belt 
 as in the operation given in line 6. That is to say, on the second 
 operation there is one long seam and two short seams, and two long 
 and two short bendings to each waist, figuring the turning of the belt- 
 over the right side of the waist as a bending. The output on this 
 operation (line 8) was 39 long and 79 short rows of stitching and 79 
 long and 79 short bendings per hour. 
 
 TABLE 100. JOINING BELTS TO WAISTS. 
 
 
 
 Num- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ber 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 and 
 sex of 
 
 Kind of 
 seam. 
 
 
 
 Stitching. 
 
 Bendings. 
 
 
 
 oper- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Line 
 
 No. 
 
 Shop number. 
 
 ators. 
 
 
 Length 
 of seam 
 (inches). 
 
 Waist 
 (doz- 
 en). 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Time 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 M. 
 
 F. 
 
 1st. 
 
 2d. 
 
 
 
 Rows 
 per 
 waist. 
 
 Total 
 rows. 
 
 work- 
 ed 
 (min- 
 
 Rows 
 per 
 hour. 
 
 Per 
 waist. 
 
 To- 
 tal. 
 
 Per 
 hour. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 utes). 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Folding over edge 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 of belt and stitch- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ing: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 Shop No. 1284. 
 
 1 
 
 3 
 
 p 
 
 
 26 to 35 
 
 181 
 
 1 
 
 225 
 
 133 
 
 102 
 
 1 
 
 225 
 
 102 
 
 
 Joining belt to 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 - LO 4 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 shirred waist: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 Shop No. 1284. 
 
 
 3 
 
 PS 
 
 
 27 to 34 
 
 14J 
 
 1 
 
 171 
 
 222 
 
 46 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 Do 
 
 2 
 
 
 P+S 
 
 == 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 j 
 
 26 to 32 
 
 4 
 
 1 
 
 48 
 
 72 
 
 40 
 
 I 
 
 
 4 
 
 Shop No. 1232. 
 
 1 
 
 
 P+S 
 
 
 26 
 
 9} 
 
 1 
 
 30 
 
 35 
 
 51 
 
 \"~~ 
 
 
 5 
 
 Average, 
 lines 3 and 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 P+S 
 
 
 26 to 32 
 
 6i 
 
 1 
 
 78 
 
 107 
 
 44 
 
 
 
 
 
 Stitching belt over 
 
 
 
 == 
 
 ^_ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 = 
 
 = 
 
 == 
 
 = 
 
 6 
 
 shirred waist: 
 Shop No. 1284. 
 
 
 4 
 
 
 /PS. 
 
 I P 1 
 
 26 to 34 
 1 
 
 } i m 
 
 t 2 
 I 2 
 
 396 
 396 
 
 } 407 
 
 / 58 
 \ 58 
 
 1 
 2 
 
 198 
 3% 
 
 29 
 58 
 
 
 Joining belt to 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 waist and shirr- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ing at the same 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 time: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 7 
 
 Shop No. 1232. 
 
 2 
 
 
 P+S 
 
 
 26 
 
 5 
 
 1 
 
 60 
 
 93 
 
 39 
 
 1 
 
 60 
 
 39 
 
 8 
 
 Do 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 
 /PS 
 
 \ P2 
 
 26 
 1 
 
 > 
 
 { I 
 
 90 
 180 
 
 } 137 
 
 / 39 
 \ 79 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 180 
 180 
 
 79 
 
 79 
 
 
 1 One-half dozen waists were stitched over the shirring only, and not over flat material. 
 
 2 Only one (upper) row of stitching was done over shirred material; the other was done over flat mate- 
 rial (lower edge of the belt). 
 
 LOSS OF TIME. 
 
 While the work was being timed in the different shops, loss of time 
 on the part of the operators was carefully noted. Broadly speaking, 
 loss of time in the factories can be divided into two classes : (1 ^ Loss 
 of time which is beyond the control of the operator; (2) loss of time 
 which can either be prevented by the operator or is caused by his or 
 her personal needs. For the sake of brevity the former may be 
 called "involuntary loss of time" and the latter, "voluntary loss of 
 time." 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 285 
 
 In the first category may be included the loss of time caused by (1) 
 waiting for work; (2) waiting for parts; (3) waiting for repairs on the 
 machine, or cleaning or repairing the machine by the operator himself; 
 (4) time taken to receive instructions from the foreman or instructor 
 as to the way the work is to be done. 
 
 In the second category may be included: (1) The loss of time due 
 to tardiness in arriving in the morning or after lunch and leaving 
 earlier than the regular time for the noon recess and the closing hour 
 of the evening; (2) leaving the machine to attend to various personal 
 needs; (3) time spent in repairing work which has been returned by 
 the examiners on account of some defect. 
 
 All such losses were noted at the shops and the results are tabulated 
 in Table 101. 
 
 BODY MAKING. The most complete information as to loss of time 
 is available in the case of body makers, the data covering 112 oper- 
 ators in three shops, all of them making $9-a-dozen waists. The 
 data in these tables are in keeping with those relating to output; that 
 is to say, the shops which showed the highest output showed likewise 
 the least loss of time, and vice versa. Most of the headings of the col- 
 umns of Table 101 are self-explanatory. " Total time under observa- 
 tion'' is equal to the sum of the " Total time worked" and of all the 
 losses of time given in the preceding columns. The column preceding 
 the last shows what per cent the "involuntary loss of time" is of the 
 time the operator actually spends at work. The last column shows 
 what per cent the time lost on account of breakdown of machinery con- 
 stitutes of the time the operator actually spends at work. The percent- 
 ages in the last two columns have been computed for each operator as 
 well as for each shop as a whole. The percentages that the other losses 
 of time bear to the time at work are so small that it has not seemed 
 necessary to compute them for each operator separately, but they are 
 given for each shop as a whole. 
 
 As regards the involuntary loss of time that is to say, the total loss 
 which the operator suffers through no fault of her own we find it to 
 vary in shop No. 1230 from 0.2 per cent for operator No. 106 to as 
 much as 28.2 per cent for operator No. 110. The average involuntary 
 loss for the entire shop on the basis of 39 body makers who. were timed 
 in this shop was 3.9 per cent. In shop No. 1232 the involuntary loss 
 of time varied from 0.4 per cent to 5.9 per cent, the average for 30 
 operators in the shop being 3.1 per cent; while in shop No. 1284, in 
 which the system of distribution of work and of parts is very poor, and 
 operators are frequently obliged to wait for the necessary parts, the 
 involuntary loss of time varied from 1 .3 per cent to as high as 45.8 per 
 cent for individual operators, the average for 38 operators in the shop 
 being 7.7 per cent. We thus have three different percentages for the 
 three shops, two of them being between 3 and 4 per cent and the third 
 
286 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 nearly 8 per cent. Each of these figures is believed to be accurate for 
 the respective shops, being based on the tuning of 39, 30, and 38 
 operators, respectively , whose combined time at work under observa- 
 tion was equivalent to 729 hours in shop No. 1230, 503 hours in shop 
 No. 1232, and 743 hours in shop No. 1284, yet these data are inade- 
 quate as a basis for an average for the industry as a whole. The 
 significance of these figures lies chiefly in showing how great the 
 variation actually is and how much loss of time can be eliminated in 
 shops under proper management in the light of what is being done in 
 other shops. 
 
 It should be noted that all of this loss of time was found to take 
 place during the busiest part of the season. This is a time when it is 
 to the mutual interest of the employers and employees to reduce such 
 losses to a minimum. There is no doubt that such loss is much greater 
 at other times of the year when the foreman knows that he has n3t 
 enough work to keep the operators busy throughout the day, so that 
 the incentive is lacking to tiy to utilize every minute of the operator 
 who is paid by the piece. It should also be noted that the figures of 
 loss of tune for body making are given here only for shops making 
 exclusively $9-a-dozen waists. In these shops the loss of tune caused 
 by waiting for work and waiting for parts is usually less than in shops 
 manufacturing the higher-priced waists, owing to the great variety of 
 waists and parts which have to be handled in the latter and the 
 smaller bundles which are generally the rule there. 
 
 If we analyze the involuntary loss of time in detail we will find 
 that waiting for work constitutes more than half of the total invol- 
 untary loss in shops Nos. 1230 and 1284, and more than a third in 
 shop No. 1232, which holds the highest record for efficiency among 
 the shops investigated. 
 
 In noting loss of time caused by waiting for work only those eases 
 were considered where operators were required to remain at the ma- 
 chines in expectation of work. Whenever work was so scarce that 
 operators were allowed to leave the factory such loss of time was not 
 included. Nor was it included if the enforced idleness was of long 
 duration, even if the operators remained at the factory. This was 
 due to the fact that on the average each operator was timed for only 
 about three days, and whenever an operator remained idle for any length 
 of time he was dropped by the investigator, who transferred his atten- 
 tion to some other operator. Such a procedure would not be justified 
 if an exhaustive investigation of idleness during work hours were un- 
 dertaken. Such an investigation would have to be based on at least 
 one month's continuous timing of the operators and repeated at differ- 
 ent seasons of the year. As the present investigation, however, was 
 primarily conducted for other purposes and operators were timed for 
 only a few days, idleness lasting several hours at a time would have 
 

 WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DKESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 287 
 
 formed an abnormally high percentage of the total time in many cases 
 and was therefore not included in the tables presented here. 
 
 Waiting for parts was the next largest item of loss of time, being 
 more than a third of the total in voluntary loss in shop No. 1230 and 
 more than 40 per cent in shops Nos. 1232 and 1284. Under this head 
 was included all the time an operator was obliged to remain idle while 
 waiting for any material or parts needed in his work, such as lace, 
 embroideries, and parts of waists, thread, tape, etc. In some shops 
 not included in the three for which body-making data are presented 
 the practice prevails of starting operators on new jobs whenever they 
 are short of any parts which can not be readily furnished. The result 
 is that operators have as many as three or four unfinished bundles on 
 hand which are alternately taken up and put aside as the missing 
 material or parts for the different bundles turn up. While such a 
 practice may be preferable to total idleness, it is extremely uneconom- 
 ical and wasteful of the operator's time and makes efficient work 
 impossible. It is one of the principal reasons for the low output in 
 shop No. 1090, as shown in several tables in this report. In such a 
 shop the loss of time caused by waiting for parts might appear very 
 small, and yet the real loss of time caused by constant interruptions 
 and changing back and forth from one job to another be very large. 
 
 The loss of time due to breakdowns and repairs of machinery is 
 small, being from 0.2 per cent to 0.5 per cent of the time at work and 
 from 2 per cent to 15 per cent of the total involuntary loss. It should 
 be added that the three shops for which the data are given are all well 
 equipped with new machinery. 
 
 The loss of time on account of instruction given to operators on 
 new work is still less than that caused by machine breakdowns. This 
 is an item that is naturally present to a much smaller extent in shops 
 making $9-a-dozen waists than in those manufacturing garments of 
 higher grade. Moreover, it is g, practice that manufacturers could 
 well afford to extend, for the more thorough and frequent the instruc- 
 tion received by the operators the more efficient will be their work. 
 At present too little is being done in this regard in most shops, and 
 every additional dollar spent on instructors would prove a most profit- 
 able investment to the manufacturers as well as result in increased 
 earnings by the operators at the same piece rates. 
 
 As to the loss of time caused by the operator himself or incurred for 
 the operator's own needs, it seems to be much less than that beyond 
 his control. Thus the loss of time caused by tardiness and leaving 
 early was 1.5 per cent of the time worked in shop No. 1230, 1.2 per 
 cent in shop No. 1232, and 1.2 per cent in shop No. 1284. The loss 
 of time due to personal needs was 1 per cent, in shop No. 1230, 0.9 
 per cent in shop No. 1232, and 0.5 per cent in shop No. 1284. The 
 time spent in repairing defective work was 0.4 per cent in shop No. 
 
288 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOE STATISTICS. 
 
 1230, 0.6 per cent in shop No. 1232, and 0.7 per cent in shop No. 1284. 
 These figures may also be below the average for the year, for just as the 
 foreman is more anxious to save unnecessary loss of time at the height 
 of the season than at other times, so are the operators more punctual 
 in coming and going when work is plentiful than when the season is 
 slack. 
 
 CLOSING. The data were obtained for five shops, all of them making 
 $9-a-dozen waists. The involuntary loss of time constituted 8.8 per 
 cent of the time spent at work in shop No. 1110, 7 per cent in shop 
 No. 1191, 6.9 per cent in shop No. 1232, 5.6 per cent in shop No. 1284, 
 and 18.5 per cent in shop No. 1230. The other details appear in the 
 table. 
 
 SLEEVE SETTING. Information on this was obtained in two shops. 
 The involuntary loss of time constituted 26.7 per cent of the time 
 worked in shop No. 1284 and 6.2 per cent in shop No. 1191. The 
 voluntary loss of time (on account of tardiness, early leaving, and per- 
 sonal needs) varied from 1.4 per cent to 2.2 per cent of the time 
 worked. 
 
 WAIST HEMMING. Information on waist hemming was obtained 
 in three shops. The involuntary loss of time was, as usual, the lowest 
 in shop No. 1110, being only 2.9 per cent of the time worked. The 
 highest loss was in shop No. 1284, being 14.7 per cent. The volun- 
 tary loss of time in these three shops varied from nothing to 2.1 per 
 cent of the time at work. 
 
 STRIP HEMMING. On strip hemming information was obtained for 
 only one shop, No. 1230, showing the involuntary loss of time to be 4.2 
 per cent of the total time at work. 
 
 STRIP TUCKING. Information is presented in the table for three 
 shops in which the involuntary loss of time varied from 3.6 per cent 
 to 4.8 per cent of the total time at work. The voluntary loss in these 
 three shops varied from 0.6 per cent to 2.3 per cent of the time at 
 work. 
 
 SHORT TUCKING. Information is presented for four shops, covering 
 a total of 31 persons. The total involuntary loss varied from 1.5 per 
 cent in shop No. 1090 to 36.8 per cent of the total time at work in 
 shop No. 1191. The time lost involuntarily varied in these four shops 
 from nothing to 3.7 per cent of the time worked. 
 
 BUTTONHOLE MAKING. These data are available for four shops 
 using the Singer machine and three shops using the Reece machine. 
 
 Taking first the Singer machine, we find that the involuntary loss 
 constituted 34.8 per cent of the time worked in shop No. 1090, 9.4 per 
 cent in shop No. 1110, 2.2 per cent in shop No. 1116, and 6.4 per cent 
 in shop No. 1235, the average for the four being 21.3 per cent. The 
 chief item in this involuntary loss was waiting for work, which was 
 especially large, namely, 31.4 per cent of the time spent at work, in 
 

 WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 289 
 
 shop No. 1090. As may be seen from section 6 relating to buttonhole 
 making, there is a greater variety of styles of waists in this shop than 
 in any other of those under investigation, and the work is given in 
 smaller bundles than in any of the other shops, the bundles frequently 
 consisting of only a few waists. This accounts for the great loss 
 incurred in waiting for work, which is additional to the loss, to both 
 the firm and the employees, shown in the low output per hour, the 
 output being less than in any of the other shops investigated. 
 
 The. involuntary loss of time on the Reece machine varied from 
 11.7 per cent in shop No. 1284 to 20.4 per cent in shop No. 1230, the 
 average being 13.8 per cent, or less than on the Singer machine. 
 This is due not to the relative merits of the two machines, but to the 
 fact that the Reece machine is used in shops making $9-a-dozen 
 garments. In these shops the work is made in larger quantities than 
 in the shops making medium-priced waists, and there is, therefore, 
 less loss of time. On the other hand, the average loss of time on 
 account of breakdown of machinery was 4.4 per cent of the total 
 time at work on the Reece machine, while on the Singer machine it 
 was only 1 J per cent. This is due to the more complicated character 
 of the Reece machine, which, therefore, gets more easily out of order. 
 
