davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1915-09-25

colored, than of the white women,
to work outside of their homes. The
cOlored form only one-tenth of the
female population, aged ten years or
over. but they furnish one-fourth of
the workers. Among the whites it 1s
difficult to say whether there are ra-
cial tendencies in this respect. Pro-
portionately, the whites of foreign
birth or descent, are more ,numer-
ously represented, than those Of ma
tive stock, but this may be partly to
the poverty of large numbers of i'm
migrants, a poverty which is not al
ways left behind by the first genera
ton, and to the fact that newcomers
are apt to locate in cities where the
demand for. women in industry is
greatest, and the need for women in
the home, least.
Geographically, the largest proper.
ton OF women at work are found in
the cotton states Of the south and the
manufacturing states of the north and
east. South Carolina heads the list
with 40 per cent of its female popula-
tion, aged 10 or over at work; Missis-
sippi comes next with Al per cent; the
District Of Columbia, with its army OF
women in the government service,
stands we'll up in the list: Rhode
Island and Massachusetts each have
nearly a third of their women at
work; New York and New Jersey have
about one-fifth. Throughout the west
the proportion is in general much
smaller. The predominance of the
south in this respect is Of course,
largely due to its colored population.
This does not entirely explain the
situation, however, for If only white
women of native stock be considered,
South Carolina still leads with 27.s
per cent though Massachusetts with
25.3 per cent nearly approaches it.
North Carolina has almost the same
proportion as Rhode Island, and Ala
bama has a slightly larger proportion
than New York.
Why Women Enter Industry.
As to why all these women have en-
tered Industrial life, there is abund-
ant diversity Of opinion. Necessity,
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1915-09-25
IDLE LAND NATIONS
CRIME SAYS WALSH. \
Prominent Men From East to
West Place Land Question As
Solution of Problem.
CITY LAND IN HANDS
OF FEW-MANY JOBLESS
Must Take Direct Acton On Land
Question to Remove Burden
On Industry.

"The twin crimes of our Nation"
said Hon. Frank P. Walsh, Chairman
of the Commission on Industrial Re-
lations, at the Home Rule in Taxa
ton Luncheon, Wednesday, Septem-
ber Sth, in San Francisco, "are idle
men and idle land. The $500,000.O0
spent in the work of the Industrial
Relations Commission and so de-
plored by the Metropolitan press
will have been we'll spent if this fact
becomes thereby recognized by the
people of the country.
1--WE did not go to a single place
in the United States where there was
not a delegation of serious minded
men who told us that if we would
take up the land question, we might
get at the bottom of the whole
trouble. In particular, we have the
testimony Of Edward P. E. Troy Of
San Francisco, of Frederick c. Howe,
Immigration Commissioner of New
York and J. j. Pastoriza of Houston,
Texas, who gave us the practical re-
suit of his work as assessor.
Evidence from all sources points
to vacant land as the fundamental
cause of industrial unrest in coun-
try of unending wealth, boundless
energy, inexhaustible resources. In
Texas, once the republic of Sam
Houston, there is now a mighty en-
pire. Where once farmers titled
their own land, there are now $780,
600 tenant farmers. OF 185,00O,00O
acres in the state. only 35,000,O0O are
under cultivation. In, the Texas
black belt, we found conditions
much worse than in any factory town
on the Atlantic Seaboard, plus loneli-
ness and lack of education"
'Sixty per cent of the employing
power of the United States is located
on Manhattan Island. Twenty-Five
per cent of the land of New York is
owned by twenty-five families, and
in Chicago fifteen families own fifteen
per cent of the city land. We are
about to take new step. Taxes, so
far, as possible are going to be. taken
Off industry. We must take direct
action on the land question"
w. A. Cole was chairman of the
luncheon; prominent among the
guests were Oliver T. Erickson,
president of the city council Of Seat
tie, DR.. E. r. Curray Of Kansas City,
and Judge James G.. Mcguire of San
Francisco.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1915-09-25

