New-York tribune., 1907-10-14
TRADES FOR WOMEN
Facts To Be Brought Ont at Indus
trial COnUenti0n.

When woman must go to work in a mill or fac
tory, 10 what occupation had she better turn?
Which lines the cleanest. which the most sani-
tary, which offer the best chances Of advance
ment? Few workingwomen are influenced by these
considerations. They go to work In this or that
factory because they have a friend working there.
or because rhey live near by. or because it gives
them better pay than they could get elsewhere at
the start. II there We're more general knowledge
OF the conditions in various industries, many
worklngwonlan would be engaged in an occupation
better suited 10 her physique than the she
follows. And an important step toward diffusng
that knowledge has just been taken by the Ma
uonal Society for the Promotion OF Industrial Edu
cation, which is to hold convention in Chicago
the first week in December BY way OF forerun-
ner the society has sent out exhaustive report.
prepared by a special committee, upon the best
fields for women wage-earne
The report undertakes to deal only with indus
trial occupations in the narrow sense. The great
groups OF agricultural and professional service Of
which the inst employs lS.9 per cent and the
ond 50 per cent OF the iS&363O women of sixteen
wears Of age and over engaged in gainful ocGupa-
tons IN the United States. are omitted Domestic
service IS omitted too, and all occupations
In trade and transportation businesses except that
of the saleswoman. Steu1eraphy and typewritug
and bookkeeping are considered commercial occr-
patons and 50 not within the lines OF this report
In the 1-st place the report defines a desirable
industry. II is one which pays q living wage,
which does not deaden the natural powers or re-
duee the individual 10 the position OF mere ma
chine which develops tho sort Of efficiency which
viii be OF value To the as a honemaker.
and which IS not detrimental either physically or
morally. The industries which measured by these
tests, are considered least desirable for are
paper mills. cotton mills. cGriage and twiue mills.
all kinds And these industries swallow up - per
cent Of the wage earning women in manufactures
in the United States Occupations which are brack-
eted as Of doubtful desrability work in hosiery
and knitting mills woollen and worsted mills and
silk mills. About per cent - the wage earning
women In manufacture are IN these occupations
1t Is encouraging TO note that the proportion of
women in occupations which promise opportunities
is large 6i per cent Of the entire number IN facto-
rics. Such occupations are the making OF clothing
from cotton woollen and silk goods-when carried
in factories strictly high grade WorkrCOms-
straw hats, 1eWelry. and printing and publishing.
A few Industries not included I'm these three
groups employ women in certain parts OF the work.
but only IN the lowest paid and most uuskillcd
parts The report gives long list OF Ind stries In
which women employed. In the manu-
facture Of arms and ammunition, for instance; IN
building, light and heat. electricity. carriage max
ing. glass. leather lumber. machinery metals. pat
terms, musical instruments, print and dye works,
shipDuilding stone tools and wooden goods-5in
none of these need men fear the competition OF
women at present. though there IS no telling what
may happen in the future.
1t is a discouraging tale the report tells Of
ditions in the occupations included In the first
group. Cotton and cordage and twine claim large
numbers of women and young girls. the latter IS
peciay, and they fail 10 meet any of the desig-
mated requirements for a desirable industry The
in cotton mills never reach $40 and at least
threequarters of the employees earn less than s. 20.
In cordage and tWine work the wages fur
thcr below the living point Packing has virtue.
II is clean; but in regard to the rather important
considerations of wages and of opportunities for
development there is nothing to say for II. II is
bad as mill work. Candy dipping generally allows
a from 50 TO 81 a week II she becomes very
expert she may rise to the dizzy height Of $40 for
six days hard work.
Then comes the next great group Of industries for
women-manufacture Of woollens and silks. In
these the pay is little better, rule but they
do not stand the wage test desirable occupa-
tions. But they by means to be condemned
The character of the work is not so disagreeabo
as are the occupations in the group just mentioned,
- E,k,r 30 IeG fC
hoped that with the improvements In the manu-
facture of woollens and silks in this country a
offer better wages TO employees IN those lines Per
sons who have studied these things indulge the
hope that wOoen and silk industries Will he al
fected faYoraby by industrial educatloh Whlch as
il spreads may elevate the industry a whole, or
else may stimulate individual workers TO get into
desirable occupations.
The third group-the manufacture OF clothing
appears TO be the best hope of the woman wage
Garner. A good many women are employed in shoe
factories chiefly in stitching and finishing a per
sona investigation was made OF shoeworkers, ana
IL appeared that nearly one-haf earned SO and up
ward, and perhaps one-fourth less than SS a week
The remainder received more thah that ana a rev
get as much as $20 a week In this work. too. the
operative has "A chance OF advancing INTO more
lucrative trades the making OF gloves or straw
hats or fancy waists. In the manufacture of fur
skilled operatives receive from $i TO SIS week,
but the work is unwholesome because of the dyes
in the and the flying fuzz, which IS bad for the
lungs The glove making trade is promising one.
because for reason there are never operatives
enough
The Industry of clothing machine operating pre-
SCENTS some difficult problems. 1t employs an enor-
nous number OF women, and the proportion con-
stantlv Increases It stands representative OF the
movement from home to factory. Formerly II was
distinctly a home industry, to-day 1t is conducted
largely In factories. Yet il is often attacked. and
alwavs under suspicion. partly because of hostility
To the factory. partly because of a widespread
dread OF sweaed Industry.
Millinery and dressmaking the two branches
which require the highest grade of ability, and the
demand for workers in these lines is so great. so
much In excess of the supply. and the employers
co denendent on the less skilled help a source
from which TO I'LL higher positions. that no work.
ing girl makes mistake who goes into one Of
these trades.
ond silver articles printing and publishing, and
saIesnanship-these among the undeveloped
trades for women, There may be future In tnem
hnt ~ present they offer few opportunities.