The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1914-11-26

Our government never laced 30 tre
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 1,514,00O women
working in the field, most Of them
south of the Mason and Dixon line.
There were approximately million
negro slaves working in the fields
when liberated by the emancipation
proclamation. We have freed our
slaves and our women have taken
their places in bondage. We have
broken the shackles off the negroes
and welded them upon our daughters.
The chaln-Gang Of Civilization.
A million women in bondage in the
southern fields form the chain-gang OF
r@niyiiffzs;a06 the fnIdstfiafg tragedy
Of the age. There is no overseer quite
70 cruel as that Of unrestrained greed,
no whip that stings like the lash of
euborned destiny, and no auctioneers
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
weges were not increased from ap-
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 30
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 flame 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
tions, and those who arbitrate and
mediate the differences between capi-
tai and labor should not forget that
when the expenses Of any industry are
unnecessarily 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
without someone footing the bill, ant
we commend to those who accept the
responsibility Of the distribution Of In
dustrial justice, the still small voice O.
the woman in the field as she pleads
for mercy, and We beg that they pincl
no crumb from her crust Of bread o.
put another patch upon her ragge'
garments.
We beg that they listen to th'
scream of horror from the eagle OF
every American dollar that is wrunl
from the brow Of toiling women ant
hear the Goddess Of Justice hiss at
verdict that increases the want o
woman to satisfy. the greed Of man.
The women behind the counter an
in the factory cry aloud for sympath
: and the press thunders out In thei
: defense and the pulpit pleads 70
mercy. but how about the woman 4
the field? VIII not these powerfr
exponents Of human rights turn thei
talent. energies and influence to he
relief? VIII the Goddess Of Libert
enthroned at Washington hold the ca
loused hand and soothe the feveris
brow Of her sex who sows and rear
the nations harvest or win she perm
the male Of the species to shov
women--weak and weary-from Ii
bread.line Of industry to the back q
leys Of povertyf + ''''s,