Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1891-08-20
ENGLISH WORKING WOMEN.

Brief Report of the Recent Meeting Of
the Trade Union Association In London.
A report of public meeting of the
Women's Trade Union association, re-
Gently held at St James Hall, London,
will be interesting to American women,
as showing the interest taken by En-
glish women in one of the vital ques-
tons of the day. The first speaker was
Mrs. Wynford Phillips, who insisted
upon the necessity of union between
working women, There are" she
said, 5000 women in England en-
gagged in noble toll, whose condition is
bad, and with all their work they can
scarcely keep themselves from starva-
ton. The way to help these women is
by teaching them to help themselves
the only sure defense. Wages can be
raised only by union. Some of the con-
ditions under which the workers live
are due to themselves; and in that fact
there is hope, for they are able to
remedy them. They undersell one an
other, and till this is put an end to
nothing can be done for them. Those
who are not working women can help
by demanding political enfranchise-
ment for women, for they alone can
understand their own and their chill
dren's needs. knowledge is greatly
wanted among the women, and that
can be obtained by trade-unionism,
With more knowledge and sympathy
and moral courage the world may be
regenerated."
The secretary of the East London
ropemaker's union was the next speak
er. The first necessity, she thought is
for women to realize that they were
born with the same rights as men. To
maintain this natural equality they
must combine. Miss Clementina Black,
secretary of the association, said that
the work was not going on as fast as
could be desired. She then appealed
for ladies with leisure to go among the
working women and tell them of the
advantages of de-unionism. The
only reward for such work would be
that they would know that they were
staying the great terror of England
pauperism. In conclusion Miss Black
urged all not to take low wages, think
ing that it would only affect them
selves 1t lowered both women's and
mems wages
Rev. Mr. Price Hughes was the last
speaker, and said that the work they
were there to advocate would never be
accomplished until the sympathy of all
women was enlisted. He believed with
Paul that "the husbandman that labor
eth must be the first to partake of the
first fruits" of labor. The first neces-
sity was that the workers should be
fed that they should have enough to
live in health and in reasonable COM
fort. Scripture, humanity and God
were against the sweating of the Ia
borer. Public opinion must be manu-
featured that would make such a thing
impossible. The facts of the case are
not known, and he urged the associa-
ton to print and publish them broad
cast An increase in wages did not OF
necessity increase prices, and even if il
did in certain cases do so, CONSUMERS
must be prepared to pay those in
creased prices. To sacrifice the bodies
and souls of men to the craze for cheap
ness was abominable. He hoped that
Christian women would respond tc
Miss Blacks appeal, and do their ut
most to spread information about the
advantage of trade-unionism. 1t was
by helping the least of these his broth
rem that we could best please Jesus
Christ.
The report states that Lady Henri.
Somerset was on the platform and OF
fered the opening prayer, and that thu
audience was very large.