Omaha daily bee., 1894-02-11
EMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN.

WASHINGTON, Feb. $40 the Editor of
The Bee: | trust that the article in your
issue Of February l, signed Common Wei
fare has called forth replies from some able
pens. | am prompted to say a hasty
word upon it. The very subject of the ar
ticle, Women Versus Men" shows that the
writer is unfit to discuss the question Of
labor, or any other question in which the
mutual rights Of men and women are con-
cerned.
There is no such possible state of affairs
as women against men, or men against
women. In the long run the interest of
both sexes must be the same, and every man
who helps to secure rights for women.
whether 1t be of person, property or industry
is securing possible advantages for his own
female relatives, and in turn for their pos
terity of either sex. Doubtless had men not
been fathers, and been anxious TO save their
property in their own families, they would
not have made laws allowing women to in
herit, etc. If the women of a family do
not support themselves, their male relatives
will have to do it, therefore it is equally
the interest of both sexes that fields of labor
should be open to women.
Conditions of labor are not. what they once
were, and supporting the women of a family
is a much heavier burden today than a quar-
ter of a century ago, when the supported
Olllt Ntlc tnSdbeu III many HONotilOli III
dustries by which they made themselves
useful. The difficulty all men find in getting
work, and paying work, Is created not only
by women in competition, but by many other
conditions in society. The part that
women's competition plays in laying the
heavy burdens upon mems labor has it's COM
pensation in relieving men laborers every
where from supporting many whom they
would otherwise be called upon to support.
In the case that Common Welfare men
t;n-., ,rlnrn tI.An .rn,,n Arly ave 49,,
ployed to do two mems work, there is at
least this much to be said, that three per-
sons are earning their bread instead of two,
and If two men take the place of the three
women either they must support the three
women or there will be one more person to
drift and starve than there is when the two
men are out of employment.
Welfare wants our women and
girls to start out and explore the "arid fields
of feminine vocatiOns." Does he mean
the vocations of candle and soapmaking, of
baking, of laundry work, of tailoring, and
many kindred occupations which have all
been taken out of the home and organized
by men? Men having in the progress of
civilization taken away the old-time indus
tries of women by what right do they seek
to keep women out of all these newer indus
tries, such as stenography, typewriting and
many other clerical positions which origi-
mated since women entered the field of out
side work. and call them, as
welfare does, masculine POSITIONS
AS an employer of both male and female
help, If | had to take my choice between
giving the privilege of doing chores at my
back door to a well dressed and qualiiied
person, should prefer to employ a man
rather than a woman, while reserving the
indoor clerical occupations for women.
Nothing can be more despicable than the
plea of a person belonging to the stronger
sex for a woman to be turned out or en-
ployment to perhaps starvation and shame,
while he seeks her position to avoid doing
chores or otherwise engaging In work SUIT
able to his strength and talents.
CLARA BEWlCK COLBY.