If they are cared for by the men Of
their families.'
A popular writer puts it more
harshly: .=Esz
The American-born girl is an ego-g
tist. Her whole effort (and she makes
drudgery) is for herself She works
for luxury until the day when a pro-
per husband presents himself. Then
she stops working and lets him toll:
for both" e$
studies, it is curious to see how widely;
and faithfully such views have been
held, not only without any evidence
to support them, but directly in the
face Of such data as was available To
be sure, workers in girls clubs and
classes often mentioned the working
girls custom of turning over her pay
envelope, unopened, to her mother,
but is was always assumed that these
girls were exceptions. The federal in-
vestigation into the condition OF
woman and child wage earners was
one of the first serious inquiries made
concerning the accuracy Of the popu-s
lar attitude. It's results were strik-:
ing. Literally thousands of women
wage earners living at home were
studied, and everywhere. the ''pin-
money girl'' was conspicuously Ab-
sent. Among nearly 5000 girls ems
ployed in shops and factories, ap-
proximately four Of every five turned
over their whole weekly wages to the 1
family fund. most Of the remainder
gave up q considerable part, and not
one in 40 kept all for herself. In the
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1915-09-25
[Es5tHf[Dttb6R |;
!. SAYS STAT REPORT
However, It is Shown That Many
Permits Have Been Illegally
Issued.
EMPLOYERS LIABLE
UNDER LIABILITY LAW
Few Boys Set Out to Learn Trade.
Factory and Department
Stores Claim Many.

The employment of children under
16 years of age in Minnesota factor
les and work shops is less this year
than it was the year previous, ac-
cording to the report issued today
by the Commissioner of Labor. Dur
ing the year ending July 31st last,
$50 employment certificates were is
sued to children under 16 years OF
age by superintendent of schools. OF
these, 385 were issued to boys and
165 to girls. This is a. reduction
from the previous year of 363. Re-
ports were received from 81 cities
and towns. Minneapolis issued 205;
st. Paul 1893; Duluth only 81 and
Winona "a.
The startling feature of the report
is that of the $50 permits issued, "a
were granted to boys and girls as
factory workers, 76 running errands,
73 in office work, AZ as retail clerks,
40 in delivering and teaming, 35 as
| cash boys or girls and "a as messen-
gers. Only 33 were engaged as ap-
prentices to learn a trade.
In the neighborhood about Duluth
permits were issued as follows: Clo-
| quet 4, Eveleth 3, Virginia, s.. Excuses
were also granted to children to work
| at home between April 1st and No.
| vember 1st to 80 boys and IL girls.
OF this number there were issued as
follows in towns in the neighborhood
of Duluth: Barnum, one; Eveleth,
eight; and Floodwood, four.
One child II years of age, one IL
! and five 13 were granted labor per-
m if0s I A
| were Is years Of age~and Is were
| over 15h years and: less than 16.
OF this number two were in the
fourth grade, five in the fifth, 1S in
| the sixth, 48 in the seventh, 81 in
| the eighth and 397 were grammer
school graduates. Permits were is
sued because of poverty in "a cases;
on account of physical inability to
study II and for the good of child
| Is. 8
The department stores claimed s95
Of the children to whom e. permits
1tAweue issued; : retail. ,merc4ntile ses-
Establishments 10; printing. 80 and
wholesale establishments 49, Tele-
graph offices employed 81 as messen-
gers. The railroads and other public
utilities employed 35; domestic SER
vice 1S; machine shops ~; real es-
tate IL; banks 6 and the balance
was distributed in "a different in
dustries.
Seven employment certificates
were illegally issued. 1t was also
claimed that certificates issued for
poverty and "good of child" were
Illegally issued. Under the law the
certificate can only. be legally issued
to children under 16 who have passed
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1915-09-25

informed, to appreciate the real char
acter of the movement.
What we want to do" exclaimed
one well-meaning member of a state
commission, appointed to investigate
the industrial employment Of women,
"is to find out whethe. women are
taking mems places, and if they are,
legislate them back into their homes"
''Of course, it will keep women
from being employed" declared an
other official, speaking of a peculiar
ly drastice bit of legislation he was
advocating. ''What difference if It
does? They have no business here
anyhow; they ought to be at home;
and if they must work for wages,
plenty Of people need servants
Such comments simply mean that
the speakers have failed to grasp
what is going on. A movement as
widespread and persistent as this, is
more than a mere manifestation Of
individual restlessness or discomfort
or poverty, to be guided, or checked
as this person, or that thinks good.
1t is movement, literally, of mill
lions, limited neither by age, class,
race, nor geographic position. The
time for opposition, pure and simple,
is past, and intelligent study of the
situation is urgently 1-eeded. What
are these eight million women? Why
are they leaving their homes? What
are they doing outside? Are they SER
1ously hindering the employment, or
reducing the wages of men? What is
the effect Of their lives upon them
selves, their homes and society in
general? Some Of these questions
only time can answer; eor others;
the data for a reply is .!ready in hand
but are rather fire quently overlooked,
since the facts have a tendency to
run counter to established opinion.
First as to who they are. Roughly
speaking, Of the @eight millions gain
fully employed two million are COL
lored women, three million are white
of foreign birth or parentage, and
three million are white of native
stock. Unquesticnably there is a much
stronger tendency on the part of the
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1915-09-25
SUFFRAC|STSSEE
. NEW YORK VICTORY
%.aa
Women OF t'::'. % s,;,s,p $. >~~an.
lied for Fight AcS Co.,.
Campaign.

