months was a longer apprenticeship term than seemed just, reduced this to nine months, broken into two or four periods, owing to the locality in which the exchange is operated.

The wage scale is practically identical with the old system, except that the increases formerly made in 18 months must be completed in nine months. The learner begins at $6 a week, receiving that for the first three months; $6.60 per week for two months; $7.20 per week for the following two months; $7.80 for the last two months, and then $9 per week-the established minimum. In the smaller exchanges the apprenticeship term is divided into but two periods, the learner receiving $6 per week for the first four months and $7.50 per week for the last five months.

Laundries.

The commission adopted the following policy with reference to apprentices in the laundering industry: Three months at $6 per week and three months at $7.50 per week. It also determined that no more than 25 per cent of the total number of females employed would be allowed as apprentices; further, that no more than half of those employed on the mangle machines may be apprentices, and that the time required to learn to feed a mangle shall not be more than two months.

The above limitations, however, have been taken advantage of by laundrymen in but a very few instances, as the survey shows that less than 8 per cent of the total number of laundry employees are apprentices or minors. Many of the large establishments have dispensed entirely with apprentices, relying wholly on securing the highest skilled help obtainable and paying the minimum wage or over in all cases.

Factories.

Apprenticeships in the manufacturing industry present a problem more intricate and far more difficult of satisfactory adjustment than do the other industries, because of the multiplicity of occupations involved.

Some of the occupations in this general industry require very little skill or time to learn, while others need both mental and physical adaptability to the particular work in question as well as a considerable period of time in which to master their details. The piece-rate plan of payment, which prevails in many factories, becomes an important factor in solving the problem, in that the worker's earning ability is estimated by the number of finished pieces she is able to turn out in a given time. Hence the amount found in the weekly pay envelope depends, not only upon the accurate knowledge of each intricate operation, but also the speed acquired by each individual worker. The fact that many of the manufacturing establishments of the State are not extensive enough to keep an entire force of operatives employed continuously at the same kind of employment compels many to become familiar with a number of different occupations, so that when work becomes slack in one department they can be transferred to another. Because of this condition girls become experienced in several, if not all, of the different departments of the same industry, thereby becoming more skilled, although usually not able to attain so great speed as when employed continuously in the

same kind of work, and when such a condition prevails they are required to serve a longer term of apprenticeship than when employed in one particular occupation. It will be readily realized that the almost endless number of occupations encountered in this industry makes the determination of a specific term of apprenticeship both unwise and unjust. It therefore became necessary for the commission to investigate each occupation separately and to issue licenses based upon the degree of skill required and the consequent time necessary to become familiar with each occupation involved. In accordance with this policy, licenses to apprentices in that industry range from six weeks to one year, broken into two or more periods, beginning with a wage of $6 per week and approaching the minimum of $8.90 through these various stages of advancement. Printed notices of instruction with reference to granting of apprenticeship licenses were issued as follows:

(1) Application for license must be made to the commission upon printed blanks, which will be furnished on request.

(2) The application blank must be filled out and sent to the commission by the employee and not by the employer.

(3) The term of license and wage to be paid by the employer will be determined by the commission, based upon previous experience of the applicant and the particular occupation in which she will be engaged.

(4) If a license be granted to the applicant it will be effective from the date of the application.

(5) Application blanks must be filled out in a complete manner or they will not be considered.

Office Employees.

It may be assumed that a girl's public school or business college course prepares her in large measure for service in general office work, and therefore only the additional time necessary to become familiar with the work of the particular establishment in which she is serving her apprenticeship need be considered in issuing licenses in such occupations. The general policy followed by the commission stipulates that licenses may be issued at a weekly wage rate of not less than $7.50 and that the longest period of apprenticeship in any of the office employments shall not be more than six months.

Effects of Minimum-wage Law in Washington.

To ascertain the effect of the fixing of minimum-wage rates in Washington, the commission made a survey of some of the larger establishments in three of the industries where minimum rates had been put in force. The establishments covered in each survey were deemed to be fairly representative of the industry to which they belonged, and included all women and minors found on the pay rolls of such establishments at certain dates before and after the fixing of minimum rates.

The three industries covered in the commission's survey are set forth in the following tables, the figures having been obtained from 24 of the leading mercantile establishments, from 11 of the largest laundries in the State, and from a number of the largest telephone exchanges. They were taken from the regular pay rolls for the week ending September 20, 1913, and for the corresponding week of 1914,

therefore showing the wage conditions before and after the law became operative.