 BUTTON SEWING. These data were secured in three shops, of 
 which one, No. 1116, makes * medium-priced waists. The total 
 involuntary loss of time was 7.6 per cent of the time spent at work in 
 shop No. 1284, 12.3 per cent in shop No. 1230, and only 1.1 percent 
 in the medium-priced shop. The time lost in waiting for work was 
 likewise the lowest in shop No. 1116. 
 
 TABLE 101. LOSS OF TIME. 
 A. Body making: Singer machine. 
 
 
 
 
 Loss of time for 
 
 
 
 Per 
 
 
 
 Loss of time for which the 
 
 which the em- 
 
 
 Per 
 
 cent 
 
 
 
 employee is not responsible 
 (minutes). 
 
 ployer is not re- 
 sponsible (min- 
 
 Total time- 
 
 cent 
 in- 
 
 time 
 lost 
 
 
 
 
 utes). 
 
 
 
 on ac- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 un 
 
 count 
 
 Shop No. and 
 operator No. 
 
 of 
 oper- 
 ator. 
 
 Wait- 
 ing 
 for 
 work. 
 
 Wait- 
 mg 
 for 
 parts. 
 
 Break- 
 down 
 of 
 ma- 
 chine. 
 
 Re- 
 ceiv- 
 ing 
 in- 
 struc- 
 tion. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Tar- 
 di- 
 ness 
 and 
 early 
 leav- 
 ing. 
 
 Per- 
 sonal 
 needs. 
 
 Re- 
 pair- 
 ing 
 work. 
 
 Work- 
 ed 
 (min- 
 utes). 
 
 Under 
 obser- 
 va- 
 tion 
 (min- 
 utes). 
 
 tary 
 loss 
 of 
 time 
 was 
 of 
 time 
 work- 
 ed. 
 
 of 
 
 break- 
 down 
 of ma- 
 chine 
 was of 
 time 
 work- 
 ed. 
 
 Shop No. 12SO. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Operator 117 l 
 
 F 
 
 35 
 
 41 
 
 
 9 
 
 85 
 
 23 
 
 14 
 
 
 1,881 
 
 2,003 
 
 4.5 
 
 
 Operator 118 
 
 F 
 
 30 
 
 25 
 
 
 
 55 
 
 43 
 
 10 
 
 
 1,160 
 
 1,268 
 
 4.7 
 
 
 Operator 119 
 
 F 
 
 12 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 17 
 
 50 
 
 6 
 
 
 1,284 
 
 1,357 
 
 1.3 
 
 
 Operator 120.. 
 Operator 122 1 
 Operator 123 . 
 
 F. 
 
 F. 
 F 
 
 6 
 10 
 85 
 
 6 
 45 
 29 
 
 
 
 12 
 
 
 6 
 4 
 6 
 
 ~"u 
 
 1,189 
 1,717 
 1,215 
 
 1,207 
 1,802 
 M7? 
 
 1.0 
 
 3.2 
 11.4 
 
 
 
 
 
 55 
 139 
 
 26 
 
 25 
 
 
 2.1 
 
 Operator 124 l 
 
 F 
 
 47 
 
 48 
 
 
 10 
 
 105 
 
 125 
 
 41 
 
 3 
 
 2,478 
 
 2,752 
 
 4.2 
 
 
 
 F 
 
 
 19 
 
 
 
 19 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 599 
 
 622 
 
 3.2 
 
 
 Operator 127.. 
 
 F 
 
 ..... 
 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 30 
 
 
 
 586 
 
 620 
 
 .7 
 
 
 
 42132 Bull. 14614- 
 
 J And 1 female partner. 
 -19 
 
290 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 TABLE 101. LOSS OF TIME Continued. 
 A. Body making; Singer machine Concluded. 
 
 Shop No. and 
 operator No. 
 
 Sex 
 of 
 oper- 
 ator. 
 
 Loss of time for which the 
 employee is not responsible 
 (minutes). 
 
 Loss of time for 
 which the em- 
 ployer is not re- 
 sponsible (min- 
 utes). 
 
 Total time 
 
 Per 
 cent 
 in- 
 vol- 
 un- 
 tary 
 loss 
 of 
 time 
 was 
 of 
 tim'e 
 work- 
 ed. 
 
 Per 
 cent 
 time 
 lost 
 on ac- 
 count 
 of 
 break- 
 down 
 of ma- 
 chine 
 was of 
 time 
 work- 
 ed. 
 
 Wait- 
 ing 
 for 
 work. 
 
 Wait- 
 ing 
 for 
 parts. 
 
 Break- 
 down 
 of 
 ma- 
 chine. 
 
 Re- 
 ceiv- 
 ing 
 in- 
 struc- 
 tion. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Tar- 
 di- 
 ness 
 and 
 early 
 leav- 
 ing. 
 
 Per- 
 sonal 
 needs. 
 
 Re- 
 pair- 
 ing 
 work. 
 
 Work- 
 ed 
 
 (min- 
 utes). 
 
 Under 
 obser- 
 va- 
 tion 
 (min- 
 utes). 
 
 Shop No. 1 ISO 
 Concluded. 
 
 Operator 129 
 
 F 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 768 
 1.537 
 802 
 1.388 
 1, 223 
 1,366 
 1,446 
 1,061 
 970 
 1,712 
 1,113 
 1,163 
 1,689 
 2,422 
 997 
 2, 751 
 2,514 
 1,320 
 2,488 
 2, 882 
 
 768 
 1,596 
 1,055 
 1,450 
 1,250 
 1,463 
 1,489 
 1,245 
 1,040 
 1,810 
 1,204 
 1,236 
 1,851 
 2,593 
 1,050 
 2,974 
 2,584 
 1,370 
 2, 595 
 3,076 
 
 
 
 Operator 109... 
 Operator 110... 
 Opera tor 111... 
 Operator 104... 
 Opera tor 105... 
 Operator 1061.. 
 Opera tor 102... 
 Operator 103... 
 Operator 114... 
 Operator 100... 
 Operator 115... 
 Operator 116 2 .. 
 Operator 121 2 . 
 Operator 125 . 
 
 F. 
 F. 
 F. 
 F. 
 F. 
 F. 
 F. 
 F. 
 F. 
 F. 
 M. 
 M. 
 M. 
 M 
 
 "i93* 
 31 
 13 
 
 38 
 3 
 
 7 
 29 
 28 
 23 
 
 ""57" 
 
 74 
 
 34 
 33 
 
 8 
 
 
 42 
 226 
 42 
 13 
 78 
 3 
 9 
 54 
 36 
 78 
 
 10 
 27 
 10 
 5 
 10 
 25 
 140 
 10 
 59 
 
 7 
 
 
 
 2.7 
 28.2 
 3.0 
 1.1 
 5.7 
 .2 
 .8 
 5.6 
 2.1 
 7.0 
 4.7 
 4.7 
 4.7 
 
 0.5 
 
 
 
 11 
 
 10 
 9 
 9 
 15 
 28 
 6 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 40 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 7 
 
 
 
 2 
 25 
 
 
 
 
 
 "".5 
 
 8 
 
 
 
 55 
 55 
 
 
 13 
 
 
 
 55 
 79 
 115 
 
 10 
 
 8 
 24 
 39 
 10 
 20 
 16 
 17 
 61 
 73 
 
 
 
 22 
 21 
 
 59 
 17 
 43 
 
 ""23" 
 
 
 20 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Operator 128 2. 
 Operator 112 1 . 
 Operator 101... 
 Operator 1131.. 
 Operator 108 !.. 
 
 Total 
 
 M. 
 M. 
 M. 
 M. 
 M. 
 
 66 
 19 
 15 
 32 
 47 
 
 46 
 5 
 15 
 9 
 74 
 
 30 
 
 7 
 3 
 
 19 
 
 161 
 31 
 
 42 
 
 5.8 
 1.2 
 2.5 
 1.6 
 4.2 
 
 1.1 
 
 .3 
 .2 
 
 
 33 
 
 
 
 41 
 121 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 904 
 2.1 
 
 631 
 1.4 
 
 34 
 41 
 20 
 23 
 13 
 17 
 33 
 42 
 62 
 27 
 7 
 13 
 
 81 
 0.2 
 
 6 
 3 
 
 8 
 
 92 
 0.2 
 
 1,708 
 3.9 
 
 654 
 1.5 
 
 -'~:.r~r 
 
 442 
 1.0 
 
 -- 
 
 179 
 0.4 
 
 43, 721 
 
 46, 704 
 
 
 
 Per cent of time 
 worked 
 
 
 3.9 
 
 .2 
 
 .4 
 
 .2 
 .8 
 
 Shop No. 1232. 
 
 Operator 141.... 
 Operator 142.... 
 Operator 144 
 Operator 145 
 Operator 147 3 ... 
 Operator 148 
 Operator 130 2 .. 
 Operator 131 2 .. 
 Operator 132 1 ... 
 Operator 133 2 .. 
 Operator 134 2 . . 
 Operator 135 2 .. 
 Operator 136 l 
 
 
 1,426 
 1,712 
 996 
 1,642 
 2,625 
 1,570 
 2,765 
 1,954 
 3,073 
 1,314 
 932 
 1,080 
 243 
 1,791 
 1,451 
 1,179 
 746 
 712 
 1,966 
 1,004 
 
 
 F. 
 F. 
 F. 
 F. 
 F. 
 F. 
 M. 
 M. 
 M. 
 M. 
 M. 
 M. 
 M 
 
 14 
 28 
 21 
 41 
 28 
 10 
 33 
 40 
 10 
 3 
 6 
 12 
 
 54 
 
 15 
 39 
 
 7 
 
 1,495 
 1,868 
 1,062 
 1,721 
 2,676 
 1,610 
 2,979 
 2,155 
 3,226 
 1,412 
 967 
 1,113 
 252 
 1,965 
 1,566 
 1,229 
 772 
 730 
 2,026 
 1,115 
 
 3.8 
 4.2 
 4.9 
 3.9 
 1.7 
 1.9 
 3.6 
 5.9 
 3.0 
 2.6 
 1.6 
 2.4 
 2.9 
 2.7 
 2.4 
 1.4 
 .4 
 1.1 
 2.8 
 5.9 
 
 
 72 
 49 
 64 
 44 
 30 
 100 
 116 
 91 
 34 
 15 
 26 
 
 40 
 
 10 
 11 
 
 4 
 10 
 28 
 48 
 5 
 30 
 
 5. 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 29 
 7 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 
 .2 
 1.0 
 .4 
 .1 
 .3 
 
 5 
 27 
 17 
 
 28 
 31 
 
 57 
 29 
 20 
 
 7 
 
 60 
 6 
 
 "~5~ 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 
 .1 
 
 7 
 
 7 
 49 
 35 
 16 
 3 
 8 
 
 
 
 2 
 14 
 
 "~5~ 
 14 
 4 
 4 
 13 
 
 Operator 137 
 Operator 138 
 Operator 139 
 Operator 140 
 Operator 143 !... 
 Operator 146 1 ... 
 Operator 149 
 
 Total 
 
 M. 
 M. 
 M. 
 M. 
 M. 
 M. 
 M. 
 
 26 
 14 
 11 
 3 
 6 
 26 
 14 
 
 23 
 16 
 3 
 
 
 52 
 56 
 20 
 4 
 
 59 
 24 
 9 
 5 
 6 
 
 .3 
 .2 
 
 ""i.'s 
 
 4.<J 
 
 5 
 2 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 2 
 
 
 
 26 
 43 
 
 
 56 
 
 
 
 
 59 
 
 39 
 
 
 346 
 1.1 
 
 382 
 1.3 
 
 139 
 
 0.5 
 
 61 
 0.2 
 
 928 
 3.1 
 
 357 
 1.2 
 
 282 
 0.9 
 
 191 
 0.6 
 
 30,181 
 
 31,939 
 
 
 
 Per cent of time 
 worked 
 
 
 3.1 
 
 -5 
 
 
 
 1 And 1 female assistant. 
 
 2 And 1 male assistant. 
 
 3 And 1 female partner. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DEESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 291 
 
 TABLE 101. LOSS OF TIME Continued. 
 Standard machine. 
 
 Shop No. and 
 operator No. 
 
 Sex 
 of 
 oper- 
 ator. 
 
 Loss of time for which the 
 employee is not responsible 
 (minutes). 
 
 Loss of time for 
 which the em- 
 ployer is not re- 
 sponsible (min- 
 utes). 
 
 Total time- 
 
 Per 
 cent 
 in- 
 vol- 
 un- 
 tary 
 loss 
 of 
 time 
 was 
 of 
 time 
 work- 
 ed. 
 
 Per 
 
 cent 
 time 
 lost 
 on ac- 
 count 
 of 
 break- 
 down 
 of ma- 
 chine 
 was of 
 time 
 work- 
 ed. 
 
 Wait- 
 ing 
 for 
 work. 
 
 Wait- 
 ing 
 for 
 parts. 
 
 Break- 
 down 
 of 
 ma- 
 chine. 
 
 Re- 
 ceiv- 
 ing 
 in- 
 struc- 
 tion. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Tar- 
 di- 
 ness 
 and 
 early 
 leav- 
 ing. 
 
 Per- 
 sonal 
 needs. 
 
 Re- 
 pair- 
 ing 
 work. 
 
 Work- 
 ed 
 (min- 
 utes). 
 
 Under 
 obser- 
 va- 
 tion 
 (min- 
 utes). 
 
 Shop No. 1284. 
 
 Operator 150 
 Operator 1531... 
 Operator 154 
 Opera tor 156i... 
 Operator 157 
 Operator 158 
 Operator 160 
 Operator 161 
 Operator 162 
 Operator 163 
 Operator 164.... 
 Operator 165 2 ... 
 Operator 172 
 Operator 173 
 Operator 1741... 
 Operator 151i... 
 Operator 152 3 ... 
 Opera tor 155 3... 
 Opera tor 159.... 
 Operator 166 2... 
 Operator 167i... 
 Opera tor 168i... 
 Operator 1 69 3 ... 
 Operator 17Qi... 
 Operator 171 
 Operator 175 
 
 Total 
 
 F. 
 F. 
 F. 
 F. 
 F. 
 F. 
 F. 
 F. 
 F. 
 F. 
 F. 
 F. 
 F. 
 F. 
 F. 
 M. 
 M. 
 M. 
 M. 
 M. 
 M. 
 M. 
 M. 
 M. 
 M. 
 M. 
 
