New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-04
Plea for Women Prisoners.

said, lust sitting around indoors.
asked why they weren't out getting air
and exercise. They have no wraps, |
was told.
Think Of it! In this great city, which
is doing so much, the women prisoners
have no wraps and cannot go outdoors
No wraps"
It was agreed to go on giving raps
in the proper quarters till the women
prisoners got their wraps
One of the first acts at the meeting
was to pass resolution expressing the
grief of the members of the federation
over the death of Mrs. Woodrow Will
son and their appreciation of her work.
Mrs. Francis Mcneil Bacon offered the
resolution, and Miss Morgan seconded
it. A copy will be sent to President
Wilson.
The housing plan and alley bill for
the District of Columbia, which Mrs.
Wilson worked for in the last months
of her life, was one of the subjects of
the report of Mrs. Archibald Hopkins,
chairman for the District of Columbia.
Mrs. Hopkins described the welfare
work of the Federation in the Bureau
of Engraving luncheon room, roof gar
den and hosptal-and said that If it
hadn't been for these comforts the en-
ployes never could have turned out the
amount of money they were called on
for by the emergency act of Congress
to make in August. -.
"But we have to tread carefully"
she said. "The girls in the government
departments are very sensitive and are
always afraid Of being patronized."
Other reports were from Virginia,
West Virginia. Georgia, Florida, Ala
bama, North and South Carolina, Mas
sachusetts and Rhode Island, and COW
cred industrial conditions and plans
20 better them. Miss Gertrude Rob-
inson Smith. chairman of the Vacation
War Relief Committee, told what had
been accomplished since, on September
/, twenty-seven days after war was de-
clared, the committee opened free
employment bureau at the Vacation
headquarters for girls thrown out OF
work. There had been fifteen hundred
applicants for positions, she said, and
% per cent Of them had been placed. |
One hundred and twenty girls are en-
ployed in the workrooms opened by the
committee making articles for the sol
diers. and $4,000 has been received
from the people who buy these articles
and send them to the front, and has
been paid TO the girls in wages.
Mrs. Rogers II. Bacon, secretary OF
the Woman's Department, also read a
report.
Miss Morgan Knits.
All through the meeting Miss Nor /
gan knitted industriously at long
gray stocking. She carried her work to I
the luncheon and kept on with it .
through the speeches. her needles fash
ing alarmingly near the nose of Andrew
Carnegie, who sat at her right.
Unemployment was the topic of Mr..
Bruere, the first sfter-luncheon speaker.
"The unemployment in New York"
he said, sis the most important problem
before the citytmore important than
the relief of the Belgians or other war
sufferers, great as are their claims
upon us.
II passed to-day building in course
of construction. A line of forty men
waited there, their eyes upon the fore
man. eagerly hoping that he would give
them work; but he had none. That
condition is everywhere. and it is
ridiculous, it is awful, that men who
are anxious and able to work for their
bread should be denied the right.
This problem of the unemployed is
a chronic problem. We mustn't think
il is due to the war; the effect of the
war has been greatly exaggerated. II
is chronic problem and 1T cannot be
met with philanthropy"
Mr.. Bruere asserted that IL women
could find Jobs for women, as the en-
ployment agency of the Vacation Com
mittee had done, men ought to be able
TO do the same. If in some industries
the employees could be kept from starv-
ing by part time work, he said en-
Movers in all industries ought TO do 1t.
The committee recently appointed by
The Mayor was a move in the direction
of getting employers and business men
together 20 find way of meeting the
present deplorable situation.
All through Mr.. Bruere's address Mr.
Carnegie industrously took notes.
Praise for Federation.
DIR. Davis extolled the work of the
Civic Federation, which was much more
important, she said. being preventive,
than the reformatory work she was
doomed to do.
The luncheon was served in the gym
nasium OF the Colony Club, and there
we're $50 guests. Among them were
Timothy Healy. Mrs. Arthur NJ. Dodge,
Samuel Gompers and Talcott Williams.
The election was held in the after
noon. and Miss Wetmore, Miss Morgan
and Mrs. Rogers II. Bacon were re-
elected respectively chairman, treas
urer end secretary OF the woman's de-
partment. At 5 o'clock there was q re-
IL - n A.. |