Senator AIKEN. You get them all outside? Senator AIKEN. Do you get them from restaurants, or the neighbors or where do you get them? That is what the chairman has been asking. Senator TUNNELL. Yes; that is what I was trying to find out. Mr. BURKE. As I was saying, we have supper there, and sometimes on Saturdays we have two meals. Well, during the week she charges us 40 cents each. Senator AIKEN. 40 cents a meal? Mr. BURKE. Yes. Senator AIKEN. And on Sundays you pay more? Mr. BURKE. On Sundays, sometimes, if we are around, we stay there for dinner, and she charges us 50 cents each on Sunday. Senator AIKEN. What is the city you are from? Mr. BURKE. Lebanon, Pa., sir. Senator AIKEN. You buy your meals outside, then? Mr. BURKE. Yes, sir; the rest of them. At noontimes in the factory we have a packed lunch. Senator AIKEN. A factory lunch? Mr. BURKE. Yes, sir. Senator AIKEN. Where do you get that? At restaurants? Mr. BURKE. No, sir; we go to the grocery store and buy lunch meat, something like that. Senator AIKEN. That is what you mean by lunch meat? Mr. BURKE. Yes. Senator AIKEN. That would be canned, deviled ham, corned beef, something of that kind? Mr. BURKE. No; we get Lebanon bologna; something like that. Senator AIKEN. The two of you have $36 a week, less your social security and insurance taxes? Mr. BURKE. Yes, sir; I have my Army insurance to worry about, too. That amounts up to $6 or $7 a month. Senator AIKEN. You have recently been discharged from the Army? Mr. BURKE. Yes, sir. Senator AIKEN. How long ago? Mr. BURKE. About 6 months, sir. I got out last November. Senator AIKEN. How long were you in the Army? Mr. BURKE. Five years and-let me see-I think it is around 3 months, something like that. Or a little more, I guess. Senator AIKEN. How long have you been married? Mr. BURKE. Well, we got married on January 27. Senator AIKEN. Of this year? Mr. BURKE. Yes, sir. Senator AIKEN. That is all I have. Senator ELLENDER. What kind of a room do you get for $7 per week? Mr. BURKE. Well, it is a very small room, sir. Senator ELLENDER. Is it heated for the wintertime? Mr. BURKE. No, sir; we have no heat up there. Mr. BURKE. Well, we go downstairs. This lady where we rent, has us come downstairs, you know. she Senator ELLENDER. Is it a home occupied by someone else in which you live? Mr. BURKE. Yes, sir. Senator ELLENDER. What conveniences have you with the room? Mr. BURKE. Well, the bathroom we can use. Senator AIKEN. But you get by on $36 a week as long as both of you work? Mr. BURKE. Yes, sir, but my wife is not able to work all the time, sir: her nerves are bad. Senator AIKEN. Suppose you earned $30 a week yourself, would your wife have to work? Mr. BURKE. No, sir. Senator AIKEN. Would you find a way to get by? Mr. BURKE. Yes, sir; I could manage to get by on that. Senator AIKEN. But you could not get by on what you earn alone, say, $20? Mr. BURKE. Yes, sir: that is right. Senator TUNNELL. Now, then, you were starting in to tell us what you did with the rest. As I figure it, there is $23.20 a week if you both work, that is still left. Now, how much does it take for the other 28 meals? Mr. BURKE. Where do you get 28 meals from, sir? Senator TUNNELL. That is what I am trying to find out from you. | Mr. BURKE. I did not say 28 meals-I don't believe I did. Senator TUNNELL. Well, there are 7 days. Don't you count three meals a day? Mr. BURKE. No, sir; I said one meal a day, which is just supper. Senator TUNNELL. You mean you don't eat but one meal a day? Mr. BURKE. Well, that is, in this place where we are staying. Senator TUNNELL. I am just trying to get the facts. If you do eat more than one meal a day, say so. Mr. BURKE. Yes, sir; we have three meals a day, but I am saying in this place where we rent we have one meal and the other two we eat out. Senator TUNNELL. You mean you pay 40 cents for that meal except for one day and then you pay 50 cents? Mr. BURKE. Yes, sir: that is on Sunday. Senator TUNNELL. Your wife has to pay just as much, doesn't she? Mr. BURKE. Yes, sir. Senator TUNNELL. Well, that is $5.80 a week for that one meal each. Now, as