 218 
 138 
 79 
 50 
 4 
 8 
 318 
 16 
 3 
 12 
 121 
 9 
 74 
 24 
 81 
 
 '35 
 3 
 181 
 
 30 
 98 
 
 7 
 
 '"76" 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 218 
 
 
 73 
 2 
 
 '"43" 
 30 
 28 
 
 2,214 
 3,162 
 1,311 
 4,166 
 924 
 1,120 
 1,413 
 1,631 
 593 
 753 
 1,768 
 2,193 
 297 
 512 
 1,163 
 2,110 
 1,642 
 2,515 
 413 
 1,700 
 2,019 
 2,747 
 2,935 
 2,528 
 1,241 
 1,487 
 
 2,505 
 3; 447 
 1,453 
 4,397 
 945 
 1,229 
 1,842 
 1,695 
 696 
 801 
 2,012 
 2,486 
 447 
 648 
 1,419 
 2,160 
 1.753 
 2,619 
 606 
 1,926 
 2,104 
 3,056 
 3,072 
 2,754 
 1,470 
 1,513 
 
 9.8 
 6.3 
 7.0 
 2.1 
 2.3 
 9.3 
 27.7 
 3.3 
 9.8 
 5.6 
 13.2 
 10.7 
 33.7 
 15.4 
 11.5 
 2.4 
 3.9 
 2.5 
 45.8 
 13.0 
 3.3 
 8.5 
 3.8 
 7.6 
 14.3 
 1.3 
 
 
 60 
 13 
 39 
 17 
 96 
 59 
 34 
 55 
 27 
 106 
 226 
 14 
 55 
 48 
 50 
 43 
 27 
 174 
 40 
 29 
 126 
 76 
 191 
 82 
 16 
 
 
 
 198 
 92 
 89 
 21 
 
 42 
 20 
 112 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 104 
 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 
 15 
 
 4 
 
 392 
 54 
 
 58 
 42 
 
 37 
 
 7 
 38 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 7 
 
 
 
 
 ""58" 
 
 
 3 
 
 
 0.4 
 
 7 
 
 234 
 
 235 
 
 
 10 
 
 
 
 -4.-0 
 
 12 
 
 
 100 
 79 
 134 
 50 
 
 40 
 50 
 32 
 
 10 
 
 7 
 23 
 
 
 ""67" 
 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 
 
 64 
 62 
 189 
 
 36 
 10 
 
 11 
 
 ""32" 
 
 
 
 
 
 12 
 
 
 4 
 
 2.9 
 
 
 221 
 
 67 
 233 
 112 
 191 
 177 
 19 
 
 37 
 10 
 15 
 50 
 
 5 
 10 
 23 
 15 
 13 
 2 
 2 
 
 
 8 
 9 
 29 
 
 
 
 " i6~ 
 
 ""5 
 
 .4 
 
 .3 
 1.0 
 
 
 25 
 
 
 
 
 
 1,603 
 3.6 
 
 1,703 
 3.8 
 
 73 
 
 0.2 
 
 56 
 0.1 
 
 3,435 
 
 7.7 
 
 544 
 1.2 
 
 227 
 0.5 
 
 292 
 0.7 
 
 44,557 
 
 49,055 
 
 
 
 Per cent of time 
 worked 
 
 
 7.7 
 
 .2 
 
 
 
 
 
 And 1 female assistant. 2 And 1 female partner. ' And 1 male assistant. 
 
 B. Closing: Union Special machine. 
 
 Shop No. 
 
 Num- 
 ber 
 and 
 sex 
 of 
 opera- 
 tor. 
 
 Loss of time for which the employee is not 
 responsible. 
 
 Loss of time for which 
 the employer is not 
 responsible. 
 
 Total time. 
 
 Waiting for 
 
 Break- 
 down 
 of ma- 
 chine. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Tardi- 
 ness and 
 early 
 leaving. 
 
 Personal 
 needs. 
 
 Work- 
 ed. 
 
 Under 
 obser- 
 va- 
 tion. 
 
 Work. 
 
 Parts. 
 
 Min- 
 utes. 
 
 Per 
 
 cent 
 of 
 time 
 work- 
 ed. 
 
 Min- 
 utes. 
 
 Per 
 
 cent 
 of 
 time 
 work- 
 ed. 
 
 Min- 
 utes. 
 
 Per 
 
 cent 
 of 
 tune 
 work- 
 ed. 
 
 Min- 
 utes. 
 
 Per 
 cent 
 of 
 time 
 work- 
 ed. 
 
 Min- 
 utes. 
 
 Per 
 
 cent 
 of 
 time 
 work- 
 ed. 
 
 Min- 
 utes. 
 
 Per 
 cent 
 of 
 time 
 work- 
 ed. 
 
 Min- 
 utes. 
 
 Min- 
 utes. 
 
 M. 
 
 F. 
 
 1110 
 
 
 1 
 
 41 
 240 
 86 
 30- 
 163 
 
 7.0 
 7.0 
 6.9 
 1.3 
 18.5 
 
 
 
 11 
 
 1.9 
 
 52 
 240 
 86 
 130 
 163 
 
 8.8 
 7.0 
 
 H 
 
 i, 5 
 
 
 
 5 
 
 0.9 
 
 588 
 3,434 
 1,255 
 2,334 
 
 882 
 
 645 
 3,674 
 1,373 
 2,491 
 1,045 
 
 1191 
 
 ? 
 
 
 
 
 
 1232 
 
 
 1 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 12 
 15 
 
 i.6 
 
 .6 
 
 20 
 12 
 
 1.6 
 
 .5 
 
 1284 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 9 
 
 0.4 
 
 91 
 
 3.9 
 
 1230 
 
292 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 TABLE 101. LOSS OF TIME Concluded. 
 C. Sleeve setting: Union Special machine. 
 
 hop No. 
 
 Num- 
 ber 
 and 
 sex 
 of 
 opera- 
 tors. 
 
 Loss of time for which the employee is not 
 responsible. 
 
 Loss of time for which 
 the employer is not 
 responsible. 
 
 Total time. 
 
 Waiting for 
 
 Break- 
 down 
 of ma- 
 chine. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Tardi- 
 ness and 
 early 
 leaving. 
 
 Personal 
 needs. 
 
 Work- 
 ed. 
 
 Under 
 obser- 
 va- 
 tion. 
 
 Work. 
 
 Parts. 
 
 Min- 
 utes. 
 
 Per 
 
 cent 
 of 
 time 
 work- 
 ed. 
 
 Min- 
 utes. 
 
 Per 
 
 cent 
 of 
 time 
 work- 
 ed. 
 
 Min- 
 utes. 
 
 Per 
 
 cent 
 of 
 time 
 work- 
 ed. 
 
 Min- 
 utes. 
 
 Per 
 cent 
 of 
 time 
 work- 
 ed. 
 
 Min- 
 utes. 
 
 Per 
 
 cent 
 of 
 time 
 work - 
 ed. 
 
 Min- 
 utes. 
 
 Per 
 cent 
 of 
 time 
 work- 
 ed. 
 
 Min- 
 utes. 
 
 Min- 
 utes. 
 
 M. 
 
 F. 
 
 1284... 
 1191 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 J 
 
 157 
 
 182 
 
 18.2 
 5.6 
 
 25 
 
 2.9 
 
 48 
 20 
 
 5.6 
 .6 
 
 230 
 202 
 
 26.7 
 6.2 
 
 5 
 45 
 
 0.6 
 1.4 
 
 14 
 
 1.6 
 
 861 
 3,279 
 
 1.110 
 3,526 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1284... 
 1191 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 J 
 
 157 
 
 182 
 
 18.2 
 5.6 
 
 25 
 
 2.9 
 
 48 
 20 
 
 5.6 
 .6 
 
 230 
 202 
 
 26.7 
 6.2 
 
 5 
 45 
 
 0.6 
 1.4 
 
 14 
 
 1.6 
 
 861 
 3,279 
 
 1,110 
 3,526 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 D. Waist hemming: Shop No. 1110, Union Special machine; other shops, Singer machine. 
 
 1110 
 
 
 1 
 
 5 
 42 
 89 
 
 1.5 
 4.7 
 13.3 
 
 
 
 5 
 
 1.5 
 
 10 
 42 
 98 
 
 2.9 
 4.7 
 14.7 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 0.6 
 
 341 
 894 
 668 
 
 353 
 936 
 
 785 
 
 1191 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 1284.. 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 9 
 
 1.3 
 
 14 
 
 2.1 
 
 5 
 
 . 7 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 E. Strip hemming: Singer machine. 
 
 1230 
 
 1 
 
 
 44 
 
 4.2 
 
 
 
 
 
 44 
 
 4.2 
 
 
 
 
 
 1,036 
 
 1,080 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 F. Strip tucking: Singer and Wilcox & Gibbs machines. 
 
 1230 
 
 * 
 
 1 
 
 323 
 60 
 140 
 
 2.8 
 1.8 
 3.6 
 
 
 
 120 
 99 
 
 1.1 
 3.0 
 
 443 
 
 159 
 140 
 
 3.9 
 
 4.8 
 3.6 
 
 32 
 
 0.3 
 
 65 
 19 
 
 0.6 
 .6 
 
 11,416 
 3,280 
 3,867 
 
 11,956 
 3,458 
 4,095 
 
 1284.. 
 
 
 
 1090 
 
 
 
 
 88 
 
 2.3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 G. Short tucking: Singer and Wilcox <& Gibbs machines. 
 
 1191.. 
 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 10 3, 443 
 2 173 
 7 180 
 33, 882 
 
 36.8 
 2.0 
 1.4 
 29.5 
 
 
 
 
 
 3,443 
 299 
 U84 
 
 3,882 
 
 36.8 
 3.5 
 1.5 
 
 29.5 
 
 
 
 
 
 9,357 
 8,616 
 12, 667 
 13, 163 
 
 12,800 
 9,048 
 13,319 
 17,255 
 
 1230 
 
 
 
 126 
 
 1.5 
 
 87 
 363 
 210 
 
 l.Ol 46 
 2. 9 105 
 1.6... 
 
 0.5 
 
 .8 
 
 1090.. 
 
 
 
 1116... 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 H. Buttonhole making: Singer machine. 
 
 1090 
 
 
 4 
 
 2,269 
 70 
 64 
 44 
 
 31.4 
 7.2 
 2.2 
 2.2 
 
 37 
 
 0.5 
 
 124 
 
 22 
 
 1.7 
 2.3 
 
 22,508 
 92 
 64 
 3127 
 
 34.8 
 9.4 
 2.2 
 6.4 
 
 206 
 
 2.8 
 
 15 
 
 7 
 
 0.2 
 
 .7 
 
 7,237 
 974 
 2,964 
 2,000 
 
 9,976 
 1,073 
 3,028 
 2, 139 
 
 1110 
 
 a 
 
 1116 
 
 i 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1235 
 
 
 2 
 6 
 
 31 
 
 1.6 
 
 47 
 
 2.4 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total. 
 
 8 
 
 
 ' 
 
 
 
 2,447 
 
 18.6 
 
 68 .5 
 
 193 
 
 1.5 
 
 s 2,791 
 
 21.3 
 
 206 
 
 1.6 
 
 22J .2 
 
 13, 175 
 
 * 16,216 
 
 I. Buttonhole making: Reece machine. 
 
 1230 
 
 
 1 
 
 62' 13. 6 
 
 
 
 21 
 
 46 
 
 83 
 
 20 4 
 
 
 
 
 
 456 
 
 549 
 
 1235. 
 
 
 1 
 
 10 6.3 
 
 
 
 9 
 
 5.6 
 
 19 
 
 11.9 
 
 5 
 
 3.1 
 
 
 
 160 
 
 184 
 
 1284 
 
 2 
 
 
 93 7. 4 
 
 
 
 53 
 
 4.2 
 
 146 
 
 11.7 
 
 27 
 
 2.2 
 
 17 
 
 1.4 
 
 1,250 
 
 1,440 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total. 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 165J 8. 9 
 
 
 
 
 83 
 
 4.4 
 
 248 
 
 13.8 
 
 32 
 
 1.7 
 
 17 
 
 .9 
 
 1,866 
 
 2,173 
 
 K. Button sewing: Union Special machine. 
 
 1284... 
 
 
 1 
 
 57 
 
 6.1 
 
 
 
 14 
 
 1.5 
 
 71 
 
 7 6 
 
 ! 
 
 20 
 
 2 1 
 
 931 
 
 1 022 
 
 1116.. . 
 
 
 1 
 
 24 
 
 1.1 
 
 
 
 
 
 24 
 
 1 i 
 
 j 
 
 
 
 2 216 
 
 2 240 
 
 1230 
 
 
 1 
 
 90 
 
 9.5 
 
 
 
 27 
 
 2.8 
 
 117 
 
 12.3 
 
 | 
 
 
 
 951 
 
 1,068 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 4 minutes getting instruction. 
 
 2 78 minutes getting instruction. 
 
 3 5 minutes getting instruction. 
 
 4 12 minutes repairing work. 
 & 83 minutes getting instruction. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DKESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 293 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 The figures presented in Part II of this report show that in spite of 
 the great variation in the productive capacity of the individual 
 workers in different shops and even in the same shops, the differences 
 between the shops as a whole are sufficiently small on a large number 
 of operations to allow of the establishment of standard rates for all 
 the shops of a certain class. With the exception of a few operations, 
 outside of body making, the figures presented here relate exclusively 
 to shops manufacturing cheap waists selling at $9 per dozen to retail 
 stores. In so far as the figures for the same operations differ radi- 
 cally for various shops, they can be traced to distinct causes, due 
 chiefly to differences in systems of management and organization of 
 the work. While the variation is not sufficiently great in the $9 
 shops to prevent standardization of piece rates in that branch of the 
 industry, the wide differences in the systems of factory management 
 and in the conditions under which the operators are obliged to work 
 in different shops, make it exceedingly difficult to devise a scheme 
 of uniform piece rates to be paid in all shops manufacturing garments 
 of a higher grade. A scale of rates paid in shops in which efficiency is 
 the keynote, in which the operator is able to work steadily through 
 the day without waste of time, with up-to-date machinery and 
 appliances, and amid sanitary surroundings, may be fully adequate 
 to enable the workers to earn good wages in that shop. The same 
 schedule of piece rates may prove totally inadequate for operators 
 of equal skill working in a shop where lack of system on the part of 
 the management results in frequent interruptions and stoppages of 
 work; because the operator constantly misses necessary parts of gar- 
 ments which should be supplied to him at the time he gets his "bun- 
 dle 7 ' ; because the cutting is done poorly, causing the operator to stop 
 in his work to make the different parts fit or to take the parts to the 
 cutter to have them trimmed down; because the force in different 
 departments is not properly balanced, thereby causing partial or total 
 stoppage of work in one department, while another department is 
 behind with its work and unable to furnish the parts needed in the 
 first department; because work is furnished to the operators in small 
 bundles, which results in more handling of the garments and more 
 frequent interruptions in passing from one operation to another than is 
 the case in the first shop where larger bundles are the rule; because 
 it is the practice in the shop to start the operator on a new bundle 
 before he is through with the one he has on hand and to follow this 
 up with a third and a fourth bundle before any of these is completed, 
 so that the work on each of these has to be interrupted as the missing 
 parts for the different bundles turn up or as the demands of the 
 customers call for the earlier completion of one or the other of the 
 bundles; because the machinery is old or in poor condition and breaks 
 
294 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOE STATISTICS. 
 
 down frequently, causing stoppage of work, as well as producing less 
 while working; because little or no instruction is given to operators 
 to secure uniformity in methods of work, resulting in great waste of 
 time on the part of the less experienced workers, to the detriment 
 of the firm and employees alike. These are a few of the conditions 
 which determine the relative efficiency of different shops. This 
 explains why in many cases the output per hour in different factories 
 (as c. g., in buttonhole making) has been found to differ 100 per cent 
 and even more. It is therefore clear that no successful attempt can 
 be made to bring about uniform rates throughout the industry without 
 first establishing greater uniformity in factory management and 
 the system under which operators are required to work. 
 
