Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-27
WILL ORGANIZE WOMEN
TO HELP IN WAR WORK
Members of Defense Council
Hear Reports on Conditions
in States
MRS. ROBINS A SPEAKER
Philadelphia Delegate Urges I'm
portance of Registration
Throughout Nation

Industrial conditions for women dur
Sng the war were discussed by more than
twenty representatives of the woman's
committee of the National Council Of
Defense assembled here.
state Chairmen from fourteen StFtes.
Including Pennsylvania and Delaware,
participated In the meeting. which was
presided over by Miss Agnes Nestor OF
Chicago, chairman of the department of
women In industry. and also vice presi-
dent of the Glove Workers Union.
Plans were made to SO orgo nize the
women of the country as to make them
available from now on for any emer-
gency which may arise. In this con-
nection the dclega tes discussed registra-
ton and classification of female labor
and the conditions which they are
to work.
Reports submitted from various States
showed the women not only have done
n great deal in the way of organization
work. but are making plans TO provide
for and safeguard the future.
VIII Index Ability
As the result of the conference. II is
the intention of the state chairmen
present to index the Industrial ability of
all women workers In their respective
localities SO efficiency can be brought
into play. The Department of Labor is
preparing an Industrial questionnaire,
the delegates were told, that will classify
the women into the divisions for which
they are particularly fitted. so when the
demand for labor arises 1t can be filled
Immediately.
Mrs Thomas Robins, of Philadelphia,
in her address assured the State chair
men that the women of the United
States would he fully able to take care
of the emergency that confronted them.
but gave warning at the same time that
the work must be so systematized as to
be available or else their efforts would
60 for naught.
1--WE have plenty. of women in this
country" Mrs. Robins said. who will
be glad to undertake the work we have
before us, but In this connection II Is
absolutely essential that thorough reg
istration be conducted. If We have sup
ply SO arranged as to meet the demand
there will be no trouble of any kind, but
II we do not there will be an influx Of
labor from Canada. Porto. Rico and
will be highly undesirable In addition.
hope that every woman here will do
everything in her power to further the
registration work in her State"
Task Here and in Chester
In discussing the work that had been
done in Pennsylvania. Mrs. Robins said:
'The task that we have been occupied
with at present has been in Chester ana
Philadelphia. With the cooperation of
the Philadelphia housing commission,
the war council Of the Young Women's
Christian Association and the Depart
woman's committee OF the National
Council of Defense has Just completed
survey of conditions in Chester where q
large influx Of female labor Is a.s eaX2secteai ei
only the housing problem. but conditions
Of employment and recreational oppor-
tunities We hope to reach satisfac-
tory conclusion SO that many OF me t ev,is tN, !;
which exist there now may be remedied:
Delawares report, delivered by Miss
Mildred Eclman, showed that the prob
lem in that State was one of the easiest
that the committee has to face.
"In only two" counties will the war
work of women be a serious factor,' she
said "as in the rest of the State the
OCCUPATIONS in which the women engage
are Of seasonal character. The WORN
has been consolidated under the leader
shin of our committee and all agencies
are cooperating. The war has really
had very little effect on the female
labor situation in Delaware as yet, ac'
cording to our reports. The census
which we have taken showed that there
were no more women in Industrial life
in 1917 than in 1916, and the SHIFT mao
been only from stores and small shopS
to clerical positions where the wages
were better. There are certain housing
tion with the erection of one or two
industries but as we are devoting oui
entire attention to the matter we nope
to solve them successfully
Fix Safeguards in Munitions
Steps that have been taken by tht
ordnance department TO safesIarc
women workers were explained by Cap
tain George w. Carr Under the direc
tion of Major General William Crozie
standards have been fixed that must b'
met by muniton manufacturers. In th'
sections dealing with women workers
II is stated that efforts should be mao
to restrict the work OF women to eigh
hours" and that employment OF womei
on night shifts should be avoided as
necessary protection. morally and phys
tcally."
Several Instances were cited wher
force Of public opinion had safeguards
women workers in cases where ther
were no existing statutes. Mrs. Ray
mond Robins, OF Chicago. president o
the National Women's Trade unio
League, declared many Of the employer
IN Illinois had been compelled to toe tn
mark through the pressure which tn
women's committee had brought to oeai
The only entertainment feature of tn
meeting, which came to a close last night
was a luncheon given to the delegates a
suffrage headquarters. which was marke
by the absence of one woman who too
a leading part in the conferences. Mr'
Arthur Dodge, of Connecticut, presider
of the Anti-Suffrage Association, foun
that she would be unable to attend.
PASSOVER EENTIVITIEN