Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-10-05


the work of keeping up the stream OF
war supplies. such a condition sctually =
cxists,~ and unless these women step
forward and enlist for service they
must he listed as sIackers.
That severe indictment was drawn
today by Mrs Thomas Robins, one of
the directors of the women's division.
United States Employment Service. in
this city.
The organization, "A braDch Of the
United States Department of Labor.
has undertaken the task of mobilizirg
the women of Pennsylvania for war
work
"It is a task" said Nsfs. Robins. that
ranks in Importance to the mobilization
of the army Briefly. we are endeavor-
ing to mobilize an army at home that
will support and back up the army in
the trenches. To do that the women
must come forward and accept employ
mcnt They must make sacrifices, but
it is their duty. for this war is just as
much womans war as it is a mans
war.
Crying Need in state
"In Pennsylvania there is a crying
need for labor and a checking up of
women residents of the state discloses
that at least 100000 are unemployed,
and of that number $4,000 reside in
Philadelphia. They are women who are
H.
women who are single but frltter away
their time on nonessentials. and women
who feel that they must maintain the
traditions of the oldtime southern aris-
tocracy by living the lives of refined
and idle ladies'"
At this point Mrs Robins dlgressed
for a moment in ofder to emphasize the
pressing need for women industrial
workers Think of it," she said "at
the Schuylkill Arsenal the Government
has material for 2,000.0 shirts, but not
a sufficient force of women workers to
make the garments And these shirts
are needed by the boys in the trenches"
Detailing other supplies that are
needed by the army and which are diffi-
cult to get because of the labor short
age and the failure Of women to enter
the factories, Mrs Robins mentioned
munitions. boots, shoes. steel products
required by the forces in France and
drug supplies
philadelphia" she continued, "is the
very heart of Americas war machine.
In this city we are turning out vast
quantities of war materials but the out
put must be increased and to do that the
women must come forward and go to
work There are two jobs waiting for
a,,,I 81
who enlists we vaa promise good wages
and working condtirs" o
The labor shortage in Philadelphia has
become so acute that the Department Of
Labor has launched a drive for the re-
Cruiting of women. To facilitate the
effort and win the cooperation of em-
ployers the United States Employment
Service proposes to hold a convention
in this city. Manufacturers. employ
ment managers and welfare workers will
be urged to attend and offer suggestions
that will aid in the work of recruiting
women for war work. This convention
will be held in the near future
81 don't want 1t understood added
Mrs. Robins, that | am calling all
the women of my home city slackers.
The poor women have responded nobly
to our appeals and are now working
in the factories. Scores of the very
rich women have also responded, but
up to date we have failed to reach
that type of woman who is considered
comfortably well off. For example,
I will say the woman whose husband
earns from .nirty to one hundred dollars
a week That woman can very easily
adjust her home affairs and enter
factory or mercantile establishment"
The Women's Division, United States
Employment Service, is on the second
floor of the Finance Building. South
Penn Square. A corps Of efficient labor =
managers is there to assist women who
are anxious to become real electives,
in the war, and assurances are given
that every woman will be given work
for which she is physically and tempera-