 It would be an utterly hopeless task, however, to undertake to 
 bring about absolutely uniform methods of factoiy management. 
 The great difference in the size of the factories, employing, as has 
 been shown in the first part of this report, anywhere from less than 
 25 to more than 500 workers each, calls necessarily for different sys- 
 tems of work distribution and, to some extent, of division of labor; 
 the difference in their financial resources will enable the larger manu- 
 facturers, making the same kind of goods, to use superior machinery, 
 cut larger bundles, employ instructors, and do a great many other 
 things to cheapen production which would be beyond the means of 
 the smaller manufacturer working with insufficient capital. A great 
 many things, however, can be standardized and adopted throughout 
 the industry irrespective of the size of the resources of the individual 
 firms. But to accomplish this in an industry having more than 
 700 firms working in keen competition with one another and 
 therefore each jealous of its own real or fancied secrets of business or 
 of factory management and extremely reluctant to throw their shops 
 open to investigation by representatives of an organization of which 
 they are a part, would take years of patient and persistent effort. 
 
 But while it is impracticable to undertake the introduction of 
 uniform methods of factory management, it does not follow necessarily 
 that the standardization of piece rates is impossible. What may be 
 done, is to standardize conditions under which certain piece rates 
 are to apply. The piece rates may be the result of a series of tests 
 made in a number of shops with several workers of more or less 
 average speed under conditions to be carefully noted, and as nearly 
 as possible like those which can reasonably be expected to prevail in 
 an ordinary well-managed shop. The tests could be of two kinds: 
 (1) For the purpose of standardizing separate operations; (2) for 
 establishing piece rates on standard garments. 
 
 As to the first, the proposed investigation for standardization of 
 operations would not differ in its aims and its ultimate form from 
 the results presented in this report, so far as positive results have 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DEESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 295 
 
 been obtained. The difference would be in the methods to be pursued. 
 Instead of timing hundreds of workers on thousands of dozens of 
 garments under conditions as they happen to be found in the shops, 
 the method would consist in selecting a comparatively limited number 
 of skilled operators, say a dozen, of a fairly average speed, and timing 
 each of these operators on hundreds if not thousands of operations 
 under various conditions, but never varying more than one condition 
 at a time, so as to be able clearly to trace cause and effect. An 
 illustration will make the meaning clear : In discussing the figures for 
 tucking, it has been shown in this report that the output per hour 
 will vary with (1) the width of the tuck; (2) the length of the tuck; 
 (3) the number of stitches per inch; (4) the presence or absence of 
 tucks of more than one width; (5) whether the tucks are arranged in 
 clusters or not; (6) whether the distances between the tucks and the 
 clusters are uniform or not; (7) whether all the tucks run the full 
 length of the waist; (8) and if they do not, whether they are of 
 uniform or varying length; (9) and if of varying length, how many 
 different lengths there are; (10) on the number of tucks to the waist; 
 (11) the number of waists to the bundle; (12) the material of which 
 the garment is made; (13) the make of the machine on which the 
 work is done; (14) whether the tucks are made free-hand or with 
 a gauge, etc. 
 
 On account of the conditions under which the present investiga- 
 tion was carried on we were forced to time the operator while working 
 in the regular performance of his or her duties on such work as hap- 
 pened to be done at the time at the particular factory. The result 
 was that when the same operator was found to vary anywhere from 
 10 to 100 per cent in his output on the same operation, it has rarely, 
 if ever, been possible to place the finger on any one cause. The 
 second job might differ from the first not only in the size of the bundle, 
 but also in the number of tucks to the waist, in their arrangement, 
 width, and in three or four other points. For this reason it has 
 proved impossible to submit, with the present report, a basis for a 
 scale of rates except on a more or less average basis taking in a 
 wide variety of conditions for each of which there ought to be a sepa- 
 rate rate. The proposed method would require putting each operator 
 selected for the test to work on a certain style of tucks and then 
 varying one condition at a time to ascertain how the output would 
 differ with each change. Such a method would require the testing 
 of each operator for at least a week on tucking alone. 
 
 In view of the great number of operations and especially the 
 almost endless variation in the combination of different conditions 
 affecting the output for each operation, as illustrated above in the 
 case of tucking, it would probably take not less than two years to 
 work out a scale of piece rates which would cover the most common 
 requirements of shops manufacturing staple lines of garments. 
 
296 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOK STATISTICS. 
 
 A schedule of this kind in prescribing a rate for any operation would 
 specify the conditions under which it was to be applied. If the 
 standard size of bundle were, say, 2J dozen waists, and a shop fur- 
 nished work to its operators in bundles of 1 dozen or 5 dozen, the rate 
 would have to be adjusted by the wage-scale board in each case unless 
 the schedule provided a sliding scale for the automatic adjustment of 
 the rate under specified conditions. In this manner without at- 
 tempting to tell each manufacturer how he is to run his factory, an 
 inducement would be created for each manufacturer in the trade 
 to bring the conditions of work in his shop as nearly as possible in 
 accord with the standards laid down in the schedule so that he could 
 get the benefit of rates allowed in shops in which standard conditions 
 prevailed. 
 
 As stated, the complete working out of such a scale of piece rates 
 would be a matter of years. Much as it may seem desirable to under- 
 take the task for an industry like this, which is here to stay, it is con- 
 fronted with the necessity of meeting immediately the pressing prob- 
 lems of piece-rate adjustment which claim the attention of the wage- 
 scale board from day to day as disputes arise between individual 
 manufacturers and their employees as to what is a proper rate for a 
 given garment. It is with this in mind that the second series of 
 tests has been suggested above, viz, the establishment of piece rates 
 on standard garments. i 
 
 Apart from the short-comings of the present test system, pointed 
 out in the introductory chapter to this part of the report, the chief 
 objection to it, raised both by the employers and the union, is that 
 it fails to bring about uniformity of piece rates for the same class 
 of work in different shops. Manufacturers who believe that they are 
 paying, or that they are called upon to pay, higher rates than some 
 of their competitors refuse to accede to the demands of their em- 
 ployees, while the union on its part claims that certain manufacturers 
 are taking advantage of the presence of a large proportion of non- 
 union workers in their shops, or of the ignorance of their employees 
 to pay lower rates than their competitors. To overcome this diffi- 
 culty a committee of the wage-scale board has had under consideration 
 a proposed modification of the -present test system which promises 
 to bring about greater uniformity in rates paid in different shops 
 for similar garments. The chief features of the proposed scheme 
 are (1) the creation of a set of standard garments; (2) the selection 
 of a number of typical shops for the purpose of testing the standard 
 garments ; (3) the determination of the hourly rate of the test workers 
 by means of standard rates adopted for the standard garments. 
 
 1. It is proposed to make up a set of standard garments embody-' 
 ing all the operations which are required in making garments cur- 
 rently in style. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DEESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 297 
 
 2. The wage-scale board is to select a number of leading shops, typi- 
 cal of the industry, in each of which two or more experienced workers of 
 about average speed are to be selected as test operators by both sides 
 in the same manner as it is done at present. These workers are to 
 make up the standard garments from the samples furnished them, 
 and the average time taken by all the test operators in all of the 
 shops selected, multiplied by a rate agreed upon for these workers, is 
 to constitute the standard piece rate for each of the standard gar- 
 ments, and is to be used as a common basis in all the other shops in 
 the industry in determining rates on new garments. 
 
 3. Whenever a new garment is to be tested in a shop, it is to be done 
 under practically the same conditions as at present, except that the 
 hourly rate of the test worker is to be determined in a different way. 
 Under the present system the hourly rate of the test worker is ascer- 
 tained by averaging up the weekly earnings of that worker for a 
 number of weeks as shown on the pay roll, and dividing the amount 
 by 50, which constitutes the normal working hours for a week. This 
 is open to two objections: The first, on the part of the workers, that 
 the pay roll does not show the number of hours actually put in by 
 the worker. It is well known that at times some workers may be 
 idle for a great many hours during the week on account of lack of 
 work or other causes, and the 10 per cent allowance for loss of time 
 which is usually made in these cases is not considered by the union 
 as meeting this objection. It is, therefore, claimed by the union that 
 the hourly rate, as thus determined, is below the actual earning 
 capacity of the worker, which could be demonstrated if she were 
 given an opportunity to work in the same manner as she is during 
 the test on a new garment, when only the time she is actually at 
 work is considered in determining the time it takes her to make the 
 new garment. 
 
 The second objection to which this method is open is raised both 
 by the manufacturers and the union, and is to the effect that it does 
 not secure a uniform hourly rate for workers of the same skill in 
 different shops, since it tends to perpetuate the differences in the 
 methods of compensation prevailing in these shops. 
 
 The proposed method aims to do away with these shortcomings 
 and to reduce the determination of the hourly rate of the test workers 
 to a uniform basis in the following manner: 
 
 To determine the hourly rate of the test worker, she is to be given 
 one or more samples of standard garments suitable to the production 
 of the shop in which she is working, and on which she is to be tested, 
 in the same manner as she is tested on the new garment. That is to 
 say, if it is decided that in testing a new garment she is to make half 
 a dozen for a test, then in determining her hourly rate she is likewise 
 to make half a dozen of the standard garment; if she is given only 
 
298 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR' STATISTICS. 
 
 one or two garments to make in testing the new garment, then this 
 should be the number in testing the standard garment for determining 
 her hourly rate. The time taken to make these garments would 
 determine the hourly rate of each test worker. To illustrate: If the 
 rate for a certain standard garment were ' $1, and it took the test 
 worker three hours to make it, the hourly rate of that operator 
 would be 33 cents per hour. If an operator selected for a test in 
 another shop makes the same garment in two hours, her rate would 
 be 50 cents per hour. In this way, the rates of the different test 
 operators would continue to differ, as they do at present, according 
 to their individual skill and speed, as well as according to the methods 
 of manufacturing prevailing in the different shops; but they will all 
 be based on uniform rates for standard garments which would apply 
 to all shops. The method holds out the promise of a fair degree of 
 uniformity of rates for similar garments in different shops while 
 leaving each shop free to follow its own way of making the garments. 
 While it would not secure absolute uniformity on account of many 
 technical difficulties which would beset the carrying out of this plan, 
 yet it would mean the taking of a long stride toward such uniformity 
 and would put the industry in a position to wait for a more detailed 
 adjustment of piece rates for separate operations as outlined above. 
 
APPENDIX A. 
 
 PROTOCOL OF PEACE IN THE DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 
 
 PROTOCOL OP PEACE in the dress and waist industry entered into this 18th day of 
 January, 1913, between the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (herein- 
 after called the union) and the Dress and Waist Manufacturers' Association (herein- 
 after called the association). 
 
 Both parties to this protocol are desirous of raising conditions in the industry, and 
 obtaining the equalization of standards of labor throughout the industry by peaceful 
 and honorable methods. They recognize the value, to accomplish this end, of an 
 organization representing the workers in the industry, and of an organization repre- 
 senting the employers. They recognize also the value of an understanding or agree- 
 ment between them capable of revision from time to time, with adequate machinery 
 and institutions to enforce and carry out the principles of the understanding. 
 
 I. SANITARY CONDITIONS. 
 
 Both parties agree to create a joint board of sanitary control in all jurisdictional 
 respects similar to the joint board of sanitary control now existing in the cloak industry, 
 two members thereof to be chosen by the manufacturers, two by the union, and three 
 to represent the public the three representatives of the public now upon the board 
 in the cloak industry. Said board is empowered to establish standards of sanitary 
 conditions to which the manufacturers' association and the union shall be committed, 
 and the manufacturers and the union obligate themselves to maintain such standards 
 to the best of their ability and to the full extent of their power. The standards of such 
 board, to begin with, shall be at least as high &s the standards now existing in the 
 cloak industry. 
 
 II. THE WHITE PROTOCOL LABEL. 
 
 To make more effective the maintenance of sanitary conditions throughout the 
 industry, to insure equality of minimum standards throughout the industry, and to 
 guarantee to the public garments made in the shops certificated by the board of 
 sanitary control, the parties agree that there shall be instituted in the industry a system 
 of certificating garments by a label to be affixed to the garment. Recognizing the 
 difficulties of working out the details of such a plan at this time, but believing that the 
 plan has been sufficiently developed and considered in the cloak industry, they 
 believe that a complete plan can be worked out in the dress and waist industry within 
 a year. To this end each party agrees to cooperate to the full extent of its power in 
 the formulation and effectuation of a system for the certification of garments adequately 
 safeguarding the employers, the workers, and the consuming public. 
 
 An additional increase of 10 per cent (approximately) shall be granted in all wages 
 as soon as the system of certificating garments to the consumer herein referred to shall 
 have been in operation for one year. 
 
 III. ADJUSTMENT OF GRIEVANCES. 
 
 Both parties recognize the necessity for providing modern and peaceful methods 
 for adjusting disputes and grievances that arise. The system and method for adjust- 
 ing disputes and determining controversies in the cloak industry having proved 
 successful, they agree that there shall be created in the dress and waist industry a 
 board of grievances to consist of 10 members 5 chosen by the manufacturers and 5 
 by the union with the rules, regulations, and precedents now governing the board 
 of grievances in the cloak industry so far as they are practically applicable in the dress 
 and waist industry. 
 
 299 
 
300 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOK STATISTICS. 
 
 IV. CONFERENCES. 
 
 The board of grievances shall also be the continuous conference body to which 
 shall be brought all problems and all plans for improvement in the industry, which 
 both parties are to consider. 
 
 V. PERMANENT PEACE. 
 
 The parties to this protocol agree that there shall be no strike or lockout concerning 
 any matters in controversy or any disagreement until full opportunity shall have been 
 given for the submission of such matters to the board of grievances and to the board 
 of arbitration created hereunder, and in the event of a determination of such contro- 
 versy or difference by said board of arbitration only in case of failure to accede to the 
 determination of said board of arbitration. 
 
 The parties hereby establish a board of arbitration to consist of three members, 
 composed of one nominee for the manufacturers, one nominee for the union, and one 
 representative of the public, the latter to be agreed upon by both parties to this 
 protocol, or in the event of their disagreement, by the two arbitrators selected by them. 
 
 Until otherwise determined, the gentlemen constituting the board of arbitration in 
 the cloak industry shall constitute the board of arbitration in this industry. 
 
 VI. TENTATIVE SCHEDULES. 
 
 The parties agree that the industry is very large, and the conditions complicated; 
 that there are many types of shops and that the earnings of the employees in the shops 
 vary widely in scale; and further frankly admit that they are not now in full possession 
 of the facts as to present conditions in the industry. The provisions in this agreement 
 or protocol relating to schedules of wages or other standards of labor are therefore 
 tentative, and no final determination of these matters shall be made until after a 
 complete investigation of conditions as hereinafter provided for and the board of 
 grievances shall have had opportunity to pass thereon, and in the event of the failure 
 of the members of such board to agree then until the final determination by the board 
 of arbitration in the manner herein provided. 
 
 VII. WAGE-SCALE BOARD. 
 
 The parties hereby establish a wage-scale board to consist of eight members four to 
 be nominated by the manufacturers and four by the union. Such board shall stand- 
 ardize the prices to be paid for piece and week work throughout the industry; it shall 
 preserve data and statistics with a view to establishing, as nearly practicable as pos- 
 sible, a scientific basis for the fixing of piece and week work prices throughout the 
 industry that will insure a minimum wage, and at the same time permit reward for 
 increased efficiency. It shall have full power and authority to appoint clerka or 
 representatives expert in the art of fixing prices, and its procedure, so far as practicable, 
 shall be the same as now followed by the board of grievances in the cloak industry. It 
 shall have full power and authority to settle all disputes over prices, make special 
 exemptions for week work where special exigencies arise, or a special scale is required. 
 
