The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1914-12-17
N9 ~ .LN.-tlr lelI n Ia-
A NATIONAL
LABOR PROBLEM
OVER A MILtioN AND A HALF
WOMEN WORK AS FARM HANDS
IN THE UNITED STATES.
BY Peter Radford
Lecturer National Farmers Union.

Our government never faced so ire
mendous a problem as that now lying
dormant at the doors of congress and
the legislatures, and which, when
aroused, will shake this nation from,
center to circumference, and make
civilization hide its face in shame.
That problem is-women in the field.
The last federal census reports
show we now have 1,514. 900 women
working in the field. most of them
sotth of the Mason and Dixon line.
There e approximately a million
negro slaves working in the fields
when liberated by the emancipation
proclamation. We have freed u
slaves and our have taken
their places in bondage. We have
broken the shackles off tho 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 2stings like the lash Of
suborned destiny, and no a~uctioneer's
block quite so revolving as that of or
galized 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 if their
wages were not increased from APP
proxfmately ten to eleven dollars per
day and service reduced from ten to
eight hours and a similar readjust-
mento 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 forgA and be-
hind the counter, and many Of our
statesmen have sr,ilsd a4 the threats
and have famed the flame of unrest
among Industrial 1aBdrers. But, wom-
en- are as surely the flnaI' victims OF
Industrial warfare "a they are the
burden-bearers in the war between ma
tions. and those who arbttrate and
mediate the differences between capt.
tai and labor should not forget that
when the expenses CT any industry are
unnecessarily incieased. society foots
the bill by drafting new consignment
OF women from thephome to the field.
Pinch no crunnb From Wonen's Crust
Of Bread.
No financial award can be made
without someone footing the bill, and
we commend to those who accept the
responsibility ofsthe distribution OF in
dustrial Justice, the still small voice OF
the woman in the field, as SHE pleads
for mercy, and VIC beg that they pinch
no crurnb from her crust Of bread or
put another patch upon her ragged
garments.
we beg thaC 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 q
verdict that increases the want Of
woman to satisfy the greed Of a
Tho om behind the counter and
In the factory cry aloud for sympathy
and the press thunders out in theil
defense and the pulpit pleads fol-
mercy. but how about the woman in
the field? Will not these powerful
exponents OF human rights turn their
talent. energies and influence to hel
relief? Will the Goddess of Liberty
enthroned at Washington hold the cal
ieused hand and soothe the ~feverish
brow OF her 10 who sows and reaps