The Washington herald., 1920-11-28
LABOR WOMEN
LAMENT LOT
Progress In England Only
False Dawn Declare
Many Leaders.
By NARY HENkE.

BRISTOL. ENGLAND. Nov. z7-I
Progress seemingly made by Eng
lish women as a result Of wartime
service has proved only n false
dawn" prominent women are de-
claring.
There is a strong reaction here
against the employment of women
In well-paid, responsible posts. Miss
Helen Ward. Of the Society for
Equal Citizenship. told the Council
Of Women at Bristol. The sftua-
ton, she pointed out. is made more
dificult because the young English
woman had the opportunity to learn
her own possibilities during the
war and resents the fact that she n
being pushed back from an execu-
tive to a subordinate position.
"Hideously hard conditions are
facing our young women In the NEXT
ten years." Miss Ward said. These
young workers are without any
weapon. since they do not have the
vote until. they are 80 years old
The situation is casting girls into
the slough of despair. And since
they have no political means OF as
serting themselves We must not be
surprised IL they use the only
weapon that is left to them"
Women here are pointing out the
industrial danger that is immipent
from the state. OF women's employ
ment. Cheap women's labor is an
evil that is threatening the nation.
they declare.
attack by women workers in Eng
land haronC.
ernment itself is encouraging this
cheap labor" menace. Promises of
equal rights to women In civil ser
vice, 1t is charged. have proved
about as effective as scraps Of pa
per-"
The latest Concession" made TO
women in civil service Is decidedly
unpopular. 1t gives pull" COM
plete sway, women claim, by pro-
viding employment by selection in
stead Of examination; forces
women to enter by different doors
and go up by different ladders; and
denies equal pay in all except the
lowest grades of clerical work In
this service, as in almost every
other employment In England at
present, there Is said to be an at
tempt to create a special class Of
routine workers to consist of
women, while Withholding from
them the opportunity of climbing.
Women in certain civil service posts
here are receiving SIS for work
that paid men $50 to SIS before the
war.
More women active in politics are
needed to meet the situation, infiu-
entail women believe. They say
that now, although women seem to
take an active part in the various
political parties. they are expected
ito do what the men wish"
The National Women's Council is
preparing a list of women whom IL
believes capable Of standing for
Parliament and will urge their sup
port on the various political parties.
Lady Astor is working fourteen
mons" is the appeal; Eve must
give her help"
''The archaic laws that have dealt
injustice to English women in the
past would not have been possible
had women been enfranchised," said
Lady Selbourne, the new head Of
the British Council and a political
worker Of influence. I'VE are going
to see that the same mistakes do
not happen in the future"
Except for a few strong women
and they are either in the peerage
or the Labor party-English women
are not offering much political ma
terfal that would have any party
support. Their tone is optimistic,
but most women realize that there
will be long and difficult struggle
before they obtain any real political
equality with men.
Copyright, 1890. Public Ledger co.,