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.'And, you tell the truth, don't
you?" .
"Yes." '
' "Now what were your profits last
year,?."
"I decline to "answer," saidirie.
. Edward J. Lehman said the 'Fan
was a milion dollar corporation.
"What ,were your profits last
year?" asked Senator JuuL
"I don't care to say," said Leh
xnann. "We know you don't CARE to say,"
said JuuT, "but WILL you?" .
"I don't see where it.is. important",
"If you are paying less than a
living wage it is the business of the
state to find out -what profits, you
are making said -JuuL
Lehmann "did not answer.
"If your employes go wrong be
cause of, the smallness of the salaries
you pay them it is our business," in
sisted JuuL ;
"Yes,?' sai&Lehmann, "if you could
prove it." -
v Lehmann said the Fair employed
1,750 women; 74 at $3; 66 at $3.50;
'58 .at $4; 59 at $4.50,; 128 at $5 and
$5150; 278 at $6 and $6.50; 246 at $7;
124 at $7.50 and 180 at $8.00.
This made the Fair wages the low
v est yet brought out" before the com
mittee. Lehmann admitted he could, raise
all'his girl employes to $8 a week and
still pay 6' per' cent dividends.
"If a girl cannot jneet expenses ph
the wages you pay her,- what is she
going to dp?'"asked -Senator JuuL
"Become a domestic," said Leh
mann, promptly. "-Cheap girls should
work as. domestics."
O'Hara slowly dragged from Leh-
mann the information as to the State
Street-Merchants' Association.
"Have you, Mr. Lehmann, ever
heard of a fund being 'collected to
fight the .$12 minimum wage for wo
men bill?" he then, asked.
ANo," said Lehmann.
'How can a corporation which
-1
es justify -its own.rfght to life?" ask-,
ed 0!Hara. . S
, "Oh, it all depenlds on conditions;
said Lehmann: "Everybody shpiild
get a living wager". " v . "
Henry C. Schwab" said tjiat
Rothschild xompany .employed 1,15,4
women, and that, the. lowest' wage
paid was $3'. Later he qualified the.
last statement, " and said.thatr a lower
wage might be paid. . t , L
' Schwab refused to tell $heprofits
the Rothschild ,companyr .made last
year, but Admitted tbAt'he;had. talked
to other merchants 'a'bout'wnat 'tes
timony he should give, the :commis
sion. i , j
Schwab became afflicted with 'a
vast case of ignorance soon, after
this.
"Whatdo the girls .you rpay less '
than $5 a week live on?" asked JuuL
"I, don't, know;" said Schwab...
'"What do you think, they pay for
board?!'. ' - '
'.'I don'tknow."
"Whatdo. you'think. they payfar
laundry?"
"I don't know1;" - ;
"How do, you, imagine thgy-get
along at all?" " V ' " K
"I don't know." - '
"Oh,- well," said .O'Hara, "se.eiDg
you. don't want to tell Janymihg,
you'reexcused." 4 T ' -"
bertEUinger, merchandise man
ager of the. Boston store, was the"
next witness. " r .
Ellinger said he had no definitein
formation, but tfiatthe profits, of the
Boston lastyear probably were about
$1,000,000. He said.. the store employ
ed 1,658 ''girls, 12 of whom received
the minimum wage bf.,$3. "
And then Mr. Ellinger -proceeded to
get himself t info as fine a .messes,
you could find ina day's march..,'
"Our "store has a wonderful- bene
fit association," he-said, '"and ..em
ployes of. the Boston store have more
than ,$1,000,000 in the bank."
"How is this.benefit association of
yours sustained?' 'asked O'Hara.
i
does.not pay its emptoye&liying wag- .'eiStorstarted.it wjftfiji,000,
