The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-05-30
FROM OTHER PENS
GRADES IN woMEN's WORK.

GRADES IN wOMEN'S WORK.
A woman witness before the senate
! investigating committee says that,
among women workers, stenographers
hold the highest rank Following these
in a descending order, are department
store girls, factory girls, Mattresses,
and also of all domestic servants. And,
she asserts, it is women who have made
these caste distinctions, in which men
acquiesce. If American women really
wish to take part in the public affairs
of this country and become the power
| for good they might be, they will have
| to get back to the democracy of the
| old American family, before Industrial
| development took thousands of women
| out of the home. Historically, the fac
| tory girl is the modern representative
| of Priscilla, spinning a her wheel She
/ is producer, but no longer on an in
diVidualistic scale. The department
store and other saleswomen are dfstrIb-
utors. And distribution is as necessary
as production. The domestic or house
help" of today was represented in colo
NAL times by the daughters of farmers
and others who worked out" and who
were not denied a place at the family
table. AS for the stenographer and
office woman, she is but a recorder NJ
the thoughts of others or a. clerk more
or less efficient Her services NAV he
as necessary, but they are no more hon
orable than those of women who per
and carry on our daily business.
The woman on her knees scrubbine a
floor, the woman at a machine making
clothing, the woman at a counter meas
uring cloth, and the woman at a type
writer are all, from the cold calcfSlat
ing standpoint of the economist eoI,a1
cogs in the industrial machine. But
humanity, they are equal souls every
one entitled to respect and adeouate
remuneration, for indispensable SER
wees TO a self-respecting community
St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
o
DANGEROUS PARSIMONY
There were 935 more railroad acct
gents IN the United States during July,
august and September 1912 than in
the like three months of 1911 causing
81 more fatalities and injuries to as
more persons. The explanation may be
Traced through the fact that IS per
cent. of all the deraflments wera
caused by defective track or eouip-
ment, 10 per cent. due to broken rails,
81 per cent. to defective wheels.
The further explanation is to be
found in the financial reports OF the
railroads. During the lean years of
railroad business. there was less an
preparation for maintenance. less er-
pendlture for new equipment; roadbed
rails and rolling stock were neglected
When earnings commenced to In
crease, pay rolls and cost of material
increased in greater ratio. and
aitnoush business increases and
adds TO the wear and tear of plant
the amount available for its upkeep
sun Is Kept at minimum figure. THE
railroads need more revenue not sim,
ply to pay usual dividends. but ia
maintain their standard Of eff1ciencv
and safety of service. The n,7h1tS
makes a poor bargain IL It buvs de-
Iectlve rails and WORKOUT car wheels
and consequent derailments with loss
of life, for five per cent. saved On ;ts
Irelght bills.-Philadelphia Bulletin
Critc-"The heroine of your story ola
man, IS simply wonderful" Author (Se-
llghtedly)-''You think so?'' Critic ~
You say on page ten that she hissed va
are harH and any woman who can Re-
such a sentence as that can't helm hai,s5
wonderful. Boston TRANSCRIPT "eiis
As 1t s3unded-"of course you know
Mrs. Bnbelutr, said the hostess sxvestIs
Il remember her face perfecflv nj.
seems to me that the last friend VIC 81
troduoed me to her said that bar 49, ~.
was Mrs GrdurrzZt. Detroit Free prass
Farmer Bentover-"What's your nenbou
that's home from college, doin, noxvS.:
Ear Iorr1f aosal