Mr. McCONNELL. The representative of the League of Women Voters will be the next witness. STATEMENT OF ANNA LORD STRAUSS, PRESIDENT, LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF THE UNITED STATES Miss STRAUSS. My name is Anna Lord Strauss. I am national president of the League of Women Voters of the United States. My address is 726 Jackson Place NW., Washington, DC. The League of Women Voters urges the Congress to enact legislation requiring compensation according to the job, the so-called equal-payfor-equal-work bills, H. R. 4408 and H. R. 4273. Our reasons for supporting this legislation are chiefly two: (1) It would remove an unfair discrimination against women in employment based solely on their sex and (2) it would have a favorable effect on the Nation's economic well-being. The League of Women Voters has long endorsed the principle of compensation according to the job performed. In the early twenties, league efforts were rewarded when "The principle of equal compensation for equal work, irrespective of sex" was inserted in the Civil Service Reclassification Act. Work on the State level has progressed also. It is appropriate that the principle of paying for the job done, whether the doer is a man or woman, be incorporated into Federal legislation. The argument is raised that men's wages should be higher because of their family position. Studies have shown that 9 out of 10 women living with their families contribute regularly to their support. Their contribution to the family income is especially significant today when people are finding it increasingly difficult to meet ordinary living expenses. The importance to industrial production of women in the labor market is clear today. During the present inflation period, one of the limits to increased production is the size of the labor force. Of the approximately 60,000,000 people employed, 16,700,000 are women— a sizable portion. There is no good reason why these women whose services are so greatly needed, should be treated as a minority group and forced to accept lower pay. Whatever is done to affect the employment status of women will have meaning for all of labor, and in turn, for the entire economy. When women are paid less than men for jobs that require comparable skills, men will suffer in the end. When the time of a buyer's market returns and managers are seeking ways to cut costs, they are inclined to retain the lower-paid worker, and let those that receive more pay, go. Friction in the labor market is likely to be a result. The economic effect of this type of legislation is important. Irrespective of this reason, however, is the inherent fairness of the principle. The League of Women Voters wishes to point out that recognition of the individual for his worth is the essence of the democratic spirit. When discrimination exists in the employment of women, specific legislation should be enacted to remedy the situation. We, therefore, urge your support of H. R. 4408 and H. R. 4273. Mr. McCONNELL. Miss Strauss, has your organization had anything to do with the provisions of these two bills? Have you had any part in framing them? in November 1946. The resolution adopted at this convention reads in part: Be it further resolved, That the National Council of Jewish Women endorse measures which establish the principle of equality of legal status and economic opportunity with equal pay for equal work. And we worked on that resolution. We therefore support the principle of the two bills before you. Our members give unqualified support to this principle because they feel that at a time when women constitute one-third of our total labor force a wage differential on the basis of sex is not only unjust but unrealistic. It is an unsound economic policy to pay lower wages. to women when 80 percent of those who earn are important contributors to their families or dependents. Here also we depend upon statistics of the Labor Department. Obviously, such a policy depresses living standards for a large section of the community. Discrimination against women, not only in rate of pay, but in promotion and upgrading also works to the detriment of society as a whole. Women of proven ability are frequently forced to remain in relative obscurity because of the reluctance of men to grant them proper recognition. The soundness of our views with respect to equal pay for equal work is supported by the progress that has already been made in this field. The Classification Act of 1923 set up salary grades in accordance with the component elements of the job, without discriminations because of sex; nine States have adopted equal-pay laws; major trade unions have incorporated equal-pay clauses in their contracts, and so forth. But, we feel that a Federal equal-pay law is necessary to remove wage discriminations against women in the large area of private employment. We therefore respectfully urge that the legislation now before your committee receive favorable consideration. I want to say practically all of our work is done by volunteers, but we do have one or two research workers. We do look over the bill and discuss it at our national steering committee on legislation and unless there are very glaring flaws, we would not be likely to spot them. This bill seems to be a very good piece of legislation. Mr. McCONNELL. Did you say something about some kind of statistics there on the first page? Mrs. OTTENBERG. I referred to the 80 percent of employed women. Mr. McCONNELL. I thought you wanted to submit that evidence. Mrs. OTTENBERG. No, I found in the report of the Senate committee on S. 1178, there were a number of statistics on the differentials in wages. Mr. McCONNELL. Do we have those statistics? Mr. GRAHAM. They have not been incorporated in these hearings. Mr. McCONNELL. If I remember correctly, you referred to them just a moment ago. Mrs. OTTENBERG. I referred to the 80 percent; those who earn are important contributors to their families or dependents. Mr. McCONNELL. Didn't you say something about the Bureau of Statistics, or some statement like that? during the war, and from my own personal experience I know there certainly are discriminations that exist that I do not think work favorably either from the woman's point of view or from the general labor point of view, or from management's point of view. I think if these difficulties could be cleared up, we would have a sounder basis on which we could fill jobs that are open. I think that is the basis on which it should be done. Mr. McCONNELL. You also feel there is no other way to accomplish this worth-while objective or principle except by Federal law? Miss STRAUSS. I believe that education must always precede and continue while there is law. That is a basic principle of all of our league work. We never take a position for legislation until we believe a minimum amount of education has been done. I believe a law of this kind would require an increased amount of education, but I think legislation is always an impetus for the increased education that would have to precede the application of the law and should go along currently as new employers and new laborers come into the market. Mr. McCONNELL. You would not object to amendments to parts of this bill when they are found to be needed? Miss STRAUSS. Not if they were amendments which I consider sound amendments. I do not think this law necessarily is perfect and must go exactly as it is. I would not want what I consider weakening amendments