 VIII. IMMEDIATE INVESTIGATION. 
 
 Immediately after the signing of this protocol the wage-scale board shall, at the 
 expense of both parties, make a complete and exhaustive examination into the existing 
 rates paid for labor, the earnings of the operatives, and the classification of garments 
 in the industry, and shall report in writing within six months from the date hereof the 
 result of its labors. It shall be the duty of the board of grievances thereafter immedi- 
 ately to convene and to act upon said report, and, based upon such report, said board of 
 grievances shall establish a rate or rates per hour for the adjustment of piece prices and 
 to readjust any of the schedules tentatively agreed upon in the schedule hereto annexed. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTHY. 301 
 
 IX. TENTATIVE STANDARDS OF LABOR. 
 
 The parties agree upon the standards of labor and wages set forth in schedule A, 
 subject to revision by the grievance board in the light of experience, and after full 
 investigation of the facts as provided in Article VI. 
 
 Where higher standards now exist they shall in no case be lowered. 
 
 X. ADJUSTMENT OF PIECE PRICES. 
 
 The following method for determining piece prices for operators is adopted: 
 (a) There shall be in each shop a piece-price committee selected by the workers. 
 (6) In the first instance, piece prices shall be settled by the employer and the piece- 
 price committee. 
 
 (c) In settling prices the price per garment shall be based upon the estimated 
 number of solid hours it will take an experienced good worker to make the garment 
 without interruption, multiplied by the standard price per hour. 
 
 (d) If the piece-price committee and the employer shall be unable to agree after a 
 conference, the work shall then be proceeded with, but the determination of the price 
 to be paid for the work shall be made as follows: 
 
 (e) One or more workers shall be selected to make the test for the purpose of deter- 
 mining the number of solid hours it will take an experienced good worker to make 
 the garment in question. 
 
 (/) Both the employer and the piece-price committee shall agree upon the operative 
 who is to make the test, but in case they shall fail to agree, the wage-scale board shall 
 make such designation. 
 
 Pending the determination of standard prices per hour by the wage-scale board, 
 operators shall receive the following temporary increases: 
 
 In all shops where the standard per hour is now less than 28 cents, there shall be an 
 increase of at least 15 per cent. 
 
 In all shops where the standard per hour is less than 30 cents and more than 28 cents, 
 there shall be an increase of at least 10 per cent. 
 
 In all shops where the standard per hour is now 31 cents or 32 cents, the standard 
 shall be advanced to 33 cents. In no shop shall the standard rate per hour be less 
 than 30 cents, and where the rate is now 33 cents or more, the present standard rate 
 shall in no case be reduced. 
 
 In case of any dispute or controversy in any shop as to what is the standard per 
 hour now paid, such dispute or controversy shall be settled by the wage-scale board, 
 and its decision shall be final. 
 
 There shall be no stoppage of work because of any dispute over piece prices, but 
 the matter shall be adjusted in the manner herein provided, and when the prices are 
 fixed they shall relate back to the time of the beginning of the work. 
 
 XI. INDIVIDUAL CONTRACTS WITH EMPLOYERS. 
 
 The union recognizes the moral obligation of every employer in the industry to 
 belong to the manufacturers' association and to contribute to the expense of the insti- 
 tutions created by the two parties for the uplift of the industry. It acknowledges 
 the value of such an association in the maintenance of standards throughout the indus- 
 try. Accordingly, all employers desiring to settle with the union in the pending 
 strike will be referred first to the association and requested to apply for membership. 
 If for any reason the association rejects their application, the grounds for such rejection 
 shall be stated to a committee on review, consisting of six members three nominated 
 by the union and three by the manufacturers. If any employer in the industry shall 
 fail to join the association and shall enter into an individual contract with the union, 
 there shall be no difference in maximum standards of hours, or minimum standards 
 of wages, or sanitary conditions (except that the period within which changes to con- 
 
302 BULLETIN OF THE BUKEAU OF LABOB STATISTICS. 
 
 form to sanitary standards shall be made shall be fixed by the joint board of sanitary 
 control) . 
 
 The union agrees to lay before said committee on review every original contract 
 entered into between it and individual employers, together with a true statement of 
 the nature and amount of any security taken for the faithful performance of such 
 contract. 
 
 During the general strike the association will remain in executive session to pass 
 upon applications for membership. 
 
 XII. EQUALIZATION OF STANDARDS. 
 
 Whether or not specifically referred to in any of the provisions of this protocol, the 
 parties agree that it is essential that competition in the industry, so far as labor is 
 concerned, shall be placed upon a plane of equality (making due allowance for differ- 
 ence in skill), and that both parties to the full extent of their power shall establish 
 such equality. 
 
 XIII. THE PREFERENTIAL UNION SHOP. 
 
 The parties hereby accept the principles and the obligations of the " preferential 
 union shop " as defined and understood in the cloak industry, and more fully described 
 under that heading at pages 215-217 of Bulletin No. 98 of the United States Bureau of 
 Labor. 
 
 XIV. IMMEDIATE PROBLEMS FOR ARBITRATION. 
 
 The question of which legal holidays shall be observed in the industry shall be 
 submitted to the board of arbitration created under this protocol, and, without preju- 
 dice to the merits of the question, Lincoln's Birthday and Washington's Birthday, 
 1913, shall be observed, unless the decision of the board is rendered prior thereto. 
 
 XV. SUBCONTRACTING. 
 
 All inside subcontracting shall be abolished. 
 
 XVI. MISCELLANEOUS. 
 
 The provisions of Paragraph XIX of the protocol in the cloak industry, with 
 reference to filling vacancies in boards or committees, shall apply hereto, and, so far 
 as applicable to the dress and waist industry, the precedents, usages, and rules of 
 procedure already established and existing in the cloak industry shall be followed. 
 
 The minutes of the proceedings of the conferences resulting in the acceptance of 
 this protocol shall govern all matters not specifically referred to herein. 
 
 In witness whereof, the parties have hereto set their hands and seals, and authorized 
 their respective officers to affix the signature of the respective organizations hereto. 
 For the Dress and Waist Manufacturers' Association: 
 
 SAM'L FLOERSHEIMER, President. 
 WALTER H. BARTHOLOMEW, General Manager. 
 For the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union : 
 
 ABRAHAM ROSENBERG, President. 
 JOHN A. DYCHE, Secretary. 
 
 The American Federation of Labor will stand back of the International Ladies' 
 Garment Workers' Union in the faithful performance of the foregoing protocol. 
 
 SAMUEL GOMPERS, 
 President American Federation of Labor. 
 
 HUGH FRAYNE, 
 
 General Organizer American Federation of Lal> -:r. 
 In the presence of 
 
 JULIUS HENRY COHEN. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 303 
 
 SCHEDULE "A." 
 (Tentative; pending final decision by the grievance board or board of arbitration.) 
 
 HOURS OP LABOR. 
 
 Fifty hours shall constitute a week's work. After there shall have been in operation 
 for one year the system of certificating garments referred to in the annexed protocol the 
 hours of labor shall be reduced to 49 hours per week, provided the other branches in 
 the women's wear industry then under union agreement shall also have agreed to a 
 standard of 49 hours per week. 
 
 WEEK WORKERS. 
 
 CUTTERS: 
 
 Full-fledged cutters shall receive not less than $25 per week. 
 Apprentices shall be divided into three grades 
 
 Grade A: Apprentices of less than one year's standing. 
 
 Grade B : Apprentices of more than one year's and less than two years' stand- 
 ing. 
 Grade C: Apprentices of more than two years' and less than three years' 
 
 standing. 
 
 Apprentices shall receive: 
 Grade A: $6 per week. 
 Grade B: $12 per week. 
 Grade C: $18 per week. 
 
 On or about the 15th days of June and November in each year Local No. 10 shall hold 
 an examination for the purpose of admitting apprentices of grade C to the class of 
 full-fledged cutters. 
 
 After January 1, 1914, the following rule shall be adopted: In each shop there shall 
 be not more than one apprentice for each five cutters employed, but in case there shall 
 be less than five cutters employed one apprentice may be employed. 
 
 At least one cutter shall be employed in each shop of members of the association. 
 DRAPERS: Not less than $14 per week. 
 JOINERS: Not less than $12 per week. 
 EXAMINERS: Not less than $10 per week. 
 SAMPLE HANDS: 
 
 Not less than $14 per week; 
 
 Not more than one assistant to each four sample hands. 
 IRONERS: 
 
 Women not less than $12 per week; 
 
 Men not less than $15 per week. 
 
 An increase of a dollar per week in the minimum scale after the agreement shall 
 
 have been in force for one year. 
 PRESSERS: 
 
 Not less than $20 per week. 
 
 An increase of $2 per week in the minimum scale after the agreement shall have 
 
 been in force for one year. 
 
 DRESSMAKER FINISHERS: Not less than $8 per week. 
 PLAIN FINISHERS: 
 
 Sewing hooks and eyes, four for 1 cent. 
 
 Sewing patent hooks and eyes, four for 1 cent. 
 
 Sewing ordinary buttons, six for 1 cent. 
 
 Sewing self-shank buttons, three for 1 cent. 
 
 Sewing belts, two for 1 cent. 
 
 Basting bottom of skirts, 2 cents each. 
 
 Sewing in belts, 2 cents each. 
 
 But in no case less than $8 per week for 50 hours' work, after one week's trial. 
 
304 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 LACE RUNNERS TUCKERS BUTTONHOLE MAKERS BUTTON SEWING SLEEVE 
 SETTING CLOSING AND HEMMING: 
 
 Pending investigation by the wage-scale board for the purpose of establishing 
 standards for lac running, buttonhole making, button sewing, sleeve setting, 
 closing and hemming, and tucking, shall be settled as to prices in each shop 
 by the piece-price committee and the employer, and in the event of controversy, 
 the matter shall be settled by the wage-scale board in the manner provided for 
 in the protocol for operators. 
 OPERATORS: 
 
 Operators shall be paid by the piece the standard price per hour to be fixed after 
 the investigation by the wage-scale board within six months, and in the mean- 
 time there shall be the percentages of increase referred to in Paragraph X. 
 
 OVERTIME. 
 
 Not more than four (4) hours in any one week, nor two (2) hours in any one day, 
 except for cutters, who are allowed to work overtime not more than two and one-half (2|) 
 hours in any one day. No overtime between Saturday at 1 p. m. and Monday at 8 
 a. m., except on specials requiring completion by finishers or pressers for immediate 
 delivery, and then for not more than two (2) hours. Double pay for overtime (week 
 workers). 
 
 ADDITIONAL INCREASES. 
 
 An additional increase of 10 per cent, approximately, shall be granted by the manu- 
 facturers as soon as a system of certificating garments to the consumer, referred to in 
 Paragraph II of the annexed protocol, shall have been in operation for one year. 
 
APPENDIX B. 
 
 LIST OF FIRMS IN THE DRESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY OF GREATER 
 NEW YORK COVERED BY THIS REPORT. 
 
 1. ASSOCIATION SHOPS. 
 
 Abraham, Roman & Co. 
 
 A. Adler & Co. 
 
 Adler & Ast. 
 
 Louis Adler. 
 
 Advance Waist Co. 
 
 Aero Waist Co. 
 
 Alco Waist & Dress House. 
 
 Adolph Alper. 
 
 Alpern & Co. 
 
 American Suit & Dress Co. 
 
 American Lady Waist Co. 
 
 American Shirt Waist Co. 
 
 Arkin & Guild. 
 
 M. Arluck. 
 
 Sam'l Aronson. 
 
 Artistic Waist Co. 
 
 Artistic Waist & Dress Co. 
 
 J. Atkin. 
 
 D. Basin. 
 
 Bass & Silverman. 
 Bedford Waist & Dress Co. 
 Beerman & Frank. 
 M. B. Behrman. 
 Besthoff Sonn Co. 
 Robert Bernhard. 
 Bijou Waist Co. 
 M. Block & Co. 
 Bloom & Millman. 
 Emil Blumenthal. 
 Blumenthal & Co. 
 M. Brambir. 
 Brill- Abrams Co. 
 Brill & Kaplan Co. 
 S. Brookstone & Sons. 
 Lane Bryant. 
 Buchwald & Polak. 
 
 E. Cashman Costume Co. (Inc.). 
 Cederbaum & Wassow. 
 Century Dress Co. 
 
 Citron Bros. 
 
 Daniel Cohen. 
 
 Henry Cohen & Co. 
 
 H. Cohen & Co. 
 
 J. & M. Cohn. 
 
 Costuma & Zimetbaum. 
 
 Crans, Shane & Scherr. 
 
 Crescent Costume Co. 
 
 Dallet & Weyl. 
 
 Danziger & Sanville. 
 
 Davis & Ginsberg. 
 
 Casper Davis & Son. 
 
 Ben. S. Deutsch. 
 
 Dicker & Ginsberg. 
 
 A. W. Drubin & Kantrowitz Co. 
 
 The Drubin Co. 
 
 Eclipse Silk Waist Co. 
 
 Mar Edison. 
 
 J. 4 S. Elisberg. 
 
 42132 Bull. 14614 20 
 
 Embroidered Garment Co. 
 Empire Waist Co. 
 Ess Kay Waist Co. 
 
 A. & H. Evalenko. 
 Excel Mfg. Co. 
 Famous Waist Co. 
 Fashion Garment Co. 
 Leo Feinberg. 
 Feldman Bros. 
 Wm. Fels (Inc.). 
 Felsenthal Bros. 
 Fernbach & Schulman. 
 Feinman Bros. 
 
 Leo Finkenberg. 
 
 Flan & Rosner. 
 
 Sam'l Floersheimer & Bros. 
 
 The Floersheimer Co. 
 
 B. Frank. 
 
 B. N. Frank. 
 
 Frank Bros. & Barsha. 
 
 Frank & Bauer. 
 
 Frankenthal Bros. 
 
 Frechtel Bros. 
 
 J. L. Friedman. 
 
 Freitag & Keim. 
 
 John Fried. 
 
 Friedman & Mally. 
 
 Jonas Fuld. 
 
 Gaiety Waist Co. 
 
 B. Geist & Co. 
 
 Henry George & Rosenbaum Co. 
 
 Ginsberg Bros. 
 
 J. Glockner & Co. 
 
 J. W. Goetz. 
 
 J. Goldberg. 
 
 Goldman Costume Co. 
 
 Goldschmidt & Co. 
 
 Henry Goldstein & Co-. 
 
 Nathan Goldstein & Co. 
 
 M. & E. Goodman. 
 
 I. Goodstein. 
 
 Gotham Waist Co. 
 
 Grauer & Avedon. 
 
 Max Greenberg & Co. 
 
 Greenberg, Weiner & Co. 
 
 Greenwald, Friedman & Co. 
 
 Sol. Gross & Co. 
 
 Gross & Weiss. 
 
 Sam'l Grossman. 
 
 Albert Harris. 
 
 Benjamin Height. 
 
 Geo. C. Heimerdinger Co. 
 
 Max Held (Inc.). 
 
 I. Heller & Co. 
 
 H. Himmelstein. 
 
 Hirsch & Cohen. 
 
 Hirsch-Cohen-Wise Co. 
 
 Hirschberg & Kohn. 
 
 305 
 
306 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 Hollow & Perlow. 
 
 Holtzman & Weinstein. 
 
 Hommel Manufacturing Co. 
 
 Hopf & Daxon. 
 
 Horwitz & Horwitz. 
 
 Howard & Dennis (Inc.). 
 
 Howard Ladies' Apparel Manufacturing 
 
 Co. 
 
