New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-11-02

DEGRADING CONDITIONS THAT SUR
ROUND FEMALE FARM LABOR
ERS IN ENGLAND.

On January I. 1865. the Agricultural Gangs act
came into operation This in measure affected
the whole of rural England; 1t affected espe-
cially the large crop growing areas of the
counties. says Kate Tanqueray in The Contem-
porary Review" In Fenland. gangs Of female
workers to be found on every farm; and every
year-because Of stated hours and increased wages
field labor grows in favor with the daughters OF
farm hands. In the Hunting dOnshire and Cam
bridgeshire Fens it is generally accepted that
a girl must enter gang soon she leaves
school. and a natural consequence the ranks OF
domestic service find fewer and fewer recruits This
Fen child is brought up to regard the gang as her
ultimate goal When she is still an infant she is
drawn in her perambulator to the field. and left to
sleep In a shady while her mother works;
her school holidays are regulated by the harvest.
and in spite of laws to the contrary she is again
and again kept home to help in the potato pick
ing. This potato picking is the despair of Fenland
schOOlmasters and schoolmistresses: the irregular
attendances resulting in small averages. lower
grants and unsatisfactory examinations. AS soon
as the necessary examination is passed a girl hires
herself 10 a gangmaster. and for the greater part
OF the goes out day after day for eight hours
labor. starting at a. m. half an hour being al
lowed for lunch
In the main the Agricultural Gangs act is a good
one. taking account of the health and the morals
St me women and children employed NeveEthe-
system Is most IN vogue see in the system canker
morality of Fenland village life To quote from
a paper by Lord Nelson, in The Nineteenth Cent
Is a mistake 1t may apparently increase the wages
costs more in clothes and broken health than the
extra money brings in; il makes uncomfortable
homes and keeps the elder girls from school to do
the mothers work of looking after the children"
This refers of course TO the married field workers
and 1t is obvious that disorder, uncleanlincss and
household neglect must follow when the mother Is
away from home all day. She returns too tired to
do more than hastily prepare q rough meal for the
children and the house cleaning and the wash"
are put of until the first really day keeps the
woman within doors
But, speaking generally, the married women only
go out at the busiest seasons and the greater num-
Der of the gangs are composed entirely of girls
from about thirteen to eighteen years of age. And
II is precisely girls of this age for whom the sys-
tenn is bad. The tone of female field workers is
exceedingly low, their ideas of morality are small
ties.
In fact. after living among them for the last
twelve years, am convinced that every girl who
works in a gang becomes coarse both In thought
and speech.
Their minds stagnate until they become literally
or the earth earthly. This is particularly noticeable
IN their hours of LEISURE there actual joyous
ness no SpOntaneity of simple girlish fun: horse
play viii provoke horse laugh and with that
their sense of humor ceases Once when entertain
ing q party OF gang girls j suggested dumb
Cramho. This is entered into with zeSt, but their
only idea OF acting was 20 repeat the work OF the
DAY; hoeing potatoes, chopping mangolds the whole
round or the wearisome labor gone over in playa
pathet-- i:of OF minds that had ceased TO expand