The Washington herald., 1913-04-30
ALL TRADES WILL
BE OPEN TO WOMEN
Is Prophecy Made at Biennial Conven-
ton Of Wonen's Trade Union
League, of New York.
by FRANCES SHAFFER.

by EhANSE9 SnhF EN-.
Che recent call for the biennial conven-
ton of the women's Trade Union League
Of New York contains a bit of prophecy
regarding womens work in the years to
come. 1t says:
The establishment Of schools for wom-
Ell bricklayers and brickmakers, the in
PRODUCTION Of women street car conduc-
tors and messengers. women core makers
In foundries, women taxicab drivers even
a woman smokestack painter, are only a
sign of the time when all trades will be
thrown open to women, even IL Ii should
be for the purpose Of creating cheaper la
bor."
And the New York Sun reads the call.
settles back in it's editorial chair for
moment or so of deep reflection, then ut
tiers a grave note of warning to working
men.
II says that most of men folk have been
pretty tolerant in the face of the multipli-
cation of opportunities for the employ
ment of women, they have applauded.
"sentimentally, condescendingly, even
Ironically but, alas. it adds, perhaps
too lightly
Because, you see, this woman's inva-
sion is assuming mighty proportions. At
the beginning men could afford to look
on without a tremor OF fear, and from
their own strong heights could smile down
at the dear creatures lightly knocking
At big, man-made doors, or could view
them with disdainful mental toploftiness.
and let IL go at that. They could see them
preach and practice medicine, and. ike
DR. Johnson of old, their surprise was not
at their manner of service, but that they
could serve at all.
That is what the Sun declares, in sub
stance, and it goes on to state, also in
substance. that the sovereign workers or
the world, without alarm. have viewed
women mathematicians, astronomers,
and geographers; and they have not been
disturbed at their success in the world
of learning, lima gination, art. and litera-
ture. And why? Because those pursuits
concerned only the few and represented
no serious encroachment; so, while the
men In the invaded professions demurred
and protested, the great mass of work.
ers remained sovereigns STILL still I'M
concerned. And they have been mag
unanimous enough to cheer women in
their ambitions, so the Sun says.
When the aspiring women reach out
for new tools, the men folk goodna tured-
ly declare they can have them If they
want them, for nothing is too good for
them''-that is what il says. And when
L comes to marriage, the story has been
Just the same. The Sun declares that
marriage a g the real career for women
is vanishing from the minds of many
girls and young women who have the
best education, the best minds. the best
breeding" But that has not frightened
the complacent sovereigns. who have
been able to find others just as good.
who were quite ready and willing to en-
bark upon their natural careers.
They did not arouse from their gener-
Gus applause a few years ago when they
read about a woman boilermaker in Chi
Cago. for they did not take her seriously;
AT least. they looked upon her as stand
ing almost alone.
And so far all has been well, or at
east as well as it could be.
But now
The Sun again reads the prophecy in
the leagues call, and il grows pretty Sc
rious. II brings to mind the hard labor /
that women performed here and abroad. |
and II asks us there any wage-earning |
Industry that women cannot thrive in?" |
II calmly announces ,ts utter disbelief
in the old theory that women are inca
pable of military service, says that multi
tudes of them are more capable of il
than are many men, and multitudes more
NOW work harder than most men who
think themselves overworked." And 1t
confidently asserts that the political
claims of women are as nothing COM
pared with their claims and capabilities
% compete with workingmen.
And there the trouble rests.
For II declares that once WOrRlngmen !
get it into their heads that their wages
and their jobs are threatened by women
competitors. the woman movement will
cease TO be an elegant nothing; it will
come home poignantly TO the mass Of
men,
Then, with the realization that the sur |
vival OF the fttest will prevail, the in |
stinct of self-preservation will come to |
the fore, and gone will be all the ap- |
plause or the half-hearted resistance. |
For their wages and their jobs will be at /
stake. And the war will be on.
The Sun carefully announces that it |
speaks 'fmpartially and without preju- |
dice it merely indicates what has hap |
pened in the past and what will come |
when all trades are open to women.
But, deary me. the world is wide.
We have our men milliners, our men |
cooks our men dressmakers. our men |
dean by the day." If you please, and |
few other men invaders. They look |
about at the fields that invite, and when |
they do not see any nature signs forbid
ding them to enter, they quietly step in
and do the very best they can, wherever
those fields may be-