For many reasons it was not possible to exactly work out all these details in Honolulu. Information was, as a rule, to be had from the workers only during the lunch hour and after work was finished, and as many of them did not know their street and number, a knowledge of conditions was obtained by visiting in the homes in various parts of the city, both during the day and at night, rather than by following up individual workers. Only five girls could remember what amounts their pay envelopes contained for three consecutive weeks. Then, too, the great majority of women of all nationalities spoke no English.
Employers were interested and helpful, and I am indebted to them for much definite information, which was in practically all instances corroborated by the statements of the workers themselves; and it is mainly on employers’ information that I have based my statements of wages paid. The workers appear on the pay-roll by number, names not being known as a rule, and here again it was impossible to follow up individuals.
In general, unskilled wage-earners are almost without exception aided by other members of a family group or by charity, the latter group including those called on to assist others, and those who low wages force to accept shelter or food, or both, either from friends or relatives, or from homes philanthropically provided.
As shown in the Cost of Living Schedule, the minimum subsistence cost in Honolulu is $5.00 a week; whereas the wages earned by beginners vary from $2.50 to $3.50 in occupations offering employment to only a few workers, to a minimum of $4.80 in the canneries; while the majority of laundry workers, with several years’ experience, earn only $20.00 a month.
The fixing of minimum wages for women and minors otherwise than by the law of supply and demand, or the sense of social responsibility of employers, has been in force in Australia since 1896, through the operation of a Minimum Wage Board, while England and Massachusetts created such Boards in 1910 and 1912, respectively.
The thought of such a Board in Hawaii at the present time may be quite as amusing as the action of the International Association for Labor Legislation (called by the Swiss Federal Council and participated in by official representatives of fourteen European powers) prohibiting night work for women in Uganda, Ceylon, Fiji Islands, Leeward Islands and Trinidad; yet, as Miss Goldmark says, in commenting on this action: “Experience has taught the wisdom of legislating before industry is present.”
Industry is, however, present in Hawaii, and its growth has been so rapid that, as stated before, employers have not considered seriously the questions involved in women’s work.
An employer who was genuinely anxious to do his best for his employes asked me seriously: “What would the girls do with any more money if they had it?” He was quite willing to consider a living wage, and also spoke of profit-sharing with employes.
The majority of employers, when spoken to concerning the insufficiency of wages paid, point out that their employes have homes in which there are other bread-winners; and that with few exceptions they are not entirely dependent on their own efforts.
One special group of seven women was analyzed. Each received a flat wage of $3.00 a week in an occupation requiring no skill, and in which no advance in wages could be received until two years’ service had been rendered, when $4.00 was paid. Even here one girl—a Japanese—who had been employed over two years, had received no advance.