to go in, but if there were bases on which there could be agreement by all concerned in the interests of furthering the policies which this bill hopes to further, we might agree upon those and have a stronger bill. Mr. McCONNELL. All right. Thank you for appearing, Miss Strauss. The representative for the National Council of Jewish Women. STATEMENT OF MRS. LOUIS OTTENBERG, MEMBER OF NATIONAL BOARD AND NATIONAL COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND SOCIAL ACTION, NATIONAL COUNCIL OF JEWISH WOMEN Mrs. OTTENBERG. I am Mrs. Louis Ottenberg, 1613 Buchanan Street. I am a member of the national board and a member of the national committee on education and social action of the National Council of Jewish Women. Mr. Chairman, the National Council of Jewish Women, which was organized in 1893 and now has a membership of 70,000 in 300 senior and junior chapters throughout the United States, has over the years sought to improve working conditions for women in industry. Our interest dates back to the sweat-shop days when so many efforts were made to do away with that type of work, even to the sewing of labels into clothes made under fair standards. But it was not until we got legislation that those deplorable conditions and by we, I mean the Consumers League and other organizations interested in that were remedied. Our members have always been in the vanguard in any campaign to advance the social and economic status of women through specific legislation. The support of the principle of equal pay for equal work was reaffirmed by our membership at our last national convention held in November 1946. The resolution adopted at this convention reads in part: Be it further resolved, That the National Council of Jewish Women endorse measures which establish the principle of equality of legal status and economic opportunity with equal pay for equal work. And we worked on that resolution. We therefore support the principle of the two bills before you. Our members give unqualified support to this principle because they feel that at a time when women constitute one-third of our total labor force a wage differential on the basis of sex is not only unjust but unrealistic. It is an unsound economic policy to pay lower wages to women when 80 percent of those who earn are important contributors to their families or dependents. Here also we depend upon statistics of the Labor Department. Obviously, such a policy depresses living standards for a large section of the community. Discrimination against women, not only in rate of pay, but in promotion and upgrading also works to the detriment of society as a whole. Women of proven ability are frequently forced to remain in relative obscurity because of the reluctance of men to grant them proper recognition. The soundness of our views with respect to equal pay for equal work is supported by the progress that has already been made in this field. The Classification Act of 1923 set up salary grades in accordance with the component elements of the job, without discriminations because of sex; nine States have adopted equal-pay laws; major trade unions have incorporated equal-pay clauses in their contracts, and so forth. But, we feel that a Federal equal-pay law is necessary to remove wage discriminations against women in the large area of private employment. We therefore respectfully urge that the legislation now before your committee receive favorable consideration. I want to say practically all of our work is done by volunteers, but we do have one or two research workers. We do look over the bill and discuss it at our national steering committee on legislation and unless there are very glaring flaws, we would not be likely to spot them. This bill seems to be a very good piece of legislation. Mr. McCONNELL. Did you say something about some kind of statistics there on the first page? Mrs. OTTENBERG. I referred to the 80 percent of employed women. Mr. McCONNELL. I thought you wanted to submit that evidence. Mrs. OTTENBERG. No, I found in the report of the Senate committee on S. 1178, there were a number of statistics on the differentials in wages. Mr. McCONNELL. Do we have those statistics? Mr. GRAHAM. They have not been incorporated in these hearings. Mr. McCONNELL. If I remember correctly, you referred to them just a moment ago. Mrs. OTTENBERG. I referred to the 80 percent; those who earn are important contributors to their families or dependents. Mr. McCONNELL. Didn't you say something about the Bureau of Statistics, or some statement like that? Mrs. OTTENBERG. In speaking of the 80 percent, I said we were taking the statistics of the Department of Labor. These statistics are in the report. I believe they have scales on telephone rates showing the differentials. Mr. McCONNELL. This will be off the record. (Discussion off the record.) Mrs. OTTENBERG. In preparing our statements, we usually try to get as much information as we can. We do read the records and we were impressed with the discrepancies in certain statements. Mr. McCONNELL. Thank you very much, Mrs. Ottenberg. Is the representative of the National Consumers League here? STATEMENT OF LOUISE STITT, MEMBER OF BOARD, My name is Louise Stitt. I am a member of the board of the National Consumers League. At the annual business meeting of the National Consumers League held in New York City on January 18, 1947, the following resolution was adopted: Whereas the payment of a lesser rate to women than to men for comparable work results in 1. Unjust discrimination in pay rates against women workers; 2. Use of women workers as undercutters of men's wages; and 3. Curtailment of consumers purchasing power: Therefore be it Resolved, That the National Consumers League— 1. Urge upon the Congress the passage of legislation applicable to all establishments in or affecting commerce, which would require the payment of wage rates on the basis of the job, without regard to sex; and 2. Actively support and promote State legislation of a similar type. The National Consumers League endorsed and worked for S. 1178 when it was before the Seventy-ninth Congress, and we support H. R. 4408, with the hope that early and favorable action will be taken by the Congress to enact this measure into law. May we remind the committee that S. 1178 was recommended for passage by the Senate Committee on Education and Labor, but failed to reach the Senate floor for vote before the adjournment of Congress in the summer of 1946. May we remind the committee also that during the hearings conducted on this measure no one appeared in opposition to the bill. The injustice of determining wage rates on the basis of sex would seem to need no argument. If a woman does the same work as a man she certainly should be paid at the same rate. When women first entered industry the idea was prevalent that they were working only for "pin money." The facts do not support any such idea, but unfortunately the theory still holds in many quarters; therefore, the need for this type of legislation. Evidence that legislation is necessary is supplied from an analysis of figures required from employers in New York State seeking relaxation of labor standards under the State's War Emergency Act. In the period from June 1, 1943, to December 20, 1943, nearly 1,200 plants reported that they were replacing men by women. Only twothirds hired women at the same entrance rate at which they hired men; about 29 percent paid lower entrance rates to women, and a |