El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-01-18

THERE S girl worker for whom
want to intercede.
She has written TO me, under many
names. Her cry Of protest has a hun
dred variations. But at the bottom
% it all there's an unvarying some
thing that goes to ones heart and
ores sense Of justice. It's the plight
OF the young girl wage-earner who is
treated as a child at home.
But she is a ehild-her parents viii
answer me. with a good deal Of en-
phasis. And it's true-for it's the girl
OF IS or 10 whom I'm speaking OF.
The girl who ought TO be at school.
and who isn't The girl who oughtn't
to have To bend her youthful mind
and body to long hours Of daily
drudgery. but who does do this The
girl who is willing to be made use
OF to help out the family support but
who does rebel at having no indi-
vidual freedom.
Ever so many things are wrong
about this situation. OF course. II
goes great deal deeper than any Is
year-old can understand. Without
trying to 20 to the bottom OF things,
let's look at it a little.
In the first place, I suppose We
would all admit that q 15-year-old
girl ought to be in school II she
isn't, Il means she's had n pretty
scant preparation for life. II she's
just an average girl, it isn't likely
that she'll take her own education IN
hand and continue It So she'll suffer
from this disadvantage always.
Too Young to Work
In the next place. she oughtn't 70
be put at steady work, whether it's
in a factory or in shop or at q type
writer. You see, she's only about
three-quarters grown It's distinctly
ents, who probably can't help them
selves, but on the part Of the rest OF
Us, who look on and allow it-not TO
let her finish her growing.
Then. she's too young TO have any
physical stability Her health won't
have a really solid foundation for a
few years more And 70 tamper with
her health is the worst wrong OF all
But who can save herr She's one
OF big family. perhaps Her fathers
out OF work. or earns small wages
and the younger children have large
apDetites. and provisions have 10 be
paid for in cash It's quite plain that
somebody must help out.
And the l6-year-old doesn't demur
That isn't what she's protesting
about. She's abundantly willing 10 do
her share, 70 keep the family alive.
It's a sacrifice to break away from
her schooimates, TO spend AL her
young strength IN an impersonal
treadmill- But she accepts this sacri-
flee as a matter OF course. Those I
Young brothers and sisters need her
help- There's nothing more TO be said
about It
So she starts IN. And when the
first paw day comes around she brings
home her wages with great deal OF
pride and satisfaction. and turns them
over to her mother. It's rather a crit |
1ected that mother will accept those
precious dollars in quite the cool /
way that she does Per-
laps she has taken II for granted /
That mother viii say. How much are |
you going to need for yourself. now
hat you are self-supportingZ' orl
something OF the sort.
Has No Spending Money.
But nothing OF this kind happens. /
So little teary and disappointed /
Ind forlorn, she starts in on the sec-
md weeks drudgery.
And before many days have passed !
Ter new associates invite her 10 joinl
hem in some form OF recreation Per
laps it's a party al one OF their
houses. Perhaps it's an expedition
70 moving-picture theatre.
She reports this invitation, timldly
1ut hopefully, when she gets home.
And its just as she feared. Her par
ants firmly tell her that she's too
-oung for evening amusements that
hey can't let her go out OF the house
Z night except in the company OF an
llder person. and that she needs 10
% TO bed early anyway.
And when Sunday comes IT'S the
iame story. She must mind the
Younger children. And she has no
;lothes except her working ones.
'oor little Cinderella And she's
iafer at home. they tell her. than
Nth boys and girls whom nobody
cnows anything about.
Now, I agree with these parents
hat 16-year-old girl ought not to
,e out late at night I agree that
he must be carefully guarded. But
do feel when she has Joined the
working army. her situation becomes
different. Some compromises must
le made. And discreet parents viii
make these compromises before the
-irl finds herself driven TO actual
evolt- lE
Every worker needs recreation And e
Which one Of them needs II more than
he girl who hasn't yet reached a safe
nd reasonable working age? It's
Ter parents duty TO see that such
girl does have some playtime. ?