The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-03-25
Woman sWorld
LABOR PROBLEMS
In WOMEN'S CLUBS
CHICAGO EMPLOYERS CALL HALT
ON RADICAL MOVEMENTS.
Girls Strive to Create Anti Union
Sentiment to Offset Boycott Adj
/ vised by Investigating Club Women.

The sociological studies and labors
Of club women are at last bearing
fruits, but the nature Of these is some
thing Of q surprise to the club world
generally and even to some of the stu
dents Of social life who have not real
lied the full import of the radical po-
sition they have taken.
So long as the efforts Of the club
women were chiefly phtlanthrop1c' the
relief of suffering caused by the
wrongs Of the social system, their
work was regarded as praiseworthy
and encouraged, but as soon as they
give evidence of q tendency to drop
the role Of nurses and Of becoming
diagnosticians and surgeons to the So
cial life Of the country that Is quite an
other matter, for that would accom-
plish something if pursued with ordi-
nary intelligence and earnestness. So
long as the efforts Of women In deal
Ing with social problems Is sentimental
they are safe. but when they become
practical and really remedial some
body's interests are going to suffer and
objection Is promptly raised.
The conspicuous example of this
changed situation In regard to
women's participation in the ferment
controversy that has just reached a
warm stage in Chicago over the rela-
lions of the club women there to the
striking employees Of the Kabo corset
manufacturers Of Aurora. Conditions
have been investigated by number of
winter, since the lockout In December,
and they have uniformly reported in
favor of the contention of the girls. If
this had had no effect 1t might
have gone on indefinitely but the in
fluence of the women made itself felt.
The result has been a demand that the
Interference Of the women In such
matters should cease. Many of the
club women who have listened with
sympathy to the presentation Of the
case Of the strikers and who have
shown very radical tendencies in other
cases have husbands whose interests
are those of the Employers associa-
ton. The husbands are beginning to
realize that they are being compro-
missed and the strength of their posi-
ton Is being endangered by the activ-
tiles Of women of their own class and
that it behooves them to look after
the affairs of their own households
and to see that these rear attacks
cease.
The matter has become serious
enough to the corset company people
that they are seeking to enlist club
women, whose tendencies ought to be
capitalistic, on their side, as means
Of counteracting the influence of the
boycott declared against them and Of
the 'sympathies Of other women not
distinctly pledged to the boycott. By
the invitation Of the firm, which
claimed that it's side had not been
heard, Mrs. r. M. Roby, president of
the South Chicago Culture club, and
Mrs. Thomas A. Banning paid visit
to the factory recently in order to
secure material for the antiunion side
of the case. Their visit was unofficial,
and, indeed. nearly all Of the club
women have acted in an unofficial ca
pacity. The chief official action was
that Of the Woman's Trade Union
league, which made an investigation.
The results were embodied in cir
cular that declared the girls were in
the right and urged the Illinois club
women to refuse to buy the corsets.
Comparatively few clubs acted on the
boycott proposal, but the matter was
brought up and considered, and the
practical effect was much the same,
for, on the strength of the commit
tees report, the club members quite
generally would refrain from buying
the goods, without making pledge in
the matter.
While not claiming to act for their
clubs, the women who have been
backing the strikers so influentially
are among the leading club women
of Chicago, Mrs. Charles M. Henrotin,
president Of the Woman's club, being
the chief. The division of sentiment
being stirred up by the efforts of the
employers does not disturb Mrs. Hen
rotin, who regards it as natural and
inevitable. She says that the work
of Investigating labor conditions and
trying to arrive at just conclusions
will still go on in spite of opposing
interests.
The matter will be fully argued at
unique industrial conference in
April under the auspices of the Wom-
ans club of Chicago. At that time
the results Of several Industrial in
quiries will be presented. and repre-
sentatives Of the: Employers associa-
ton will be present to tell the women
of the outrages committed by labor
and Of the unjust demands of the
labor interests.
The Club Woman.