Evening star., 1906-04-08
LIVE ISSUES TOPICS
Final Sessions of the American
Scientists
HELD IN PHILADELPHIA
Interesting Papers by Prominent
Workers.
NOTABLE ADDRESS BY A WOMAN
Mrs. Phelps-Stokes on Condition Of
Working Women In This Coun-
try-Hotei System.

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. April THE final
sessions of the tenth annual meeting OF tho
American Academy of Political and Social
Science were held today. Thu afternoon
session was devoted to a discussion OF the
topic The Industrial Condition of the Ne
gro in the North" The list of speakers
included Prof Kelly Miller Howard Uni-
Nsrsityr Washington; Miss Mary W. owing
ton. New York; r. r. Wright, tr, Uuiver-
sity of Pennsylvania; Hugh NJ Brown,
principal OF the Institute for Colored Youth,
Cheyney, Pa, and VIM. l.. Bulkley, New
York.
The Condition OF Working Women In
the United States" was the topic discussed
at tonights session. Addresses werc made
or forwarded by Miss Dorothy Richardson
of New York, author OF The Long Day
Mrs. j. G. Phelps Stokes. New York: Miss
Fances A. kellor. general director of the
international research committee: Miss Lii
liam d. Wald, Nurses Settlement New
York. and Mrs. Frederick Nathan, president
OF the Consumers League
The following is an abstract OF the adj
dress on The Condition of Working Wo-
men in the United States" delivered by
Mrs J. q. Phelps Stokes:
Mrs. Stokes Address.
Much of the hardships of the working
classes is consequent upon the fact that
they are obliged not merely to support their
own families, but to contribute. whether
they will not. to the support of other
families which live In ideness and luxury
upon the products of the working peoples
toll 1t is the nearly universal recognition
of this fact among the working people ok
our country that leads more than all eiSa
to strikes and Industrial disturbances, to
Ill will, to class hatred and to that crav-
ing for larger justice which underlies the
socialstlo program.
The working woman sees, or at least feelA
that excessive toll on her part would be
unnecessary If the burdens OF production
were more fairly distributed and if waste
prevailed less widely. Excessive hours oS
toll and consequent craving for relaxation
and refreshment lead naturally TO the SEEK
ing of gaiety or recreation after the days
work Is done, and conditions under which
alone gaiety and recreation can be had by
the average working girl in our large cities
are far from conducive to the highest stand-
ards Of living.
Many troubles are caused to the less
serious minded working girls, through nat-
ural though foolish attempts to initiate thA
habits and dress of those who live and dress
eXtravagantly. Money needed for the relief
and aid of a sick neighbor, or for food or
clothing for g. younger brother or sister, 10
often squandered on imitation Jewels or
other hnery, where other motive exist9
than one OF vanity and vainglory prompted
rich.
Even when charitable societies seek In
al kind manner as they know how TO pro-
vide relief for those genuinely In need. the
methods which they sometimes pursue TO
ascertain the reality of the need are most
harmful
This prevailing distinction that Is COM
monty made between worthy" and ''un-
worthy applicants for relief, is most mis-
taken and unfortunate. No man or woman
Is so degraded as to be unworthy OF aid to
a better and worthier life. The relief must
be suited to the sufferer, but relief OF the
right kind need never be withheld.
A Hotel for Working Girls.
The presiding officer at tonights session
was Edward A Filene OF Boston. who
made the Introductory address. Miss Dor~
othy Richardson advocated the establish-
ment of a hotel system for working girls.
designed after the Mills hotels.
"As to their conduct as institutions" she
declared. ''there should be no rules. no
regulations which are not IN full operation
at any other hotel. The curse of all such
attempts in the past has been the insistenos
upon coercive morality. Make them not only
non-sectarian, but non-religious. There 10
no more need Of conducting a working
girls hotel or lodging house in the name OF
the Lord or under the auspices of religious
sentiment than there Is necessity for ads
vertsing the Martha Washington Hotel or
any fashionable bachelor apartment house
as being under Divine guidance"