Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1918-04-05
SEX EQUALITY
IN INDUSTRY
Some Problems That Will Have to
Be Solved When Peace
Comes.
NEWFEOERAL OFFICE NEEDED?
Possibility of Creating Special Wom-
ans Division in Department of
Labor Has Been Considered
"Sex Antagonism" Should
Be Abolished.
BY GERTRUDE BARNUM.


There has been, some difference of
opinion as to the need of special
W0man's division in the federal de-
partment of labor in peace times. 1t
would seem that there can be no two
ways of thinking on the need of a
special WOmans division In these
times when there are very special
emergencies created by war activities
In the industrial field Such problems
as suitable training for war work,
suitable housing, claims for exemptions
to wOman's labor laws, the problems
of women with young children and
home work require very special con-
sideration in our rapidly changing In
dustrial world.
In normal peace times the modern
point of view is that which minimlzes
the differences between mans and
woman's labor and establishes a pub
lie psychology which emphasizes equal
opportunity and cooperation Of men
and women on equal terms. TO create
wOman's division in the labor de-
partment In peace times might be to
run the risk Of an artificial, protective
public attitude to woman workers
which would retard the development
of their independence, enterprise and
ability and set them apart from man
workers in sex antagonism, or sex
domination
PrecOnceptiOns Of the weakness or
dependence of women have in the past
consigned them to undesirable posi-
tiOns in the unskilled trades and call
ings and have recOnciled them to low
pay and industrial slavery, tempered
by welfare work. This has resulted in
a wOman's labor market constantly
threatening standards established by
labor men. AS potential strike
breaker the "meek and cheap" woman
worker always must be reckOned with.
All over the country are hen towns"
where woman'S labor has replaced
mans and families must live on the
low wages of woman workers, while
men sit idle or migrate to other indus
trial fields. IF the rank and file of
man workers had realized long ago
the wisdom Of cO-education and equal
ity for man and woman workers in
dustrial competition would now rest
upon a natural basis Of fitness for the
job instead Of resting as 1t does upon
the danger of the "hen-tOwn" stand |
ards, with sex antagonisms to blur
the real issues.
At a conference called in January
by the New York WOman's Trade
Union league, to discuss war emergen-
cies in the state, delegations Of labor !
men urged the passage of resolution
cOndemning the entrance Of women in
the various trades, "tO take mems |
places" The resolution was tabled, |
but in the near future the National
Woman's Trade Union league must |
adopt policy which will abOl-
ish sex antagonlsm and establish |
fitness for the job" as the only |
proper basis for industrial COM
petition, at the same time providing |
for general organization Of man and |
woman workers for the establishment |
of the principle of equal pay for equal |
work A public psychology which |
pities and protects" or persecutes
"the poor working girl" must be re-
placed by an acknowledgment Of the |
new freedom Of woman as a capable |
and socially responsible person who
may work anywhere without the |
handicap of ungrounded prejudice ana |
who must be held responsible for es-
tablishing and maintaining the high
est industrial standards and prevented |
from supersedlng men by underbid
ding.
After the war the Ideal provision for
women in industry may prove to be
the appointment Of a woman assistant |
secretary of labor and various women
as subsecretaries and special agents
to deal with industrial issues which
arise from real and not fancied sex
problems In the labor field.
Other things being equal, the best |
program is that which brings men and
women together in labor councils and
in the trade union movement. The
best woman labor leaders, and the SAT,
est, are those who have been educated
in trade unions alongside Of men-and
not those who have considered WOm-
ans labor problems as essentially diff
ferent from mems.
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