U.S. Department of Labor "Ten-Hour Maximum Working-Day for Women and Young Persons", 1913

Labor Law

First Edition

U.S. Department of Labor. Ten-Hour Maximum Working-Day for Women and Young Persons. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1913. First edition. 71 pages. Original green printed wrappers. Published as Bulletin No. 118 of the Bureau of Labor Statistics under Commissioner Charles P. Neill, this 1913 report surveys global legislation on the regulation of working hours for women and young workers, marking a critical moment in U.S. and international labor reform. Framed by the resolutions of the Berne Convention and subsequent Geneva and Lugano Delegates’ Meetings of the International Association for Labor Legislation, the bulletin offers both a comparative and prescriptive lens on gendered labor protections. Aimed at justifying and promoting the adoption of a 10-hour maximum workday, the report helped build the foundation for the broader push toward federal labor standards that would culminate decades later under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938.

The document meticulously details statutes and enforcement mechanisms from the United States, Europe, and other regions, categorizing states by the presence or absence of maximum hour legislation, age limits, and gender applicability. It distinguishes between countries with no labor protection, those regulating only children or only women, and those with broader laws. Particularly striking is the emphasis on the hygienic, social, and intellectual benefits of restricting women's and children’s working hours—a progressive framing rooted in early 20th-century reform movements concerned with both moral and physical well-being. While the bulletin occasionally reflects the paternalism of its time, it captures a transitional moment when international consensus began to coalesce around protective labor laws as essential to modern statehood. The appendices further contextualize the U.S. in a global landscape, with detailed charts and summaries illustrating exceptions, rest periods, and overtime allowances by country. As such, it remains a key primary source for understanding gendered labor governance during the Progressive Era.

Some light edge wear to wrappers, with pencil notations to front and back and purple ink stamp of the Berlin statistical bureau on the front. Pages clean and binding sound. Overall very good condition. A labor bulletin illustrating the international status of women and child workers—an essential source in the study of gendered labor history and Progressive Era reform.

Item #22134

Price: $225.00