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Hellraisers Journal – Thursday June 8, 1911
The National Consumers’ League Stands with Working Women and Children
From The Coming Nation of June 3, 1911:
How Women Help Women
By Grace Potter
[Part I of II.]
HE National Consumers’ League believes that the six million wage-working women in the United States are in many ways earning their bread under greater difficulties than the men wage slaves endure.
The shirt waist strike two years ago and the present strike of the box makers in New York illustrate one of the handicaps women suffer. Whatever move they made in the progress of their battle, the shirt-waist strikers were hauled into police court. They were often treated brutally by policemen, they were thrust into cells, they were fined, they were imprisoned. They suffered as no men strikers ever have in New York. The police were not deterred from unjust action against these young women by the thought of the way they might vote at the next election, because women have no vote.
Woman’s inferior physical strength, her maternal cares, her need to give attention to her home the while she is a wage earner, all are handicaps, too.
The National Consumers’ League is trying to make conditions better for working women because she is so handicapped. Incidentally they are making conditions better for men in many places.
It was over twenty years ago that the Consumers’ League was started in New York City. It has spread to many states and many countries since then and it is still spreading. It has two definite aims:
1. To abolish the sweating system.
2. To extend among all mercantile establishments commendable conditions.These are the means taken to accomplish such ends:
1. The Consumers’ League Label.
2. The White List of Fair Houses.
