The tribune independent of Michigan., 1935-08-24

G. The article follows:
Many of us are sentimental
enough TO believe that freedom OF
the serf was accomplished by the
signing OF the Magma Charta; and
the libtratinn of the slaves by the
signing OF the Emancipation Pro-
clamation. But serfdom OF cook
and maid. Of long hours, low wages
and intolerable working conditions
is still the lot OF most Negro women
workers. Conditions have grown
worse. In 1920 one OF every two
Negro women who worked was
classed as a domestic. But in 1880
two out OF every three Negro women
were so classified. Already in
dustry toward which Negro women
had looked was closing its doors
upon them and turning them back
into the servant class.
And what are the labor condi-
'tions or these womeny These wo-
men work 20 and so hours a wetk.
II their employer wishes to have
a gay party until one or two
o'clock at night they must stay to
serve and clean up. with no pay for
The extra time and no excuse ac-
.epted for failurt TO be at work In
time 10 get the breakfast the next
nlcrning.t If tley "sleep-in" there
IS usually the necessity for sharing
luarters with another servant or
aiiror children. They have no
time % call their own II house
hold ser, ent stays at home. she
caves SO early and returns so
late that no time remains for her
own household duties or for per-
sOnal recreation. And II no objects
10 these intolerable conditions she
is told that there are numbers or
women en- relief rolls anxious for
.he chance to take her job. And,
indeed there are.
But what are the wages OF thes
household serfs? Three out OF
every four Negrowomen employed
as domestics in private families
are in the southern states There
are no available figures on weekly
wage rates. In Atlanta, Georgia
the Young Women's Christian AS
sociation estimates the usual rate
10 be $3.50 week. An employent
agency In the same, city which
caters to the better families give an
average of $3.50 weekly for the APP
plicants whom they place. In 80
northern counties in Mississippi a
survey by the Joint Committee
showed wages Of Negro domestics
usually to amount TO less han $500
a week. Even as far North as
washington, d. G.. $500 week is
considered a good averege weekly
wage for domestics. Even In north
ern and mid western urban centers
wages are not much better. Yet
housewives continue I complain
of the incompetency and irrespon-
sibility OF servants TO whom they
pay sucr starvation wages.
Some may well ask, why do wo-
mon work for such meagre wages
nndor such intolerable conditions
II is here that We come face TO race
with the fact that the Negro wo-
man Is forced into these"household
,sweatshops" because OF tht low In
come forced upon the other bread
WINNERS OF the Negro home. Ii is
thus pain that the probltms OF Ne
gro women are part Of the larger
prblems OF low wages OF all Negro
workers and in the final analysis
OF the entire American working
class.
What das the"New Deal" done
nbout this problem. Certainly the
federal fficials know that when
they caused meat prices to go SKY
high" and flour to soar in price as
result of tht tgoovernment "reduc--
ton" policy OF the Agricultural
Adjustment Administration they
also created additional heavy bur
dens for the Negro domestic.
,.h,n en-. collar buys forty Gems
less and you get; $50 week v'r
can still live. though on not such a
fine scale as before the decrease
But when the dollar buys forty
cnnts ltss and you only get three
dollars a week. the decrease in buy
ling power spells the word starva-
ton. And this is the word the New
Deal" has spelt for many tens ol
I,koroandde of Negro women.