The Cotton Factory Times. — 1909-12-03 (Manchester, Greater Manchester, England)

THE YORKSHIRE ASPECT.  The quarterly reports of Miss Jones, Chief Woman Inspector under the Bradford Corporation, on the work of the women public health inspectors engaged in the city, bring out in strong relief Irons time to time many aspects of life among the poor which probably would go unnoticed. The report for the past three months shows that no fewer than .4126 inspections have been made by this department, including workrooms, home workers, births, outpatients, eases of phthisis, etc. One of the most striking sections of the report just issued deals with the employment of married women in factories.  Comparing figures for Bradford with those for the rest of the country, Miss Jonas says the indications point to a large increase in "raze suicide." Amongst the working classes in industrial communities, eepecially atnongst the textile trades—continues the report—large numbers of women are employed. Motherhood implies inability to emn wages, and is therefore at a discount. Married women in the West Riding of Yorkehire, is aodition to bearing the children and caring for the home, are often expected partially, and sometimes wholly, to support the family. In a number of cases which come under our notice the waves wet k all day in the mill, and on their return tidy the home, baking and washing for their family. Many do not retire until midnight, rising again early in order to make some preparation for a mid-day meal before going to work. In the dinner-hour they quickly return, prepare the meal, serve the husband and children, swallowing their went food far too hurriedly, and again hasten back 'to their duties. Their lives often appear to he little better than those of slaves, and many at 45 are brokendown women, prematurely aged. If a community is to be judged by the status of its women, certainly the condition of the working women ht. reminds one of coolie women in India, or those of many of the African tribes, where women are more or less beasts of burden. The moral effect Olson the men is very disastrous; it encourages them in selfishness and idleness, and many of them become exceedingly., lazy. That a higher infantile mortality .75 net Lnind amongst those infants whose mothers are millhands—remarks Miss Jones is doubtless partially explained by the fact that the infant's health largely depends upon the type of mother; and in the majority of CMOS it in the alert, energetic, independent, and thrifty woman who goes to the mill, the mother who is sufficiently devoted to her children to be willing to sacrifice herself for their wellbeing, the woman who strives to improve the condition of her family, and who never fails to see that her infant is well minded during her absence; whilst the class of woman who loses her infants by death in, generally speaking, the idle, negligent, slovenly mother, who is too lazy even to clean her own home, much lees to assist in the upkeep of her family. but who spends her time sitting over the fire drinking, or gossiping with neighbours. Fortunately, there are few of this type amongst Yorkahire women. Were married women wholly prohibited from working in the mills, under present conditions, there would be other dangers to face; for a larger wage implies greater home comforts and better housing; and many moral evils would be increased—people would simply shirk the legal bond of "carriage. Probably when wages are fixed according to work done, rather than, as now, according to sex conditions, mans of these evils will right thensselvee, as there will no longer be the excuse for employing women, solely, on account of cheaper labour.  Sir Francis Burnam' will probably be remembered as one of the greatest English punsters. Once he had thought of joining the priestlawd, but after mature consideration he came to the conclusion that he would rather be an actor. His change of plane necessitated a visit to Cardinal Manning, who was told by Burnand that he thought the stage, and not the Cliuroh, was his vocation. Manning's reply was frigid. Why, you might as well i say that to be a—a--cobbler s a ',Location.' " Whereupon," writes Sir Francis," nervously inspired, I blurted out: Well—or a .1 3 cobbler has a great deal to do with the sole." It is zoiarsied tint ems the Csadiosal  The Dust Danger.