Mountain advocate., 1914-12-04
NATIONS LABOR
PROBLEM
OVER A MILLION AND A HALF
WOMEN WORK As FARM HANDS
IN The UNITED STATES,
ey Peter Rsdford
Lecturer National Farmers Union

Our government never faced 30 tire
mendous a problem as that now lyinl
dormant at the doors of congress anc
the legislatures, and which, wher
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 1,6l4,000 women
working In the Geld, moot OF them
south OF the Mason and Dixon line
There we're approximately q million
negro slaves working In the folds
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 on the negroes
and welded them upon our daughters,
The chsln-asno Of Civilization.
million women in bondage In the
southern fields form the changing Of
civilization - the Industrial tragedy
OF the age. There is no overseer quite
80 cruel as that Of unrestrained greed,
no whip that stings like the lash Of
suborned destiny, and no auctioneers
block quite 80 revolving as that of or.
ganized avarice.
The president OF the United States
was recently Iauded by the press, and
very properly 80. 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 IL their
wages 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 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
lions, and those who arbitrate and
mediate the differences between CAPT
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 Held.
Pinch no crumb From Women's Crust !
Of Bread.
No financial award can be made .
without 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 IA wrung
from the brow OF toiling women and
hear the Goddess of Justice HES at O
verdict that increases the want OF
woman to satisfy the greed OF man.
The women behind the counter and
20, 4.
and the press thunders out In their
iefease and the pulpit pleads tor
mercy, but how about the woman IN
he Held? VIII not these powerful
opponents Of human rights turn their
aent. energies and influence to hsr
'elief? win the Goddess Of Liberty
'nthroned at Washington hold the cal
oused hand and soothe the fsverish
row Of her sex who sows and rears
he nations harvest or will che permit
he male OF the species to shove
Vomen-weak and weary-from the
OF industry to the back al.
sys Of poverty?
Women and Children First.
The census enumerators tell us that
I the $4,000 women who work In the
eds as farm hands 10000 are six
sen years Of age and under. What is
be inl destiny OF nation whose fu-
ire mothers spend their girlhood days
ehind the plow. pitching hay and
auling manure, and what Is to become 9
womanly culture and refinement
lat grace the home, charm society !
nd enthuse man to leap to glory in '
oble achievements II our daughters I
70 raised in the society OF the OK and 1
10 companionship OF the pillow? I
In that strata between the ages OF '
rtsen and forty-iive are $50, 900 wom- =
working rs farm hands and many {
them with sucking babes tug e
nk at their breaaia "A dranchad | 5