New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-09-19
OF Interest ~
~ 10 tUOmer1.
TO STUDY ECONOMICS
Grozctb Of PROGRESSIVE League ana
Its Wanter Programme.

That there is a wonderful awakening among the
women Of the country to the many economic CUES
tons upon the problems OF life is the conclusion
which has been reached by the organizers of the
Women's National Progressive League. OF which
Mrs. Gaylord Wiltshire is president and Mrs. Jack
London, Mrs. Upton Sinclair and Miss Hildegarde
Hawthorne are members. This interest extends ap-
parently to all classes and there is probably no
/ other feminine organization in the country which
includes many sorts and conditions of women
Launched only a year ago, II numbers among
its members factory girls and social leaders, &C
tresses and school teachers. college women ana
farmers wives. The Colony Club has asked 70
have a speaker sent TO II Vassar College is or
ganizng a branch. and women on the farms ana In
the factories are clamoring for literature
The organization really seems to have sprung
out of the ground because it was needed saio
the secretary and treasurer. Mrs Florence Tr1den
in speaking of the work Everything mas Deen
done in response to a demand. All the literature
which is now being prepared was suggested by the
requests of members. For instance one woman
writes that she wants to show her white riOooh
friends and other philanthropic workers now use
less II is TO patch up social evils without removing
the causes AMI asks for some literature that VIII
help her So we are going TO prepare something
OF that sort In the same way the subJecL OF every
pamphlet has been suggested
The chief interest seems be in questions anect-
ing women and children We have many REQUESTS
for information about working girls, ABOUT the
rroblen of the fallen and about the chhd
labor question The enthusiasm of the farIn
women and the factory girls is quite marvellous
and we try to meet their needs with little leaIiets
that can be read through in five minutes Inc
farmers wives seem to be thirsting for fnforna-
ton about what other women are doing They ask
for information about the wonnen's organizations
that they see in the newspapers and about the per-
scnal lives Of the leaders.
Although the National Progressive League was
organized under socialist auspices its membership
is open to all women interested in social reform
and includes many non-socialists. The branches
are practically independent. They take any name
they ike and do their work in any way they like
The central executive merely stands ready to help
them If they it II provides speakers and ut
e-ature suggests courses of study and reading and
II keeps an org8nizer-AIrs- Carrie ". Auen-con-
stantIv busy in New York and the vicinity
The course of study outlined for this season be
gins quite properly with The Home Following II is
that without which neither home society could
exist. namely. Food" Then comes Industry" and
tAgrfcult1Ire' The Father q Wage Garner.
The Mother as a Wage Garner. Children as
Wage Farmers and Women and the Ballot
Notes and leaflets and lists Of books provided
under each of these heads.
The league now has branches all over the coun-
try with members a. large in Canada and in the
MIA including the William Morris Club of San Fran
cisco and there is large and enthusiastic branch
Of factory girls ir Pittsburg. There is big in
Kansas City, and severa! colleges interested
besides Eassar. Oklahoma has several branches
and there are branches in Utah, Texas, Illinois
Montana. Massachusetts and many other states.
The farmers wives still rembers-at-large
without any organization, but some of them expect
10 get together soon.