The Northwest worker. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1915-1917, 1917-05-03
ENGLISH GIRLS
DODGE DEATH
AT 81 PER WEEK
Manufacturers Profits Have
Risen Over $500 Per Cent;
He'll for Workers

"Our women workers are wonder
full"
The superintendent heavy voice
carried across the workshop. Twen-
ty girls in khaki overalls and red
mob caps of the danger squad listen
ing unsmiling, then resumed their
tasks.
They stood in the stove house of
the munitions works manipulating
liquid death as if it were so much
treacle. Before each girl lay mass
of grey-white baIasite about to be
baked, sieved, rolled or cut into per-
cussion caps. At the end Of the shed
a hydraulic press, cased in rope,
poured out endless strings of gelatine
cordite.
The girl workers might have been
so many cooks, preparing toothsome
dainties; but the atmosphere reeked
with ether and the young faces were
tense from headache caused by the
poisonous fumes. A sense that any
thing might happen was in the air.
The danger nut" was thrown to-
gether to fall apart easily. WHEN
it fell catastrophe was certain.
"Munitions girl are helping to win
the war" Grated the superintendent.
Last night distributed to this shift
the latest government Blue Book on
German atrocities; next week | hope
to give them still other reports. No
one dare deny that our armies in the
field have been saved by the labor
of our women in the munitions fac
tories Well, Miss MacGruger?
A brusque forewoman came to US,
just a CLINT of contempt in her
shrewd grey eyes: apparently a
halt must be called on the claims of
PATRIOTISM" she commented crisply;
"ten girls report that their lodgings
have been Communicated for soldiers.
The cheapest vacant rooms are three
miles distant and cost 1915 a week.
There should be more equal treat.
ment of the two armiesn
Half way down the death chamber
a girl laughed lightly.
"Telephone" called a messenger in
the doorway. The superintendent
nodded-and fled.
81 am Janet MacGruger, work
manager of this shop" said the fore
woman bluntly, "and HE, with his
fair words and his official horror
books, was-until lately-a strike
breaker.
"If nations paid cash for their
wars there would be endless peace;
even war on credit is fought with
SWEATED labor.
"Women workers are praised and
petted in public while mean, mercen-
airy, merciless employers use the
national danger as an opportunity to
impose Ubiquitous conditions. The
girls must be encouraged to put up
Will pooI pay, Will udlSC Jus ma
chimes and an eighty-two-hour week!
British shells are made to protect
British men; but their making in
sweat shops imperils the health of
British women. Statisticians reckon
that million English girls will new
er be married because of the war.
Women munitions makers know that
two million others should never mar
ny because they did war work. They
endure barracks life minus the COM
forts and plus the battlefield dangers.
They are ALWAYS under fire.
"Julia there, was almost the pref
test lass | ever saw-pink and white
as colleen could be. Two weeks ago
she was sent to the danger room
with a bonus of SO cents a week. She
tried to beg off, pleaded to be dis
charged, but was persuaded to obey.
The Munitions Act provides that
women on war work cannot quit
without obtaining a clearance certi-
ficate
Julia began to make trinitophenal