On the eve of the first yellow
rallies to be held as preliminaries to
the banner parade Of the New York
state suffragists, Oct. 23, which in
turn is intended to be the culmin-
alton of all work done in the interest
of the constitutional franchise amend
ment to be voted Nov. 2, the two
chief leaders, Mrs. Carrie Chapman
Gait, and Mrs. Norman de r. White
house, have given their personal out
look of the situation to a, representa-
tive Of The Christian Science Moni-
tor:
LAS the head of this great move
ment which is about to be put to the
last test" said Mrs. Gait, II find New
York state more closely organized for
victory than any other state I have
known in the history of the move
ment. For the past two years the
Empire state campaign committee
has been busy bringing together the
women Of New York into political
unity, the goal of which is to secure
the vote. AS we stand today, a pow
erul suffrage association exists in each
of the 81 counties Of the state
"Active campaigning is under way
everywhere, street speeches can be
heard on virtually every corner, far
mers are being interviewed at narly
every crossroad and there is a steady
work going on among individuals that
is bound to have q wonderful crystal
lizing sentiment before the day the
amendment is voted on.
~I have been in constant touch of
late with the workers throughout
New York and find in their reports
that the growth of the cause in the
past few weeks has been little short
of tremendous. Prominent business
d and professional men-the men who
seemed to be afraid of the woman
with a hand in business affairs-and
leading politicians have been coming
out in favor of the vote in a way be-
yond all expectancy, and I learn that
our yellow slips" which are signed
by those pledging to vote for the
franchise abe piling up in all quar-
ters like gathered sheaves. The spirit
among all our workers is invincible.
feel that nothing can turn the tide"
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1915-09-25

lzing business wouiI be sent to the
dump by women awake and afire
with human love and social zeal. They
lack the vision to perceive the gains
they would receive. They and their
children.
Unless the forces of righteousness
are as the forces of evil Land graft, we
cannot expect victory.a
Who would want virtue that is
puny, stupid, lukewaran and ineff1-
cient? Isn't it refre~ Wing, stimulat-
ing and inspiring to have SO clearcut,
clean and worthy thing to vote for,
after the muddle, welter and depress-
ing lack of nobility in political events.
Don't you know that for any de-
cent, manly soul the scharacter and
source OF our opposition is enough to
show him which side he Belongs on,
even if he. has not given the subject
further thought.
Can't you perceive, TO, Man, that
any intelligent, respecting voter,
will be forever ashamc to confess it
if he votes against enfranchising wo-
men? This will surely be the case.
Citizen equality for women is the
next step in human progress. After
fifty years of splendid constructive
work, Frances Willard wrote: "Suc-
cess never happens. Ills organized,
preempted, captured by concentrated
common sense" !
It is tenet Of despotism that one
set of human beines shall rule an
other set. Democracy has proved that
no class can legislate:s with perfect
justice for another class. = No people
are safe until they hold in: their own
hands the means Of their own de-
Tense.
Witness the status ofswomen work.
ers. In four Suffrage States there lis
an eight hour day law for--women.
But men workers haveSan eight hour
day law in thirty statesaa In New York
after long and much effort, the legis-
lature was induced to pass the eight
hour law for women workers.. OF
course, it was immediately tested in
| the, courts. 1t was carried up to the
New York Supreme court and the
August judges decided" promptly that
| it was unconstitutional In California
the eight hour day law was passed,
also the, Recall of Judges. When this
law was tested in the Supreme court
! those California judges looked
through the spectacles and beheld one
hundred thousand womdl armed with
the ballot and the "R{calI.'' It did
not take those judg' : 4p~ to decide
that that eight hour-dak law is con-
| stitutional in their state.
This puts bit of zest into politics
Test of the right kind. The eight
hour day and the minimum wage
means q higher grade, ~ human, be.
fngs, better heaith Ssffl1 6 fafsl1(E.aaemptoynent
for more workers. Perhaps the most
subtle, attractive and persuasive ar.
gument employed; by Ants is that
women are mothers, and thisris sc
important {. function and service they
must not b. distracted for an hour
to take time to vote or study ques
tions of welfare decided by the vot
| ers.
| One would think the Ants had JUS
discovered the fact, of motherhood
very recently, anil i at the rest o1
us were likely to overlook or forge
it. They tell us swe,tly and solemn:
ly that we ought not to be diverted
! from this great duty, not even for 6
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1915-09-25
BY Mary l.. Conyngton In

