Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-02-28
women OF BRITAIN SEEK
TO- IMPROVE CONDITIONS
Government Workers Will Make Eft.
fort to Obtain Pay Equal
ing That of Men.
EUr FEW BECOME WIVES
Strict Regulations and Lack Of Min
CLING of Sexes Given rs Cause for
Few Marriages - Lack OF Men
Grows Moro Apparent.
BY Il. ENNIS.


BY Is. ENNIS
LONDON. Feb. 27.-Thc end OF the
war found England with over 5000, 900
.Somen in industry or this number.
one-quartcr were replacing men, over
100000 were in munitions work. ESQ.,
900 were serving in the different wo-
mems armies, whilst many thousands
more We're employed as temporary
clerks, whose engagements terminate
with the war. Making the most OPP
timistic allowances for the commercial
boom which should follow peace, there
remains a prospect of fierce competi-
ton in the labor market. and the
holder of a permanent position, gazing
= out on the quicksand OF uncmploy-
ment, is now, if ever, disposed to
appreciate the security of her posi-.
ton.
The majority of permanent govern
ment clerks are in the employ OF the
postmaster-G'narai. whose stats al the
and money order Offices and Scotch
and Irish branches total in all 3.i37.
In prc-war days these clerkshps, car
ryinE with them Il salary OF from S3.o
TO $500 n year. were eagerly competed
Tor. Even in those times, however,
Tho woman clerk was rescntful of the
maximum salary to $3.50 and her en-
orgies TO work of an entirely mono
tonous nature. With her enfranchisc-
mcnt has come greater mpatience
of the double standard of pay. where
by as woman, she receives about
one-thrd less than n man for the same
higher civil service is denied her.
Moreover, while approaching her inn
nunity from Unemployment. she Is far
from content with her lot, even as
compared with that of women in out
side offices.
EETICIENCY OF GIRLS
INCREASED BY WAN
One of the most striking effects of
the efficiency of the ordinary business
girl. She has, in many cases, been
sea Tno and 70 do Wonk Of re
the performance of it. has come enter
OF the majority of women clerks, how
quantity, of work demanded. The
in The savings Bank Department.
the appearance Of the fir first Wa War Loan
in 1915 the routine work involved, In
f, Urea ms: with each succeeding loan.
almost seemed to have left those con-
G csrmS.l. in 1t dispossessed OF every
aud computing dividends. In this ns' Way
the last three and one-half years have
oadiy Handicapped the saving bank
but dreary post at tantalizing vista
OF new opportunities. she bitterly feels
herself lacking the qualities essential
In this sense the very word '.permn-
nent comes 10 suggest n. life sentence.
marriage ANYTHING but remote.
Already. before the war. the woman
OF OF ihis eoooS a had to face
past four and one-haif years have
raise raised this to close on 1000 600 This
Chat beween So and RI per f cent the Of fact
government girl clerks remained un-
their spinistcrhood to the conventuai
ssclusion in which. till very recently.
ho ST So rir ,TuT was t durnG onse
ment excluded that when, some wears
a ago the women; as cheap labor. we're
81 the men, they were preceded in
.h s advance by. a six-foot wooden
section Of the ground. ,The cXtrome
pIecaution was moreover taken of trans
have used an advantage OF six feet in
height for unauthorized glimpscs.
ntNGLING OF SCENES
LEAD TO MARRIAGES
y minor sensation OF the war oc-
cured when the advent OF the temper
arS staF and the decrease in the male
san lcd to the interminglins OF the
c THgs lot.owed BY ~ several matrimonial
however. was that. in disseminating the
SseSregatfens. tire government vii, no
iolceu 10 abandon its excuse for
unequal work.
The civil servant however. by virtue
OF hcr short ven-hour day had, IN
normal times. the advantage OF much
Irct time for social intercourse The
,act that this did not result more cX
tensive!y in marriage may be accounted
o! men OF the confirmed bachelor cInss
rms class was created by low wages
ana the absence Of prospects of nd-
vancement. Moreover. as a civil ser.
want and as therefore occupying ono
OF the highest rungs in the social lad.
Ger. inc woman clerk was inclined. in
the male clerk OF her own class, who
IN View OF the wider opportunities omen
L" MIN might be considered to occupy
:. lower runS Also 10 marry was to
tradition has it that the origin of
ne Got which each poss-ofiice clerk
oer r,,l.i,, on marriage "a sum equa, to
Nlct, arose out OF the necessity OF per
5nadins members OF tho original STAFF
80, 20 get married Forty years ago n
ieHe 10 De forcgone easily for the do
nestle sphere. Although the civil ser
i" m OF '%aaI does not feel tina, con-
PREDECESSOR, she still hesitates to re-
neF appointment. To large ex-
;HH this is due TO the memory Of the
secured IT. At time when-with the
exception Of teaching or (for few
nioneersl medicinc--the civil service
was the only profession open TO women,
me competition was at the rate OF 100
entrants TO each vacancy
WORKERS. PROTECTED
AGAINST MISFORTUNE;
Aodcd TO this. there is the triple Sc
curity against sickness. unem ployInent
and old age. The government grants
sex pay 10 the clerks at the rate OF
,u!i salary for the first six months of
illness and half salary for a further
sis months, IT is pledged TO retain