The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1923-05-29
SEEK FOR REASON
WHY WOMEN WORK
Labor Bureau DeNes Into Prob
lem for Answer to Economic
Status of Men.
The government is trying to
find out why women work. Can
you give the reason2

~~~~~~~~~ i
Neutrality-suspicious. women work be
cause they need the money. Such is
the conclusion reached as a result Of a
survey made by the women's bureau OF
the Department of Labor.
The rapidly increasing number OF
women in industry, In business and in
the professions is creating economic
problems that are not to be solved Off
hand nor dismissed with a gesture For
instance, what will be the effect of this
tendency upon marriage the family
and the future of the race? And,
again, what will be the ultimate effect
of the competition between men and
women in similar fields Of work and
endeavor?
Is 1t possible that the more women
there are who work the more there will
be of the succeeding generation who
will have to work? Is it all due to the
high cost of living, and is the world
fast approaching situation in which
1t will be impossible for the average
man to earn enough or produce enough
to support the average family without
assistance from those who should be
his dependents?
These are some of the questions
growing out of the problem that is rec
ognized as sufficiently real and impor-
tant to call for study by a government
tai agency
Wars Influence One Facor.
II is undoubtedly true that the World
war contributed largely to the prob
lem and complicated it by forcing wom-
en- into Industrial occupations never
before undertaken by them. 1.-THE In
dustrial Code" a recent work on In
dustrial relations, in discussing this
says
"Under stress of national necessity 1t
was found that woman could do al
most any kind Of work that man can
do Handicaps heretofore accepted as
insurmountable were overcome quickly
and easily. Was it question of cloth
ing; hampering skirts, pettieoats and
the like? Then the impedimenta were
discarded promptly and the overalls Of
the male workers were adopted Was
1t matter of inferior physical
strength? Then inventive genius came
forward with a machine, or a method,
that minimized the physical demands
made upon the worker. Was it a ques-
tion of environment; of moral and sex
hazards to which, under the old order,
common acceptance ruled that women
should not be subjected? Then society
Immediately reared around the woman
workers a protective wall of sentiment
and public opinion that guaranteed
them an immunity never before en-
joyed by any of their sex
SIT was found that many occupations
had been closed to women for no rea-
son other than tradition or custom,
and II was also found that women ex-
celled at tasks at which it had been be-
lieved only men could be proficient.
Contrary to expectations, it was found
that standards of productivity in many
instances were raised instead of low
cred as a result Of the Introduction OF
woman workers in industries thereto
fore reserved to men,"
Compete With Men for Jobs.
Tt was when the man returned from
war service and found a woman in
his old position that the trouble really
began. for the situation Immediately
obtained Of two workers for one job,
creating competition that tended in
eyitabIy toward the reduction OF |
wages and salaries. This was bad |
situation from the labor standpoint, |
and the fact that some employers were
not slow to take advantage Of 1t made |
1t all the more acute. Many of the
women continued at work. Hence the
Inquiry.
seWe all know that the mere fact
Of so many women at work is an i'm
Dortant one" says the statement of
the women's bureau, "and one that has
much bearing on the organization OF
our present life. But we cannot get
the final significance of this fact until
we know why so many women are
"Women work because they need the
not only to support them
selves, but for an even more urgent
service, to help in the support of their
families. This statement may be a
surprise to you; 1t is surprising to
many people who for some reason
.hink that many women are at work
lust for fun or excitement But 1t Is
| true statement, and If you will look
around you, you will see that 1t is
rue"
In the case Of single women who
ire working the bureau found that an
Invalid mother or a WORKOUT father
ire not uncommon charges for the
working woman.
In the United States as a whole
bout one woman of every five Is gain
uIly employed.
Only about one-fifth of the wage
arning women are married, but that
ne-flfth is working for the same req
on as the other four-f1fths-because
hey need the money. "a