It was within the power of the women of New York to raise all the others to that standard, and afterwards it might be possible to go farther and establish a standard higher than the present highest.
"We do not desire to blacklist any firm," declared Mrs.Nathan, "but we can _whitelist_ those firms which treat their employees humanely.

We can make and publish a list of all the shops where employees receive fair treatment, and we can agree to patronize only those shops.

By acting openly and publishing our White List we shall be able to create an immense public opinion in favor of just employers." Thus was the Consumers' League of New York ushered into existence.

Eight months after the Chickering Hall meeting the committee appointed to co-operate with the Working Women's Society in preparing its list of fair firms had finished its work and made its report.

The new League was formally organized on January 1, 1891.
[Illustration: Mrs.Frederick Nathan] THE CONSUMERS' LEAGUE "WHITE LIST" The first White List issued in New York contained only eight firm names.
The number was disappointingly small, even to those who knew the conditions.