 I. B. HymanCo. (Inc.). 
 Ideal Rose Waist Co. 
 Chas. Iger & Bros. 
 Immergut & Drucker. 
 Imperial Dress Co. 
 
 Integrity Garment Manufacturing Co. 
 International Manufacturing Co. 
 Iris Waist Co. 
 Joel Isaacs & Sons. 
 I. X. L. Waist Co. 
 E. A. Jackson. 
 Nathan H. Jacobson & Co. 
 H. Jacoby & Co. 
 Jaffy & Barnett. 
 Kabat Bros. 
 Kohn, Weiss & Feig. 
 J. Kaplon. 
 Max Kass. 
 Kastner & Lewison. 
 Kaufman Costume Co. 
 Kaufman, Gladstone & Co. 
 Kayanee Waist & Dress Co. 
 King, Davidson & Co. 
 Klein Bros. 
 Klubock & Silverberg. 
 Regina Kobler. 
 Kondell Bros. 
 Krugman & Peltz 
 Kupfer Bros. Co. 
 Kurzrok Bros. 
 Lahm & Deutz. 
 La Rose Waist Co. 
 Lask Manufacturing Co. 
 Lowell Dress Co. 
 Lef court & Brenner. 
 I. Lefkowitz. 
 Leibowitz Bros. 
 Louis Leiserson. 
 Lenox Dress Manufacturing Co. 
 Nathan Lepow & Son. 
 Lesser- Kalb Manufacturing Co. 
 Levine & Marcus Co. 
 M. Levy. 
 
 Graber, Lipshitz & Adelson. 
 I. Lipshitz. 
 Li twin & Diamond. 
 Maisner & Co. 
 Majestic Dress Co. 
 Larry J. Margulies. 
 Markowitz Waist Co. 
 Mayer & Ikelheimer. 
 Mayfair Waist Co. 
 Melman Bros. 
 A. B. Mergentheim & Co. 
 Meyer Bros. 
 
 Mitchell, Bloch & Kronenberg. 
 Mikola & Bro. 
 Mitchell & Weber. 
 Mitnick & Canaan. 
 Model Waist & Dress Co. 
 
 Monarch Waist & Dress Co. 
 
 Geo. H. Montrose & Co. 
 
 Jos. A. Morris & Co. 
 
 Murphy Waist House. 
 
 Mutual Waist & Dress Co. 
 
 M. I. Nathan (Inc.). 
 
 National Dress Co. 
 
 National Shirt Waist Co. 
 
 Newport Waist Co. 
 
 J. Opoznauer & Co. 
 
 Oriental Shirt Waist & Dress Co. 
 
 Paramount Manufacturing Co. 
 
 Parisian Dress Co. 
 
 Parisian Manufacturing Co. 
 
 H. J. Pasternak. 
 
 Perlman Bros. 
 
 M. Perlman. 
 
 Phoenix Waist, Co. 
 
 G. M. Piermpnt & Co. 
 
 Pioneer Ladies' Garment Co. 
 
 Princess Shirt Waist Co. 
 
 Princess Waist Co. 
 
 Propp & Gerrick. 
 
 Queen Manufacturing Co. 
 
 Rabinowitz Bros. 
 
 M. Rabinowitz. 
 
 S.-Rakusin & Co. 
 
 Rapp-Jelenko Co. 
 
 Regent Waist Co. 
 
 Reliance Waist Co. 
 
 M. & H. Rentner. 
 
 Rosen Bros. 
 
 Joseph Rosenberg. 
 
 Rosenmeyer & Diamond. 
 
 Rosenthal Bros. Co. 
 
 Sig. Rosenthal. 
 
 B. Rosen wasser & Co. 
 
 Ph. Rosen wasser. 
 
 Milius Rothfeld & Co. 
 
 Rothstein & Rothstein. 
 
 Royal Dress Co. 
 
 Sachs & Freed. 
 
 Sansome & Gotlieb. 
 
 Shlang&Co. 
 
 Schleif & Greenberg. 
 
 Schmidt, Raymond & Co. 
 
 B. Schenfeld. 
 
 Schulman & Isaacs. 
 
 David Schustack & Co. 
 
 Seeligman & Stern. 
 
 G. &B. Seid&Co. 
 
 Sachs & Kessler. 
 
 Senner & Kaplan. 
 
 Shan ley Dress Co. 
 
 M. Sobel. 
 
 Sherr Bros. 
 
 Shulsky Bros. 
 
 Siegel-Foster-Adair Co. 
 
 A. Schwartz & Co. 
 
 M. Schwartz. 
 
 Siegel-Foster Co. 
 
 Siegel & Solomon. 
 
 Chas. F. Siemons. 
 
 Silverman & Becker. 
 
 S. Simon & Co. 
 
 Siren Manufacturing Co. 
 
 I. B. Skudowitz. 
 
 Smith & Meyer. 
 
WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT IN DEESS AND WAIST INDUSTRY. 307 
 
 Solomon, Benedikt & Co. 
 
 Solomon & Meltzer. 
 
 Son & Ash. 
 
 Arthur H. Spiro. 
 
 Spiegelman & Gottlieb. 
 
 Star Dress Manufacturing Co. 
 
 David Stein. 
 
 Stein & Perlman. 
 ; Alfred Stern Co. 
 ' Stemgold & Brill. 
 
 M. Stern & Co. 
 
 Stem & Frances. 
 
 H. Stern berg. 
 
 Superior Waist Co. 
 
 Tiptop Waist & Dress Co. 
 
 Triangle Waist Co. 
 
 Tutelman Bros. 
 
 David Ullman. 
 
 Universal Waist Co. 
 
 Venus Costume Co. 
 
 Waldorf Waist Co. 
 
 Wallach Bros.- 
 
 Aaron Webster. 
 
 Martin H. Weil & Co. 
 
 Weil & Hoey. 
 
 Weiler Bros. 
 
 Arthur M. Weiner. 
 
 Sam'l Weintraub. 
 
 Jos. Weisman. 
 
 M. Weisman & Sons. 
 
 Jos. Wien. 
 
 Wiesen & Goldstein. 
 
 Windsor Manufacturing Co. 
 
 E. D. Winter & Co. 
 ! H. Wolpert & Co. 
 
 Jesse Woolf & Otto B. Shulhof. 
 
 Yankee Waist Co. 
 
 Yorkville Dress Co. 
 
 2. NONASSOCIATION UNION SHOPS. 
 
 A. D. Abrahams Co. 
 Alsfrom Bros. & Gottfried. 
 Alton Dress House. 
 American Beauty Waist Co. 
 American Waist & Garment Co. 
 Arlington Dress Co.- 
 
 Chas. Ashendorf. 
 
 B. B. Manufacturing Co. 
 
 A. Bandersky. 
 
 The Bell Dress House. 
 Beverman & Freidman. 
 Berger & Koeppel. 
 Black & Silverman. 
 Bomzer & Freedman. 
 Belmont Waist Co. 
 D. Bendersky. 
 Benwit Costume Co. 
 Berkly Dress Co. 
 J. Berman. 
 L. Berman & Co. 
 Boston Dress Co. 
 Brenner Bros. 
 Brown & Ginsburg. 
 Bull Moose Dress^Co. 
 Bull Moose Tucking Co. 
 Mezer Canter. 
 
 B. R. Casale. 
 
 Clever Waist Co. 
 
 H. Cohen. 
 
 Cohen Bros. 
 
 L. Cohen. 
 
 Cohen & Ginsburg. 
 
 Cohen & Levinson. 
 
 Claremont Waist Co. 
 
 Columbia Waist Co. 
 
 Cosmopolitan Dress Co. 
 
 Countess Dress Co. 
 
 Crescent Waist Co. 
 
 L. Corin. 
 
 Jos. Damoras. 
 
 Diamond-Hammer . 
 
 I. Dicker. 
 
 Dolowitz Tea Gown. 
 
 Drachlis & Spivack. 
 
 Ehronson & Deutch. 
 
 Electra Dress Co. 
 
 Ellis, Solomon & Co. 
 
 H. Ensler. 
 
 A. Epstein. 
 
 Eureka Waist Co. 
 
 Everight Waist & Dress Co. 
 
 Excellent Manufacturing Co. 
 
 Fair Waist Co. 
 
 Favorite Waist & Dress Co. 
 
 H. Feldstein. 
 
 Field & Samuel. 
 
 L. Finkelstein. 
 
 Chas. J. Fishel. 
 
 Frances Manufacturing Co. 
 
 Frankel Coat & Dress Co. 
 
 French Dress Co. 
 
 Woolfe Futeransky & Sons. 
 
 Giant Waist Co. 
 
 M. Ginsberg. 
 
 Ginsberg & Rosen. 
 
 Glassburg & Milnick. 
 
 Globe Dress & Suit Co. 
 
 Gabbe, Block & Co. 
 
 Gold Bros. 
 
 L. Goldberg. 
 
 Goldberg & Sonim. 
 
 J. Goldstein^ 
 
 Jacob Gold wine. 
 
 Good Wear Dress Co. 
 
 L. Goodman. 
 
 Gottfried & Schwartz. 
 
 Greenberg & Ugilow. 
 
 Greenwald & Fegelman. 
 
 Gross Bros. 
 
 Groshberg & Felstein. 
 
 Guaranty Dress Co. 
 
 Halper & Freidman. 
 
 Max S. Halpern. 
 
 M. Halpern. 
 
 Halpern Bros. 
 
 Heimler Bros. 
 
 Abraham Hamrnar. 
 
 Adolph Hays & Co. 
 
 Hecht, Lerner & Rosenbaum. 
 
 Herald Dress & Waist Co. 
 
 Herzenstein Bros. 
 
 Hilf Costume Co. 
 
 Hirst & Miller. 
 
 Hirshkowitz & Rubenstein. 
 
 Hirshner & Schwartz. 
 
308 
 
 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 
 
 Harry Hodas. 
 L. Hoffer. 
 Hornick & Weiss. 
 Ideal Tucking Co. 
 Independent Garment Co. 
 M. Ingerman & Co. 
 Ipp & Kwint. 
 J. R. Waist & Dress Co. 
 Geo. Jacobson. 
 Juffet & Co. 
 Justright Waist Co. 
 Eastern Waist Co. 
 
 D. Kaplan. 
 S. Karp. 
 
 Kean, Jones & Co. 
 
 Kaslin & Co. 
 
 A. Kitzer. 
 
 Klein & Schlecher Waist Co. 
 
 Klein & Ungar. 
 
 Harry Kottler. 
 
 Kram & Match. 
 
 S. Keehn & Co. 
 
 Ladin Bros. 
 
 Landau & Solan. 
 
 Lang & Lang. 
 
 Laxer Bros. 
 
 Laxer & Sandberg. 
 
 Lehman & Spector. 
 
 Leighter Bros. 
 
 Lemchick & Co. 
 
 M. Leonard. 
 
 H. Lepow. 
 
 E. Lerner. 
 Levine Bros. 
 Levine & Harris. 
 Levine & Katz. 
 Levine & Keller. 
 Lichtman Waist Co. 
 Levy Bros. 
 
 Long Island Waist Co. 
 
 Lucerne Waist Co. 
 
 Manhattan Tucking Co. 
 
 Harry Hanson. 
 
 Mermaid Waist Co. 
 
 Metropolis Waist Co. 
 
 Metropolitan Dress Co. 
 
 Henry J. Meyers. 
 
 Miller Shirt Waist Co. 
 
 Jos. Mirsky. 
 
 Modern Dress Co. 
 
 Mitnick. 
 
 Chessen & Zeitlin. 
 
 Moskowitz & Priest. 
 
 Mutual Waist Co. 
 
 McLane, Karll & Levy Co. 
 
 Nathans & Nathans. 
 
 Nelson, Burstein & Gussow. 
 
 Niagara Waist & Dress Co. 
 
 Morris Nikola. 
 
 M. Nomas. 
 
 N. Y. Middy Blouse Co. 
 
 Olympic Waist & Dress Co. 
 
 Onica Dress Co. 
 
 Original Waist & Dress Co. 
 
 Pacific Waist Co. 
 
 Sam'l Pacs. 
 
 Peerless Dress & Costume Co. 
 
 Peral Waist & Dress Co. 
 
 Phreno Dress & Waist Co. 
 
 Paragon Dress Co. 
 
 Louis Pasachow. 
 
 Paskin. 
 
 Piccadilly Waist Co. 
 
 Filler Bros. 
 
 Plaza Waist & Dress Co. 
 
 Benj. Pollick. 
 
 Popular Manufacturing Co. 
 
 S. Posner. 
 
 Queensboro Waist Co. 
 
 Regal Waist Co. 
 
 A. Rappaport & Co. 
 
 Ray Waist & Dress House. 
 
 Rhinrock. 
 
 Rosenberg Tucking Co. 
 
 Robins Dress Co. 
 
 Roman & Bloom. 
 
 Rosebud Mfg. Co. 
 
 Roth & Brodsky. 
 
 Rothrosen Bros. 
 
 Royal Dress Co. 
 
 L. Salesky. 
 
 Selsky Bros. 
 
 Savoy Waist Co. 
 
 Schlessel & Wilner. 
 
 J. Schlesinger & Co. 
 
 Phillip Schwartz. 
 
 Schwartz Bros. 
 
 Schwartz & Jiengman. 
 
 J. Schapiro. 
 
 Schapiro & Co. 
 
 Louis Schapiro. 
 
 Shapiro, Rothman & Co. 
 
 Silverman & Slavitz. 
 
 I. Simpson. 
 
 Solomon & Steiner. 
 
 Sorin & Rappaport. 
 
 W. Simon. 
 
 Solomon & Silverstein. 
 
 Speigelman & Michelson. 
 
 Stanley Dress Co. 
 
 I. Stegman. 
 
 Standard Dress Co. 
 
 H. Steinberg. 
 
 Stelson & Co. 
 
 I. Steinberg & Co. 
 
 J. Stein. 
 
 Stern & Cohen. 
 
 Stone Bros. 
 
 Samuel Striefer. 
 
 Sun Dress Co. 
 
 Supreme Waist Co. 
 
 Surprise Dress Co. 
 
 M. Sussman. 
 
 M. Treuhold. 
 
 Victoria Waist Co. 
 
 Wechsler Bros. 
 
 Weinberg Bros. 
 
 Nathan Weinberg. 
 
 Weinberg & Weinman. 
 
 Welfare Waist Co. 
 
 Well Designed Waist Co. 
 
 Weisenthal Tucking Co. 
 
 H. Wolf. 
 
 M. Zeffer & Cross. 
 
 Zigler Bros. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Page 
 Apprentices, registration of 183 
 
 Association and nonassociation shops: 
 
 Employees in, making low-grade and high-grade garments, number and per cent of 24, 25 
 
 Employees in, number and per cent of, by occupations -. 26 
 
 Employees in 260 shops, number of, each week, 1912 ', 153 
 
 Firms, list of, covered by present report 305308 
 
 Males' and females, number and per cent of, employed in, by oocupatiom 27-30 
 
 Shops employing each classified number of employees, number and per cent of 23 
 
 Union shops of each class, comparison of 22-26 
 
 Wages, amount of, paid by, each week, 1912 159 
 
 Assorters: 
 
 Association and nonassociation shops, number and per cent employed in. by sex 27-29 
 
 Pieceworkers and week workers, number and per cent of , by sex 31-33, 36, 37 
 
 Wages or earnings, number and per cent receiving each classified rate of 105 
 
 Work, sex, and wages of 104, 105 
 
 Basis for piece-rate compensation. (See Piece-rate compensation.) 
 
