The record-union., 1891-09-10
A LABOR QUESTION.

The report of the Massachusetts Labor
Bureau shows that as the price of labor in
that State rises the number of male and
female employees more nearly approaches
women supplant men, because they uni
forrnly work for the lesser wage. Now,
if there is any value in this showing it is
to be found in the truth it discloses that
the rush of women into the employments
OF the natural bread-winner, man, is de-
morahzing to the cause of labor, bad in
its effect upon domesticity and calculated
TO check home building.
But we have not stated all that the re-
port shows upon this point. The ''clinch-
ing argument" against the employment
OF women, in mems places is found in the
showing, that as wages go up and the
equality of employment Of the sexes
equalizes, when a certain point of high
wages for labor is reached the employ
ment of women ceases and only men are
engaged at the higher rate. This point
may be taken to be, then, the beginning
OF the line beyond which it is not profta-
BILE to employ women, because of their
incapacity.
But where the class of work is the same
the wage still remains higher for men, a
manifest injustice, but seemingly a dis
tlnction that society will not consent to
abandon. The Denver Republican be-
ieves that'the fault is with women them
selves to a great extent; that is, they ac-
cept the lower wages in employment
where the labor is the same for men and
for women. But it must be kept in mind
that if women demanded equal compen-
sation with men for like labor and ac-
complishment, the employer, in seven
cases out Of ten, would prefer the man;
again, the number of women competing
for places is so great that class competi-
ton is stimulated that forces down the
rate of wages.
There is but one remedy for this mis-
fortune; that is the withdrawal of women
from employments in which men would
be engaged but for the female influx. The
bread-winner is the man, home care is
the duty Of the woman and her privilege.
The doctrine so persistently preached that
women should become independent of
men and go out and make their own liv-
ing, is simply doctrine leading to the
degradation of women; doctrine not
dlssimilar in its ultimate results from the
social rule Of the American aborigine
who holds that the man is the warrior and
hunter, and woman the toiler and menial.
She is the bearer of burdens and the doer
OF labor; man fights, eats and rests.
If only women sought wage-earning
employment in the places of men, who
are really in need of the income and who
would starve without il, the evil would
not be nearly so great. But the truth is.
and the statistics show it, that not even a
majority are so situated. More than half
the women displacing men in labor are
not driven to it by actual need Quite
largely their gains go to swell the family
purse, or to support in idleness members
of the household who do not and will not
work. So, too, a considerable number
enter mems employment field for love of
gain and to crafty the calls of vanity.
Just little less than half of the whole
number engage in such employments TO
keep the wolf from the door. But what
has placed the wolf there but the drift OF
women of which We complain, that has
resulted in driving ont male workers into
fields where there are fewer females?