By a careful analysis of the results here given a conclusion as to the general effect of such legislation may be reached, bearing in mind always that the reports for 1914 were taken at a time of business depression, when conditions did not afford the most favorable test. Notwithstanding that fact, each industry covered records an increase in the average wage paid.

The entire number of workers included in the report for 1913 is 4,894, as against 4,828 in 1914, or a decrease of 66. In mercantile employment, 1914 shows a decrease of 87, and laundry employment a decrease of 30, while in telephone employment there was an increase of 51.

Since the mercantile and laundering industries are apt to respond more quickly to the business pulse, it is safe to assume that the very slight decrease in the number employed in 1914 was wholly due to business conditions and not attributable to the establishment of the wage. Were this decrease greater or were it to be found in those groups of women receiving the minimum or over, the conclusion might reasonably be attributed to the compulsory higher wage, but since it occurs wholly within those groups receiving less than the minimum, that contention can not be sustained. This conclusion is further strengthened by the fact that had the establishment of the wage been in any measure the cause, the decrease would have been very much greater.

COMPARATIVE WAGES OF FEMALES AND MINORS EMPLOYED IN 24 MERCANTILE ESTABLISHMENTS IN SEPTEMBER, 1913, AND SEPTEMBER, 1914.

According to the above table, out of the total of 3,189 women and minors found on the pay rolls in September, 1913, 1,571, or 49.2 per cent, were still employed in September, 1914, three months after the minimum-wage determination became effective in that industry. Comparing the wages received in 1914 with those received in 1913, it is seen that 636 employees had been advanced to the $10 legal minimum wage, and of those receiving more than $10 per week in 1913, 147 had been advanced to a higher wage in 1914, making a general increase to 783 employees, or 49.8 per cent of the total shown.

COMPARATIVE WAGES OF FEMALES AND MINORS EMPLOYED IN 11 LAUNDRIES IN SEPTEMBER, 1913, AND SEPTEMBER, 1914.

According to the above table, out of a total of 665 women and girls found on the pay rolls of 11 establishments in 1913, 260, or 39 per cent, were still employed in September, 1914, after the minimum wage had become effective in that industry. In 1913 there were 286 women receiving less than $9, while in 1914 only 46 received less than that amount. These 46 girls were either minors or apprentices. In 1913, 66 girls were receiving $9, while in 1914, after the minimum. wage became effective, this number was increased to 267. In 1913 only 379 women were receiving $9 or more, while in 1914 there were 589 receiving this amount.

82843°-Bull. 167-157

COMPARATIVE WAGES OF FEMALES AND MINORS IN TELEPHONE EMPLOYMENT IN SEPTEMBER, 1913, AND SEPTEMBER, 1914.

According to the above table, out of a total of 1,040 women and girls found on the pay rolls in September, 1913, 565, or 54.3 per cent, were still employed in September, 1914, after the minimum wage had become effective in that industry. In 1913 there were 539 girls receiving less than $9, while in 1914 only 230 were employed at so low a rate. These were all minors or apprentices. In 1913 only 64 girls were receiving $9 per week, while in 1914, after the minimum wage became effective, this number was increased to 129. Out of a total of 539 girls, 309, or 57.3 per cent, had been advanced to the minimum or over, the number receiving $9.90 in 1913 having been increased from 28 to 282 in 1914. In 1913 there were 437 girls receiving over $9, while in 1914 this number was increased to 732.

Hon. E. W. OLSON,

Opinions of the Attorney General.

OLYMPIA, WASH., October 24, 1913.

Chairman of the Industrial Welfare Commission, Olympia, Wash. DEAR SIR: I am in receipt of your letter as follows:

I desire to obtain your opinion upon the following points, relative to the powers of the Industrial Welfare Commission for the State of Washington, as established by chapter 174, Laws 1913, State of Washington:

(1) In the event that any conference called by the commission shall find the health or morals of women or minors to be perniciously affected by the employment of said women or minors in any industry (a) for a number of hours per day or week not specifically prohibited by the eight-hour law, or (b) during a period of each 24 hours not at present specifically prohibited by law; and in the event that such conference shall recommend to this commission that such number or arrangement of hours be changed, does the power reside in this commission to issue an obligatory order embodying such recommendation?

(2) In the event that the cost of maintenance for women workers shall be found to vary in different parts of the State, does the power reside in this commission, upon the recommendation of any conference, to issue an obligatory order which shall specify different wage minimums in different parts of the State for women workers in the same industry or occupation?