The herald., 1895-05-05
The Status
Of Women in France

the New York World, prohibits women
from working at night in factories. and
especially among the fisheries. This bill
has encountered the most bitter opposition
from some of the members. nota bly, those
from Normandy and Brittany.
This question was brought before the
french legislature for the first time in
io4'' 1t was then proposed to limit the
length OF the days work for women over
Il years OF age. as had already been done
for women under that age. The revolu-
tion OF ll4S interfered and the question did
not come up until 1870. Again it was
blocked, this time by the terrible events
of that year.
In 1874 it was reached again an d law
was proposed, not only limiting the
hours OF day work. but also those of night
work. notwithstanding NJ Woloski's
ardent championship, the bill was de-
feated. An amendment was passed May
10 1874, prohibiting girls under 2l from
working at night. thus gaining partial
victory for the cause.
The enemies of the bill urged that
young girls and women employed simu
taneously and at the same work should
commence and leave off at the same time.
To make distinction, retaining some
and dismissing others, would disorganlze
the system of work and cause much con-
fusion.
In 1880 the government again took the
matter up and ordered thorough inves-
tigaton by the industrial department,
the chambers of commerce and the arts
and manufactures, and the general coun-
ellis and inspectors of labor were called
| upon for an opinion. A vote of 81 for, to
| 151 against was cast but it was not until
1892 that the interdiction of night work
| for women was definitely passed as law.
The opponents of the interdiction did
not deny that it was better to allow
woman to remain by her freside during
the night and to employ her in the work.
shops during the day only, but they
argued that night work was much to-
be-regretted necessity. Such law, they
said. would interfere with and restrict the
workingman's rights. The woman should
not be deprived OF the means of gaining
a living for herself and family, nor
should her addition to the common in
come be cut off.
In reply to the first objection it is argued
that the working woman has no choice
in accepting night work; on the contrary,
it is more often compulsory. 1t is night
work OF no work, and she has to accept
night work, but not of her own free will.
France and Belgium are the only coun-
tries in which this custom is in vogue.
The other European nations have abol-
ished it, some partially. others entirely.
At an international conference held in
Berlin in March, 1890, motion inter-
dieting night work for women was intro
duced. The delegates of Germany, Great
Britain, Luxembourg, Sweden and Switz-
erland voted in the affirmative; Hungary.
Belgium, SPAIN Italy and Portugal in
the negative. Denmark, France and Nor
way abstained from voting.
The employers further urged that by
interdction women would lose an indis-
pensable salary, salary which they
could receive in No other way. The en-
ployment of women in night work as an
industrial necessity, impossible to sup
press without great injury to certain
branches of production. Experiment
alone could decide how tangible were
these objections. The experiment has
now been made, and those in favor of the
Introduction are in position to prove
that the objections to the law were exag-
gerated.
Before the vote on the law of 1892 wo-
mems work at night was found in some
| industries to be permanent throughout
the year; for example, in cotton spin
ming, carding and spinning of wool, man
ufacturng of candles, laces, sugar rein-
| cries, ETC.. etc. In others it was only at
| certain periods of the year, during more
or less prolonged season. especially in
| sugar retneries, beet-root distilleries,
paper mills, fish, fruit or vegetable can
neres and in perfume manufactures,
during the gathering of certain tloers.
Then again it was shown that women
worked in an irregular and spasmodic
manner through the night, having long
and tiresome hours, according to the sea-
sons of the year and the days OF the
week; for example. in sewing rooms for
dressmaking, artificial flowers. embroid-
cry. passementerie, furs, underwear, etc.
Under the new law, in factories where
a continuous fire is imperative in manu-
factrre the labor of women is not to be
interfered with if it had been previously
employed.
The law of July, 1893, granted length-
ened working hours to trades pertaining
to men and women's clothes; to the
house furnishing trades. manufacturing
of Wallpapers. decorators and Others es-
pecially active at the approach OF the
renting terms Of April and October; %
typographers and photographers, book
binders at the rush seasons, and to trades
fabrcating objects SO diverse as to be
known under the names of articles of
Paris.
According to the new law, in no case
shall the duration of working day ex-
ceed twelve hours. When the working
woman has done normal day work.
under this law. she cannot be COMPEL ed
to finish an urgent piece of work an hour
or two overtime.
The dressmakers who .manufacture for
the wholesale trade are perfectly satisfied
with the extra time allowed in February
and March, but those in the export trade
need their extra hours especially during
| January and July. Those who cater to
the Partisan trade need for their extra
hours April and May. Dressmakers in
charge of departments in large stores need
other and entirely different dates.
There is no provision for an unexpected