The Washington times., 1917-03-11
WIVES READY FOR
STRIKE HARDSHIPS
Theirs the Task of Making
Ends Meet When Wages
: Cease.

from hard work showed about her
mouth as she told of what the wife
OF a striker will do to help her hus-
band. She spoke in a quiet, unemo-
tionaI voice, except when her glance
rested on the little girl who cooed
and laughed as she played with the
paper dolls scattered on the floor.
She is the wife of a motorman who
has been in the employ of the Wash
ington Railway and Electric Company
for seventeen years. Tomorrow, IL q
strike is declared, Milton T. Slater, Jr.,
Of 716 Seventh street northeast, with
hundreds Of other employees, will not
be able to support that wife and little
child until he nnds another JOB or re-
gains his position.
Those who Know Best.
do the wives of these conductors
and motormen believe in what their
husbands are doing" began Mrs.
Slater. THAT is a rather foolish
question, think. We are the ones
who really have to make both ends
meet. We are the ones who handle
the housekeeping and the accounts.
We know more than others what
taking the food out of q little child's
mouth will mean.
But we also have seen our hus-
bands come in at l o'clock in the
morning. We are the ones who
have got up at 4 o'clock that same
morning to cook them a breakfast
before they go to work at 4:30
o'clock. We know. what they have
to put up with
"of course we will stand behind
them.
Right this minute can think of
scores OF women who will go to work,
take in washing, scrub floors, do any
thing in their power to make ends
meet. know OF one woman with
four children who has already gone
to work.
"And then, again, know of just as
many women who will not be able to
go to work. They have large famIl-
les. They are unable to leave the lit
tie children who require care during
the day.
Took On Another's Family.
--'But we women will do just what
we did during the last strike. We
will help them, take them into our
homes IL need be. know that
when the men struck last time, the
only way 1 could make ends meet was
on credit. / have always managed
to pay the bills as they came. II 1
hadn't we might have starved.
But there was one woman With a
big family Of babies. She was N ne
unfortunate than the rest of us. II
took her into the house and fed and
housed them during the trouble. You
won't find a more loyal group of
women in Washington today than
those who are going to stick by their
husbands who are asking for what is
fair, and for nothing more"
As Mrs. Slater said herself, she Is
more fortunate than many of the
wives of those who may strike. She
her ability to make both
ends meet" an expression she used
many times. to her being a good
housekeeper and to her thriftiness.
The neatly furnished and spotlessly
clean little home backed up her
statement. too.
"Cnn Anybody Blame Them.-
Seventeen years ago Mr.. Slater.
just through serving a term Of enlist
ment in the navy. married Mrs. Slater
anu lntg stllleo OOWn. He then
started as a motorman for the waSh- |
ington Railway and Electric Com |
pany. He has since acted as a start |
er, an inspector, and in other positions
awarded to the most faithful and |
conscientious of the companys en-
ployes.
I'VE have only one child" said Mrs. |
Slater, pointing to the little girl play |
ing with dolls on the floor, "and that |
Is where we call ourselves fortunate. |
You know when there is one more |
mouth to feed, one more pair OF little |
feet to put in shoes. and clothes to
buy for one more child. 1t makes a lot |
OF difference. There are so many of 1
these mOtormen and conductors who
have large families
81 haven't bought any shoes or |
clothes for myself IN a long time.
My duty is by my husband. Ny hus,
bands wages at present do not
amount to enough to go very Par,
and It's all We can DO to make things
go as they are.
"Yes, the women are going to
stand by their men. Can anybody
blame them? Isn't that their duty"
And when Mrs. Slater's voice grew
just little, shaky a. she said she
lrnttld 81 ht.