South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-07-05

WHY do girls go wrong and to
M what extent do occupation and
w .ow wages affect the change?
There are today about 100000 women
workers in the United States.
The United States Government has
undertaken an exhaustive inquiry to learn
If the trend of modern industry is
dangerous 10 women, and II their moral
qualities are affected by her occupation
Two striking facts have become ap-
parent out OF the countless statistics that
have been officially collected. OF nearly
four thousand women made the subject
OF this inquiry, in Massachusetts, New
York, New Jersey, Ohio. Indiana
and Illinois. not one assigned poverty or
low wages as a direct and immediate
cause Of immortality. II was agreed that
indirectly their influence is great, but
not primarily responsible for retrogres-
sion
The other fact is that occupations in
themselves have nothing 20 do with lead
ing a girl astray, but that the influences
surrounding certain occupations, such as
being a servant IN a household with men
OF low type are a very serious cause
Of wrongdoing
II is not improbable that the complete
alteration in the industrial status and
environment Of women in the course of
three or four decades has had a marked
influence on women in several ways. and
more especially that their moral natures
may have been affected by increased ex-
posture. increased economic independence
and their active share in the competitive
struggle involved in their transfer from
the home TO the shop. factory or office.
Why, then do girls fall from grace?
Rescue workers assigned FIVE occu-
pations as being morally dangerous:
First-Domestic service.
Second-Work of hotel OF restaurant
Mattresses.
Third-LOw-grade factory trades.
Fourth-Trained nursing.
Fifth-Cheaper stenographic positions
Careful inquiry revealed the fact that
with both domestic service and the low
grade factory trades II seemed that the
n
itself-though with each the conditions
under which IL is carried on are fire.
Quently dangerous in the class of
women who are likely to enter such oc-
equations.
The good showing made by the newer
occupations is due 10 a combination Of
education and discipline. The stenog-
rapher or bOokkeeper or cashier must
have a certain amount of intelligence
and general education 10 begin with. and
must usually have taken some special
training in addition. Some force Of char
acter. some sustained and purposeful
effort is required before a woman can
enter such a position.
The place once secured. il cannot be
held without a considerable amount OF
patient application. OF attention 70 unin-
teresting detail, OF doing a thing because
Il must be done, and Of sacrificing present
inclination 10 a definitely conceived plan
OF action BY their very nature these
positions carry with them a training and
discipline of high value.
No girl could submit 10 the discipline
OF a welLordered office or shop and
continue to be really anti-sOcial The
lower grades OF factory work share this
advantage 10 a very limited extent.
When work is irregular or seasonal,
when it can be entered upon without
training and exchanged for something
equally good or bad. as the caprice OF
the moment dictates; when il involves
a Supplying mOnotony or a nervous
strain so intense that no woman can en-
dure Il for more than a few years; then
what small disciplinary value 1t may have
is entirely overbalanced by its disadvan-
tages Nevertheless. even in the poorest
OF trades there Is apt 70 be more order
and system than is found IN homes OF the
worst class.
The poorest Of the newer trades has
the interest o. working in company;
the better ones have much more. II is
entirely possible for the girl 10 go 10
her work with pleasurable zest and TO
find In il the interest and excitement Of
the day. The loneliness OF domestic
service and The deadening monotony Of
the poorer grades OF factory work, both
OF which naturally lead q girl 10 seek