Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-10-29
WOMAN IN CLUB AND CHARITY

An open letter to club women in a recent
issue of the Wageworker, published at LIN
coin, after commencing the work of the
club women in behalf of the Consumers
league and all the conditions that its white
label insures, calls attention to a few facts
concerning the labels of the various trades
unions which guarantee the same whole
some conditions in the manufacture of
everything where union labor is employed
and asks the cooperation of the women in
extending the demand for goods bearing the
union label. Conceding the merits of the
Consumers league the Wageworker asks
why the club women do not avail them
selves of a weapon against the sweatshop
that is already at hand-one that has been
doing all that the women have been striv-
ing for since long before the days of the
women's club. Many reasons exist why
women generally have not given their sup
port TO the union label, and first among
these is, perhaps, that the majority of them
know little or nothing of the label or what
1t stands for, and, too. as the Wageworker
suggests, undoubtedly many. through their
Ignorance, are preiudiced against the union.
II is in this ignorance of the women that
the answer is found to the question that is
implied If not asked why the necessity Of
this duplicate work OF the Consumers
league?'
II is back beyond even the Indifference of
women that the responsibility for this ig-
norance lies. There is little lack of SYM
pathy or cooperation among the wage
earning women for all that pertains to the
betterment of those who toll 1t is the
protected woman; the woman in the home,
the club woman. who needs and has to oe
,I.. IL, g.,t
ent merely because of the false standards
of propriety that have hedged about her
since the beginning of time. Because
women have been educated to believe that
il is indicate and even mmodest for them
to mix or participate in the pursuits once
claimed entirely by men, it has taken the
tact and courage and even self-sacrifce of
the bravest and most intelligent of their
own sex to lead them by another and often
necessarily roundabout route to the desired
end-their own enlightenment. Prejudice
has been and is still so strong against the
Advancement of women that the utmost tact
has been necessary wherever a big thing
has been undertaken by them, and 1t has
been the admirable tact OF the founders
and directors Of the General Federation OF
Women's Clubs that has made that cOlos-
sal influence for reform popular organizd-
ton. Does anyone imagine for a moment
that such women as Mrs. Frederick Nathan
Florence Kelley, Jane Adams, Mary Me
DOwell and all the rest who have urged the
necessity OF the Consumers league and its
score of attendant reforms for which club
women are striving. have not recognized
! that the league is duplicating the work of
/ the unions? The very fact that such
women are at the head OF the league ought
/ TO suggest to the discerning person that
! there is some good reason for it's existence
! and teach him also where the real incon-
/ sistency lies. 1t Is because prejudice has
denied woman all the direct avenues open
to certain desired conditions that she has
/ been forced TO make an avenue all her own
which the tmid among her own sex will
not be afraid 10 follow and which men
/ Consumers league is merely one OF these
avenues. There is one phase Of the league s
usefulness, however, that is unique and
/ that is its work for unorganized women. II
/ would insure TO these. as 10 all others who
are not protected by organization. the same
/ wholesome conditions that are demanded
/ by the unions The ingenuity that has
/ characterized the methods by which women
| would attain their ends is evident I'm the
league which not only duplicates but sup
PIGMENTS the union by approaching the
same from another side-the great independ-
/ ent side. There Is little doubt however
that II club women generally understood
the significance Of the union label they
would gladly cooperate 20 extend It's power.
The following outline has been announced