The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-05-21

Extra Session Called for Repeal of
Objectional Law.
NEW YORK-AIay 2I-ALore than 200l
women representing the female employees
of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit company
met yesterday afternoon III Brooklyn and
protested the passage of the transporta
ton law, which, the railroad company as
serts, will compel it to dispense with the
services of all its women guards, conduct
ors, ticket agents, and gate tenders Res
olutions were adopted in which the pas
sage of the bill was assailed and com
mittee was appointed to visit Governor
Smith in an effort to have him call an
extra session of the legislature to consider
the repeal Of the law.
The meeting was called to order by Miss
Amy Wren, a lawyer of 2l5 Montague
street. Miss Charlotte 0Dell b.
T. employe, was selected as temporary
chairman. The following resolutions We're
read by Miss Wren and unanimously
adopted
Whereas, 1881 women employees Of the
Brooklyn Rapid Transit company have
| been, or are about to be discharged be
cause of the passage of the so-called
| transportation bill, and whereas. many OF
| the said employees have worked for the
| said railroad for more than 20 years, and
| whereas, not one of the said employees
asked for the said law, nor approved of
| the same, nor was said law passed at the
,nstigation or desire Of said employees, and
| whereas, the said bill was presented to
the legislature by the Woman's JOINT
Legislative conference. consisting OF the
i Woman's Trade Union league, the league
1 for Women Voters, the Consumer
league and the Young Women's Christian
association not one of which understood
tactical rairoadng or asked Tor iuforma
ton on the subject from any employe o
the said system. and whereas, the SAID
Jaw is impractical in actual operation
and whereas, special legislation for WON
en- is discriminatory against women am
can only result in throwing women out o
work and that women cannot demanl
equal pay whep they do not do equa
work, and whereas, any legislation whic'
does not affect lien and Women edual
: is wrong in principle and can only operat
| to the detriment Of women.
| Whereas, The propaganda used by I'll
said Womans Joint Legislative confer
!, cncc in pushing the passage Of the sal
law. was that girls under Is years Of az
worked on said railroad and that som
women employed were immoral:
. Resolved, That we protest against in
practical reformers framing laws withou
consultation with the workers to be a
: fected, and that we protest against tn
o propaganda used by the Woman's Legi
il lative conference and call upon them t
substantiate their charges Resolved, tia
we call upon Governor Alfred +. Smit
to call a special session of the legislator
to repeal said law We demand that I'll
rganizations responsible for the passae
of the law work with us for its repea
Resolved, that if it is necessary we Wi
bring test case in court to have Il
law declared unconstitutional.
After the adoption of the resolution
Il was decided to hold mass meetir
Wednesday evening at Aabama avenu
brooklyn. and another on Thursday afte
noon at Salvation Army hall, I'D We
18th street Manhattan
B. r. T. officials announced that I
stems would be taken to test the cons
tutonality of the law.