The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-08-23

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Seattle. Wn.. Aus 20. 1898.


Seattle, wn.. Aug. 20. 1898.
Or, II, NJ Read,
Commissioner of Health.
Public Safety BLDG,
Seattle, Wn,
My Dear pootor
1 trust YOU viii take this letter az
il u meant. / am not reformer nor
am I a mrddler In other peoples AZ
fairs. But tho matter want 10 call
20 your attention Is a question Of HUI
maulty and something that interests
ua an. think perhaps Il IL a matter
which you have overlooked or have
simply continued Old customs,
/ am not an advocate OF the eight
hour day, nor DO believe In this sob
stuff that has been popular thruout
tho country In tho last few years
The city administration Is dominated
by tho advocates OF union labor and
the elght.hour day. and In sympathy
with the radical element OF the ooun
try. IL has been advertised pretty
weii thruout the United states and
has injured Seattle materially. II u
Is a good thing TO have an eishi'hour
day FOR big. strong men who shlrk
and do as little work ~ they can
during tho hours OF their employ
meat. why IL Il not good thing 10
have an elEhthour day for women.
and especially tho best type OF women
that wa have, Lots of them arc TO
fined women. actuated By tho very
beat Instincts o. womAnklnd, wishing
20 learn an honorable profession. ono
Of tho finest In the world. ] refer
20 your student nurses.
You probably well know there has
been a good deal OF agitation tn years
past In the legislature on thln same
/ question. People are getting more
stirred up about Il and believe there
win bo a decided movement In tho
next legislature TO correct this eVil
practice Of hospitals generally and
especially Of tho Seattle city hospital
These women do tho bruut OF the
work. They are worked IL or ~
hours a day for months AZ a time.
without even days vacation. /
think il would DO better to educate
them 70 have respect for the prutoa'
sion they are learning. There has
been no question among thinking
people but tina, the hospital Is graft.
| ING on these women. They arc paid
almost nothing. They do tho brunt
OF the work and what DO they set In
rcturn9 They arc put on duty AZ the
city hospitals and work - or II
hours night for two or three
months al time. as l have said.
without even ono days vacation.
There arc women graduated from
tho city hospital whose health has
been shattered because of overwurk
II would not DO possible for any
wages 70 hire mill crow or a logging
crew or workmsn on tho docks or in
machine shops for that length OF
time. II company or individual did
do such thing tho papers would b.
| filled with Il, accusing them OF bslns
a deapot and a haFd.heartrd, cruel
villain. / am an employer Of labor,
both men and women, and X asked
any Of my employees TO work over
time for a week az tina / would
give them. besides their regular pay
al least days vacation with ful
PAY.
This matter Is going 20 DO taknr
up again ut tho nsIt legislature and
think Il would bo we'll for the rcpu
tation Of Seattle II these reforms
we're carried out before legislation
forces you 10 recognize the rights 81
women 70 the same compensation
and hours Of labor that men have. Al
. best. the work 10 tho city hospital Il
: much harder than In any other hoa
pltal. a big percentage Of patients
taken there trying to gas all they cat
for nothing. There is another oousid
erahlo percentage that should hay'
been taken TO Jail instead Of a hos
pital. Others should have gone TO Al
insane asylum and Silll others 20 III
pea, house. A big percentage OF pa
TENTS so 10 ths city hospital tina
would not be allowed to enter an,
other hospital in tho city. Thl
makes the work OF tho employees o
tho hospital. and especially tho stu
dent nurses. much harder. They ar
required to observe unnecssSaril.
strict discipline.
II you are short Of help and canno
get It. why take hundreds Of patient
that are capable Of paying their wa,
al some OF tho other hospitals Of III