The Washington herald., 1919-01-19

Len tnOuSdnu women IN WashlnR-
ton are members of trade unions,
according to Miss Ethel Smith, Sec
retary of the National Women's
Trade Union League, who has come
to this city for the purpose of or
ganizing the $4,000 employed in the
various trades as well as the thou
sands in government employ.
Miss Smith, who is thoroughly ia
millar with conditions here. will
conduct her campaign for 100 per
cent organization of the women
workers of the Capital from the
headquarters of the National League,
room 401, Continental Trust Build
ing.
"one of the worst exploiters of
women labor in the District" de-
clared Miss Smith yesterday, "is the
government itself. Women are now
working in the Public Library for
s54o a year or $40 q week. The
families of these wretchedly paid
Washington girls are paying the
difference between that sum and q
living wage. To this extent the
government is parasite on the
family, taking something for which
they give nothing in return.
Got - a Week.
During the war there were wom-
| en- working in Washington for as
! little as 81 a week. With s35 as
| the minimum for which board and
lodging, even with three or four
in a room can be obtained. they
could not possibly support them
| selves on any such sum.
a.. %
en- in Federal bureaus who are not
getting enough to live on. so the
government itself has become an ex-
| ploiter of women labor. These en-
| ployes are in the Bureau of Engrav-
! Ing and Printing. the Public Lii
| brary, the Library of Congress and
in the public schools of the Dis
! trict of Columbia.
Any business that does not sup
| port every worker connected with
IT is a parasitic business and has no
! right to exist. Extreme poverty
/ means degradation for women and
men alike. To prevent misery and
| overcome poverty we must see that
! every human being is given a liv-
! ing wage, for every woman has a
right to a wage big enough to
keep her in health and comfort"
What is the remedy for the con-
| ditions which the government it
| self permits TO exist" Miss Smith
| was asked.
Organization Only Protection.
There is only one thing in the
world" was her indignant reply.
and that is organization. 1t is the
only thing that will prove effective
| and give aona1
work. and every woman worker in
! Washington, whether on govern
ment or private employ, must or
ganize for her own protection.
| with the great increase of the
number OF women employed both in
the government service and the
| trades, there is greater need than
ever for their organizing unions, for
collective bargaining and remedial
! legislation can only be accomplished
through organization.
The minimum wage board can
| only fix the minimum, while wages
above that must be adjusted through
collective bargaining. Collective
bargaining can only be attained
through organization.
| The women of the entire country
are waking up to this fact. This is
! especially true of Washington. The
public has little conception OF what
extent the women have already or
Eanized here to secure better hours
Of labor, working conditions and an
adequate wage or salary.
| How many women are engaged in
occupational work in the District%'
Miss Smith was asked.
! Survey for District.
LAS to those employed by private
| firms" she said, the survey con-
| Quoted by the Minimum Wage Board
OF the District, of which Miss Clara
] Mortenson is secretary, shows that
15,67S women are employed in indus
! trial occupations in Washington. These
| figures are exclusive of the telephone
operators, control of these companies
having been taken over by the gov
| ernment."
The largest group of these 1900
workers is that employed in mercan-
| tile establishments. the total of 2,255
giving employment to 1000. They have
organized in practically every trade.
In this group there are retail unions,
garment workers unions. and unions