Show V OMEN WORKERS AIDED BY DY BUREAU Battle for Principle of Equal y W Wage age Crowned With Success The most Inspiring labor activity Ity of x the United States government Is un unquestionably un- un unquestionably unquestionably questionably the women's bureau of ot the Department of or Labor Women workers IDa may well look to this bureau bureaus s with enthusiasm During its It brief brIer ca- ca career career ca career reer It has achieved real betterment In the lives of or the great grent army of or worn worn- wom-eh wom eh wa wage e earners It has moved mo moun moun- mountains mountains of or abuse The bureau was created by congress on June JUDe 5 1920 WO Representative Camp Camp- Campbell Campbell Camp bell bell of Kansas and former Senator Kenyon may be bo considered Its legisla legIsla- legislative legIslative legislative tive daddies Its functions as ns de defined de- de defined fined tIned by b the original Camphell Campbell Kenyon bill were to lo formulate standards and policies which shall promote the wel wel- welfare wel- wel welfare welfare fare of wage earning women Improve their working conditions Increase their and advance their opportunIties opportunities opportunities ties f for r profitable pro employment Au ambitious program It must mu t be admit admit- admitted admitted admitted ted The field which this bureau reaches according to the census or of 10 1920 0 embraces over workingwomen working workingwomen women One of or the first tasks which the bu hu hu- hu bureau reau assumed was the fight to win rec rec- recognition recognition of the principle of an nn equal wa wage Women workers have for years ears COli contended tended for au an all anual equal ual wage for tor men and ond women for equal work This prin prin pie was vas laid down yn for Industry dur dur- durIn during In tag ing the war by the war nr labor board nt at the time Chief Justice Taft Tart was Its chairman With the passing passin of ot the ar labor board the struggle for the equal wage was taken up by the wom worn women wornon's women's ons on's en bureau In the lie way of this principle lay the traditional belief stilt till unfortunately prevalent that women workers are only pin mone money workers that the roman worker at nt best hest Is supplement supplement- supplementIng supplementing ing the Income of the family and that her wn wa e Is not essential to the sup sup- support support support port of anyone else or even en of or her her-f her her- herset set lf exclusively It Is obvious ob that solone so long lont ns as a the public P wa was beset with this belief no effective progress could be nude toward the equal wage I oration illation Ion This Tills pin money fallacy y the worn worn- ens en's ns n's bureau hUreau has punctured with whir facts A survey mr of representative wom worn women women en n w workers was wa conducted This sur- sur y tey p disclosed wd the fact tact that dependents were ere supported wholly by 0 per cent of tile the lie women studied by per cent of women whose weekly wage wae between 15 I and 1 1750 iGO by hy per iter cent ent of women n whose hose weekly wage was be- be be between tweed tween 1750 0 and 20 O and by 13 percent per cent eni of women whose wages were 20 O per week weel or over O Another activity of the lie bureau hureau Is to promote the enactment en of uniform state tate legislation governing conditions andr r which women work unfortunately Unfortunately much of ot the legislation regu regu- regu regulating lating women In Industry has been en en- en on nn the Hie miss hit basis bails and ond what Is I permissible In one state Is s l 11 II il- il illegal I legal cal I In another r To take n gIn glaring ring Instance in Ohio a woman Is for forbid forbid- forbidden forbid ld- ld den hn io to lift a core and core box the wl weight ht of which Is over 15 pounds In New York on the other otherL B if L hand IlOne women In the core ore rooms of foundries are prohibited from lIfting more tun 25 5 pounds There Is a very great Tal differ between 15 and 25 pounds and ll it Is obvious that It If 15 Is nil all that tin a n woman cnn nn safely lift In Ohio the women ornen of New York ore lire help permitted to Injure their health To rectify such inequalities and to establish standards has lias been the constant concern of the bureau Unquestionably the women's bureau has proven Its worth to both employer and employee With the future will undoubtedly como come added support from con congress ess fromI I |