The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1939-02-11
THE DIGEST
By FLOYD J. CALVIN
WOMEN WORKERS

"The Colored Woman Worker"
new bulletin issued by the Depart
ment of Labor, Washington, reveals
the points which must be most vigor-
ously attacked by our women if their
economic status is to be improved
In all, says the Bulletin, "Colored
women in what may be termed white
collar occupations transportation
and communication, trade, public SER
vice, professional service, and clerical
occupations-totaled but $1,000 in
1881, or only about percent of the
Colored women gainfully occupied. On
the other hand, native white women
IN the same occupations totaled $780,
OOO IN the same year, or Sc per cent
OF all painfully occupied white women
of native birth"
Here is the crux of the problem
more jobs in the white collar" area
But this is the area in which prejudice
is strongest, North and South. Even
Colored men often forget that thew
owe the same obligation to their wo-
men as to themselves in their fight to
smash barriers holding them back.
Recently the Secretary of War. Mr..
W0odring, said Colored people them
selves, accept the princi pie that the
races should not be mixed in organi-
cations. However, Mr.. W. Frank Par
sons, Director of the United States
Employment Service, speaking to the
second national conference held by the
N.Y.A. in Washington recently, re-
ported that the race now has an oppor-
tunlty to get jobs as administrative
officers managers, assistant mana
gers, Junior and senior interviewers,
vocational counsellors, receptionists,
stenographers, typists, clerks, phone
operators, messengers and custodial
workers" Mr.. Parsons reported fur
Their that: "They are working in separ-
ate divisions or offices in some cities
and In mixed offices in Others"
This is important. The U. S. Gov
eminent is employing Colored people
IN mixed stats, and according to Mr..
Parsons: Careful observation of
workers in the Service over a period
of years leads me to the opinion that
Colored workers have proved them
selves efficient in every position in the
Service to which they have been ap-
pointed. Those Colored appointees
have contributed to a better under
standing of the problems of unemploy-
ment as they affect their particular
group; and have aided in interpreting
the Service to the public"
If this is true in the Federal service,
then it must be made more increasing
ly true in private industry. Great en-
ployers of white-collar workers like
the Metropolitan Life Insurance Com
pany and the public utilities, like the
electric light and telephone interests,
must be made to give more employ
ment to Colored workers, and to Col
ored women workers. Trained Colored
women simply must find more outlets
for their talent and ability than school
teaching and social service.
Individual Colored can aid this pro-
gram by resolutely standing behind
all picket lines which seek to force
entry into avenues of employment
now denied the group, particularly
where the group is large percent of
the consumers of such enterprises.
This method has proved effective in
several northern cities, and must be
used even more vigorously to force
new openings.
Let Colored men not make the mis-
take of fighting for themselves alone,
and forgetting to carry their women
with them. All should go up together.