 Body makers, sets or teams of, size, earnings, etc., of 149, 150, 153-156 
 
 Body making, basis of piece-rate compensation 249-284 
 
 Centers 267-270 
 
 Hemming edge* of "little skirts" and joining parts of "little skirts" 265 
 
 Joining belts to waists 282-284 
 
 Joining lace to standing collars 259, 260 
 
 Joining "little skirts " to waists 260-266 
 
 Joining "little skirts" to waists by a closer 266 
 
 Joining parts of back with French seam, forming tuck at same time 257, 258 
 
 Joining parts of shoulders with lace beading between 251, 252 
 
 Joining sidepieces to fronts 258 
 
 Joining yoke beading to backs 254 
 
 Joining yoke sleeves to fronts or backs with beading between 256, 257 
 
 Joining yokes to fronts or backs with insertions 252, 253 
 
 Joining yokes with lace beading to open fronts or backs, with a shirred seam 255, 256 
 
 Loss of time 285-288 
 
 Ruffles and centers 271-273 
 
 Setting high collars. . . 279, 280 
 
 Shirring : 278, 279 
 
 Sleeve setting by body makers 280-282 
 
 Tacking fronts and backs 276, 277 
 
 Vests and flies 273-275 
 
 Buttonhole makers: 
 
 Association and nonassociation shops, number and per cent employed in 26-30 
 
 Pieceworkers and week workers, number and per cent of, by sex 31-33, 36-38 
 
 Sets or teams of, size, earnings, etc., of 149, 150, 153-155 
 
 Wages or earnings, number receiving each classified amount of *. 70 
 
 Work sex, and wages of , 68-70 
 
 Buttonhole making, basis for piece-rate compensation 233-244 
 
 Loss of time in operations 288, 289 
 
 Reece machine 239,243,244 
 
 Singer machine 233-238, 240-243 
 
 Button sewers: 
 
 Association and nonassociation shops, number and per cent employed in 26-29 
 
 Pieceworkers and week workers, number and per cent of, by sex 31-33, 36-38 
 
 Wages or earnings, number and per cent receiving each classified amount of 71 
 
 Work, sex, and wages of 70, 71 
 
 Button sewing, basis of piece-rate compensation 244-249 
 
 Button sewing, loss of time in operations 289 
 
 Cleaners: 
 
 Association and nonassociation shops, number and per cent employed in 26-29 
 
 Persons employed as, number and per cent of, in entire industry 22 
 
 Pieceworkers and week workers, number and per cent of, by sex 31-33^36-38 
 
 Sets or teams of, size, earnings, etc., of 149, 150, 153-155 
 
 Wages, number and per cent receiving each classified rate of 108, 109 
 
 Work, sex, and wages of 106-109 
 
 Closers and hemmers: 
 
 Association and nonassociation shops, number and per cent employed in 26-29 
 
 Pieceworkers and week workers, number and per cent of, by sex 31-33, 36-38 
 
 Sets or teams of, size, earnings, etc., of 149,150, 153-155 
 
 Wages or earnings, number and per cent receiving each classified amount of 78 
 
 Work, sex, and wages of 71-73 
 
 Closing, basis of piece-rate compensation 226-230 
 
 Closing, loss of time in operations of ; ?5 
 
 Contracting and partnerships - 14o-lo7 
 
 309 
 
310 INDEX. 
 
 Cutters: Page. 
 
 Association and nonassociation shops, number and per cent employed in 26-29 
 
 Hours per week, number and per cent working each classified number of, during busiest week 
 
 in the year 17 
 
 Persons employed as, number and per cent of, in entire industry 22 
 
 Pieceworkers and week workers, number and per cent of, by sex 31-33, 36-38 
 
 Wages, number and per cent receiving each classified rate of 114, 115 
 
 Work, sex, and wages of 109-115 
 
 Drapers: 
 
 Association and nonassociation shops, number and per cent employed in 26-29 
 
 Persons employed as, number and per cent of, in entire industry 22 
 
 Pieceworkers and week workers, number and per cent of, by sex 31, 32, 36, 38 
 
 Sets or teams of, size, earnings, etc., of 149, 150, 153-155 
 
 Wages, number and per cent receiving each classified rate of 120 
 
 Work, sex, and wages of 115-120 
 
 Dressmakers: 
 
 Association and nonassociation shops, number and per cent employed in 26-29 
 
 Pieceworkers'and week workers, number and per cent of, by sex 31, 32, 36 
 
 Sets or teams of, size, earnings, etc., of 149, 150, 153-156 
 
 Wages or earnings, number and per cent receiving each classified amount of 75 
 
 Work, sex, and wages of 73-75 
 
 Earnings or wages: 
 
 Pieceworkers 16 
 
 Week workers, not provided for in the protocol 15,16 
 
 Week workers, provided for in the protocol 12-15 
 
 Earnings. (See also Wages or earnings, employees receiving each classified amount of.) 
 
 Embroiderers: 
 
 Association and nonassociation shops, number and per cent employed in 27, 28 
 
 Pieceworkers and week workers, number and per cent of, by sex 31, 32, 36,38 
 
 Sets or teams of, size, earnings, etc., of 149, 150, 153-156 
 
 Wages or earnings, number and per cent receiving each classified amount of 123 
 
 Work, sex, and wages of 120-123 
 
 Employees and shops covered by present report 20-22 
 
 Employees and wages, seasonal rise and fall * 162-172 
 
 Employees other than operators, work, sex, and wages of 104-145 
 
 Assorters 104, 105 
 
 Cleaners 106-109 
 
 Cutters i 109-115 
 
 Drapers 115-120 
 
 Embroiderers 120-123 
 
 Examiners 123-126 
 
 Finishers 126-132 
 
 Ironers and pressers 132-141 
 
 Joiners 141-143 
 
 Markers 143, 144 
 
 Slopers 145 
 
 Employment among week workers and pieceworkers 172-176 
 
 Employment and wages, fluctuations in, in 1912 160-172 
 
 Employment, regularity of ' 18, 19, 157-176 
 
 Examiners: 
 
 Association and nonassociation shops, number and per cent of 26-29 
 
 Persons employed as, number and per cent of, in entire industr y 22 
 
 ' Pieceworkers and week workers, number and per cent of, by sex 31-33, 36-38 
 
 Wages, number and per cent receiving each classified rate of 125, 126 
 
 Work, sex, and wages of : 123-126 
 
 Finishers: 
 
 Association and nonassociation shops, number and per cent employed in 26-29 
 
 Persons employed as, number and per cent of , in entire industry 22 
 
 Pieceworkers and week workers, number and per cent of, by sex 31-33, 36-38 
 
 Sets or teams of, size, earnings, etc., of 149, 150, 15e 
 
 Wages or earnings, number and per cent receiving each classified amount of 13, 131, 132 
 
 Work, sex, and wages of 126-132 
 
 Firms, list of, covered by present report 305-308 
 
 Fluctuations in wages and employment, in 1912 160, 167, 168, 173, 174 
 
 Hemmers and closers. (See Closers and hemmers.) 
 
 Hemming, basis of piece -rate compensation 222-225 
 
 Hemstitchers: 
 
 Association and nonassociation shops, number and per cent employed in 26-29 
 
 Pieceworkers and week workers, number and per cent of, by sex 31,32,36,38 
 
 Wages or earnings, number and per cent receiving each classified amount of _ 77 
 
 Work, sex, and wages of 75-77 
 
 Hours of labor: 
 
 During busiest week in the year 176, 177 
 
 Effect of protocol en 16-18 
 
 Overtime 177-180 
 
 Pieceworkers ISO, ISL 
 
 Week workers 178,17'J 
 
 Ironers and pressers : 
 
 Association and nonasscciation shops, number and per cent employed in 26-21 
 
 Persons employed as, number and per cent of, in entire industry. / 
 
 Pieceworkers and week workers, number and per cent of, by sex 31-33,_36-38 
 
 Sets or teams of, size, earnings, etc., of 149, 150, 153-156 
 
 Wages or earnings, number and per cent receiving each classified amount of 13, 13S-1 1 1 
 
 Work, sex, and wages of 132-141 
 
INDEX. 311 
 
 Joiners: Page. 
 
 Association and nonassociation shops, number and per cent employed in 26-29 
 
 Persons employed as, number and per cent of, in entire industry 22 
 
 Pieceworkers and week workers, number and per cent of, by sex 31, 32 36 
 
 Sets or teams of, size, earnings, etc., of 149. 150, 153-156 
 
 Wages, number and per cent receiving each classified rate of 13, 143 
 
 Work, sex, and wages of 141-143 
 
 Label, white protocol, adoption of 185 186 
 
 Lace runners: 
 
 Association and nonassociation shops, number and per cent emp:oyed in 26-29 
 
 Pieceworkers and week workers, number and per cent of, by sex 31-33, 36-38 
 
 Sets or teams of, size, earnings, etc., of 1 19, 150, 153-156 
 
 Wages or earnings, number and per cent receiving each classified amount of >. 78 
 
 Work, sex, and wages of 77, 78 
 
 Lace running, basis of piece-rate compensation 217-222 
 
 Cloth on top 218 
 
 Joining lace to lace 218 
 
 Joininglace to sleeves 222 
 
 Joining ru filed lace edging to lace insertion 222 
 
 Joining voile and net strips 222 
 
 Lace on top 218 
 
 List of firms covered by present report 305-308 
 
 Loss of time in operations of 
 
 Body making 285-288 
 
 Buttonhole making 288, 289 
 
 Button sewing 289 
 
 Closing 288 
 
 Short tucking 288 
 
 Sleeve setting 288 
 
 Strip hemming 288 
 
 Strip tucking 288 
 
 Waist hemming , 288 
 
 Manufacturers, advantages to, of subcontracting ' 146, 147 
 
 Markers: 
 
 Association and nonassociation shops, number and per cent employed in 27, 29 
 
 Pieceworkers and week workers, number and per cent of, by sex 31-33, 36-38 
 
 Wages, number and per cent receiving each classified rate of 144 
 
 Work, sex, and wages of 143, 144 
 
 Nonoperators. (See Employees other than operators, work, sex, and wages of.) 
 
 Occupations, number of workers in, specified 26-30 
 
 Occupations of operators 43, 44 
 
 Operators and nonoperators employed in association and nonassaciation shops, number and per 
 cent of! 26-29 
 
 Operators and nonoperators who are pieceworkers and weei workers, number and per cent of, by 
 sex 31-33, 36-33 
 
 Operators: 
 
 Buttonhole makers 68-70 
 
 Button sewers 70, 71 
 
 Classes of, and number of, covered by present report 44 
 
 Closers and hemmers 71-73 
 
 Dressmakers 73-75 
 
 Hemstitchers * 75-77 
 
 Lace runners 77, 78 
 
 Occupations of 43, 44 
 
 Operators nbt specified 99-104 
 
 Operators not specified, sets or teams of, size, earnings, etc.. of 149, 150, 153-156 
 
 Persons employed as, number and per cent of, in entire industry 22 
 
 Sample makers 79, 80 
 
 Skirt operators 80-83 
 
 Sleeve makers 83-85 
 
 Sleeve setters 85-87 
 
 Trimmers 87-89 
 
 Tuckers 93-93 
 
 Wages, comparison of, in 1912 and 1913. . : 63-68 
 
 Wages, comparison of, of men and women operators in association and nonassociation shops. . 49-53 
 Wages, comparison of, of men and women operators in shops making cheap and high-grade gar- 
 ments 53-63 
 
 Wages, comparison of, of men and women operators in the industry as a whole 45-48 
 
 Wages of 44-68 
 
 Waist operators 93-99 
 
 Operators, employees other than. (See Employees other than operators, v.ork, s(x. and wages of.) 
 
 Overtime .' 177-180 
 
 Partnerships and contracting 145-157 
 
 Pay roll, uniform : 185 
 
 Piece-rate compensation : 
 
 Adjustment of, under the protocol 189, 190 
 
 Basis for 193-197 
 
 Body making 249-284 
 
 Buttonhole making 233-244 
 
 Button sewing 244-249 
 
 Closing 226-230 
 
 Hemming 222-225 
 
 Lace running 217-222 
 
 Sleeve setting by slesve setters 230-233 
 
 Standardization of 189-308 
 
 Tucking 197-216 
 
 Uniform schedule of 136, 187 
 
 Piece work. (Sec Week work and piecework.) 
 
312 INDEX. 
 
 Page. 
 
 Pieceworkers and week workers, employment among 172-176 
 
 Pieceworkers, earnings of . 16 
 
 Pieceworkers, hours of work of 180, 181 
 
 Pressers and ir oners. (See Ironers and pressers.) 
 
 Protocol of peace, in dress and waist industry, effect of, on 
 
 Hours of work 16-18 
 
 Piece rates, adjustment of 189, 190 
 
 Subcontracting 19 
 
 Wages '. 9-16 
 
 Week work and piecework, extent of 36-39 
 
 Protocol of peace, text of 299-304 
 
 Reece machine, buttonhole making 239,243, 244 
 
 Registration of apprentices 183 
 
 Regularity of employment 18, 19, 157-176 
 
 Sample makers: 
 
 Association and nonassociation shops, number and per cent employed in 26-29 
 
 Pieceworkers and week workers, number and per cent of, by sex 31-33, 36-38 
 
 Sets or teams of, size, earnings, etc., of 149,150,153-156 
 
 Wages, number and per cent receiving each classified rate of 13, 80, 81 
 
 Work, sex, and wages of 79, 80 
 
 Scale of weekly wages, graduated , 182, 183 
 
 Scope of present inquiry 20-39, 190-193 
 
 Seasonal rise and fall in number of employees and in wages 162-172 
 
 Sets or teams of workers: 
 
 Earnings of 154-157 
 
 Sex of workers 152-154 
 
 Size of 149-152 
 
 Shops and employees covered by present report 20-22 
 
 Short tucking, loss of time in operations of 288 
 
 Singer machine, buttonhole making 233-238, 240-243 
 
 Skirt operators: 
 
 Association and nonassociation shops, number and per cent employed in 26-29 
 
 Pieceworkers and week workers, number and per cent of, by sex 31, 32, 36, 38 
 
 Sets or teams of, size, earnings, etc., of...: 149, 150, 153-156 
 
 Wages or earnings, number and per cent receiving each classified amount of 83 
 
 Work, sex, and wages of 80-83 
 
 Sleeve makers: 
 
 Association and nonassociation shops, number and per cent employed in 26-29 
 
 Pieceworkers and week workers, number and per cent of, by sex 31-33, 36-38 
 
 Sets or teams of, size, earnings, etc., of 149, 150, 153-156 
 
 Wages or earnings, number and per cent receiving each classified amount of 85 
 
 Work, sex, and wages of 83-85 
 
 Sleeve setters: 
 
 Association and nonassociation shops, number and per cent employed in 26-29 
 
 Pieceworkers and week workers, number and per cent of, by sex 31-33, 36-38 
 
 Sets or teams of, size, earnings, etc., of 149, 150, 153-156 
 
 Wages or earnings, number and per cent receiving each classified amount of 87 
 
 Work, sex, and wages of 85-87 
 
 Sleeve setting by sleeve setters, basis of piece-rate compensation 230-233 
 
 Sleeve setting, loss of time in operations of 288 
 
 Slopers: 
 
 Association and nonassociation shops, number and per cent employed in 27-29 
 
 Pieceworkers and week workers, number and per cent of, by sex 31, 32, 36 
 
 Wages, number and per cent receiving each classified rate of -. 145 
 
 Work, sex, and wages of 145 
 
 Standardization of piece rates 189-308 
 
 Strip hemming, loss of time in operations of 288 
 
 Strip tucking, loss of time in operations of 288 
 
 Subcontracting: 
 
 Advantages of, to manufacturers 146, 147 
 
 Decline of 148 
 
 Disadvantages of 147, 148 
 
 Effect of protocol on 19 
 
 Partnerships and . 145-157 
 
 Teams or sets of workers: 
 
 Earnings of 154-157 
 
 Sex 152-154 
 
 Size of 149-152 
 
 Trade school 184 
 
 Trimmers: 
 
 Association and nonassociation shops, number and per cent employed in 26-2! 
 
