The Winslow mail., 1914-11-28
LABOR
PROBLEM
OVER A MILLION AND A HALF
WOMEN WORK AS FARM HANDS
IN THE UNITED STATES.
BY Peter Radford
Lecturer National Farmers Union.

Lecturer N0UOQdl L Farmers Union.
Our government never faced so 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 it's face in shame.
That problem is-Women in the field.
The last federal census reports
show we now have 1514,000 women
working in the field, most of them
south of the Mason and Dixon line.
There were approximately q million
negro slaves working in the fields
when liberated by the emancipation
proclamation We have freed cur
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 chain-cang 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 10 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 revolting 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 If their
wages we're not increased from ap-
Droximately ten to eleven dollars per
ay and service reduced from ten to
sight hours and a similar readiust-
nent 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
he 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-
'ng 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
md have famed the fame of unrest
mong Industrial laborers But wOm-
IN are as surely the final victims OF
adustriaI warfare as they are the
burden-bearers in the war between na-
ions, and those who arbitrate and
mediate the differences between capi-
81 and labor should not forget that
vhen the expenses of any industry are
unnecessarily increased, society foots
re bill by drafting o new CONSIGNMENT
If women from the home to the field
'inch no Crumb From Women's Crust
OF Bread.
No financial award can be made
1ithout someone footing the bill, and
We commend to those who accept the
responsibility of the distribution OF in
1ustrial justice, the still small voice Of
jhe woman in the field as she pleads
for mercy, and we beg that they pinch
70 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 en-
very American dollar that is wrung
rom the brow OF toiling women and
hear the Goddess of Justice hiss at a
verdict that Increases the want of
woman to satisfy She greed of man.
The women behind the counter and
in the factory cry aloud for sympathy
and the press thundors out in their
defense and the radpit pleads for
mercy, but how abouj the woman in
he field? Win not these powerful
axponents of human rights turn their
talent. energies and influence to her
relief? VIII the Goddess of Liberty
4nthroned at Washington hold the cal
}0ueed hand and sCothe the fevorieh
brow Of her sex who sows and rcans
The natio5fs harvest or viii she permit /
he male of the species to shove
gvcale3-weak and weary-frotn the
bread lire OF industry to the Lack II
lays Of poverty?
Women ard Children First.
The cersj.s euuT. rators til rs that
Il Io f.5f4. % WCa aho work in ,ko
aelds as farm hands to9 ooo are six
tea.. 5oar5 o1 age ana under. What is |