The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1910-10-07
DO
NEED VOTE
And Working Girls Need
1t Worst of All to Re-
lieve Intolerable Con-
ditions.

Working women, do you want fair,
hving wages? If so, your big friends
are the honestly and effectively con.
quoted labor union and the army of
earnest, progressive and enlightened
women and men, too, who are behind
the woman suffrage movement" saws
l)r' Raymond V. Phean. in discussing
the subject, Living Wages and Re
spectability." Then, continuing in the
same strain, he goes on: "Unionism
and Suffrage are your friends. The
labor union insists upon equal pay for
equal work, regardless of sex: the wom-
an suffragis. insist upon the individu
allty OF woman the principal upon
which tie equal wage argument de-
Fends. BcSides, with political power
IN your hands. you will be able to do
much to ln.prove labor con litions for
yourself, for your sister workers. and
even for your brother workers. for he
is often injured by the unfair wages
paid to you.
"In a middle western state at the
present time, the woman commissioner
of labor refuses to make public the con
ditions in that state affecting women
workers. For political reasons she re-
fuses to speak, to give an awaiting
public information upon which it can
act to help the working girl. Alas,
where are the political reason to COM
pei such public officers to make full
publicity of their discoveries related to
the employment conditions affecting
women? Working women, You must
supply such political reasons. j. con
siderable public opinion sympathizes
with your wrongs but friendly public
opinion needs such facts as you, through
the ballot, will be able to ierce public
officers to discover and to publish fully
and freely. Can the working woman
fail to see in Unionism and Suffrage
the big opportunity for the power that
will do most to right the wrongs, TO
give her fair wages, independence and
respectable living?"
These words were directed particu
larly to those women who abor foI
wages, but every working mans wife
is working woman, and her interests
are exactly identical with the inter
ests of the woman employe of shop,
store of factory. Better labor condi-
tions mean more security, better health
and longer life for your husband. Bet
ter wages for your husband means more
for you to do with in the home, which
is the same as higher wages for your
self.
Mrs. Clarence NIackay of New York
is giving time and lots of money to
the cause of woman suffrage, but this
thing can't begin to mean to her or any
other society woman one-tenth of what
it means to you. Morgan has but one
vote at the polls, which his own hand
can deposit in the ballot box, but a
hundred thousand mer, and not float
ers either. will vote exactly the way
Morgan tells them to vote. The wom-
EN- of the rich can get what they want
without the ballot. But the only power
Won working women and working mems
wives possess is the power you hold
by virtue of your organizations. And
you have greater power waiting for
you in the ballot.
The working men and women of this
state can carry woman suffrage at the
coming election, the men by their direct
votes and the women by their influence
upon the voters, to see that an affirm
ative vote is cast upon the proposed
amendment to article vi. of the state
constitution. You don't know now
what you would give to be able to cast
ballot against traitor to your in
terests when such one tries to get
into the legislature of this state. 1t
is twelve years since this question was
up for decision at the polls. Should
suffrage fail to carry next month it
may be years before it comes up again.
What You do for the cause must be
done during the next four weeks.
Personal work is tremendous i'm
portance in this work. We are not
after names to parade before the pub
lie but it would help us very much in
this work if the working women of this
city and county-and in this we include
the women of working mems families
not out working for wages-would let
MS know of their interest in the move
ment by card sent to the office or a
personal call.
EVERETT SUFFRAGE CLUB.
312 Commerce Building.