The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1905-09-23

ganized city, especially In regard to wo-
men workers, in the United States, and
the demonstration on last Labor Day
was sufficiently important to give spec
tators a fair idea of the immense
strength Of union labor in the city. says
Lizzie NJ. Swank Holmes. The history
Of the economic movement among wo-
men workers Of that city is typical of
that In all other large industrial cent
ers, and hence should be of general IN
terest.
But this encouraging state Of affairs.
$50 far as women are concerned, has been
the result of long years OF patient, earn
est work. Twenty-Five years ago the
situation was very different. A few OF
the trades were partly unionized and the
influence of organization was beginning
to be felt, but that broader, fraternal
feeling which today prevails among all
kinds of workers, to a more or less ex-
tent, was almost unknown.
Women who worked in factories and
shops at that time had not arrived at a
realizing sense Of the situation. They
did not know that new condition con-
fronted them. They failed to compre-
hend that the whole economic and so
preceding years was but part OF a
great evolutionary movement
They took with them to the factory
the traditions Of their old secluded life.
It was difficult for them to realize that
they were now part Of great industrial
army, and that the conditions, needs,
and interests of all were related. The
feeling of fraternity, which Is the basis
Of trade unionism, was entirely un-
known of them.
Therefore the earliest efforts toward
organizing women workers were attend
ed with great difficulties. Accounts
have been given recently In various
publications of the present work OF or
ganizing women wageworkers. Natural
ly such history commences after or
ganization had grown to be an accepted
thing, and the trades in which women
work are fast falling into line. But be-
fore this time there were years of educa-
tional work in which earnest determina-
tion, courage, and patience had to be
brought to bear upon the gigantic OBJ
stacles in the way.
In 1880 the writer was a wage work
|ssr*sins.G Chicago, and @deepl antereatS4lls
the problems which were presenting
themselves: I had pondered much over
the lack OF sympathy Of the women
among whom I worked and wondered
IL anything could be done to bring about
deeper sense of the common need
among them all. And just at this time
I discovered that an embryo working
women's union existed. An evening pa
per's advertisement furnished the in
formation that meeting would be held
the next Sunday. I talked with my
fellow workers and urged them to at
tend this meeting: out of nearly two
hundred workers four were present-an
intelligent young German woman, an
elderly English woman, my sister, and
! myself.
When We arrived at the place Of
meeting we found fair-sized hall quite
we'll filled with women and a few men.
Among the women advocating the or
! ganization Of their sex into trade unions
were<Mrs. Elizabeth Rogers, the presid-
ing officer of the meeting; Mrs. Lucy
; Parsons; Mrs. O. A. Bishop, who be-
! came quite popular for her ringing
speeches in behalf of working women
and children; Mrs. Bell, young and
earnest worker, and Mrs. George A.
Shilling. Several stirring addresses were
made and urgent invitations given for
the women wage earners present to join
the union.
This first working women's union OF
Chicago had been organized about a
year before by Mrs. Alzinah p. Stevens.
Who, for many years afterward, was a
power in Industrial circles, assisted by
Mte. Bishop and Mrs. Rogers. This
series Of meetings had been part Of
! Mrs. Stevens plan when she left the
city for California, the hope being that
number of the actual wage workers
of the city might be induced to form
unions of their own. The meetings
gave an impetus to the work. and
know we spared no pains or hard work
to bring our fellow workers to a realiE-
ing sense of the principles of fraternity
which our working brothers were be-
ginning to comprehend. But: it was
very difficult to make any headway.
Women looked askance at gatherings
where women spoke in meetin'," and
they thought that trade unions were
bold and common and mo nice girl
would belong to olle-" The idea that
working women had "a cause" was
new and unconventional and scarcely to
be entertained by these women so re-
Gently from the retirement Of the fire
side. They might be induced to attend
a meeting or Two, and even be delighted
there but Joining union-that was q
different thing, and too bold and de-
cided q step for women in those days.
Besides, most Of the young and good
looking girls looked upon their employ
ment as only temporary; they would
marry sooner or later. and thus escape
from the shop. What became of sew
ing women as class they did not care.
! Our Chicago Working Women's Union
had only a small membership Of women
who were willing to give their evenings
and Sundays for "the cause" which they
had at heart. When we had no money
| to hire a hall we met at each others
homes and discussed economic questions
among ourselves. thus gaining an en-
lightenment on these subjects which we
needed. We also talked and exhorted in
public wherever an opportunity OCCUR
red to discuss industrial conditions, 6nd
perhaps welded a wider Influence than