AN ACT TO ESTABLISH IN THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR A

BUREAU TO BE KNOWN AS

THE WOMEN'S BUREAU

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That there shall be established in the Department of Labor a bureau to be known as the Women's Bureau.

SEC. 2. That the said bureau shall be in charge of a director, a woman, to be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, who shall receive an annual compensation of $5,000. It shall be the duty of said bureau to formulate standards and policies which shall promote the welfare of wage-earning women, improve their working conditions, increase their efficiency, and advance their opportunities for profitable employment. The said bureau shall have authority to investigate and report to the said department upon all matters pertaining to the welfare of women in industry. The director of said bureau may from time to time publish the results of these investigations in such a manner and to such extent as the Secretary of Labor may prescribe.

SEC. 3. That there shall be in said bureau an assistant director, to be appointed by the Secretary of Labor, who shall receive an annual compensation of $3,5001 and shall perform such duties as shall be prescribed by the director and approved by the Secretary of Labor.

SEC. 4. That there is hereby authorized to be employed by said bureau a chief clerk and such special agents, assistants, clerks, and other employees at such rates of compensation and in such numbers as Congress may from time to time provide by appropriations.

SEC. 5. That the Secretary of Labor is hereby directed to furnish sufficient quarters, office furniture, and equipment for the work of this bureau.

SEC. 6. That this act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.

Approved, June 5, 1920.

Public No. 259, 66th Congress (H. R. 13229).

1 Amount increased by Reclassification Act of March 4, 1923, as amended and supplemented.

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

James P. Mitchell, Secretary

WOMEN'S BUREAU

Mrs. Alice K. Leopold, Director

Washington 1956

United States Government Printing Office, Washington 1957

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office Washington 25, D. C •Price 35 cents

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

FOREWORD

The handbook of facts on women workers, published biennially by the Women's Bureau of the United States Department of Labor, brings together basic information on trends in women's employment and occupations; the age and marital status of women workers; women's earnings and income; women's educational status; and State laws affecting the employment and civil and political status of women. It is designed as a source book for the use of labor unions, employers, educators, and women's organizations. The 1956 edition contains much that is new or brought up to date since the 1954 edition. Where possible, data for April 1956 have been used.

The Division of Program Planning, Analysis, and Reports, of which Anna Jo W. Behrens is Chief, has the overall responsibility for this bulletin. Primary responsibility for the first three chapters was carried by Mary-Elizabeth Pidgeon. The sections on labor law and on civil and political status of women were prepared in the Division of Women's Labor Law and Civil and Political Status, of which Alice A. Morrison is Chief.

ALICE K. LEOPOLD Director, Women's Bureau.

iii