Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 6.djvu/784

 77 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

greater efficiency, and it is probable that the merchant would suffer in the beginning of such an experiment. Here, then, comes in the beneficent influence of the body of the consumers who will say to such a man : " If you will do this, we shall see that you do not suffer, but that you will receive the combined support of the organized body of consumers who will, so long as you maintain such a standard, purchase their commodities of you." It was thought necessary, therefore, to establish some kind of measure by which it would be possible to determine whether any particular retail mercantile house was entitled to the patronage of the members of the Consumers' League, f^ fair house was defined as one in which equal pay is given for work of equal value, irrespective of sex. A minimum wage, too, was estab- lished, usually of $6 per week. This, however, has differed very materially with the class of work and the standard of liv- ing in the community. It was also declared in the enforcement of 'the standard that wages should be paid by the week, and that fines, if imposed, should be put into a fund for the benefit of an employe. The hours of working were usually placed at ten hours per day, with a half-holiday each week during two months in the year.

With respect to the physical and sanitary conditions, a mer- cantile establishment meeting the requirements of the standard must have lunch- and retiring-rooms separate, seats for sales- women, and such conveniences as are usual in a well-appointed establishment. It was also declared that no children under fourteen years of age were to be employed by a "fair" house. Having established these conditions, the next thing was to make a white list, which was done after due investigation of the estab- lishments in a city, and the announcement to the members of the league that such a house accepted the standard and was willing to comply with its conditions.

The national problem now undertaken by a federation of local organizations is much more difficult than that of raising the standard of employment in retail stores. In the words of another, "they are endeavoring to aid the producer as well as the distributor." This necessitates the establishment of a system