WOMEN WORKERS IN FRANCE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 716, 15 January 1910, Page 10

WOMEN WORKERS IN FRANCE.

v STRUGGLE- FOR "' T;'! :■'' 'V; : ; ■:. ■; Soiiio ton years ago aii eminentFrench^;; lhan'(M., Bcrcngcr} .drew attention, in'a;.' tiories. of; remarkable' • review/ articles;to '■ . ;■! what he ..termed '! ,'lp: iritcl- • ■ locfuel niasculin" (writes ; the"/ Paris; cbr^..'. ; ; '.respondent, of. the, "Glasgow;. /Herald"), '■'..:'.-. At'tliß; present time, owing- to the ovor-", • growing competition among" women. ;,who.'';. trust; 1 to' -their ' intellectual "capacities'. to ;'•''■■ '. ■barn; a Hying, M. PaulAckeiy an'.Oqually; ';',-',: / prominent writer, claims publio attention.;:'•! -and;.sympathy for,'.' wo'inpn: workers v 'ia;;.'-'".;• France■ belonging, more or 'less'-to' tha ',''■■/'/ category of /"intellectuals.",'.■.!;;';.'■' ;:;:;;:;'■';: ...'•;' j It is a recognised fact' that'marriages '■ ■■:■ are on the doelino this side the/Ghanneli ■: particularly in: the lower' middle, class.;; -;•!■• i', Voung women who aro; dowerless .rarely/'.y ■-''' '■fiiid a- suitor. sufficiently ■ disinterested ■to ■■'" •■'■': offer them Ms name,.the natural ' ■', quonce .being .that thousands, of 'girls*'->•/' thus, situated, have to reckon upbn ; their - •-■'"' oyvn unaided efforts: to'earn their'-'daily: s -•■:-' broad; /iv.',;;.,: ■./. ■■/,'•'.■:.■■/■.?■:'■<■.:■ ■■:'■■■ A".'.-".'.-...One', of vihe careers the most largely, ' adopted..by • singlo. women. is ■ that ; of-: " schoolteacher or professor of> music, sing- ; 1851,; the!/ number ;of femi-0 : nine.;candidates/.at.■; the; ParisVfeamina-':;:'.'-).'-tiohs'; fori',;, the. .diploma' >of elementary/'//'-!. school.-. tpachervwas,only 'a■ little-over'lODV;''■ •»' In ;I?08--:tho ;to.tal :of; candidates :for>thbV ;; ; '■'■ samo ./diplomat/attained:': a/'/totalrof.: GBB6j'!'!' '•' about hali of-the-said candidates; obtain-V. ing/tho;., coveted ■! diploma! ''■;-, It'; is <tb;/ be-v •'.;'. ■'n'oted^-mpve'bver,-Jha(;. % th'BVcandidate'wh&-?-.X'>-'.' failed;onthe,first^occasion.roturnib tho :! '!' charge,, tho accepted' notion' in 'tib';class-.'; f: of;. tho; ''petite ■•'• bourgeoisie" ; being.'/that '■'■': girls .who .-• have; received .a Hair-. e'duca- '■'■ "■■'■ i"- : tion must at whatever' cost woA-for their ■' . living ,"ihtellectually?'.;and refuse; to" bo-' :\ coma fchop' assistants, l 'miUiners' '"■ appror*.''".'■"■ ..ticesV.-'and the,'■ Uke.-'^Onco'iin,.■ the- posv I : '; session :'of'.a/-'diploma ''.the'.problem whichS v thousands '.;ofv!french?sirls:hiivb. 1 -.to"faca;; ' .ls.howtb-turn 1 the; pr'ecious'testimbriial'C-- i:; :to account". ■;Theyjmay, v brVniay'riot.;rmvß'X 1 -.'' a ,real';aptitnde;for;impai;ting-.instrnction'-''' '- :to, others.: /The, scholastic career; is'-held). ; to: be the/'only. biib suitably, 'for. them; and'..■;.■ it. is;hpr'e 'the ; -struggle .'for: existehcß'-b(S-- : gins.;!;:; '";-'■.;; ;;■ v: [ y' : ;';,";';. /H'<'yv' ; .]. s '-',v ;-;f..;'A,'Poyerty^Siricken : VExistenciS;/v^.,■;; ! r ■ln.;thß'.^Sfate;'scnobls.