 Pieceworkers and week workers, number and per cent of, by sex 31-33, 36-38 
 
 Sets or teams of, size, earnings, etc., of 149, 150, 153-156 
 
 Wages or earnings, number and per cent receiving each classified amount of 88, 89 
 
 Work, sex, and wages of ." 87-89 
 
 Tuckers: 
 
 Association and nonassociation shops, number and per cent employed in 26-21 
 
 Pieceworkers and week workers, number and per cent of, by sex 31-33, 36-38 
 
 Sets or teams of, size, earnings, etc., of 149, 150, 153-1 
 
 Wages or earnings, number and per cent receiving each classified amount of 92, 93 
 
 Work, sex, and wages of 90-93 
 
INDEX. 313 
 
 Page. 
 
 Tucking, basis of piece-rate compensation 197-216 
 
 ChiSon versus cotton 201 
 
 Double tucks '_', 211, 212 
 
 Short tucking 206-211 
 
 Short tucking on a multiple-needle Singer machine 213-216 
 
 Singer 1-needle machine 213 
 
 Singer 4-needle machine . 205 
 
 Singer 5-needle machine 205 
 
 Singer 8-needle machine 206 
 
 Strip tucking 198-206 
 
 Wilcox & Gibbs machine 208-211 
 
 Union shops, list of firms covered by present report 305-308 
 
 Wages and regularity of employment, introduction and summary 7-19 
 
 Wages or earnings: 
 
 Amount of, paid in 260 shops, each week in 1912 159 
 
 Association aad nonassociation shops, effect in, of protocol on 9-12 
 
 Assorters 105 
 
 Buttonhole makers, 69, 70 
 
 Button sewers 70, 71 
 
 Cleaners 106-109 
 
 Closers and hemmers 72, 73 
 
 Cutters ... . 112-115 
 
 Drapers 117-120 
 
 Dressmakers , 74, 75 
 
 Embroiderers ; 121-123 
 
 Employees, seasonal rise and fall in number of, and in amount of 162-172 
 
 Employment and, fluctuations in, in 1912 160 
 
 Examiners 124-126 
 
 Finishers, pieceworkers 128. 129, 132 
 
 Finishers, week workers , 127, 128, 130, 131 
 
 Hemstitchers 76,77 
 
 Ironers and pressers 133-141 
 
 Joiners 142, 143 
 
 Lace runners 78 
 
 Markers 143, 144 
 
 Method of obtaining wage data : 33, 40 
 
 Method of presentation of wage data 40-43 
 
 Operators not specified, female 99-101, 103 
 
 Operators not specified, male 100, 102, 104 
 
 Operators, pieceworkers, female 57, 58 
 
 Operators, pieceworkers, male 58 
 
 Operators, pieceworkers, male and female 47, 50, 51 
 
 Operators, pieceworkers, male and female , on $9-per-dozen garments 48 
 
 Operators, week workers, female 54 
 
 Operators, week workers, male 55 
 
 Operators, week workers, male and female 45, 49 
 
 Operators, week workers, male and female, on $9-per -dozen garments 47 
 
 Pieceworkers and week workers, per cent of women receiving $10 per week and over 68 
 
 Sample makers 79, 80 
 
 Scale of, graduated, weekly , 182, 183 
 
 Skirt operators 81-83 
 
 Sleeve makers 84, 85 
 
 Sleeve setters 86, 87 
 
 Slopers 145 
 
 Trimmers 87-89 
 
 Tuckers 90-93 
 
 Waist operators 95-99 
 
 Week workers, not provided for in the protocol 15, 16 
 
 Week workers, provided for in the protocol 12-15 
 
 Waist hemming, loss of time in operations of 288 
 
 Waist operators: 
 
 Association and nonassociation shops, number and per cent employed in 26-29 
 
 Pieceworkers and week workers, number and per cent of , by sex 31-33, 36-38 
 
 Wages or eamings, number and per cent receiving each classified amount of 95-99 
 
 Work, sex, and wages of 93-99 
 
 Week work and piecework: 
 
 Employees paid by, in each of specified occupations 30-34 
 
 Extent of, prior to the protocol 36-39 
 
 Relative advantages of 35, 36 
 
 Relation of sex to 34, 35 
 
 Week workers and pieceworkers, employment among 172-176 
 
 O 
 
VITA. 
 
 The author of this dissertation, Nahum I. Stone, was born July 29, 
 1873, in Odessa, Bussia, He was educated at the Gymnasium of Odessa, 
 from which he graduated with the Testimonium Maturitatis in 1891, and 
 soon after came to the United States. 
 
 From 1893 to 1896 he studied at the Armour Institute of Technology, 
 Chicago, taking a course in Electrical Engineering. 
 _^ 1896-1899 the author took a post-graduate course at the School of Political 
 Science, Columbia University, with Political Economy as major subject, and 
 Sociology and History of Political Theories as minors. He studied under 
 Professors: Seligman, Clark, Mayo-Smith, Giddings, Dunning, Bipley, 
 Goodnow, Livingston-Farrand, and was a member of Prof. Seligman's 
 Seminar in Political Economy and Finance, and of Prof. Mayo-Smith's 
 Seminars in Economic Theory and Statistics. In 1900 the degree of 
 A. M. was conferred upon the author by Columbia University, his Master's 
 Dissertation, entitled "Comparative Study of the Statistics of Agricul- 
 ture in the Tenth and Eleventh Census," appearing in the publications of 
 the American Statistical Association. 
 
 1899-1900 the author held the position of Statistician of the Bureau of 
 Economic Research, New York City. 
 
 1900 he was engaged in a study of the effect of speculation of prices of 
 wheat and cotton for the United States Industrial Commission. 
 
 1900-1901 he held the position of editor of the department of Cities and 
 Countries of the New International Cyclopedia. 
 
 1902-1903 he was manager of the New York and New Jersey Beal 
 Estate Company, a corporation engaged in developing suburban properties. 
 
 In 1904 the author was appointed to the position of Tariff Expert of 
 the Department of Commerce and Labor, being the first incumbent of that 
 position, which had for its- object the study of foreign customs tariffs. 
 His duties consisted in publishing from time to time the custom tariff laws 
 of various countries, advising American manufacturers and exporters as 
 ta customs regulations in various countries, and in advising the govern- 
 ment in matters of foreign tariff policies. He held this position from 
 1904 to 1909, and during this period was assigned to foreign service, first, 
 in 1906, as the Commercial Attache of the United States delegation to the 
 Pan-American Conference at Bio de Janeiro, Brazil; later, on a visit to 
 Great Britain, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy and Germany for the study of 
 the methods pursued by those countries in dealing with foreign tariffs and 
 in shaping commercial policies. From November, 1906, to February, 
 1907, he served as member of the German- American Tariff Commission, 
 which met in Berlin to negotiate a commercial treaty between the two 
 countries. 
 
In 1909, upon the creation of the Tariff Board, the author was ap- 
 pointed Chief Statistician of the Board, his duties consisting in planning 
 the investigations of the Board into the cost of production of various in- 
 dustries, directing the field work, supervising the tabulation of the re- 
 turns, and participating in the preparation of the reports of the Board. 
 He held this position until the abolition of the Tariff Board in 1912. 
 
 1913-1914 he held the position of Chief Statistician of the Wage Scale 
 Board of the Dress and Waist Industry, in which capacity he investigated 
 labor conditions in the industry and made a study of the technique of the 
 industry with a view to a standardization of piece rates. The results of 
 this investigation are embodied in the present dissertation. 
 
 Since last year the author has been practicing as statistician and con- 
 tributing to various magazines. 
 
 The following is a (incomplete) list of his published writings: 
 
 1. Capitalism on Trial in Eussia. Political Science Quarterly, 1898, 
 v. 13, pp. 91-118. 
 
 2. Agricultural, Mineral and Manufacturing Resources of Siberia. 
 Monthly Summary of Commerce and Finance, Bureau of Statistics, Wash- 
 ington, I). C., April, 1899, pp. 2519-2525. 
 
 3. Statistics of Agriculture in the United States Census, American 
 Economic Association Publ., New Series, No. 2, pp. 204-218. 1899. 
 
 4. Comparative Study of the Statistics of Agriculture in the Tenth 
 and Eleventh Census, American Statistical Association PubL, v. 6, pp. 
 290-312. 1899. 
 
 5. Tjrue Attitude of the Socialists toward the Trade Unions, New York. 
 1900. 23 pp. 
 
 6. Karl Marx on the Money Question. International Soc. Reliew, v. 
 1, 1900, pp. 263-274. 
 
 7. Speculation and Prices of Wheat and Cotton. Part 4 of v. VI of 
 the Report of the U. S. Industrial Commission, Washington, 1909, pp. 
 189-224. Appendix B, pp. 469-493. 
 
 8. Prices (Index Numbers), 1878-1901. Joint authorship with John 
 R. Commons. Appendix III of vol. 19 of Report of the U. S. Industrial 
 Commission, pp. 1101-1113. Washington, 1902. 
 
 9. Manifesto of the Czar. Independent, March 26, 1903, vol. 55, pp. 
 733-735. 
 
 10. Political Conditions in Russia. Review of Reviews, 1903, vol. 
 XXVII, pp. 441-444. 
 
 11. International Aspect of our Tariff Situation. North American 
 Review, T. 180, pp. 381-393, March, 1905. 
 
 12. New German Customs Tariff. North American Review, v. 181, 
 pp. 392-406", September, 1905. 
 
 13. How the Germans Revised Their Tariff. Review of Reviews, v. 32, 
 pp. 719-721, December, 1905. 
 
 14. Most Favored Nation Relations Between Germany and the United 
 States. North American Review, v. 182, pp. 433-445, March, 1906. 
 
 15. Preferential Brazilian Tariff on Imports from the United States. 
 Monthly Consular and Trade Reports, November, 1906, pp. 153-158. 
 
 16. Reduction of Brazilian Duties on American Products. Dun's In- 
 ternational Review, November, 1906. 
 
 17. Double Tariff System. Annals of the American Academy of 
 Political and Social Science, v. 29, pp. 478-497, May, 1907. 
 
18. Promotion of Foreign Commerce in Europe and the United States. 
 Published by the Department of Commerce, Washington, 1907, 24 pp. 
 
 19. Conventional Tariff System. Annals of the American Academy of 
 Political and Social Science, vol. 32, pp. 367-382, September, 1908. 
 
 20. The Payne-Aldrich Tariff. Review of Reviews, September, 1909. 
 
 21. Dual Tariff Systems. Publications of the American Economic 
 Association, 1909, 3d Series, v. 10, pp. 301-313. 
 
 22. Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America. Ameri- 
 can Economic Review, 1912, v. 2, pp. 776-777. 
 
 23. Schedule K. Century, v. 86, pp. 111-119, May, 1913. 
 
 24. The New Tariff : A Retrospect and a Forecast. Review of Reviews, 
 v. 48, pp. 433-439, October, 1913. 
 
 25. Tlhe Underwood-Simmons Tariff. Review of Reviews, v. 48, pp. 
 559-566, November, 1913. 
 
 26. The Panama Canal and Our Plighted Faith. Hearings before the 
 U. S. Senate Committee on Interoceanic Canals, 63d Congress, 2d Ses- 
 sion, 1914. 
 
 27. A National Employment Reserve. Survey, January 23, 1915. 
 Also in the Journal of Efficiency Society, February, 1915. 
 
 28. Is a Minimum Wage a Menace to Industry? Survey, February 
 6, 1915. 
 
 29. The Minimum Wage and Industrial Efficiency. In the Fourth Re- 
 port of the New York State Factory Investigating Commission, v. 1, 1915. 
 
 30. Shall the Majority Rule? Century, May, 1915. 
 
 Several articles in the New International Cyclopedia (1902 edition), 
 International Year Book, and various American and foreign magazines. 
 
 REVIEWS. 
 
 Simkhowitsch's Feldgemeinschaft in Russland. Annals of the Ameri- 
 can Academy of Political and Social Science, 1899, v. 14, pp. 131-133. 
 
 Walling's Russia's Message. Annals of the American Academy of 
 Political and Social Science, 1909, v. 33, pp. 220-222. 
 
 Miklashevsky's Study of the Money Question. Political Science Quar- 
 terly, 1898, v. 13, pp. 183-184. 
 
 Higginson's Tariffs at Work. American Economic Review, 1913, v. 3, 
 pp. 681-682. 
 
 PART AUTHORSHIP. 
 
 Report of the U. S. Tariff Board on Pulp and News-Print Paper Indus- 
 try. 1911. 
 
 Report of the U. S. Tariff Board on Cotton Manufactures. 1912. 
 
 TRANSLATOR. 
 
 Marx, Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy, International 
 Literature Publishing Co., New York, 1904, 314 pages. Second edition, 
 Chas. H. Kerr & Co., Chicago, 1911. 
 
 Collator and Editor of the following issues of the Tariff Series of the 
 Bureau of Manufactures, Department of Commerce: 
 
 No. 1. Tariffs on Leather and its Manufactures. 27 pp. 1907. 
 
 No. 2. Tariffs on Agricultural and Animal Products. 120 pp. 1907. 
 
No. 3. Tariffs on Machinery, Machine Tools, and Vehicles. 75 pp. 
 1907. 
 
 No. 5. Commercial Agreement Between the United States and Ger- 
 many. 24 pp. 1907. 
 
 No. 6. Customs Tariff of France. 108 pp. 1907. 
 
 No. 6A. Commercial Agreement Between the United States and 
 France. 1908. 
 
 No. 6s. Proposed New Customs Tariff of France. 35 pp. 1909. 
 
 No. 6c. Commercial Convention Between France and Canada. 35 
 pp. 1909. 
 
 No. 60. Abrogation of Commercial Agreement Between the United 
 States and France. 1909. 
 
 No. 7. Customs Tariff of the German Customs Union. 1908. 
 
 No. 8. Customs Tariff of New Zealand. 36 pp. 1908. 
 
 No. 9. Customs Tariff of Montserrat, British West Indies. 12 pp. 
 1908. 
 
 No. 10. Customs Tariff of Virgin Islands, British West Indies. 8 pp. 
 1908. 
 
 No. 11. Customs Tariff Act of Bermuda, British West Indies. 1907. 
 
 No. 12. Customs Tariff Act of Saint Lucia, British West Indies. 1907. 
 
 No. 13. Customs Tariff Act of Turks and Caicos Islands, Br. W. 
 I. 1908. 
 
 No. 14. Customs Tariff Act of Bahamas, Br. W. I. 1908. 
 
 No. 15. Customs Tariff of Italy. 92 pp. 1908. 
 
 No. 16. Preferential Tariff of Brazil. 4 pp. 1908. 
 
 No. 17. Customs Tariff of Australia. 76 pp. 1908. 
 
 No. 18. Customs Tariff of the United Kingdom. 12 pp. 1908. 
 
 No. 19. Commercial Travelers in Foreign Countries. 71 pp. 1908. 
 
 No. 20. Export Tariffs of Foreign Countries. 48 pp. 1909, 
 
 No. 21. Foreign Tariffs on Petroleum Products. 1903. 
 
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