The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-05-07
WOMEN Workers
Serious PROBLEM
Many Things To Be Consid-
cred By Government In
ProyidingsO Occupations.

SFgTT15-75gI 9
tcorrespondence Of The Associated
Pressl
LONDON May 1-Equal pay for
eaual work: the training Of inexperi-
enced women and the supervision OF
1abor conditions are the main prob
fens with which the government has
Observation-Disclosures Of providing war
work for women.
The payFmatter Is serious in the
flew of theStradess unions. which fear
the employers will use the less paid
women inSorder to GUST men and at
lie end SofE the war refuse to restore
menStoEtrheisold positions. S~uffragtsts
aIsoSchampion the equal pay for equal
work demand, since they regard less
money for equivalent work as an in
suit 20 their sex. Further complica-
tons areEcauseds by women volunteer
tnRftoWorkSfree but 1t suggested their
wages to be paid and turned into u
charity fund.
re Is estimated that so per cent Of
tie womenfof the British Isles are en-
gaged at the present moment either
In voluntary work or in professional
or Industrial work. The most recent
returns made to the Central Labor
Exchange show that $4,000 applica-
tons for war work have been filed
by women. OF this number, the wo.
men % London contribute $4,000, the
southeastern district OF England 2,02S,
Yorksfiref2,900, Scotland 4,253, Wales
$40 Ireland $50 and the rest come
lromSother partsSo Of England.
That women volunteering for a
1.Aat-f.ttaG t5nfn ft1a I1OinnS in
0rdergtoAmaintain present conditions
was thesadyice from Sylvia Pa]nkiurst
nc aSrecent conference under auspices
81 the Emergency Workers National
Committee. IA resolution was passed
askfng4men's unions to admit women
members. This also recommended to
the government that all one regis.
teringS for war service should immedt.
ately Join unions; that such member
EhfpSshouId be conditional to employ
ment; athatEwhen doing the same work
as a man the women should receive
equal pay; that sweating conditions
must be avoided, and living wage
paid that adequate training with
maintenance should be provided, and
that afterSt the war, the priority of en-.
pIoymentis should be given to workmen
whose places were taken by women.
and new places provided for the wo-
men
Dhesesresolutfons represent the at
Etftlde OF the women sulTragists, the
tradesHunionists and socialists repre-
EentedSa at thesconfererce, representing
about 5,000;000 workers of both sexes.
Miss MarySR. Macarthur, who pre-.
Eideds8 Subscribed a visit to a large ar.
mament factory where she found Il
5lafgei numbersof women applicants for
WORK. standing outside.
NItSfssone thing for women to fill the
ptaces$ofSmen who have voluntarily
enlisted declared Miss Macarthur,
ttandS another to allow ourselves to lbs
Observation-Disclosures to force economic
transcription on the men,"
SWarSseryiceg by women. she contin-
uefs should not be used to force men
3to RoStosthe front. National conscrir'
ton would be preferable to all eco
Remicsconscription OF this kind. Those
t~eatfafnted withSthe union movement
knaWthat$the men had never objected
TO women as women, but what they
did objectgtoswas cheap labor. UnC0r-
tunately, In the past, owing to lack Of
urganfzatlon;sw omen had taken mems
Jobs atEYery much less than men
would take.
Speaking of the claim that for patrt
otto motives women ought to give
their help Internationally to the gov.
arnneptN she said that in so doing
the womenswould not be assisting the
country but helpful to prof1t-making
interests; which were already shame.
tasty exploiting the present national
emergency:
MalsNoperators for night duty IN
tie telephone service, which is gov
eminent owned, have become SO few
TINT @ special call has been made for
womensoperators for the period OF the
war. Heretofore, women have been
smpIoyeds only on day duty.
The women who answer the
switchesSarejpatd $3.50 a week during
their training period, and six dollars
when trained. a week to consist Of
Is hours2of work. Beds are provided,
50 that bysrotation each operator can
pbtainStwot hours of sleep in the night.
Women are alsoEfast replacing men
IN the railway lines of England in
minorEcapacities. Following the limo.