The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1915-02-13
NATIONS LABOR
PROBLEM
OVER A MILLION AND A HALF
WOMEN WORK AS FARM HANDS
IN THE UNITED STATES.
BY Peter Radford

center 10 circumference, anu uidhc |
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 were 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
their places in bondage. We have
broken the shackles Off the negroes
and welded them upon our daughters.
The chaIn-Gang Of Civilization.
A million women in bondage in the
southern fields form the changing OF
civilization - the industrial tragedy
of the age. There is 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.
| 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-
neers threatened to strike If their
wages were not increased from ap-
proximately ten to eleven dollars per
day and service reduced from ten to
eight hours and similar readjust-
ment of the overtime schedule. Our
women are working in the field, many
of them barefooted, for less thar 80
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 mediat-
ing over their problems. and to whom
shall they threaten a strike?
Congress has listened approvingly
to those who toll at the forge and be-
hind the counter, and many OF our
, statesmen have smiled at the threats
and have famed the flame Of unrest
, among Industrial laborers. But wom-
! en- are as surely the final victims OF
, Industrial warfare as they are the
burden-bearers in the war between ma
: tons. 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
2 of women from the home to the field
r Pinch no crumb From Women's Crust
OF Bread.
No financial award can be made
9 without someone footing the bill, ant
$ we commend to those who accept thu
d responsibility of the distribution of In
Il dustrial justice, the still small voice o
the woman in the field as she pleads
!. for mercy, and we beg that they pincl
"a no crumb from her crust of bread o
l. put another patch upon her ragge'
% garments.
e We beg that they listen to tn
e scream of horror from the eagle o.
r every American dollar that is wrun
IS from the brow of toiling women an
IS hear the Goddess of Justice hiss at
It verdict that increases the want Q
1t woman to satisfy the greed Of man.
lie The women behind the counter an
id in the factory cry aloud for sympath
al and the press thunders out in thei
Of defense and the pulpit pleads fc
# the field? Will not these powerfl
fe opponents of human rights turn the
b. talent, energies and influence to he
rs relief? Will the Goddess of Libert
e. enthroned at Washington hold the ca
Id loused hand and soothe the feveris
es brow of her sex who sows and real
the nations harvest or will she perm
the male Of the species to shoy
women-weak and weary-from Il
bread-line of industry to the back {
u leys of poverty?
Oh Women and Children First.
VI The census enumerators tell us tn
~ of the 1,514000 women who work in Il
a' teen years Of age and under. What
the final destiny Of nation whose
ne ture mothers spend their girlhood da
TX behind the pillow, pitching hay al
CT hauling manure, and what is to becor
ne of womanly culture and refineme
us that grace the home, charm socie
'ut and enthuse man to leap to glory
ice noble achievements II our daughte
'rn are raised in the society Of the OK a
Vi the companionship of the plow?
In that strata between the ages
sixteen and forty-five are $4,000 VIC
nal en- working as farm hands and ms
ad OF them with sucking babes t
.ial ging at their breasts, IS drencl
. In perspiration. they WELD the soy
and guide the pillow. What is to
Who come of that nation where pove
is breaks the crowns Of the queens
use the home; despair hurls a mothe
hey love from its throne and hunger dri'
hen innocent children from the schoolro
to the hoe?
The census bureau shows that Il
that 900 of these women are forty-i
clu- years Of age and over There is
by. more pitiful sight in civilization Il
pom these sanity mothers of Israel stool
Is Is with age. drudging in the field Fl
we sun until sun and at night drench
Al kho;u Ill a.