Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1915-01-14
NATIONS LABOR
PROBLEM
OVER A MILLION AND A HALF
WOMEN WORK AS FARM HANDS
IN THE UNITED STATES.
BY Peter Radford
Lecturer National Farmers Union.

Our government never faced so ire
mendous problem as that now lying
dormant at the doors OF congress and
the legislatures, and which. when
aroused, will shake this nation from
center to circumference and make
civilization hide It's 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 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-eans of Civilization.
A million women in bondage in the
southern fields form the chain-gang 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-
In adfnptfnO thar
schedule OF time and pay. The engi-
neers threatened to strike II their
wages were not increased from APP
proximately ten to eleven dollars per
day and service reduced from ten to
eight hours and a similar readjust-
ment of the overtime schedule Our
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 mediat-
ing over their problems, and to whom
shall they threaten a strike?
Congre has listened approvingly
to those no toll a. che forge and be-
hind the nr~'~- and many of our
statesmen lave smiled at the threats
and have famed the fame of unrest
among Industrial laborers But wom-
! en- are as surely the final victims OF
, industrial warfare as they are the
bearers in the war between ma
lions, 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
7 the bill by drafting a new consignment
OF women from the home to the field.
Pinch no crumb From Women's Crust
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.
I dustrial Justice, the still small voice OF
/ the woman in the field as she pleads
E for mercy, and we beg that they pinch
!. no crumb from her crust OF bread OF
put another patch upon her ragged
garments.
We beg that they listen to the
scream of horror from the eagle or
every American dollar that is wrune
J from the brow OF toillng women ant
8 hear the Goddess OF Justice hiss at {
a verdict that increases the want o
l. woman to satisfy the greed of man.
| The women behind the counter ant
In the factory cry aloud for sympath.
:, and the press thunders out in thei
defense and the pulpit pleads TO
u mercy. but how about the woman Il
II the field? VIII not these powerful
IS opponents of human rights turn thei
s. talent, energies and influence to he
relief? VIII the Goddess of Libert
enthroned at Washington hold the ca
loused hand and soothe the feverisl
brow of her sex who sows and reap
"a the nations harvest or will she permi
- the male of the species to show
! women--weak and weary-from tn
bread-line OF industry to the back a
' leys OF poverty?
Is Women and Children First.
ut The census enumerators tell us tina
is OF the 1914. 900 women who work in IN
n fields as farm hands 100000 are Si'
d teen years of age and under. What
the final destiny OF nation whose n
ture mothers spend their girlhood day
a. behind the pillow. pitching hay an
hauling manure. and what Is to becou
:" OF womaniy culture and refnemeI
'e that grace the home. charm soclel
~ and enthuse man to leap TO glory
H. noble achievements II our daughter
are rmlsaa IN tha society Of tke on m