BY Mary L. Conyngton in
The Dodge Idea, for January.
Ninety-five years ago the Journey
men tailors of New York went on
strike because the master tailors pro-
posed to employ women. Eleven
years later a Boston paper, deplorins
the extent t, which women were 'as-
Stunning the prerogatives and employ
ments which from immemorial time
had been regarded as men's,' bitterly
lamented that the times were out OF
joint, and drew a gloomy picture of
the future Of men, if women did not
mend their ways. In 1914, a student
of economic problems discussing wo-
men in industry, could refer without
fear of contradiction to "the public
opinion that they are intruders in this
field; that they ought to be at home"
Throughout the whole ninety-hve
years the OPPOSITION has been persist
ent and ineffective. In spite of pas
sive disapproval, and active protest
the movement which is taking women
out Of the homes, and into the indus
trial world has continued and in
creased until today, Of every five
workers, one is a woman or girl, and
OF every four women, or girls over
ten years of age, one is gainfully en-
ployed. Among those who are from
sixteen to twenty years, the proper
tion is still larger-two out of every
::f1ve-while even among those who
are forty-f1ve or ov one in every
six is working outside her home. Ar
together, at the time Of the last CEN
sus, eight million and more women
were industrially employed.
Few Understand.
Such a movement-slow, persistent
and steadily gaining-of women out
OF their homes into a new world of
industry, is no less impressive, in it's
way, than the exodus Of the Belgian
people before the German occupation.
and like that, it's consequences are
bound to be serious and far-reaching.
Yet there is frequently a failure, on
the part Of those who LIQUID be well
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1915-09-25
SHOULD MOTHERS BElGIVEM THE BALLOT?
MRS. GERTRUDE FULLER SAYS "YES'

Doesn't some thrill of new life
touch you at the thought of the
worth and meaning of such social
effort?
The ballot is the modern weapon
which civilization uses in fighting its
battles. Every thoughtful person
knows that to use Markham's fine
phrase, 1T is an endless battle to
be free, and Each goal is a trave-
ler's tavern whence he must depart" ."
We may not rest upon the achieve
ments of our fathers; the cause of
human advancement is in our keep
ing today.
This is a crucial year. The year of
special battle to extend the liberty
Of the people; a struggle is on be-
tween reaction and democracy, for
democracy is not q matter of sex. The
apti-social forces of vice, avarice, ig-
norance, oppression and prejudice are
lined up solidly against the hosts of
justice and progress. Ignorance and
Incidence are frightfully expensive.
We dare not let the sluggards sleep,
we must rouse the idle and thought
less.
l.
Let us reason together. ask you
to think we'll. There is much advice,
usually sugar-coated, but shallow,
pernicinous and contemptuous from
those in the paid service Of big inter-
ests acting AGAINST the public well
fare. They ask you as voter to deny
the ballot to your mother, your sister,
your wife and your daughter and the
women folk of your brother men in
this State.
Were it not for the aggressive ,op-
position emanating from those who
live by the plundering of women and
children in industry and those who
live by preying upon soc:ety's weak.
nesses: and ignorance, who profit by
vice, pushing the sale of deadly drugs
that degenerate human beings physi
cally and morally, the white slave
dealers and their political protectors
and confederates and other enemies
Of human health and happiness, those
working in the suffrage cause would
have no reason for anxiety.
There are a few tories who dis.
trust the people, be they men or wo-
men, and want them disfranchised
rather than enfranchised, fewa an
archists who repudiate voting and
urge the. substitute O: "direct action
It is in accordance with the law OF
paradoxes that extremes meet, and
neither Mrs. Horace Brock nor EN-
ma Goldman want to vote.
These elements are not numerou:
Or powerful enough to defeat the
suffrage amendment. But tremen.
dously powerful, economic and poll.
ttcal forcesss rganized, scorrppt, $. a1a.
scrupulous with barrels and wads o1
easy money to tap, are fighting wo
manhood Suffrage in every part of the
State. The unwary voter may fine
himself a tool and dupe of these pre-
datory interests if lie does not study
and think of himself.
They flatter the mans intelligence
because they want to IL >p him ignor.
ant They tell you they fear and be.
lieve that women do not know enough
to vote. Don't you know, Mr.. Voter
that they are fighting "Votes for wo,
men" because they believe women Dc
know enough to vote? They feal
their wretched dastarGly, dehuman
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1915-09-25