I figure it there must be 28 more meals? What does your lunch cost? Mr. BURKE. I don't know. Senator TUNNELL. Why is it you don't know? Does your wife buy it? Mr. BURKE. I don't pay no attention to food. When I want food I go out and buy it. The price don't bother me. Senator TUNNELL. The price doesn't bother you? Mr. BURKE. No. 78595-45 -8 Senator TUNNELL. I don't know why it doesn't. It would both me. Who is the cashier in your family? Mr. BURKE. Well, we both are, sir, my wife and I. Senator TUNNELL. But you say you don't pay any attention to it. Mr. BURKE. Well, once in a while I go to the store, and then s goes once in a while. I mean everything is divided equally between u Senator AIKEN. Have you saved any money since you married? Mr. BURKE. No. Senator AIKEN. Have you got any war bonds? Mr. BURKE. No, sir; I can't buy War bonds on $20 a week, sir. Mr. BURKE. Well, we are paying on some furniture, sir. Mr. BURKE, Paying on furniture. We are ready to go to hous keeping. Senator AIKEN. But you haven't any place to put the furniture ye Mr. BURKE. We haven't finished paying for it, sir. You can't it on that. Senator GUFFEY. Mr. Burke, what does the lunch cost you whe you go to the grocery store? Do you spend 15, 20, or 25 cents on the average? Mr. BURKE. Our whole supply for the week may run up to $2 more. Senator GUFFEY. That is about 12 lunches for $2? Mr. BURKE. Yes, sir. Senator GUFFEY. Your wife buys her own lunch, according to thi That is a joint arrangement? Mr. BURKE. Yes, sir. Senator TUNNELL. I have never found any woman who could no eat. Mr. BURKE. My wife eats, sir. She never did suffer for lack of food Senator TUNNELL. How is that? Mr. BURKE. My wife eats, the same as I do. Senator TUNNELL. That is for one meal and a room, it amounts t $12.80, one meal for each of you. Mr. BURKE. Yes, sir. Senator AIKEN. What would a flat cost in Lebanon, provided yo had three rooms, including a kitchen? Mr. BURKE. I would say around $35 to $52. That is if they ar empty, you know, and you have to furnish them yourself. Senator AIKEN. That is what it would cost you if you had a place t live where you would like to live? Mr. BURKE. Yes, sir. Senator AIKEN. Is that unfurnished? Mr. BURKE. Yes, sir. Senator AIKEN. You would have to furnish it? Mr. BURKE. Yes, sir. Senator TUNNELL. Does anybody else have any questions? Senator GUFFEY. What does your plant make? Does it mak clothes, suits, or women's garments? Mr. BURKE. Mackinaws. Senator GUFFEY. Mackinaws? Mr. BURKE. Yes, sir. Senator GUFFEY. You spread this cloth out to get the wrinkles out so the machine will cut them all the same size? Mr. Burke. Yes. Or if there is any defect in the cloth, like holes or spots in there, we see that they are cut out. Senator TUNNELL. All right. Thank you. I hope the next witness will have his figures a little better. Mrs. PETERSON. May I interrupt just a minute? I wonder if he can tell about the main point he wanted to make? I don't think he has quite had a chance. Mr. BURKE. No. Mrs. PETERSON. Would you mind just summarizing it? I don't May he just summarize what he told us in a couple of sentences? Senator TUNNELL. You tell us your story, if you have one. seem to be able to find it. Mr. BURKE. Well, sir, I spent 5 years and 3 months in the Army and when I came back the best job I could get in my town paid only 50 cents. I was overseas 22 months, in which time I was in action. Senator TUNNELL. Well, you were not married then, so the cost of living did not have anything to do with it, did it? Mr. BURKE. No, sir; that is right. But over there we got news from the papers, which were 2 months old or more, that the people back here were riding around in horses and buggies. When I got back to the States I saw more cars on the streets, but when I went to get a job, the only job I could get was at 50 cents an hour, that is the highest wage there was. Well, we went over there to fight, and I think the Government and the people of the United States did a very fine job in supplying us with the ammunition and stuff over there to win the war and win the peace. I think everybody should stick together and work together now, too. We boys don't expect much when we come back. We just want a good paying job and a good place to live, but you can't do it on 50 cents an hour. Senator TUNNELL. How much do you think it would take for you? You say you don't pay much attention. Maybe you don't know. Do you know? Mr. BURKE. No, sir; I never bothered to figure it out. Senator TUNNELL. Never bothered to figure it out? Mr. BURKE. No. Senator TUNNELL. Is that all you want to say? Mr. BURKE. Yes. Senator ELLENDER. What is the most you ever received per hour? Mr. BURKE. 