EFFECTS OF THE MINIMUM WAGE IN OREGON

...This commission appointed various wage boards consisting in each case of nine members, representing equally employers, employees and the public...

...The proportion of the total force getting $12 and over also increased.' "The report concludes that the net increase in total female labor cost was six mills per dollar of sales, an increase which did not result in closing any business establishments in Portland...

...I should be most happy, good cousin," said Nazr-ed-din, "but unfortunately he has gone astray, and I have no manner of knowledge where he may be...

...But, good Nazr...

...hee-honk...

...The rulings under the law dealing with learners and apprentices are, as yet, only tentative...

...Definite answers are given to the following questions: "Has the enforcement of the minimum wage law thrown women out of employment and have Women been supplanted by men...

...The commission ruled that in no occupation would more than a year of experience be required to entitle an adult woman worker to the minimum wage awarded...

...In answer to the question, 'How were the women who received more than $9.25, before the wage determinations, affected?' the answer is given, 'As a group they constitute a larger proportion of the total number of women in 1914 than in 1913;' further, 'that not only the proportion but the actual number getting over $9.25, but under $12 increased after the wage determinations despite the decrease in the total force of women,' due to the general financial depression...

...No doubt in heavily industrial states the difficulties in the way of the successful working of the minimum wage laws are far greater than in a state like Oregon...

...wouldst thou insult me in my own house by taking the word of a donkey before my own...

...he shouted...

...The Oregon minimum wage law was passed in 1913...

...The report shows that far from the minimum becoming the maximum, the percentage of women workers receiving more than $12 a week after the law went into effect increased...

...To determine what this minimum wage should be in different occupations and localities, there was created an Industrial Welfare Commission composed of three members, appointed by the governor, representing employers, employees and the public...

...The rate of $9.25 a week to experienced adult women employed in mercantile establishments in Portland went into effect November 23, 1913...

...In these departments there was a tendency among certain employers to shift or dismiss the help at the end of a year's experience...

...One of the commonest objections to minimum wage legislation is the statement that the minimum would tend to become the maximum wage...

...The theory that there is a definite wage fund which is incapable of increase has caused many to oppose any attempt to better conditions in sweated industries...

...This period of waiting has now been brought to an end by the publication of a Bulletin by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics entitled Effect of Minimum Wage Determinations in Oregon (Women in Industry Series: No...

...It will probably be found necessary in some occupations, to cut down the period required for the workers to become classed as experienced under the law...

...This method, however, has not proved satisfactory...

...After holding public hearings, the Industrial Welfare Commission made the payment of these weekly wage rates mandatory...

...But nevertheless the facts demonstrated by this report should hearten the friends and silence foes of this form of industrial legislation...

...These boards returned recommendations varying from $8.25 a week, for the smaller cities of the state, to $9.25 a week for mercantile establishments and offices in Portland...

...It forbids the employment of experienced women workers at a wage inadequate to meet their cost of living and to maintain them in health...

...Have the average weekly earnings of the women been increased...

...Do they meet the expectations of their advocates...

...Consequently the tendency to dismiss girls when they attained a year's experience in these unskilled departments has been largely checked...

...The federal report is a study of the effects of this ruling as registered on the payrolls of Portland merchants...

...In discussing the average weekly earnings the report continues: " 'The average weekly earnings of all women in the six department, dry goods and five- and ten-cent stores increased 10 per cent., or from $7.89 to $8.68 per week, after the minimum wage determinations.' "This is a remarkable showing in view of the fact, pointed out elsewhere in the report, that at the time the wage rulings went into effect several important causes were at work which would, except for the wage law, have caused a notable decrease in the weekly earnings of women employees...

...The words were no sooner spoken than the donkey set up a loud braying from a shed in the yard, "Hee-honk...

...Discredited Witness The thrifty peasant, Nazr-ed-din, one day received a visit from his needy cousin, Hafiz-The-Ill-Pavored, who besought of him the loan for a day of his donkey...

...Or do they result either in throwing low-paid girls out of work or in raising their pay at the expense of the more competent, as is so freely claimed by their opponents...

...In the words of the report: " 'On the whole, therefore, little displacement of women by men seems to have occurred in these six large stores, and the little which has occurred is not chargeable to the minimum wage determinations.' "The effect of the wage rate of experienced women is told by the report in the following sentence: " 'Without a doubt, the minimum rate of pay for adult experienced women was raised in all occupations in these six Portland stores.' "The number receiving $9.25 a week increased 130 per cent...

...At the same time the wage determinations took effect, there were other rulings of the commission, cutting the daily hours of labor from 10 to 8 1/3, and prohibiting the employment of women in stores after 6 P. M. Still more important, the year 1914 witnessed a ssribus financial depression which was measured in the stores by a falling off of 12 per cent, in sales...

...All this is most encouraging...

...Whereupon Nazr-ed-din rose in great wrath and showed Haflz the door...

...In some departments of the stores, a year was longer than was necessary to obtain proficiency...

...It has heretofore been impossible to give more than a hypothetical answer to these questions because, while minimum wage laws have been enacted in nine states in the Union, in none of these have they been in operation a sufficient length of time to allow results to be demonstrated...

...It was said that any attempt to bring up the wages of the lowest paid would be followed by a decrease in the wages of the better-paid and that the process of leveling down would meet the additional expense of paying better wages to the underpaid workers...

...Has the minimum wage tended to become the maximum...

...To become experienced in the sense of the law, not more than one year of service was required...

...This falling off of business would ordinarily have been followed by a corresponding decrease in the wages, whereas, under the wage rulings the average weekly earnings increased 10 per cent, for the total number of women employed in 1914...

...Begone, scoundrel...

...Based on a careful study of the relation of the number of employees to the actual business done by the stores in corresponding months of 1913 and 1914, the investigation shows no falling off In the number of women employees nor supplanting of women by men due to wage legislation...

...The employers have found that the loss in efficiency, due to frequent changing, has not at all been compensated for by the lower wage...

...The report is prepared by the able hands of Miss Marie L. Obenauer and Miss Bertha von der Nienburg from first hand investigations conducted jointly by the Bureau of Labor and the United States Commission on Industrial Relations...

...exclaimed Haflz, "there is surely thy donkey at home and seemingly quite well...