The Washington herald., 1912-05-07
WORKER HAS RIGHT
TO LYING WAGE
asEsltered" Women Only Are Salts
fed with Conditions.
b FRANCES sHAlsFER.

ny FRANCES sHAlsFER.
IN looking over the New YORK sun a
day or 90 ago two strangely different
phases Of life were well emphasized.
Two women were involved IN separate
WAYS. and while the attitude of the one
spoke frankly and unerringly Of ssif-fn-
tsrest, that Of the second typined con-
eern for other women.
The first wrote earnestly and emphati-
ieally in behalf OF women who want to
keep their privileges" as she put II.
and asked II there was not some way
BY which that large class Of women
might register their belief that '.AIl's
right with the world" And she was
emphatic IN opposition to the change
% Eoman's present rights which are so
greatly 10 the advantage OF those who
are obliged TO take care Of themselves"
and pleaded that the women who have
might retain their present protection in
property matters and position.
Every other One Wage Garner.
The second woman was Miss Mary
vankIeek. head of the Investigation OF
wonnan's work. under the direction Of the
Russell Sage Foundation Fund. In an
address TO social workers she brought
out the fact that in New York City
every othr woman btween the ages Of
fourteen ana twenty-five years Is q wage
Garner.
Investigation. she said. had proven that
q girl, alone and entirely dependent upon
herself for support, could not live on
less than s. or s. a week in New York.
Yet 80 per cent Of the girls employed in
factories receive less. than IS q week,
and in candy and psper-box factories
t5eir weekly wage averages about 81
OF s.
So far as the newspaper report went.
no remedy was offered, no comment
made But no thinking man or woman
can read these few statements without
realizing the enormity OF the working
woman's problem when It happens that
she labors in these underpaid industries. |
And Il is life under such conditions
which one particularly commends TO the
consideration or what we call shelf |
cred" women in their quiet hours Of |
thought. In their homes Of ease and
luxury. where money comes their way |
witnout a stroke OF personal enort, |
sometimes without a tnougnt or care |
Tor its source, II is a look into another |
world, but It is only fair to take tnat
5ook once IN while.
A Selfish Plea.
Or course. the so-calIed "sheitered-' ]
woman is not necessarily exempt from
LABOR, not always familiar with wealth, |
put the plea Tor a continuance OF pres
ent eonditons was made in oehaIr or
women with property matters and po-
sltion'' 70 protect
ana sit seems the part OF me IroeraI /
minded woman VINO Is not race 10 race |
wuh industrIaI conditions. VINO knows |
nothing about the wage OF the factory ]
WORKER. her hardsnIps ana her nfe. to 7
look out rom ner seat Dy the nreslde I
and consider the whole world OF women.
,Tnis one woman asks-How can we
Keep our priv1legesZ
Self is very dominant in US all, at
least, IN most or US; but II one is dls-
posed 70 turn to some or the darker
corners OF the work-worId. where women
labor. but where Investigators declare
tney cannot i've on the wage they re-
ceive, the time comes when that ques-
tion has a hard ring OF self.
Has Right TO Living Wage.
VINO works and gives the best OF her
strength to ner Iapors mas a right TO a
living wage, and that before women in
the sheltered" class pray for con-
tinuance OF privileges. asking what they
tan do TO retain them, they ought first
TO ask what can be done 10 secure 10 q l.
large class OF women workers fair re-
turn for their iabors-
Indeed, the woman concerned with her
privileges, publicly seeking help TO re-
tain them. has long. long way to go
before she can fairly claim title 20 the
that counts.
At least. so II impresses some OF US
rs echoes Of privileges" and the un-
livable wage OF 81 and IS week, come
TO us in the same hour OF reading.
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