The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1915-01-21
NATIONS LABOR
PROBLEM
OVER > MILLION AND A HALF
SWoMEN WORK AS FARM HANDS
IN THE UNITED STATES.
BY Peter Radford
Lecturer National Farmers Union

: Our government never faced SO ire
mendous a problem as that now lying
dormant at the doors of congress and
the legislatures, and which, when
aroused, will shake this nation from
center 10 circumference, and make
civilization hide its face in shame.
That problem is--women In the field.
The last federal census reports
show we now have 1,514,000 women
working in the field, most Of them
south Of the Mason and Dixon line. ]
There we're approximately a million
negro slaves working In the fields
when liberated by the emancipation
proclamation. We have freed our
slaves and our women have taken I
their places In bondage. We have
broken the shackles on the negroes
and welded them upon our daughters.
THE chaIn-Gans Of Civilization.
ga million women In bondage in the
southern fields form the Changing OF
cixifiEation - the industrial tragedy
Of the age. There IL no overseer quite
so cruel as that of unrestrained greed,
no whip that stings like the Lash Of
suborned destiny, and no auctioneer's
block quite so revolving as that Of or
ganized avarice. ...
I, The president OF the United States
was recently lauded by the press, and
very properly so, for suggesting medi-
alton between the engineers and rail-
road managers In adjusting their
schedule Of time and pay. The engi-
ueefs threatened to strike IL their
wages we're not increased from ap-
pfeximately ten to eleven dollars per
day and service reduced from ten to
eight hours and a similar readjust-
ment Of the overtime schedule. Our 1
women are working In the field, many
Of them barefooted, for less than so
cents per- day, and their schedule is
the rising Sun and the evening star
and after the days work is over they
milk the cows, slop the hogs and rock
the baby TO sleep Is anyone rnediat-
ing over their problems, and to- whom
shall they threaten a strike?
Congress has listened approvingly
olthose who toll at the forge and be-
hind the counter, and many Of our
statesmen have smiled at the threats
and have famed the fame or unrest
among industrial labofers But worn-
en- are as surely the final victims Of
industrial warfare as they are the
burden bearers In the war between ma
tions, and those. who arbitrate and
mediate the differences between CAPT
tai and labor should not forget that !
when the expenses of any industry are
unnecessarily increased. society foots
the bill by drafting new consignment
Of women, from the home to the field.
Pinch no crumb From Women's Crust
l- Of Bread.
\ No financial award can be- made
without someone footing the bill, and |
we commend to those who accept the |
responsibility OF the distribution Of In
dustrial Justice, the still small voice Of
the woman in the field as che pleads
for mercy, and We beg that they pinch
no.,cramb from her crust OF bread or
put. Another patch upon her ragged
garments. e '.. ~
We, beg that they listen to the |
scream Of horror from the eagle on |
every Americana dollar that is wrung |
from the brow of toiling women and
hear the Goddess Of Justice hiss at |
verdict that increases the want of |
woman 60 satisfy the greed OF man.
( The women behind the counter and |
In the factory cry aloud for sympathy |
and the press thunders out in their
defense and the pulpit pleads for
mercy, but how about the woman in
the field? viii not these powerful
exponents of human rights turn their !
talent, energies and influence to her
relief? VIII the Goddess of Liberty |
enthroned at Washington hold the cal
loused hand and soothe the feverish |
brow OF her sex who s0wss and reaps |
the nations HARVEST or will she permit
the male Of the species to shove |
women-weak and weary--from the
breai.line Of industry 10 the back al
legs of poverty?
Women and Children First.
4 The census enumerators tell us that |
OF the f,514 900 women who work in the |
fields as farm hands 10000 are six
teen years of age and under. What is
the final destiny OF nation whose flu
ture mothers spend their girlhood days
behind the pillow, pitching hay and
hauling manure, and what is to becoms
Of womanly culture and refinement
that grace the home. charm society |
and enthuss man to leap to glory in
oohla achievements n otr dauahters |
are raised In the society Of the OK and
the sompanionship Of the plow?
InTthat strata between the ages of
sixteen and forty-hve are $50 900 VEN.
en- working as farm hands, and many |
Of them with sucking babes tug
ging at their breasts, as drenched
In Precipitation, they WELD the scythe