The Washington times., 1914-02-06
MAIL BAG
CFrem TAs Times Rsode,s.)

| To the Editor Of The Times:
Since the furore created by the pass
age Of the kenyon bill'' L read eaef
dav an article written by different
peoplc. whose theme is, The pooi
working girl driven by poverty 70 ssef
a living in the red light district Of
washington, because she has bee
working for starvation wages
The particular working aid men
toned is the department store Siri
| These writer's are not quoting facts
there is not one word Of truth IN the
articles written.
I have spent years in department
stores. / am a veteran employe, ana
have never known of a girl who has
taken up ar immoral life through pCy-
erty. Poverty does not inspire seHsdAi'
while I depIore low wages and
more serious thing to combat than low
wages days, weeks and sometimes
months. after holidays, when girls aIt
DISCHARGED without chance OF Secuf-
IDs, another position-cOndidons createc
by stagnation of business, l say en-
phatically no girl has ever left a POSI-
tion because of low wages TO lead sucI
life, and no girl who faces starNa-
tion will seek such life. Her body may
be found floating in the river, or she
NAV seek death by other means, bul
She will not be found in The red light
district of Washington or in any sucf
place in any city.
The girls and women who fight pow
erty are not CowardS-they are ths
bravest women in the world.
have seen them fight with the whole
world against them, hiding their pow
erty even from their co-Workers, OF per
haps making light of It, too proud &c
seek charity or receive pity. How many
| recall. one young girl wording to
help a younger sister, the mother dead
the father a drunkard. Another ieaV-
ing a sick mother alone TO earn a Nv
'nc for both. expecting each day TO re-
turn and ind that dear mother dead
\ girl discharged in dull season, hei
iittir brother. of whom sne was the
sole support. faintinE in school fTOH
hunger. l could tell you Of leSio1s
who have fought poverty and remained
pure and good as the angels ! nave
seen many girls leave stores where j
have been employed with the set pur'
pose of leading immoral lives, but they
were girls who did not know the mean
ing of poverty. The gay White way
attracted them, and in all cases theN
have been we'll dressed, attractive Strls
receiving good salaries. who started CT
their way with gay little suppers attet
store hours. beer lunches or vine sup
pers after the theater, anu IN all suct
cases the girls sought the Ire Of the
underworld. anu any wv .N'AA5 S-'-~
found there belong to this class
Among the other inmates there vii
he some who started from the very
Joo, If the high schools, many the
daughters of parents who, preferred not
10 have their daughters become work
IN Trorr,rn- but who have not diScuCr-
,,gsd them from becoming street prone
uadcrs day after day. with nothing tC
employ their minds some OF whom sooT
receive a name less elegant tlGau PRONE.
nader. and who, like the Eay working
-irI. eventually find their level IN the
red light district. There is the OthC'
class to be found there. who may bt
saved and become good wOnen-thc In.
nocant =irI who became the victim OF
her lover. who used her innocent, faith
fuI love bv which to destroy her, arC
are sometimes led there by the bcasF
i'm Sleeps clothing. or. fOrsakCn by
them. turn to that life through reCk-
less despair. and il one Of these an be
saved by the passage of the Kenyon
bill then il is worth All that the com
munltv is trying to accomplish. Bui
the girl who has fought poverty viii
not he there VI. LEE