Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-02-01
Uniforms for Working Giris7


on the plan proposed in the da-ei
gymnasium class OF the First Presoy-
terrain church, looking for the adop-
ton of uniform by sa1es"oheh'
clerks and stenographers during ou'i
ness hours, have unanimously
pressed opposition to such ascneme.
The executive committee OF the
business Women's Council feit, now
ever. that the matter was OF such III
portance that the cabinet OF the d.
panizatiou should be called INTO COLI
sultation. The cabinet, which IS COM
posed Of representatives from down.
town stores and Offices acted raVor'
ablv on the matter, but when the
question was referred back to COM
mittee Of the whole, unrelenting OPP
position was met.
Designers Of the Margaret morrison
Carnegie School are at work on such
a uniform and eventually the prop
osition may be discussed by the
Twentieth Century Club and the COZ
lege Women's Club of Pittsburg, say
the advocates Of the uniform" for
working girls. At least that is their
hope-Pittsburg Chronicle Tele-
graph.
Now isn't it surprising that work
ing girls should object to being
classified and stood out alone as IL
they had committed a crime and had
been placed in stripes for easy iden-
t!fcation?
Self respecting girls, girls who are
in every way the intellectual, physi-
cal. moral and social equal of the
best that ride in carriages and
patronize working girls, object to any
further handicap in the race for life
than the actual performance Of their
labor, whatever it may be. Isn't that
strange?
Working girls who perform thei:
duties faithfully and religiously, OBJ
terless thing who sells her honor for
fine clothes and life Of outward idle
ness Isn't that a remarkable out
cropping of human trait?
Practical, level headed wholesome
girls who are fulfilling a real mission
in life; who are worth something to
the world, with indignation turn
away from the shallow assumption OF
certain women who desire to be at
once and everywhere recognized as
above the working class. Isn't that d
marvellous outcropping of the human
spirit of self respect and self pro-
lection?
For ages it has been a custom OF
civilization to mark with distinctly,
dress or otherwise a person or class
under community or class ban-tne
shaved heads and stripes of crimi
mails. the livery Of servants. 1t has
it's purpose in the social and civic
fabric. 1t has worked out we'll. from
the scarlet letter on the breast Of the
stained. to the brass buttons and
poor idle dreamer who has nothing
else to do, has evolved scheme to
emphasize her distinction in the
great business emporiums and else
where. 1t is not particularly to
lower the social standard of girls who
work. as it is to advertise herself as
above" the necessity Of labor.
The idea is an old one, ever dis
credited and disdained by sensible
people, yet ever bobbing up again.. as
1t dawns upon the shining minds OF
certain socially ambitious. But how
could you expect such a person to un-
derstand that girls who work are the
business partners Of capital? That
their own idleness is provided for by
the girls who use the talents given
by God? That the idle life contains
a thousand fold more dishonor than
the busy one? That it is the useless
and the criminal members Of society
who should be uniformed? That un-
numbered thousands Of those who
would not have to wear the proposed
uniform ought to bear emblazoned on
their breasts the scarlet letter of sin
for the protection Of society?
And again, how could we impress
upon these people who demand
uniforms for working girls, that while
they go on tolerating, even uphold
ing and approving, the personal lib
erty" of drunken idiots to rob them
selves Of intelligence. decency and
all natural human instincts. they
would rob millions OF the brightes,
and purest minds Of the personal
right" to adorn their persons accord:
ing to their own tastes?
To our mind, not the working girl
should be uniformed, but the idle
should wear banner: Il Am a
Drone."
Chad" Of the Kennebec Journal, has
hA tVHr To- E..N