The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1917-06-01
WORKING WOMEN WITH
TRADE UNION CARDS
WELL REPRESENTED


show that there is misunder-
standing of that part of the work
Of my Committee on Labor which
has to do with women in industry.
An erroneous idea, which is strik-
ingly general, is that wage-carning
women are not represented by wo-
men with trade union cards in the
subcommittee on Women in In
dustry From the inquiries it is
evident that many have only a vague
or an Incorrect conception of the
organization of the Council of Ma
tional Defense and its various ad-
visory agencies. The following will
clarity the situation.
The Naval appropriations Law of
1916 provided for a Council of Ma
tional Defense to be composed of
the following members of the Presi-
dent Cabinet: Secretary of War,
Secretary of the Interior, Postmas-
ter General, Secretary Of Commerce,
Secretary of Agriculture and Secre-
tary of Labor. The law further
provided for an Advisory Commission
to consist of seven civilians. The
President of the American Fedora
tion of Labor was appointed by
President Wilson as a member cf
the Adviory Commission. In order
to facilitate its work, the Council
of National Defense and the Ad-
visory Comission made each men,
Der of the latter, chairman of
comttee, to assist him in the work
of national defense apportioned to
him. The undersigned was made
chairman of the Committee on La
Dor, including Conservation and We'll
fare of Workers This Committee
on Labor acts in a capacity advisory
to and cooperative with the chair
man of the committee in his work as
member of the Advisory Commits
sion.
| invite to assist me in the work
of this Committee on Labor repre-
sentative trade unionists, employers
of labor, financiers, publicists, ex-
perts in various scientific fields and
students. The large Committee on
Labor consists Of approximately
three hundred members.
An Executive Committee was ap-
pointed to plan the work of the
committee. On this Executive Com
mittee there are, in addition to my
self and my assistant in my work
as member of the Advisory Com
mission, Mr.. James w. Sullivan,
(member of l. 7. W, five trade
unionists.
Among the committees provided
for by the Executive Committee is
the sub committee on Women in In
dustry. When preparing for this
committee an additional number of
trade union women were added to
the General Committee on Labor
Since there is no provision for
salaries or expenses for any mem
Der on any committee, and as
the work of the Committee >on Wo-
men in Indutry in order to be eff
fective must be continuous it was
necessary to appoint some woman
as chairman who could afford to
give all of her time and perform
the work gratuitously.
The names of several trade union
women were considered while the
craftsmanship was under considera-
tion, but all were performing indis-
pensable service to their organiza-
tions and were financially depend
ent upon salaries received for their
work. They could not continue their
work for their organizations and
take up the additional work as
chairman of this committee. For
these reasons, together with her
general sympathy and proven abil-
ity, Mrs. Borden Hartman was Sc
lected as chairman of the commit
tee. The committee consists of az
members, of whom "a are members
of trade unions.
Recently the Council of National
Defene appointed Woman's Board.
One of the members of this board
is Agnes Nestor, who is also a
member of my subcommittee on
Women in Industry. 1t is evident
that this committee will be able to
cooperate with the Woman's Board
through Miss Nestor, who will be
in touch with the work done by the
committee.
1t seems to me that in view of
these facts ample provision has been
made for protecting the interests of
women in industry so far as the
machinery of the Council of National
Defense is concerned and, as all
| nonJa.- oao coo fo,