New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-01-22
WORK GIRLS WRONGS
MRS. STOKES SPEAKS.
Former Rose Pastor BlGmes EN-
Dlouers for Much EUI.

tho subject yesterday afternoon at the peoples
meeting" at the Baptist Church OF the Epiphany,
Madison-sye and 64th-st. The pas - OF the church
the Rev. DR.. Madison c. Peter. presided. Mrs
Frederick Nathan. president of the Consumers
League among tho speakers.
DR.. Peters introduced Mrs J. G. Phelps Stokes,
formerly Miss Rose Pastor, young woman whose
name household word for sympathy end hu-
manity on the lower East Side.
Mrs. Stokes said in part:
Blame is often placed on the working girl for
finding no joy in her work; snd as work of high
standard largely depends upon ability to enjoy do
the poor qgahty Of the work she SO commonly
poso1 and e to Be aq tt o. and
all viii then be well with both herself and her
It is true enough that it s desirable cultivate
happy and cheerful disposition. and to be little
ds one n thing ga and being happy amid eonations
70 be happy where m Is f lust IS and I eood is m
easy thing; to be happy where injustice and wrong
Where euea n Of fRe e s
the work pleasurabie or at least tolerable.
ti9ns are not merely under constraint but the con
just and so ininical to healthy growth and de
velopment Of mind and body and spirit that instead
ference them her whole tsf beiDg Of she IS girl
of depth Of feelng) cries out against their injustice
people of wealth Which will lead them to be Utterly
dends Under dee p the
health and happiness and spiritual welfare Of their
On the shoulders Of the employing and propertied
classes lies the responsibility for perhaps nine
sometimes fall; Just as the shoulders Of the
by for the Weakened pysioues and the mpoysr
ished constitutions which lead to the appalling
causes
great deal of discomfort is due. not merely to
Of Injustice caused by the feelng Of the abso Quite
tb es OF employers and other people that
ence OF twelve years In factory
business to know where those dividends come from,
Often only few cents difference in a dividend
employees and complete Indifference to their condio
accept dSdends without knowing somethn IF he
conditions out OF which they spring. If Jesus were
people7 I don't want to preach, but there are
women who wear wear diamonds careless Of where the
means the misery Of worltingwomen. don't know
guess
Mrs. Nathan who sti1 occupied a chair on the
platform. put the first query to Mrs Stokes, as
follows:
would like to ask Mrs Stokes II she does not
which the best conditions prevail and What O would
fuse TO wear jewelry?
Mrs. Stokes replied:
they work for the money with which they buy It.
The Rev. Dr. r. S. Macarthur Of Calvary Bap-
fist Church, then spoke.
Just before the meeting dismissed a man
arose and said:
I would like to ask Mrs Stokes about her state
ment that the upper classes should be persuaded to
show more consideration for the working classes.
Doesn't she think 1t would be a great deal better
to educate the working classes to demand their
rights and insist upon having them7
Mrs. Stokes replied:
believe that the working classes should be edu-
Gated to know their rights, but believe that
great deal is being done along that line al
ready than is being done to teach the wealthy peo-
pie their own responsibilities.