The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1914-12-17
NATIONS LABOR
PROBLEM
OVER A MILLION AND A HALF
WOMEN WORK As FARM HANDS
IN THE UNITED STATES.
By Peter Rsdford
Lecturer National Farmers' Union.

aroused. will shake this nation fror
center to circumference, and max
civilization hide its face in shame
That problem is-women in the neld
The last federal census report
show We now have $4,000 womel
working IN the ncld. most OF then
south Of the Mason and Dixon line
There were approximately = million
negro slaves working in the heidi
proclamation. We have freed oul
slaves and our women have taken
their PLACES In bondage. We have
broken the shackles OF the negroes
and welded them upon our daughters
The chaIn-Gang Of Civilization.
A million women In bondage in the
southern fields form the chain-gang OF
civilization - the Industrial tragedy
of the age. There Is no overseer quite
so cruel as that of unrestrained greed,
no whip that stings like the lash OF
| suborned destiny, and no auctioneer's
block quite so revolving as that OF or
| ganized avarice
The president OF the United States
was recently lauded by the press, and
very properly so, for suggesting medi-
alton between the engineers and rail-
road managers In adjusting their
schedule Of time and pay. The engi-
neers threatened to strike II their
wages were not increased from APP
proximately ten to eleven dollars per
day and service reduced from ten to
eight hours and a similar readjust-
ment Of the overtime schedule. Our
women are working in the field. many
OF them barefooted, for less than so
cents per day, and their schedule is
the rising sun and the evening star,
and after the days work Is over they
milk the cows, slop the hogs and rock
the baby to sleep. Is anyone mediat-
ing over their problems, and to whom
shall they threaten a strike?
Congress has listened approvingly
to those who toll at the forge and be-
hind the counter, and many Of our
statesmen have smiled at the threats
and have famed the fame of unrest
among Industrial laborers. But wom-
en- are as surely the final victims of
industrial warfare as they are the
burden-bearers in the war between ma
tons, and those who arbitrate and
mediate the differences between capt.
tai and labor should not forget that |
when the expenses of any industry are
increased. society foots |
the bill by drafting new consignment |
OF women from the home to the field. |
Pinch no crumb From Women's Crust
Of Bread.
No financial award can be made
someone footing the bill, and
we commend to those who accept the
responsibility Of the distribution Of in
dustrial justice, the still small voice OF
the woman in the field as she pleads
for mercy. and we beg that they pinch
no crumb from her crust Of bread or
put another patch upon her ragged
garments.
We beg that they listen to the
scream of horror from the eagle on
every American dollar that is wrung
from the brow OF toiling women and
hear the Goddess of Justice hiss at a
verdict that increases the want of
woman to satisfy the greed of man.
The women behind the counter and
n the factory cry aloud for sympathy
md the press thunders out in their
iefense and the pulpit pleads for
mercy. but how about the woman In
he field? VIII not these powerful
of human rights turn their
alent, energies and influence to her
elief? Will the Goddess OF Liberty
at Washington hold the cal
oused hand and soothe the feverish
row of her sex who sows and reaps
he nations harvest or will she permit
he male OF the species to shove
and weary--from the
read-line OF industry to the back al
sys of poverty?
Women and Children First.
The census enumerators tell us that
the 1.514 900 women who work in the :
elds as farm hands 100000 are six :
zen years of age and under. What is
ire mothers spend their girlhood days J
shind the pillow. pitching hay and
.uling manure. and what is to become +
womanly culture and refinement
at grace the home. charm society
Id enthuse man 20 leap to glory In
,ble achievements II our daughters
g raised in the society OF the OK and q
e companlonship Of the plow? a!
In that strata between the ages of ia
rteen and forty-fiye are $4,000 wom- tn
working as farm hands and many OF
them with sucking babes tug al
ng at their breasts, as drenched CT
perspiration. they WELD the scyths tn
d guide the pillow. What is to be- nc
me OF that nation where poverty W.
eaks the crowns of the queens OF ~
Q home; despair hurls a mothers
ge from its throne and hunger drives yo
accent children from the schoolroom IN
the hoe?
The census bureau shows that 1885, Ju
0 OF these women are forty-fve "
ars OF age and over. There is no va
)re pitiful sight In civilization than M
ese sanity mothers OF Israel stopped sn
tn age, drudging In tho field from gu
n until sun and at night drenching ut
cir dingy pillows with the tears OF
l.. |