New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-03-02

=. Quently was WIFI
mary van h'eeck ten in as part of
the sundry civil appropriations bill
which came before the House last
week. The clause providing for the
service is obscure and brief, and its
place is uncertain, for point of order
the objection of member of the
House-might wipe it out.
The sum recommended by the COM
mittee, $4,000, is the same amount
guaranteed the service for its first
year as war activity. 1t falls S110,-
600 short of the amount asked by the
department for it's next years pro-
gramme.
Although the members of the House
committee recommending the women
in industry service said it was the
bright and shining example of how
good work could be done in helpful
field" there is another reason why
the service was thought practical:
There is peace time machinery to take
care of nearly every other branch of
work, according to the committee, but
there is no place in any of the gov
ornamental departments where the prob
lens of women in industry are ham
died as such.
Since the service was started last
sumWer Miss Mary Van Kleeck has
been chief of all that has to do with
women in industry. Her assistant is
Miss Mary Anderson, trade union
member.
Real Problem Now to Begin
The time the service had to work
on war problems was short. Some
tracts and their relation to working
women were established, but for the
most part the business of Miss Van
Kleeck and her staff was advisory.
1t was With the signing Of the armi-
stice and the problems of reconstruct
ton, about which much wos said and
little done. that the women IN industry
service really came into play. Re
turning soldiers made the position of
women in industry distinctly different
in the public mind from what it had
been Immediately after the second
draft was PASSED. Whereas, women had
otto posters, they were within two
weeks time frowned upon for not step
ping out to make way for men, soldiers
or not soldiers.
1t was at this time that Miss Van
Kleeck gave new strength to the work
ing women, who were beginning to get
discouraged, by coming out with set
.of "standards for women N industry
At the very time when it seemed that
women in industry, those who had been
in it for years, as we'll as those who
had gone in since the war, were losing
whatever hold they deserved to have
the Department of Labor, as represent
ed by Mary Van Klceck, recognized
them as factors in the regular scheme
of the working world
Throughout the work Of the womer
in industry service of the Labor Dc
partment there has never been any
thing that it could accomplish except
through "a1visory" power. But prece
dents resulting from this "advice" have
been set and will prevail If the service
lives.
Employers Also Are Advised
And, after all, the service considers
the welfare of the employer as vel
as that OF the employe. Studies are
made Of the kinds of work that womer
do best, ard advice is given to EN-
ployers on whether women should have
certain Jobs in their plants.
Several months ago the service co
ordinated Federal activities under the
Council on women in industry Rep
resentatives Of every division Of tn,
Department Of Labor, the War Depart
ment, the Railroad Administration, thu
Committee on Women in Industry o
the Council Of National Defence, ant
the Federal Board for Vocational Edu
cation, made up the council. Miss Val
Kleeck, chef Of the women in industr,
service and q member Of the War La
Dor Policies Board, acted as chairman
of this council.
Investigations into the pros and con
of certain lines for women have beef
started by the service in conference
with this council, and the work ha
done little yet except show how It'll
ia actually known about women in in
dustry.
"Hazardous occupations" and the in
PRODUCTION Of women into them wer
investigated recently Chemical in
dustrics and manufacture Of explosive
and the lead trades became serou
problems early in the summer. Tn
service organized a committee o
hazardous occupations composed Of rep
rescntatives from the public hcalt
service, the bureau Of standards an
the national research council A fu
report OF the situation in Magyar
Falls was made by the committee.
Dangers Seen in Lead Trades
This report showed the need @
scientific statements on dangers fror
the lead trades TO women, since lea
poisoning causes sterility and infar
mortality. A survey Of the labor law
for women Of Indiana was made by tn
service at the request Of the Governo
OF Indiana.
Other work started by the women /
industry service in Philadelphia IL tn
wages paid women in candy maxim
and paper box making; the future O
women in the machine industry; tn
position Of the negro women in in
dustry, ard an analysis Of the labo
laws affecting women In industry.
Plans for the coming year have bee
made along the lines Of these subjecti
in approaching the committee Miss Va
KIecck said
"Obyiously the women thcmselyc
ARE an, important factor in dctcrminin
conditions Of work and cooperating i
successful production.
Rfhe HGrney in tpd.sfru .,s,,s n