The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1905-08-12
UNIONS MAKE HAVEN
FOR WOMEN WORKERS
Lady Henry Somerset Tells of
What Labor Does for Women
in New Zealand.
Says There is Improvement Over
Sweatshop Methods in Ameri-
ca and England.

London, Aug. 10.-New Zealand has
no doubt obtained conditions which
render women's work easier than in
any other country. Miss Beatrice Kel-
ly explains the reasons Of this when
she says that unions of women wage
carners are the secret of the fact that
the working girl there has more COM
fort, better wages, more liberty and
exercise than anywhere else.
The pay in England for woman
worker Is simply nothing compared
to that which can be earned In the
new country. She Is no longer at the
mercy of her employer and cannot be
compelled to do work below the value
Of her labor on pain of being dismiss
sed, for should she be asked to do
anything that Is contrary to the stand
ard arranged by the union she would
he supported by the union should she
refuse to accept the terms.
The terrible amount Of sweating
which prevails in England would not
exist if women were not slaves to
their employers. If once they could
understand the importance of banding
themselves together, fixing the price
of honest work and making a strong
and determined stand against UNDER
paid labor, they would gain the better
conditions enjoyed by their sisters in
New Zealand.
Women in Anti-DueI League.
The women in Galacia have formed
an Anti-Duel League, which has been
joined by some of the most prominent
of the ladies of Austrian Poland. Their
great aim is to suppress this barbarous
custom, and to secure the amicable
settlement of so-called affairs Of
honor"
We have always been accustomed to
associate Austrian with somewhat an
tiquated ideas with regard to the free
dom of women, but the strides which
that country is now making gre very
remarkable. Women's societies of all
kinds are springing up everywhere.
The society for saving lives is per-
haps one of the most remarkable Of
the new developments. IT was round
ed after the burning Of the Ring
Theater. some twenty-five years ago.
1t has ambulance cars, litters and
automobiles always standing ready in
different parts of the city, and boats
waiting on tho river, available at all
times in case Of accident, drowning or
suicide, and the most enthusiasticcsup-
porter of the movement is Princess
Pauline Metternich, the daughter-in-
law of the famous Grand Chancellor.
She spent many years at the court Of
Napoleon III, where her husband was
Ambassador for Austria. and is cell
ebrated for her intelligence and her
will.
Great Woman Astronomer.
always return with ever-increasing
admiration to the work Of Lady Hug
gins. I remember meeting her many
years ago and feeling how good 1t was
to think that at last a woman was
added to the list Of astronomers who
had hitherto reckoned none among
their number, for each time that wo-
man enters the domain of pure science
she has taken a distinct step onward
which the whole world must recog-
nize.
In the case Of Lady Higgins, the
miserable objection that intellect sep
arates men and women instead Of bind
Ing them is for ever done away. She
has shared her husbands work and
authorship for years, indeed her chief
object has been to help him In his
scientific labor, but her individual
work was so remarkable that she was
elected AS an honorary member of the
Astronomical Society two years ago.
A delicate woman with large gray
eyes and sensitive and refined face,
she does not look as though she could
possess the physical endurance which
~rI,
Heart Is In Her Work.
remember her saying that she
would sit up for nights together If the
weather was clear, and the work Of
taking photographs by night, and
manipulating the delicate machinery
Of the clockwork which guides the te-
lescope is an exhausting process, and
in winter time the observatory is nec-
essarily cold.
Lady Higgins was asked not long
ago whether men welcomed women in
to the realms of science. and she re-
piled in the affirmative, but added,
that Is, provided they have the proper
knowledge. 1t is absurd to suppose
that any one can have useful know
ledge on any subject without great
en- sufficient pains to fit themselves
to assist or do original work, scientific
men are willing to treat them as
equals
Speaking of America, she said that
the instruments and observatories were
of higher order than in this coun-
try, because there were so many
private citizens who would give i'm
mense sums to build up fine observa-
tories and endow them, so as to sup
port a. staff of astronomers. There is
much more public interest in astrono-
my In America she says, then there is
here.
Bernard Shaw's Latest.
The words Of Bernard Shaw have
acquired Importance, because the pub
lie has now recognized the power of
his genius He has recently hurled an