Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-04-23

tATAsHlNGTON, u. G.. 80. Woman AZ
w yasion OF industry bids fair to put a crimD
in the marriage lists, according to some i'll
formation which has recently been gathered by the
department of labor
1t has long been an accepted fact about women
dS workers that their average working life is only
live years, and seldom exceeds seven. This work
ing period considered to be merely inter
lude between school and marriage.
These late Investigations have put decidedly
new lace the matter. Whether it is because
women becoming fond of freedom be-
cause the rewards OF industry for Them becOm-
ing higher or because OF the rising price OF keep
ing house the growing reluctance OF the male to
marry, the fact remains that many women are
found who have ten more years OF industrial eX-
perence and still show no tendency to wed. Then,
too that versatile woman who both marries and
holds her job is the increase. 1t is to be hoped
that she, rather than the bachelor working woman,
is the coming type. But the significant thing is
that the majority Of women now entering industry
entering to stay.
Since the war women have been pouring into in
dustres that formerly employed only men; the
number of women in industry has increased by one
million during the past year. Women running
elevators, clerking in drug and grocery stores,
carrying kilograms, operating wireless instruments
driving trucks, making munitions, and handling
freight in railroad yards. All these things they
performing efficiently albeit COmplacently,
that people already beginning to consider the
industrial status of women after the war
AS a important and permanent figure in our
industrial life, she requires special study. What
particular lines of work attract women? What
sort of work they best fitted for? How do
working women live; what do they earn, and how
do they spend their money? These questions are
answered in part by a recent study of wage-earniPg
women made in the District of Columbia
The District of Columbia is not of course, a rep
sentative American community. A large percent
age of its inhabitants both men and women, are
employed by the government. 1t has few manufac-
turing industries with the exception of small plants
such as bakeries ice factories, laundres and box
making, tailoring and printing establishments
Nevertheless, it presents some interesting evidence
The cases of six hundred women were embraced
in this investigation. They consisted of government
clerks office employees. saleswomen, telephone OPP
orators, factory workers, mattresses and laundry
workers These were the seven occupations attract
ing the greatest number of women.
Of the 600, 542 unmarried; So had been
married and were either widowed, divorced or sep
araed at the time of the investigation and fifteen
of these married workers had children to support
The age of the under consideration ranged
from sixteen to thirty although several were ABOVE
thirty. There was woman seventy-t1ve years
old and crippled with rheumatism who was main
tanning her economic independence by dresSmak-
ing. About five per cent of the women had oeen
wage earners for twenty years or more.
The majorty-about ga per cent of the total
number-were receiving less than 5000 year,
as As per cent making only $500 or under,
while only thirty-fve women out OF the six nun
dred were making much as SIS week.
AS might be expected, most of these women
workers lived at home. Out of 1873 earning less
than 5000 year for instance, 100 lived at home;
of the rest / 5 lived in private families; 13 lived
in rented rooms and did Hght-very lighthouse
keeping while five lived in homes for working
girls. ,, -,
women in industry is extremely important
nhase of the whole feminine industrial question.
For with such assistance woman is able to ofer
her services in the labor market at a much lower
week. then she should demand and get ten dollars