The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-01-13
LABOR NOTES or
VIDE INTEREST

Small wages, long hours. These arr
the big factors which are going TO drive
every woman worker in the United
States into the shelter of labor organi
zations-o organizations that, in general
will be formed exclusively of women ant
which will not be affiliated with men:
organizations except tina. in strikes
they will unite for common cause.
Why has it become necessary for
women 10 have exclusive unionsy
Because women are constructed diff
ferently from men, generally working
most effectively under conditions unlike
those under which men are most ef-
fective. Then, too women need indie
pendent organizations because they are
engaged in independent trades-trades
in which men are not engaged at all.
The prime motive for banding togeth.
er is women's imperative need of driv-
ing bargain with her employer. And
about these Small wages" Six dol
lars a week is the average. There are
100000 women workers in this eoun-
| try. Mind you, the SO is the average
wage. It's the few well paid workers
that bring the average up that high,
More than 100000 women workers in
this, the richest country in the worhl,
receive less than 50 a week for their
| labor. This So or less is not a fair
wage. 1t is a starvation wage. Aud
people are coming to realize that a girl
cannot feed and clothe herself on such
pay.
So, for this reason, women must or
ganize, Labor is worth, in her lines, rs
much as mans in his lines, and must be
paid for at corresponding rate. And
the women's labor union is the one
means for securing such pay.
The Long day" is another thing that
women have got to fight. Getting legis-
lation is slow work. The women are
going TO organize and cut down the
long day themselves In many facto
ries girls work, in rush seasons, twelve
to fifteen hours day. As one girl
worker says: This isn't work. It's just
serving life sentence, with no time of
for good behavior"
So the women are going to fight for
their rights-for the right to be treated
as human beings instead of as machines. |
OF course it will be desperate fight, |
for the employer as soon as his rights
are infringed upon, viii ask; Cant ! |
do as | like with my own business" 1
And the organized working women Will |
answer, Not just exactly, Mr.. EN- I
ness too You have put in your money
that's your capital. We put in our
strength and skill, that's our capital.
And we both put in a common factor
our brains. And can't you see, Mr. EN-
ployer, our brains demand some con
sideration in this business in which We
as as much employed as your
And the 100000 women workers OF
the United States will stick to their
guns until they get real acceptance OF
their answer-until they are allowed 4
voice in the conducting of their own
lines. which they sell but do not give
away to their employers.
Isn't it most observable fact that ii
S low wages rather than high cost Of
living that brings distress to the wage
Don't let any association of
employers divert attention from the
rue cause of the affection of the pro-
lucer Don't let the cry of high cost !
III you with the hope that it will bring
aser days.
Under the present commercial system,
I will be difficult task to uproot and (.
INST the middleman. 1t may be done I
argely, but it cant be soon done gen |:
rally. Then the same incentive re-
mains to boost prices. You may deal !.
quarely with the hard listed and hon I
st farmer, but YOU will then find him I:
rganized to sell at the highest price. /.
'nly competition win check him. He /:
assesses the same characteristics, the !:
anne class of hide. tallow and brains I:
0 which high prices are now charged. :
Do not be lulled by fish stories about Y
ow high prices are TO be pulled down
. your convenience. Get in reach OF
hem yourself by boosting the price OF
nat which you have to sell your
bor. Do it yourself. You can't do it
loneY Certainly not. But you can
rganize with your kind and do it.
ont delay by attaching your faith
false fancies that prices are to be cut
Y the eonnivance of philanthrophy. l
he solution for labor is to look facts
the face and act-organize.