The San Francisco call., 1904-11-13


- gzantrl occupations Three nil
lion OF these labor outside the
home These women workers are
handicapped by their physical weak
ness and unsccustomed. environment
Yet they have entered our sharply COM
petitve Industrial system. and must
often take Up single-handed struE-
Ele for existence IL which the warfare
IS 10 less sharp because the weapons
are the tools Of manufacture and the
stake The supply or failure Of their
daily bread
The fact that they have been able
10 do this without loss Of virtue. and
with an increasing degree OF justice
from The men who are their comped-
tors and employers proves chivalry to
be something more than a beautiful
dream of the past That which the
plumed and armored knights often
treated as q mere sentimental mas
Quersde has sunk deep into the heart
Il the common man, and in his SIM
p.icity and sincerity may yet give
deeper meaning TO the knightly vows Of
protection 10 wOnanhOod and 10 the
weaker members Of society
The great army Of men represented
by the American Federation Of Labor
are pledged 10 the fulhllment Of these
VOWS. n0t s0nly by the ties which the
human heart holds most sacred. but
By the fundamental principle undsrly-
ing the organizations, and the stern
economical necessity that gives persist
ence and force TO all their efforts
Whose little ones gather the spools
and watch The endless threads OF the
cotton mills OF run 10 and fro on the
countless errsnds Of the great stores
These are not the carefully protected
children Of the capitalist or profes-
siOnal man. The frail young girl who
stands long hours behind the counter
or sacrifices health and eyesight in
some basement work room is the
daughter and sweetheart Of a wage
worker in proportion as the condi-
r0ns surrounding the working mans
life become less brutalizing. his finer
human sentiments urge him TO insist
on the protection Of those bound TO
him by the tenderest Of human ties.
The labor organizations are not only
pledged 10 the protection Of women
and children workers by these most
primitive and potent Of human ties.
but by ideals that give deeper mean
ing 10 the movement. These teach that
the interests OF one are the interests Of
all; that the weaker members must be
protected and assisted by the mainte-
nance Of a good standard Of living and
that the selfish present advantage
must give way 70 the larger future
welfare of craft and class.
Economists assure US that wages are
largely determined by the standard Of
comfort demanded by the workers
The high standard Of the American
workman is threatened, not alone By
the competition OF foreigners, unable
70 adopt IT, but also by the more in
n ~ - 4
70 some forms Of female competition
How is z child whose immature mind
and BODY have been sIunted by the
deadening round Of machine tending 10
learn pride Of race or attain the manly
vigor necessary 10 claim and defend
the privilege Of his class2 Occasion
ally one Of exceptional strength may
overcome the difficulties Of his youth
hut the majority grow up to reinforce
that class OF incOmpetents, mentally,
morally and physically. who prove
heavy burdens within the unions or
without them menace their fellow
vorkmen more seriously by their short
sighted readiness 70 accept the lower
standard against which the unions are
struggling
- Dr. Englemann. IL q recent investi-
cation Of the health OF women OF the
professional and working classes finds
that women who have undergone the
professional career suffer much less
from the Ills peculiar 70 women than
the working girls. with their long hours
OF standing and confinement Direct
observers ike the Van Vorsts. lay
great emphasis 1.-the universally un-
sanitary conditions under which
women work. and the resulting preva-
lence of ansemic and distorted
physlQues- These women will be the
mothers Of the next generation of
American wOrkmen. The most ef-
fective and far-reaching efforts 10 pro-
mote class and national welfare VIII
begin with their protection.
Among the laws enacted in this coun-
try for the protection Of women are
those limiting the number OF hours of
work per week that may be required
of women, laws compelling employers
10 furnish seats for the use Of female
employees and laws prohibiting night
work Several European countries have
laws regulating the employment of
married women, particularly those with
Young children These laws have not
always been backed by the labor
unions and by no means express fully
their policy in dealing with women
workers
In the closing paragraphs of an ar
ticle recently published in The Annals
Of the American Academy Of Political
and Social Science, Walter Macarthur
says.
The attitude Of the American trade
unionist is that Of appeal TO the spirit
Of independence and TO a realization of
the truth that the workers are them
selves the sole repository Of power TO
better their lot The solemn lesson OF
history. to-day and every day OF our
lives is that the workers must depend
upon themselves for the Improvement
OF the conditions Of labor"
This Is The stern doctrine Of trade