The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-09-26
Needle.WOmen in London.

How many women there are in the
East End who live by the needle | do
not know. Mrs. Rockford told me
Yesterday that from where we were
standing you could go east, west, north
and south and in almost every house
that you pass you would find at least
one needle woman. In all London,
according to the last census, more than
u quarter of million women were re-
turned as making their livelihood by
that means-an army of working
women more numerous than any other
class, excepting those engaged in do
mestic service. The more's the pity
that their lot should be so hard. Ia
face of general and most indisputaDle
improvement in the condition of labor,
it would seem incredible, if it were not
only too horribly true, that the condi-
ton of the needle-woman is even worse
than it was when the Song of the
Shirt" stirred the whole nations
heart. That song of misery and
woe might have been composed
yesterday and every word of it might
be applied to the needle-women, thou
sands of whom are crowded together
in that solid block of misery, the GEN.
tire of the East End. II in Hoods time
the needle-women were chastised with
whips, they are to-day chastised with
scorpions. Should there be any doubt
tina. this is so, let them take the train
from Stepney 10 Bow Road. and plunge
into the endless mass of low red-roofed
houses which spread to the right and
left as far as the eye can reach, and
miles further down to the river banks.
In most of these miserable abodes the
needle-women are at work. Any time,
any season will do; they know no ho,i-
day, except that involuntary one when
tn re is no work to be had, and when
grim death itself is their guest, death
of starvation. But it is perhaps better
10 90 on a gray wintry day, Tor when a
reflection OF sunlight falls into the
dens, they are almost too CHASTITY
piCt too look at.
What has been said above applies
only to the "honest" needle-woman.
There's a way by which she can escape
poverty and hunger. and it is, alas fol-
lowed by the majority. 'I-ife in the
Streets" provided the girl has any
special attractiveness, Is more remuner-
alive; it pays so well that tinery can be
bought instead of rags, and idleness
and ease may take the place of toll and
worry. No wonder they fall: the
temptations are strong. Here. for in
stance, is little low room. A sewing
machine stands before the window.
In front of it sits a tall, pale girl. with
large. beautiful eyes, full of brilliant
light. The girl is In decline. By ner
side sits an old woman also busy
with her needle. "She cannot always
do the machine sewing now, she faints
aw so often" the old woman says,
looking at her compan on. ''She goes
to the hospi al. and they say she must
have nourishing food; but all last week
she had nothing but bread. How can
we buy nourIshing food" she adds
with an humble smile. There is one
way of supplying that need. but the
girl would rather die. 1t Is no phrase,
but stern reality. She Is dying now.
one among unnumbered exa nples OF
he silent herois n of the East End. the
unnOticed martyrdom of the abject
poor.
l have said before that their work
never ceases There is, however, one
exception. When the SHOPS are stak-
ing stock'-whIch happens twice
year-work is slack. and it fares hard
with the workers; otherwise good
needle-women have not many dithcul-
ties in obtaining work. Of trade unions
they know nothing, and even if they
did they would not dare to join them,
partly from fear of exciting the ill-will
of the employers, or rather of the
sweaters" and also because there
would be plenty of people willing to
take the work for as low and even
lower wages. should they attempt to
strike. They are hungry and they
can not wait, but must take what they
can get. The introduction of sewing
machines is greatly lamented in the
East End. Before their time pay was
better; the women could
earn living BY their wages then, now