The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-07-05
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
INF ORM ALTON
Blu RE A u
FREDERIC ]. HASKN. Director.
Washington, D. c.
THE CoNDUCToRETTE.
Washington, D. c.


ness, is a problem to which the public,
the government, organized labor and
capital are devoting ~euch attention.
The conductorette just now finds her
! self the storm. center of a variety of
| criticism. Getting her chance as
! result of war emergency. she has not
| yet passed the stage of experiment.
| What is to become of her is matter
| of uncertainty.
Broadly speaking, the public has
betrayed no definite impression re-
| garding the conductorette, except
| tn shc should be given fair
| chance. Where possible it has tried
| to make allowances for her shortcom-
| ings, and, where evident, to recognize
| her virtues. alt frowns when it is
| charged that the conductorette is
more disposed to make cats eyes at
the motorman than categoric eyes at
| the transfer ti>ket; and it smiles when
| better in the management of crowds
than the watch your step" discipline
| of her male prototype. But the public
has reserved decision.
Organized male labor, and to large
degree organized female labor, is
avowedly hostile to the conductorette.
| 1t is said that women are difficult to
| organize. In most cases they are con-
tent to work longer at a fixed max
| imum wage than are men, possibly
/ t
| Tho it has been shown that many con-
| ductorettes are compelled to support
| families on their earnings, the wo-
| man breadwinner does not happen Of
ten enough in any sphere Of industrial
life to make her a predominant
type.
Most women's trade Union bodies
are likewise disposed to view the con-
ductorette with distrust. The general
attitude of woman labor leaders on the
1 fffNr1
| O'Reilly. secretary of the Women's
Trade Union league. of New York. who
said: while there is one unemployed
man, no woman should be put to work
in any field of distinctly manual la
bor."
Labor for the most part is willing
to conCede the contention of street
railway operators that the conductor
cite became a necessity because of the
dearth of available male Sfabor. 1t
| holds, however, that the reason for
| this scarcity was the failure of the
| operators to offer an adequate wage
to prospective motormen and con-
! ductors. It points out that nearly all
Iof the companies which have en-
ployed the conductorette, have in the
past consistently refused to allow their
employees to organize.
With the recommendation of the
National War Labor board to the pres
ident that street railway employees be
paid an increased minimum wage, la
Dor believes that the one excuse for
the conductorette has been removed.
Afforded the prospect of decent pay
the work of street car operation is
attractive to enough men to fill what
ever vacancies may exist in the rosters
of the companies concerned. It is ex-
tremely likely that organized labor will
attempt to bring the war labor board
to decision on this point.
The government, tho it has not yet
placed official condemnation on the
conductorette, is disposed to regard
her with misgiving. Thru the depart
ment of labor, it recently made an in
vestigation into the conditions affect
ing woman street railway employees.
The report of Benjamin NJ Squires
who led the investigation asserted a
belief that the operation of street cars
lis one of the last occupations into
which a woman should be lured or
forced
In taking THIS view, Mr. Squires
does not see in woman a menace to
the welfare of other street railway
employees, so much as is street rail-
way employment a menace to the well
fare of womankind. The woman. he
says, is not physically equipped to
stand the strain required of a street
car conductor. He cites the nervous
tension resulting from riding all day
on a car THAT is constantly starting
and stopping. This, coupled with the
necessity of standing up for long pc
RODS, is something which women
cannot undergo without serious dan
ger to their health. In connection
with the matter of health 1t might be
mentioned that large proportion OF
the women conductors prefer to be
assigned to night runs, giving various
reasons for this preference. Some OF
them are mothers who wish to look
10
Street railway capital is suspected
of a secret fondness for the copduc-
J torette. 1t explains her existence on
the ground of necessity, but officials
Of the Amalgamated Street and Elec-
trio Railway Employees union are
prone to believe that even were the
? necessity removed, the operators
) would endeayor to retain the woman
conductor as a permanent institution
She is punctual painstaking and
evinces much interest and liking fol
) her work. Besides she is said tc
; have the merit of loyalty to the com.
pany" so dear to the heart of the
:. traction magnate. In this regard
very little evidence is obtainable save
Y statements from various street rail
way presid ents in cities where the
, conductorette has beenx tried to the
effect that she has so far proved salts
: factory.
/ But whatever the attitude of capita
t toward the conductorette, Mr.. Squire
has made it clear that capital has no
made the provision for her comfor
), and well being that might reasonabl.
, be expected. In his report to the la
Dor department he shows that il
: many eases the companies failed u
provide adequate rest rooms ant
= lunch rooms for the women employees
/ and that they were, in some instances
! compelled to share the rest room
Re and lunch rooms used by the men
This state of affairs was most freQuen
e in Brooklyn, where the grand jur.
{ made it the subject of an investiga
= ton. 1t must be said. tho, that tn
companies are now endeavoring t
provide proper facilities for tn
8 women.
e And in spite of everything the con
. ductorette seems pretty well satisfie