The Washington herald., 1922-06-13
WOMEN JOIN FIGHT
TO RAISE CHILD
LABOR AGE LIMIT
Miss Ethel M. Smith
Tells of Trade League
80 Action.
Action.
ASK LEGISL ALTON
Peace Programs Considered
In Convention at Wau-
20 kegan, iii.

The eternal feminine grows up
into the consistently maternal.
women cannot lose their special
lied point of view under any cir
cumstances
onstrated than at the convention
of the National women's Trade
Union League. which met last week
at waukegan. Ill. judging from
reports brought by Miss Ethel NJ.
Smith. general secretary. who has
Just returned to Washington.
One of the chief subjects of
consideration. she announced. was
the child labor problem 1t inter-
ested the convention to a degree at
least as great as the rest of the
questions dealing with Industrial
conditions, and general sentiment
for a 16-year-old minimum, and
feeling against the Supreme Court
decision which declared the child
labor law unconstitutional. was
crystalized into resolutions.
Favor I4-Year Minimum.
The womens labor organizations
have to a considerable extent sue
ceeded in getting community senti-
ment to favor 14-year-old mini
mum, il was reported. The 100
women delegates who gathered,
however declared their belief that
the reasons for keeping children out
of workshops and actories applies
with equal force during the years
from II to l6, as to the years under
II. since these are the formative
years when no adOleSCent sould be
tied to monOtonOus tasks. but
be ven over to education for the
individual and community benefits.
The feminine labor leaders there
fore concluded TO bend their efforts
toward the Establishment of this
minimum. with commensurate rails
ing of the compulsory education
age.
Unemployment came next in in
terest to the attention of the con-
NentiOn. Asserting their belief that
the present unemployment was a
conspiracy on the part of employ
ers TO reduce wages, theorem, the
economic absurdity of which was
ers. discussed several plans for
government employment bureaus,
asked Federal. State and municipal
governments to adopt a policy OF
outlining their projects for public
works for several years in advance.
that public demand for labor may
he increased when private employ
ment Is slack. Unemployment Leg
islatiOn Of various sorts was
brought to the attention of the
gathering. and its necessity was
generally agreed upon. UnemplOY-
ment insurance was one OF the
most popular forms suggested.
Coll Upon Congress.
And then. returning to their
homes these labor leaders of the
new voters. gathered from all ccr-
ners OF the country, requested that
Congress go into the homes of this
country. the home of the 10000, 900
women. working without hire in
their own homes, and the 100000
working in homes for nire, to dis
cover the economic status and labor
conditions of these women. Their
la Dor problems have been terribly
ignored, they believed. and their
services have received neither the
consideration nor attention that
they deserve
Peace also came in for its place
in the deliberations Of the work
ing women. Women. with the COM
prehenSiOn Of the value of life and
with their human grasp. lost no
time in passing a resolution calling
upon all their membership 20 study
and inform themselves upon the in
ternatiOnal situation. to see what
is needed. to try to understand the
results Of the various proposed
programs. and to cooperate with
every group working toward the
interest Of peace.
Otrer considerations of the con-
ventiOnS were concerned chiefly
with labor union and organization
problems. Mrs. Maud Swartz is the
president for the coming year. Mrs.
Raymond Robbins. former presi-
dent. was given a position on the
executive board. as was Miss Ethel
Smith.