The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-11-03
WORKING GIRLS ASKED
To JOIN WITH UNIONS
Strong Plea Made to Working
Girls to Join the Ranks
Of Trade Unionism.
False Doctrine n Freedom of Con-
tract is Thoroughly and
Strongly Opposed.

unionizing of working women, ap-
plauded freely and frequently, was
made by Mrs. Raymond Robins yes
terday afternoon to the Catholic
Woman's League. She appealed so
strongly that for forty minutes after
her address she was compelled to an
swer questions, giving more informa-
ton. This Is the second speech OF
Mrs. Robins within a week on the
same subject, and the interest created
at both meetings indicates that she
will meet with some sort Of success
in the movement.
"The working women must have
Justice" asserted Mrs. Robins, and
to my mind they can only get 1t
through organizing themselves into
| unions.'
1T has been difficult to get laws
passed regulating the hours and con-
| ditions Of labor which the courts will
hold are constitutional. The courts
| urge the freedom of contract. They
go on the assumption that two per-
sons are free to bargain and sell. If
they. We're free the theory would not
| have flaw. But when woman goes
| to a. factory for employment, can she
ask for certain wage and certain
conditions? No. If she could say she
| represents 500 women; then she might
| be free to bargain. There might be
some equality between the employer
and the woman. There is no freedom
of contract now and the working
woman cannot get it under the present
industrial conditions"
Tells Of Hardships.
! Mrs. Robins told one story after an
other Of women working in New York
One story was Of a woman working
seven days a week, eighteen hours
day for a weekly wage Of SLIT.
THAT woman" continued Mrs. Rob-
ms, las with most working women
had nothing left Of her vitality and
strength to organize her companions
1t is for us to help them out.
MANY times we give what we cal
charity to the poor working woman
Slapped of their strength, perhaps i'll
with their long hours and conditions
Of labor. The women are taken t.
the country to recuperate. Tllay &c
added strength. But who gets tn
benefit Of it? The employer. But w
gave the woman no charity, we onl,
pieced out her mere pittance. We onl.
gave her justice.
Do Unskil!ed Labor.
women are doing so much Of tn
unskilled labor and doing it under con
ditions that are insanitary. as ii
laundries, bake-shops, packing plant
and book binderies. They are ofte,
looked upon not as human beings bu
as sheep"
New York is having two genera
tons Of women working at the sam
time, while only one is working i
Chicago" replied Mrs. Robins. "Som
Of the conditions here are as bad a
! In New York. I know two girls EN-
ployed at the stockyards at IS cents
week, and today I saw ten little child
rem carrying clothes for sweat shop
on the Northwest Side. Public opinio
is ignorant or tolerant, and we mus
/ arouse It,"
\ But the newspapers are always or
posing labor, unions" suggested an
other woman.
l Il am amazed at the Chicago pa
| pers," said Mrs. Robins. Papers al
liable to write things their own wa
in dealing with strikes and unless 70
know the facts I would say the rews
. papers are probably untrue. 1t is NJ
alone so with newspapers. TT
\ churches and the universities are liza
] BILE to defend the present order {
things"