The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1897-05-28
WOMEN WORKERS.
Their Increase in Numbers IN the
Last Ton Years.
Avenpss or Employment for the
Weaker Sex Opened Up by
Mechanical improvements
Things In Their Favor.

The department of labor lately con-
cluded an investigation, made at the
request of congress, to ascertain wheth-
er women are superseding men as
wage-earpers in manufacturing pur-
suits, and, if so, to what extent. 1t
appears from the report, which has Just
been made public, that the increase in
the number of female employees during
the last ten years has been greater than
that OF males. This is in accordance
with the showing of the last three CEN
suses.
The information on which the report
is based was obtained from less than u
Thousand establishments, but they are
scattered over 80 states and have so
many employees that the figures fur
nished by them may be taken as rep
resenting fairly the general situation
for the manufacturing Industries cov-
cred.
Ten years ago these establishments
which reported had 64,560 employees.
They had in 1896 10S,643 employees.
The number of women over Is had in
creased 66.3 per cent, md of women
under IS s9.1 per cent The increase
in the number of male employees over
is was 63.1 per cent, and of males un-
der that age, SOC per cent. The womei
have been gaining on the men. and tn;
juniors on the seniors. There is morc
work than there was ten years ago, but
women have secured the larger share
of it.
1t has been contended that married
women have either supplauted then
husbands rs wage-workers because
they worked for less, or have been com
PEELED to work like their husbands, and
supplement the wages of the latter, to
support the household. Much has beer
sid about the evil effects of this on
family life. But the data collected by
the department of labor do not support
this claim.
OF the 79,0s7 women employed, OF
whom 1912 were 10 or over, $751; per
cent. were single, s.5 per cent. were
married, and 2.5 fer cent were divorced
md presumptively had tosrpport them
solves. OF those who are married
many undoubtedly have drunken or
worthless husbands, and hence are
compelled to take care Of themselves.
No one who has observed the increase
in the number OF women wagc-earners
during the last GO years will be sur
prised Mt the increase during the last
ten years. The day when women could
find work only on the farm or in do
nestle service has gone forever.
The reason why women should be
given employment in manufacturing
industries on an increasing scale are
apparent. The greater division Of la
bor. which Is the result OF new methods
OF production, has made places where
their services could lie utilized. Me
chanical improvements have leS5end the
amount CT physical eAertion required
Of employees and have made 1t possible
to utilize the weaker sex.
The women are mere Trustworthy
They do not get drunk. They are not
likely TO 90 on strikes. They learn
more rapidly and they stick to Their
work more closely. And, in addition
to that, they work more chcaply. Pos
sjblv they can afford TO do so. since
they do not feel it necessary to ex-
pend part of their earnings for beer
whisky and tobacco.
According to the report, ont Of
given number of instances where me-
and women work at the same occupa-
ton and perform their work with th'
same degree of efficiency the mcn recc.v,
greater pay in FOL per cent. CT the III
stances, and women 16.5 per cent
Where males over and under is do tn
same kind of work with equal efiicionc.
1913 per cent. of the former get tho
greater pay.
Labor leaders claim that mon &c;
more than women do because they arc
organized, and are thus in better pr
sition to fight for high wages. Other
contend that as on the average th'
needs of women workers arc less taaT
those of men they are willing to wor!
for Iess.-Chicagc Tri""~r.
.,Dusr NAME NIIpTAINS