The San Francisco call., 1910-01-30
cities in the southern part of the state


While we have not yet attained the
modern distinction of holding conven-
tions for the suffra agettes and meetings
of the labor union sufragettes in TINS
peaceful city it is interesting to read
of these proceedings in other places
The eastern cities are a mecca Tor
! series of attractive centers for the
rampant suffragette and her milder SIS
ter who is demanding her vote also, II
in a weaker but insistent tone In
New York Mrs. o. H. P. Belmont is the
| figure that compels attention, Tor she
supports the girl strikers in their
cIamor for freedom. Mrs. Belmont has
| enthusiasm, at least. even if she lacks
| the acumen and discrimination that the
discerning few say is left out OF her
plans and their significance for the
future 'of the race" There is event
enough to be sure in these broillngs
that go on in the east and whatever
| the ultimate result may be the inten-
ton is ideaIistic and that fact in every
sociological tumult has meant progress
Here is some gossip about meet in
Philadelphia from an observer who
sums up the situation in a quizz1cal
but entertaining manner:
THE meeting of the labor union suf-
fragettes at the New Century club
Wednesday evening was an interesting
affair, even though the obvious draw
ing card of the management, Mrs. o. H.
P. Belmont. did not materialize. To be
sure, New York was represented by
most attractive young woman. Miss
Milholland. who more than filed the
place of her noted fellow suffragist- She
is a tall, 1.-the 'seduisante' and clever
| young person endowed with a stylish
exterior and dignified though gracious
mien. She told her story simply and
WELL drove every point home, and,
indeed, such was her youthful charm
that she might have spared her breath
THE large audience was with her ere
she opened her lips. The other New
York representative, Miss Quincy Potter.
being professor of literature, appar-
emily thought it incumbent upon her
excursion She took us back to old
Chaucer and made us join his Canter-
bury Pilgrims cavalcade, claiming the
guilds as ancestors to the labor unions,
which is perfectly correct. Admirable
as was the flow of her eloquence. it
was less convincing than Miss Mil
hollands smile.
|
So their admiration stirred
She might have won them in a walk.
And never said single word
Humphreys says. If you are suf-
fragette you may perhaps be photo
graphed for nothing for the Mirror,
but you wiz not have your cab fare
paid for you Now. my dear. that
depends entirely upon the suffragette.
If they all looked like Miss Milhol-
land, the matter wohld be one simply
of choice. To be sure, she was not of
the 'George-take me in your arms and
still-my- -foolish-fears kind for she
smilingly told her audience that she
easily could have done up" herself
some of the oily officials whom she
met in the course of her 'picketing.
And, charmingly feminine as she was,
her audience believed her.
The suffragette may make 4 hit
That boosts her far toward fame;
l. But as to cabfare-what of it?
She pays that just the same
Mrs Raymond Robins followed and
dealt with facts at this suffragist
meeting that we are reporting from the
point of view of another who has a
humorous view of life and true withal
Mrs. Robins told why the girls struck
How they are treated or maltreated.
How they get cents dozen for tuck
ing shirtwafsts and cents dozen for
putting in sleeves. Truth compels me
to state, however, that the pretty
young shirtwaist makers present
looked by no means starved More
over, the size of their hats. the ampli-
tude ,of their hair, as well as their
generally neat appearance, did not de-
note the squalor that one might be led
to expect under the circumstances. OF
course. 1 appreciate the fact that the
divinity of clothes is an important
part of a girls spiritual nature In
;. deed it bears resemblance to the
ascent of woman No doubt the girls
! recognize that fact.
: Each she stood must have rep
r resented thousands of shirt fronts But
nevertheless. their conditions of work
IN are simply impossible. even if they
themselves have profited by the cheap
:. ness of the clothing now on the mar.
ket. And as Mrs. Robins unfolded hei
grewsome tale l ceased to listen
Hoods Song of the Shirt kept stir.
: ring its cruel rhythm at the back o.
{ my brain. 1t seemed as though the
: morning of life for these girls meant
9 not romp in Gods sunshine. but a
= grubbing for a meager living
: Bravely and long they stood the goad
q With hunger close beside them
And uncomplanng bore their load
: With justice all denied them;
II And that they have boldly struck
'Ts human. quite, to wish them luck
. The younger Friday night dancing
loI,,h hoe baId