Evening star., 1924-03-23
Domestic Workers Organize
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN

Something new in the labor union
movement is the National Association
of Wage Earners which colored wom-
en- of the country have formed pri-
marily for domestic workers. Head
quarters have been purchased in this
city and a practice house established
which has many of the features of a
school Of domestic science.
Miss Mamie II. Burroughs of the
District of Columbia is president of
the association. The other officers
are Mrs. Mary Bethune of Florida,
vice president; Miss Minnie l. Brad
ley of Connecticut, executive secre-
tary; Mrs. Maggie l. Walker of Vir-
ginia, treasurer; Miss Elizabeth C.
Carter Of Massachusetts, chairman Of
the investment board. and Mrs. Lizzie
Fouse of Kentucky, registrar.
The association is heralded as "a
labor organization with a construc-
tive program" This program is set
forth categorically, and strangely
enough a demand for "more pay and
shorter hours" does not appeal as
the first fundamental object Of the
movement.
To develop and encourage efficient
workers, to assist women in finding
the kind of work for which they
seem best qualified, to elevate the
migrant class of workers and incor-
porate them permanently in service
of some kind, and to standardize liv-
ing conditions are the listed pri-
mary purposes of the union of colored
he
ton, which is stated merely as a de-
sire to Secure a wage that will
enable women to live decently."
Other objects enumerated are: To
assemble the multitude of grievances
of employers and employees into a
set of common demands and strive
mutually to adjust them; to enlighten
women as to the value of organiza-
tion; to make and supply appropriate
uniforms for working women through
a profit-sharing enterprise, and to
influence just legislation affecting
woman wage earners.
There are 100000 negro women en-
gagged in domestic and personal service
occupations in the United States Negro
woman wage earnerS are the only large
unprotected labor group in America"
says the announcement of the formation
of the new union. "UnorganiZed labor
will be exploited and mistreated. An or
ganized labor group gets fairer wages,
DCtl6T uNIH6 CUGIuiLlOho, 5iCdtCi iCcpcCt
economic justice. Then. too. a labor
organization that functions properly de-
velops in the workers greater skill and
general efficiency, pride OF occupation
and improvement in general conduct
The latter improvements are as inn
portant as the former considerations"
The Hardest Fate Of ALI.
In one of the reports Of the National
Woman's Trade Union League Of Amer
lea. the statement was made that "of
all the hard fates to be met the hardest
that the American-born child can face
is to be born a little colored girl baby,
and this sad truth is here put into words
that may be reserved in expression, but
contain depths of suffering for our COL
ored sisters"
Representatives of the Women in In
dustrial Service listed 156 establish
ments in the middle west employing
over 10000 negro women. and reported
that general standards for this class of
workers were found to be somewhat
lower than the average, and their in
dustrial opportunities to be decidedly
more restricted than those Of other
woman workers.
I'm the face of these findings" says
the president Of the new association,
nothing has been done to help OUR