Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1904-04-13

ioniSm las I.nprGYcd the Condition
of Women Warcw orl,ers.
The extent to which women have en-
tered the fed of trut,eS uHionism is not
generally appreciated by lie people #
tic United States. 10 obtain d closer
view of this subject a visit to the city
Of Chicago would surprise people
Thousands of women. both young and
old and of all classes, are taking an
active part in the union movement, and
they surprised the country when even
the schoolteachers organized for their
own protection.
Thirty-five thousand strong, the pet
ticoated trades unionists of Chicago
turned out to do themselves proud in
honor of organized labor in general and
their own individual organizations in
particular last Labor day. Iney min
gled with their brothers in all the de-
mocracy of the labor movement. which
acknowledged neither rank nor sex.
Thus writes Dorothy Richardson in
Lesle's Monthly for March. The labor
parade was unparalleled in the history
of the labor movement.
From the emotioualisn of a few
weak "auXiliaries" they have evolved
step by step to the cool sanity Of
complex, splendidIy organized system
of individual trades unions, recruited
exclusively by feminine wage earners
and controlled by lady" bosses and
lady" walking delegates.
This phenomenal growth has all TAX
en- place IN less than twenty years.
Lizzie Swank Holmes was the first re-
former uttering the doctrines of sey
equality with the corOllary arguments
| for the social and economic tndepend-
ence Of women aud for the organization
Of such of them as worked in the
trades and crafts.
AS a direct result of these organZa-
! tions the wages of women have in
creased from minimum of 10 to q
ma ximum Of 40 per cent. Their work
/ Ing day has been reduced from basis
Of sixty hours per week and upward
to maximum limit Of fifty-three
| hours per week, with ample pay for
overtime. Child labor has been totally
abolished in those industries where it
i had long been most fragrant, and in
the few instances where it yet remains
| it is doomed to an early death, SO un-
remitting is the war now being Waged
against it. Along with these have
! come radical sanitary improvements
larger and better ventilated shops and,
| md
well regulated allotment Of holidays.
The interrelationship of employer and
employee has been reduced to com
pleX system Of rules and agreements
mutually binding and reciprocally eff
fective, which the millionaire proprie-
tor cannot disregard with less impu-
nifty than may the young girl toiler in
his shop or mill.
Today neither the clothing manufac-
turer nor the steam laundry propre-
tor nor the brass foundry nor the pork
packer nor any Of twoscore other en-
| plOyers can dismiss an apprentice girl
without the full consent and approval
Of the Gladly" walking delegate Of the
latter's union. He cannot deduct q
penny from her wages for the break
age Of tools or "dock' her for tardi-
ness unless the "lady" walking dele
gate is convinced Of the justice Of his
claim.
With two exceptions there is no line
of feminine industry In all Cook coun-
ty today which Is not more or less
thoroughly unioniZed, and feminine in
| duStry nowadays means necessarily
any industry. The organizations "ary
as much in the nature and i:ADO"ta,lcc
Of the trades practicoa as T. a'llabers.
The United Garment Workers have
5000 members. the horseshoe "ai;
makers have so. the I.aundresses' un.
ion boasts $500 women and girls. the
! feather duster makers 100 The paper
box makers number 5000 against the
brass foundry girls with their two
month-old baby" union Of 80. The
two exceptions mentioned are the serv-
ant girls and the stenographers. and
they are exceptions only because no
well directed plan of action has as yet
been put forth in their behalf. That
they both want to be organized has
already been proved by the partial
success of several attempts to do so,
but their time is yet coming. say the
prophets.
Under the executive skill of Gather
inc Goggin and the astute generalship
of Margaret Haley the erstvhile meek
and reserved teachers have revolutions
lied school board affairs in Chicago
and introduced the unique spectacle Of
an educational body working hand in
hand for common purpose with the
hodcarrier and the Goa, teamster
More money, less work. shorter hours
to get these things the teachers have
stormed the city council; they have
pleaded their causes III the circuit
courts, and when they failed to get
justice in Cook county they went to
Spri ppfi old for il and whst is moro to