Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-11

This committee VIII prODdDlS TepOIt DIT
| the session tomorrow morning
| Practically all the Washington women
present this morning are inexperienced
in the work which they are going to
undertake. and they desired that the first
meeting should be an executive session
at which no men should be present. Be
! fore the meeting. however. the long cor
ridor of the New willard was given over
to informal meetings. little groups scat
| tered here and there. listening 10 such
| men as Timothy Healy. president OF the
stationary firemen's organizatio John
| Mitchell the retired president of the
United Mine. Workers, Association Of
| North America. and Samuel Gompers.
vice president American Federation of
Labor.
Samuel Gompers Presides.
The meeting was called to order by
Samuel Gompers. in the absence of Seth
Low president of the National Civic Fed
Grafton. Mr.. Gompers recounted some of
his experiences in connection with wom-
ems auxiliaries and committees. and gave
practical advice. The main danger in
Mr. Gompers' estimation. is that the fine
spirit and enthusiasm shown by women
at the start of an organization devoted
| to civic and labor work often decreases
until the burden Is carried by only a few.
| Following his speech. Mr.. Gompers re-
! tired and the doors were closed for the
executive session. Mrs. Thruston Bal
|
! of the Employees Association Of Louis
vile. was elected temporary chairman.
and Miss Conner. daughter Of the Gov
ernor OF Ala bama. was elected secretary
. The principal speech was made by Mrs
J. Borden Hartman. Mrs. Hartman is
at the head OF the local committee re-
Gently formed In New York city to look
| into the conditions of the employees in
factories and business offices in New
York city. and who is now one OF the
most prominent factors in the formation
of the national committee.
After telling of her experiences in New
York and the conditions which she and
| her committee had found and renedied.
she said:
| "All OF us have an influence and some
of us are the wives or sisters of en-
ploSers of large numbers of factory OPP
| eratives. or perhaps ourselves are own
ers an. stockholders in companies. Should
not the woman who spends the money
which the employees help to provide take
| a special interest in their welfare. es-
| pecially in that OF the women wage earn
| ers'
Should not frankly recognize our
own ignorance of the conditions under
which they live and work. and seek from
| those whose knowledge can be relied upon
| Outstanding of the existing conditions and
| difficulties?e
Neither emotional philanthropy nor
| ignorant indifference must influence US.
Should Seek Information.
This We can do by taking the trouble
to acquaint ourselves with things as they
really are by coming into contact with
those whose weakness is a call upon our
strength. We will learn TO know from
actual practical experience what should
be done for the betterment OF conditions
among wage earners. and then we will
not use coercive methods undertaking
to secure improvements but will try 10
find opportunities to offer friendly sug
gestions to those in power
"Of course we can only do this by go
ing slowly and after educating ourselves.
and one way of doing the latter is to hear
from leaders in their specific trades. Some
of them will speak to US today, and UNI
derstand will be willing to tell us of the
surroundings and conditions OF the work
ers whom they represent.
This welfare work is not in fact SIM
ply a matter Of charity. A decent, whole
some environment for the worker has
come, In this progressive age. to be
part of the social and civic obligation Of
the modern employer.
Obligation Recognized.
The frank recognition Of this obliga-
| ton on the part OF employers generally,
whether manager. directors or stockhold-
| ers not only restores a large measure OF
the old personal contact which was the
best feature of the earlier industrial sys-
tems-unfort unately lost sight of too often
In the tremendous growth OF commercial
enterprises-but II also goes far to remove
the arrangement and want OF sympathy
out of which so much social prejudice.
distrust and class feeling have grown.
There il perhaps no better antldote for
radical attacks upon present institutions
than intelligent, genuine and wisely d.
rected welfare work.
This proposed womans department.
therefore. furnishes TO the women whose
cooperation is invited an inspiring op-
portunity for practical humanitarian ef-
fort and. at the same time. for patriotic
public service along the lines most needed
under present-da industrial conditions.
There IS a word for every age. and GER
tainly the word for today il brotherhood;
obligation and what this word implies
| than by trying through this committee 10
| meliorate the lot Of those less fortunate
than ourselves?
Other Addresses. ~
Following Mrs. Hartman the commit
tee was addressed by Mrs. Frank l..
Woodruff of Atlanta. Ga. chairman of
| the only municipal welfare committee in
| existence. appointed by the mayor OF At
ianta. and which is thoroughly investigat
! ing the municipal buildings of Atlanta.
| Her speech was enthusiastic and was re-
! ceived with applause.
Mrs. Archibald Alexander. chairman of
| the recently formed local committee in
| New York city. also spoke on the sub
| ject Of industrial problems and the par;
| that the woman's department of the Ma
| tiOnal Civic Federation was destined to
| play. Mrs. Alexander has been identified
| with work of this kind for twenty-five
| years. and her father sand mother before
| her we're intensely interested in sanitary
buildings for workingmen.
She has been for many years appointed
| by the successive governors OF New Jer-