Evening star., 1916-01-06

and the children. The great industries
which supply these needs are, there
fore, dependent upon women for their
success. Their preference for a par
ticular butcher, or baker. or tailor, or
mil1iner, or dressmaker, decides his
success and prosperity.
The Consumers League has eX-
pressed for a quarter century the idea
that women have an urgent duty be-
cause they exercise this great power of
selection. Their duty is to inquire into
the history of the goods which they
buy, and to know whether the men
and women, the youth and children
who are employed have good wages
and reasonable hours of work, whole
some light and air in their workplaces.
seats with backs at comforta BILE
height, rest at night, and a proper In
terval at noon
These and many other things women
are responsible for, because indirectly
they are the ultimate employers. When
we buy goods of merchant, We are
the indirect employers of his clerks
and delivery men. When we purchase
a bonnet, we become the indirect en-
ployers of the persons who braid the
straw, or spin and weave the SILK, or
make the artificial flowers.
alone any one woman can do very
little. But whenever we band together
we can form that public opinion which
ultimately prevails in every republic
Need of Industrial Training.
With Industrial Education" as the
subject for her paper, Mrs. John Dewey
said. in part:
Public opinion, education and manu-
facturers agree on the need for school
industrial training. Manual training
results have proved inadequate. Edu-
cation for trades must result in con-
servation. This paper suggests means
t,,tr, ItN oil a
mentary and high school life, to pre-
pare workers against the rapidly
changing industrial methods.
Instead of training for particular
machines. teach the principles OF ma :
ch,nery, stimulate the operators in
terest and enthusiasm by cu!tivatine
his intelligence.
Begin by a survey of factory condi-
tions by educators. Equip the schools
with both scientific and mechanical ap-
paratus similar to the factories. Pro-
vide trained teachers. Keep school
equipment up to the pace of new IN
ventIonS.
I'm the survey. demonstrate the need
less waste of human life and energy
from failure of workers. supply data
to correct inadequate school trainings.
Economic Function of Women.
THE Economic Function of Women
was the subject of an address by Mrs
Henrietta w. Colvin, who said, in part:
'"The ,wcmen of the United States are
divided into two groups, one of S,0O0,-
900, who labor and receive compensa-
tion, and another of 44,70O,000, who are
discharging their duties
without definite financial remunera-
tion. The wage-earner of today may
be the homemaker of tomorrow, while
the protected wife may become the
wage-earning widow and mother.
Though only II per cent of native
white American women are actual
wage-earners, yet one out of every
three is a wage-earner between sixteen
and twenty-five years, and one out of
five between twenty-five and thirty
five. At some time, however, 81 per
cent marry. Woman's chief economic
function is, therefore, in the home. Here
she may be a producer, conserver or
a consumer of wealth. Only one house
wife out of ten can afford servants.
Much food material is wasted in
America. The food belongs to all the
people and none may rightfully waste
that which another needs. Though the
individual family may not suffer from
clothing, fuel and household comforts,
the nation, with 50,0o0,000 to clothe and
care for, cannot afford such waste. The
death of young man or woman repre-
sents loss to the nation of $1,000.
When the homemaker protects the
health of her family she conserves the
wealth of the nation.
"Two-thirds of all the little children
dying in infancy might be saved with
proper care. Disease might be eradi-
Gated by woman's knowledge, and our
country would then be millions OF dol
lars richer.
Women control IS per cent of all