The Washington times., 1914-02-18
ALetterBy
A Hostage
OfFOrtune
By FLORENCE E. YODER.

hich will force her into a life tn
norse than death. 1t is fair
ell Written and bredtheS Suucerlt
ere human driftWood she, but h
" and her baby can be made I'M
pmetfuing better; their very you'
a plea for a chance for II
Iother.
What Is To Become Of Me"
. the Editor of THE TIMES:
The organization of the ladies
of the District which has provtd-
ed our fallen sisters with en-
p1o-ment at IS 4 week seems TO
have forgotten the fact that
tncre are hundreds of women
right here in town who have
done no wrong, who have not
lived a life of shame, and yet
who are not given the chance TO
maintain a decent life. what is
to become of me and Of others
like me- Must we fall so as TO
get q spectacular rescue?
I am a widow, have two chill
dren. / cannot earn more tnan
81 a week working in a laundry.
Nv husband was a good man and
earned enough for US: We had
one good meal a day and rcot
over our heads; but when the
second baby came there was not
enough for all of u.s.
Nv husband had heart trouble,
and one day was brought home
dead. There had never been
CROUCH money for life insurance,
and there were the Doctors bills
from the last baby. 1 did not see
how 1 could bury him. but man
aged it somehow. I was left in
debt, but got a job in a laundry,
and was able to pay part Of it
on.
Laundry jobs are not so hard
to get. but hard TO keep. -Four
WIN 4Oi P~St@~
is hard. / have had so little TO
cat that ] could not nurse my
baby. I finally got s.. but the
work was too hard for me-
got q position in a restaurant,
but without my meals. Ny health
was SO bad that 1 could not keep
this POSITION long. The signt OF
food began to sicken me, and 1t
was impossible TO try to leave
without taking some of the food
home to my boy.
Back at Laundry.
had to walk to and from my
work. vas so tired that ] could
hardly stand. and was forced to
leave. / am back at the laundry.
But l can still pass the doors Of
the cafes and see food on the ia
bles, and Young girls no better
looking than sitting at them,
clothed and fed. And I could
have that. too. But at what
saCrifce,
llot much of an argument for
hone sty or purity. If l can get IS
week in any way, why should l
try TO keep my name good for
my children? l could keep them
alive by such means, but they
will surely be taken from me
either bT. death or the law If j try
10 keep up the fight.
There are hundreds like me.
Every woman who has TO work
for such a pittance is one of us.
The organization decided them
selves that s. week Was neces-
sary. Can they expect us TO live
on less and sti,y pure? ] say give
The good woman a chance. too.
ONE WHO FIGHTS.
And this letter is one of many
Several which were brought to tn
attention of Constance d. Leupp, G
thc Consumers League OF the Dis
1riCt. are in the same vein. Mis-
Leupp is qualified to speak upon tn
subject. and admitted that she ha
been forced to recognize the stat
o. affairs existing among the under
paid women of this city, who ar
Her case is true" said Mis-
L-Upp today Il have found case
mach more deplorablc. Yes, theT
ARE worse conditions. In the cours
OT All investigation made in beha
uf the eiSht-hour law bill We wer
given some enlightening statistic
Of which this letter is a fair e.
ample.
In their zeal 10 help the unfort,
mate woman, the community seen
/" have overlooked the fact thi
there are many good women in Il
District of Columbia, working at a
most starvation wages. who are
dire need of attention. Though the
Try, though they have fought. thu
a'c still under the heel, and head'
straight for the life that the oth'
woman has just left.
The necessity for preVenti'
rrOpaganda seems TO have cScap,
the attention of community WhiI
rlaims 10 be civilized. OF course.
have known Of it. Why should tn.
not resent the attention paid
much less worthy cause than the
own?
Do Great Work.
The organization made TO help Il
81 omen left stranded by the abolitIc
or the Red Light District has doI
wonderful work. II hardly seem>
POSSIBLE that they could really a
complish il. II shows what can
done when there are enough 10 p
SHOULDERS 10 the wheel. But why W;
This particular cause 50 unusual
pressing. more pressing than that
The Woman who is going to join the
raDks i'll the future?
prevention of disease is the 81
can of the civilized world, but v
have dealt with this phase of d
social evil with fifteenth centul
methods Perhaps it was becau
there WAS a feeling of responsibilit
but were the rank and file of O.
respected women citizens RESPONSIBLE
No.
The employer may say that q
woman. for instance, of the lett
you publish, is not worth more thi
g a week. Does not the fact rema
that unskilled, semi-skilled hum.
beings should live. and should
paid a living wage?