The Ordway new era., 1914-09-18
The Woman in the Field
BY Peter Radferd.
Lecturer National Fsrmers' Union


Lecturer National Fsrmers' Union
Much has been said and more writ
ten about the woman In the factory
and behind the counter, but how about
the woman who works In the field
! want to say few words in her -
half. regret a necessity that COM
pels woman to work for livelihood
and ] favor not only shortening her
hodrs. but freeing her from manual
labor entirely. crave for society
that high standard OF excellence where
the home is woman's throne and her
life is devoted to moldins the char
acter and eleratiLs the thought OF
the rising generation. But so long as
want, greed and misfortune prevail In
this world, women, through choice or
necessity. will work. and perhaps
they will work at o.-e task or another
SIS many hours per day as they please.
We may pity the weak and admire
the strong in their struggle. but the
farm woman is entitled to her share
of sympathy and reward.
All Lsust toiI.
The labor problem, as relates to
men, Is most vexat:ous one. and
when we apply 1t to women 1t becomes
more seriously complicated. We will
always have to work unless some po-
litical genius can put law on the
statute book that will enable US to
live without labor. So long as ever,
person must meet toll face 10 face. the
best We can do is to equitably dis
tribute the burdens and reward labor.
and If there is to be revision OF
wages and shortening OF hours. ]
want the farm woman to get her
share She has more reason to com
plain than any other class OF tutlers.
She has, cs a rule, fewer comforts,
fewer pleasures, less recreation and
less opportunity for enjoyment than
her sister In the city. She has not
go many conyeniences and fewer lux.
uries and less to be thankful for than
women who live in the town. but she
tolls on. model OF consistency. pa
tience and womanly devotion. Ger
tairly she should be the first to be
rewarded.
The Real Labor Problem 10 on the
Farm.
The great dailies with flaming head
lines deplore the lot of women who
toll in the cities, the city pulpit
thunders with sympathy for her, and
the Legislators crate In her behalf.
but not q line is written, word said
or a speech delivered In the interest
Of the million women who labor on
the farm. Where one woman works
in the cities in this state. there are q
hundred mothers toiling in the field.
and no mention Is made of 1t. 1s the
woman In the city entitled to any
more consideration than the woman
on the farm? contend that she is
not. The city woman may be more
easily restrained by legislation, and
she may have a more attentive au-
dience when she cries aloud. but the
real labor problem. insofar as 1t re-
lates to women and children, is on
welding the hoe and gathering the
harvest, toll day in and day out with
out hope of reward.
The City Life Puny.
The farm womei. work f:-,m sur
until sun. They do their house wori
ard lull half-inillion babes tc sle>
after the chickens go to roosl. an
they get breakfast and milk TIE COW
before the lark sings. The city W.
man frequently chafes under har-
ships that the farm woman wou, .
consider a blessing. The city people
are great takers and ofttimes grea..
y magnify their troubles aud enlarG
their acc complishmelts. This charac
.eristic permeates organized societ.
as well as enters intoA the individual
life OF cities. There are orphan asy
lums which are doing coImendable
work and should be encouraged, thai
boast Of their accomplishments, but
have seen widows in the country
make crop. drink branch water an6
eat corn-bread and molasses and
raise more children AID better chill
dren than many of these city orphan
asylums. The cities need to get back
to the soil with their ideals. They
are hysterical. puny and feeble in
their conception of life, its require.
ments and its opportunities.