New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-07
Chicaeo Has School for Industrial Lead
ership to Fit Working Girls to Bat
tie for Themselves-Taught to
Meet Police Interference.
vT Is in harmony with the spirit OF
the times that an organization OF

the times that an organization OF
women should have founded
Americas first School for Industrial
Leadership-for women. Heretofore
when an industry has become organ
ICED strongly enough to form union
the head has almost always been d
man. unless a strike has happened 10
throw into prominence a woman
leader. But that there arc many
women in the ranks who have within
themselves potential leadership Is
strongly believed by Mrs. Raymond
Robins, president Of the National
Women's Trade Union League. under
the auspices OF which the School Tor
Industrial Leadership was founded.
Mrs. Robins knows well whereof
she speaks. She herself is a social
economist and d member OF the Com
mission on Industrial Education OF the
American Federation Of Labor, a
member of the Executive Committee
of the Illinois section of the American
Association for Labor Legislation and
of the American Academy OF Political
and Social Science, She is the sister
of Miss Mary L, Dreier, until recently
president Of the New York Women $
Trade Union League, and sister-in-
law of Mrs. II. Edward Dreier, chair
man OF the Brooklyn Woman Suffrage
party, not 10 mention the fact that
she is the wife of Raymond Robins,
known nationwide as social service
expert and an advocate OF organized
labor and land value taxation.
Mrs. Robins unfolded 10 members
of the Inter-City Conference OF Social
Workers last week the working out
of the school and its probable intiu-
encc as a factor in the growth OF the
labor movement.
Freedom Comes from Within.
Mrs. Robins thinks that real free
dom and dignity can come to the
working woman only when she be-
comes bold enough to stand for her
self and her comrades.
To illustrate her point, Mrs. Robins
says:
II have only to look at the change
that has taken place in the girls with
whom / started when the National
League was organized ten years ago,
in 1905, to know that the few gwen
a chance, can, in turn, liberate the
MANY. Those girls, young, timid'
backward then, arc now big, self-con-
tanned. fne women. And there can
not be self government in any indus
try until all the women workers over
come their timidity and become will
ing to accept the responsibility of de-
cisions on their own behalf.
There are plenty OF women OF the
so-called educated classes" who have
been fighting for the working woman
but it is intended that this school shall
enable her to do the work for herself
and so give her initiative and cont1-
dence.
ORGANIZATION, Then Self. Government.
The first purpose OF the National
Women'S Trade Union League IS 70
organize women into trade unions. 1t
does not believe that there can be any
measure OF self government until there
is organization. 1t also does not THINK
that there can be organization until
there is education.
Because Of this latter belief the
seventy-hve women, representing
twenty-three trades, who were present
at the fourth biennial convention OF
.he National Women'S Trade Union
League, held in St. Louis in June OF
las. year, voted to start school tor
training in industrial leadership. At
that time there was no money in the
treasury with which to equip per-
nanent school. and the only thing 70
do therefore seemed 20 be 70 starr a
temporary school at the national head
quarters in Chicago.
isolated Girls Feel Urge.
Mrs Robins sent out preparatory
statement to organizations all over
the country. In answer she got one
hundred replies, not from girls who
were already more or less leaders but
from little factory girls N Alabama
and shop girls in Texas.
In each case, however, in which a
\ sirl is sent TO the Chicago school the
organization would rather
#hisve her responsible 10 some city
Trade Union League or to some
allied Local group, sucn as a local
union or local federation Of labor,
who will help TO share the expense Of
her training and to whom she will re-
turn at the end OF it, and under whose
supervision she may work in any trade
that may need her at the moment.
Tbres Girls First Pupils.