the ScnOOl mouse or OCner polling place
and help decide low our collective
funds shall be spe t, help choose the
service and determine the education
al, moral and sanitary environment
Of our children.
Our housekeeping is dependent on
the municipal service for ice, housing
and food inspection, fire protection
and other like services. We are hu-
man beings with common needs, COM
mon interests as workers, citizens and
parents. Often the mother has more
leisure, more chance to study such
problems and often is far more vitally
alive to questions VIII: III touch direct
ly upon the greatest fundamental rea-
son Of government, the conservative.
culture, health and general well-be-
ing of humanity. There is bio1ogi-
cal and historical reason for this, and
society suffers irreparable loss while
the force of mother love and human
sympathy is fettered and shackled by
political disbarment. -.
Children need mothers not only for
their physical birth bu for all their
human bringing up. Their higher
parental sense must l>e socialized. The
state has a parental function and
mothers must help to direct it. I
sometimes wonde il the. Antis think
child has only one rent. Equal
suffrage is a Aovement to establish
the two parents ally, both in the
individual anG s. cial home life of
the child. The more men and wo-
men have of mutual interest and un-
derstanding tho more permanent and
beautiful does the home relation be-
come.
In twenty-seven states the moth
er is NOT now an EQUAL parent be-
fore the law. -.,>., 49, . -. -
The antis tell us that men have i'm
proved the laws for all, including
women. Yes, SO the kings told our
fathers when like true men th5y de-
| manded a share in the governing of
themselves.
Yes, there was an Improvement In
savagery, in the Stone age, in barbar-
ism, else no progress has been made;
but this is an age Of mind; the hu-
man mind bent upon it's environment
may hasten progress. It took eighty
six years to get as good child labor
law as is now had in Pennsylvania.
If the average working life Of a
| child is five years, as has been esti-
mated, then sixteen generations OF
child toilers have suffered unspeak-
able wrong and injury before this
clumsy, 'half-suffrage system worked
to bring relief. It is simply criminal
il more efficient way can be found.
f: Emerson said True. political econ
offfy rs the care and culture of men,
This practical element, this direct
vital human side Of 'hings especially
| appeals. to women. They are not much
interested = in distractions, in the
game and gamble of politics. They
tell us all women do not want to,vote
True enough. Not all the people ever
want any reform. There were cop
| perheads in the north who opposed
freeing the slaves, there was the u.s.
ual, bitter, sneering re tance to the
public SCHOOLS there were tories who
did not want republic but remained
devoted to monarchy "The powerful
and ferocious forces Of inertia" as
| . Contiuuep On Pare e.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1915-09-25
IMMIGRATION LESS THAN
IN Is YEARS, SAYS U. s.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24.-Fewer
q, aliens came, to the United States in
Dthe year ending June 80 last, than
Tor Is years, Commissioner General
of immigration Caminetti has an
nounced. The total for the year was
only 326,700.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1915-09-25
BRITISH LABOR PARTY
FIGHTS CONSCRIPTION

LONDON, Sept. 24.-The Labor
party has decided to call a joint con-
ference of all labor bodies for the
purpose of placing an emphatic pro-
test in opposition to conscription be-
fore the government.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1915-09-25
STRIKE TIES UP CAR >sg
TRAFFIC IN 5 CITIES

ALBANY, Sept. 24.-All street car
traffic in Albany. Troy. Cohoes, Water
.vliet, and Green Island is tied up by a
strike Of conductors and .notprmen.
About, 500 mens4are involved. Essss2g
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1915-09-25
CARPENTERS WANT MORE.

TORRINGTON, Conn, Sept. "a
Carpenters in this city and suburbs
are on strike for a. wage rate Of $3.50
per day. Nearly 200 carpenters are
involved.