Evening star., 1948-07-04
30th Year Observed
By Women S Bureau;
Reforms Reviewed
By Siqrid Arne
Associated Press Stoff Writer

Thirty years ago the Government,
up to its ears in World War I, found
to its combined male amazement
that women made pretty good work.
ers. even in gun factories.
So on July 8, 1918, the gentlemen
asked a group of ladies to organize
a women in industry" committee
to advise men on how to get women
into factories.
Two years later the committee
became the Women's Bureau of to-
day-but only after Congress had
wept over the fine flower of women
hood going into commerce and in
dustry.
Woodrow Wilson signed the bill
which set up the Women's Bureau
in July, 1920. He got the bill only
in the 1lth hour of the Goth Con-
gress because die-hards were bat
tling it out in the House Appropri-
ations Committee, trying to cut off
funds.
Bureau Began With $4,000.
AS it was, that Congress voted
$250,000 for Congressman to mail
free seeds to constituents against
SIS 900 for the Women's Bureau,
which was supposed to better the
conditions of 100000 working
women.
Tradltionally, women have been
the exploited workers of the coun-
try: getting less pay for the same
work, being fired first. getting pro-
motions last.
World War II came along. Male
brass, both in and out of khaki
thanked its stars for the Women's
Bureau
American women were still under
paid, and the Women's Bureau still
got pennies compared to other
bureaus. But its staff jumped to the
guns and issued rain of pamphlets
to show men how to employ womer
in factories.
BY l943 the employer who needed
more help had to hire women. Thi,
fine flower" rose to 10000 ,0O(
workers.
Women workers have now
dropped back to 100000. Tht
Bureau reports that 80 per cent oil
them have to work. They're either
supporting themselves or themselves
and others.
Through the years the Women.
Bureau has taken a curious course
in Washington. 1t has refused tt
lobby. Instead it has printed fact!
after trotting through factorie.
and factory towns-Which were ther
issued to organized women's groups
such as trade unions, YWCA ant
league of women voters. The non
governmental groups, armed with
the facts, did the lobbying.
This stand-offlsh program of th'
bureau was begun by its first ant
until recently, only director, Mar.
Anderson. She was a calm, slight,
cynical, extremely wise woman whit
had spent 18 years in shoe fac
tory. She gave over her job re-
Gently to Frieda Miller, formerl.
New York's Labor Commissioner
who takes the same approach t,
Congress.
Concentrating on Equal Pay.
Over the years the reports turnet
out by the Bureau have wrung {
few reforms from the men. Their
are now equal pay laws in sever
States, for instance. Only l3 State
now deny women jury service. Mos
States permit women to handle theil
own property. Women have tht
vote by Federal Law.
Now the Bureau is concentrating
on equal pay the country over.
1t also has branched out to take
in women 'trainees" from othel
countries. Women from Latir
America and the Middle and Fal
East have been here to study oul
laws in order to return home anc
put pressure on male lawmakers.
The bureau still has its owl
troubles, however. The House Ap'
preparations Committee has JUS
killed funds for the six field Office
the bureau has through the coun
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