The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1917-07-15
MISS RANKIN IS
MAKING HER WORK
As ANEW REFORMER

eTJe Rankin, the congresswonan from
Missoula, Montana, is making her
mark as a reformer of working hours
OF women in the employ of Uncle
Sam.
Her first success in that direction
was TO secure an iron-clad eight-hour
day for the thousands of women work
ing on the liberty bonds in the bureau
of engraving and printing. She OBJ
tanned that result in three days eff
fort.
She now aims to get an eight-hour
day for the women working from ten
to fourteen hours a day caring for
the insane at st, Elizabeth's hos. Stal
Tor the insane, a government inStitu-
tion here, and for the other women
working in the federal departments
IN Washington.
Miss Rankin has failed wretchedly
SO far in her varied efforts to urge,
coaz, cajole or compel congress to
pass an amendment to the constitu-
ton giving women equal rights with
mon in the exercise of the ballot.
But as a reformer or working
hours of women employed by the gov
ernment, she has proved a bowling
success.
In her efforts to reform working
hours the law which requires federal
workers to labor but eight hours a
day and all other conditions were in
her favor; the rule adopted by con-
gress to consider nothing at this extsa
session but war measure and a ma
Jority of the membership in the housS
and senate were against her in her
Ap4HpawNy@e 70
There has been a bareback from
the reform she worked in the bureau
of engraving and printing. The wom-
en- there have demonstrated, nine hum
dred strong, against having their
working hours limited to eight hours,
saying they want to continue working
extra time so as to pay for liberty
bonds they bought on time. But the
congresswoman from Montana is I'M
dismayed. She asserts the DIRECTORS
represent but a small minority Of the
workers and reaffirns her intention
70 continue her reforms.
Since the bureau of engraving and
printing began several months ago to
print many millions of liberty bonds
Ehs women employed there have been
working several hours day overtime,
getting extra pay for extra labor. In
fact two shifts working twelve hours
a day kept the printing presses work
ing continuously on the liberty bonds.
Public Printer Ralph said such labor
was absolutely necessary to get the
bonds ready for delivery to the pur-
chAsers. Hundreds of the women were
glad of the opportunity to earn extra
money and turned their extra earn
ings into liberty bonds purchases.
Many of them considered they were
Doing their bit" for the war.
But a few complained of the long
hours, although they were not com
pulsory. The complaint was echoed
from the pulpits by one or two minis
ters and taken up by some industrial
reformers.
Then Miss Rankin was appealed to
by few of the women workers to up
hold the rights of womanhood and
and confine the hours of labor to
eight hours for days pay.
The congresswoman listened to the
plea and started QUIZ to investigate the
conditions for herself. With woman
friend she went incognito to the bu-
reau Of engraving and printing and
talked with the workers and minor
officials regarding conditions there
without disclosing her identity. She
carried visitors card signed BY Con-
gresham Carter, of Oklahoma, The
card simply bore the name az. Ran
kin, 2230 California street, Washing
ton, D. G." and none suspected she
was a member Of congress on a Sher-
lock Holmes trip.
h l.
satisfied Miss Rankin that conditions
were bad for the next day she wrote
to Secretary McAdoo complaining OF
the long hours worked by the women
and asking for reform. On the very
next day following, Public Printer
Ralph announced that the big rush of
work was almost over and that about
500 of the women workers would no
longer be needed to work extra.
About two score of women workers
called on Miss Rankin at her apart
ment, thanked her for her efforts
but told her only part of the abuse
had been remedied. Miss Rankin con-
tinued the agitation, saying none of
the workers should labor more than
eight hours.
Secretary McAdoo Immediately ap-
pointed a committee of three and in
str71cted them to make quick report.
They did. In As hours they reported
back to the secretary of the treasury
and recommended that all extra work
be abandoned. Mr.. McAdoo received
the report late in the evening and
within two hours issued an order that
all extra work should stop and none
should labor more than eight hours
day hereafter.
This order did not sit we'll with sew
eral hundred of the Industrious wom-
en- workers who held a mass meet
ing and adopted petitions that those
who wanted to should be allowed to
work overtime, The petition was sign
ed by, over 600 employees working in
all divisions of the bureau.
But there is little doubt that the
order directing the eight hour dav