50 cents, sir. Senator ELLENDER. Ís that the same rate that you had before you went to war or less? Mr. BURKE. Well, I got less, because I went in the service in 1939 as a volunteer; I enlisted of my own accord, thinking I would be helping my country out by enlisting. Senator ELLENDER. Were you employed at the same place before the war as where you are now employed? Mr. BURKE. No, sir; I was not. Senator ELLENDER. You were getting less than 50 cents before you went to war? Mr. BURKE. Yes, sir. Senator ELLENDER. What was it? Mr. BURKE. Well, I don't know, sir; I can't remember very well now. Senator ELLENDER. That is all. Senator TUNNELL. All right. Thank you. Mr. ERVIN. The next witness is Mrs. Frances Garcia, of New York City, who holds a highly skilled position in the Western Union. Her husband is still in the Army in Germany. He was also a volunteer. He has been in the Army 512 years. She is a mother of a child not quite 2 years old, and she will tell you her experiences and what her desires are on this measure. Senator ELLENDER. Mr. Chairman, at this point, could we find out who the gentleman is who is introducing these witnesses, and what is his background? Senator TUNNELL. What is your name? Mr. ERVIN. I am Charles W. Ervin, public relations counsel for the Textile Workers Union of America, the Amalgamated Clothing Workers and for other organizations affiliated with the CIO. Senator ELLENDER. Thank you. TESTIMONY OF MRS. FRANCES GARCIA, AMERICAN COMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATION, NEW YORK, N. Y. Senator TUNNELL. I did not catch your name. Mrs. GARCIA. My name is Frances Garcia. I am 24 years old and I have been married 31⁄2 years; and I have a child, a baby girl of 21 months. I work for Western Union, and I am considered highly skilled in my field. I am in one of the key positions of Western Union. Without me and others like me there would not be a Western Union. Senator TUNNELL. What do you do? Mrs. GARCIA. I am an automatic operator. I send over 100 messages an hour under conditions which are not too good, for one reason. They have lots of noise, tension, mental strain, because you have to send messages and concentrate all the time, and there is no air-conditioning. Well, it just isn't good for someone that is working in a place where you need some kind of decent air. You see they pay so little that they can't get much help, and naturally we have to work harder. Senator LAFOLLETTE. How long have you been doing this work? Mrs. GARCIA. I have been working there 311⁄2 years, and I have been getting 60 cents an hour, but only for 22 years, that is, during the wartime when there were sky-high prices, but we are still getting 60 cents an hour. Now, I have a baby girl that I would like to bring up to the best of my ability. With the help of the allotment I get, which is $80 a month, I have to contribute that to my mother who is helping me take care of my baby. She doesn't get much, if anything, from my dad; so, I am really supporting my mother, my child and myself on $21 a week take-home pay, and the $80 allotment that I give her complete y for room and board and for the services she renders for my child. She can't work, and that is the reason I feel she should get the $80 a month, and sometimes more, in fact, if I can afford it. Sometimes I work a little overtime and bring home a little more, but I do not work overtime all the time because I have to come home and help with the clothes, wash clothes, my baby's clothes, my own, and so |