The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-05-13

1880 - e.NA -
w what extent do occupation and
,ow wages affect the change?
There are to-day about S.5OO.OOO women
workers in the United States.
The United States Government has
undertaken an exhaustive inquiry to learn
II the trend OF modern industry is
dangerous TO women. and IL their moral
qualities are affected by her occupation.
= Two striking facts nave become APP
parent out OF the countless statistics THAI
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 "a
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 *.
posure. 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 or restaurant
Mattresses.
Thlrd-Low-grade factory trades.
Fourth-TraIncd nursing.
F1fth-Chcaper stenographic positions
Careful inquiry revealed the fact that
NTH both domestic service and the low
grade factory trades 81 seemed that The
dangers lay not so much In the work
itsen-though with each the conditions
under which g. Is carried on are fire.
quently dangerous-as In the class OF
women who are likely 20 enter such oc
equations.
The good showing made by the newer
occupations is due 20 e combination 90
education and discipline. The steuoz
rapher or ~bookkcrper or cashier must
have a certain amount OF intelligence
and general education 10 begin with. and
must usually have taken some special
training iu addition. some force OF char.
arter. some sustained and purposeful
er1rt. is required before a woman can
sntpr -urh n position.
Tho place once secured. 10 cannot ha
he'd without a Considerable amount o.
patient application. % attention 20 lriu
terest'ng detail. ~ doing a thing because
y must ln done. and ~ -arrifcIrr present
inclination t0 "a definitely conceived plan
OF action. Ey their very uaflr. these
positions carry with 'hrm % training and
discipline o. high value
No gri could submit % rho discipline
81 "a weil-ordsred office orr shop and
continue to Boz really anti social Tho
lower grades OF factory work share this
a. arfaFH fI a. very limited frfrrf.
when work IF irregular or seasonal
7fr0 F can b." entered upon pIfrouf
TRAINING and exchanged for .umatI.rs
equally good ~ BAD a7 fr. caprice. of
trr moment dictates pIrn .f Involves
q supplying ~0roforv nr a rrr...a
Frar .D T.fr-a thar no nruIu can on.
d..H De- ..- ".-. than Irt years frfr
what .u.| . ..Hr. .a'.H f may 4 q.
s. entire. n.rr.a.arrrf .y 900 f..af..r
tar'. .'. .1.'.r. oven .1 fhr poorest
~ TRADE. f0.rn apf f1 Dbl. more order
ard ..lu ban H found ia homes OF the
rI..f f#.
Tho rr.-.. of .r. never trades a,s
fI' I'.'-.~ u. working 'r ,omuarr
in. better ono. .... much more % r
entirely r. .. '.. t.. RI to g8 TO-
.f. pleas leHf and f1
fri JIM f Ir. .r..rl. Ir. ... ...t ~
t.a dag Ih. I.r. r. f.-r..t
H.r.I.a arI ffa H~fI.Ir.rg u.rUf.rv 90