^'th'oVdoinaßdVf*M.i^f■. , places7ns teachers ■is • painfully t .in:'eices3i;''• '■--■ of what the Government oven' thoso; applicants... who, ..thanks either r : / ;to;-especial.influence: or go6tl ; .luck,)' obtain.-■ ":' a, situation.: : receive' a \ miserably-'.;meagre':. - : salary,; vLast;year'':for'.'.'.tho:''-wHolet' of- ■'■•'"'•■■■ France; there ;;.w.er0.;':31,63i;. : girls': seeking.-'"■.:■'' ;a-idiploma .as clemehtiry;;teacher,;/ and. ~/' : . ■ 15,000, who; 'passed,;the;examina'tibn,':'sui>;'' : -, cessf.ully.: ;.For;.the' higher-grade of■• ! dip-'i ; - , '- ; ..;' .lom'a,ithat, is ■to say, ; the '-Tjrevet 1 sripe>»-' - ieur,";. during; the'same. ■year;''9o27 :l .cani; ■ 'Jidates presented ■?themselves,;'-of' :l wnbni7 ;is()p; were^successfuhW;'?;'.;;V;'! ;!;-.'; : - ;p.v;. .>. -In addition 1 ;to ;tho f ' formidable'compel -i- . 'titipn'for as'tsachers in '".'-. 'thousands'; and''thbur,'.' 'sands; of .well-oducated ;: youhg.;'women" ;'eri-;i;V •' , deavour to utilisp": their;,inscructio'n'' and ,';,.", diplomas- as - gbverne'sses/ v iii ! , ; i; "' pnvate'ifamilies oiv'privata : 'schboL3'.''.Si[ti4o:^'''-.'■;'■' mistresses, .professors, of;langnagesi: draw--'. ■ :'■'■ iiig.i painting,;' and Ringing' tphchbrs: dra#;f; : - >;- . ,ging',.out.' a;poverty-stn^en'.;;eiistehca.;•.;,' ' ;have' never,';. according; to statistics, '■ beimi";.-'-' so. numerous as;at the. present' time; ,Tho \ •.' : '; spread 'of instru'cHon, '.thp.';; ; spre'ad r ;jof ' ■femininism, -arid; of ,'the'' c tlie6ry;.'of;'cquali 'JV;' ity ; between the two- Ecies "are ahibng;tueI 1 v:,v:; .priricipal;''causes';of: ; the .o'vercrbwding -of ? ' tho; feminine "'professional■'.■ ranks' and 'tho': ''■'. ' consequent;.underpayment, of female -.wor-V;- /. ' ;kers.in the;lbwer-mMdle<lass-ef>6bcibtvV'.;"'. " ; '', Teachers, .:professbrs, ,f and ;women ! ;Beeking-;l ' to earni .their, liyihgiuh'.yaripus:-;branches : : ';".: -bf'tuition are .noli;tho-qnly victimsjofian'-'';.' - 'oyers'tbeked ToV them; ;. ', aHded .'the- .'woman/;pbrtr'ait: or. landscape > y ; painter,;.tho pasteliste, ,'thb;water-colour-"../'; isti.ther;womah:'sculptor, v .and-last,' thbugb." ;'.'': not.least,■ tho.■'■woman;'artistrwho,goes-aa;.' ■;. itlip" stagb, and rolea; r ;' , in. small l theatresi'■'&.expected;to': ho, at, Uu;.':. . ; ; 'manager's sicpmrnand; at: every , ;.mSinent, J ;'.'. '■' -and: in shape, of.salary; hardly 'hasisura?].',' : .'.'.' cient. to. pay' the'rent-of :a;.'sixth-floor iobhi' : ;;.' and .ber, frugal;meals; ;;. ; j: . ;•; , : -

/; ; The.terrible . : ahdrever-increasihg; cprai: '.. r petition,;ih: aU!jthev,carecrs/of?the. kind. ', adopted ; by'.womeij!in Prance.has!resulted ; in. a. formidablo;'decrcase,;ih;- the. neratioh'bf'/female worker's/belonging;; tb'.! .what',M;.Ackeri'teruis-.;the. modern "pro- ;i, ■letariat: intcllectuel'.Eemiruri."'';'Figures v.have■,an ;'eloq'u6n'ce:-:,of!.,their!': ; 6wn,' and ,; :those'adduced by-M.;Acker:reveal/a : sad " ? st6ry';;of,.wbat'/a.- woman/worker"' in'"'in-;!. : tellectuai,!fields;::lias,.tb : : faoe;J ! 'in i? hor-, ; .'struggle''for.'/life/"!Pifty; years ago;i-it;is / , pointed 'but,', a! good, female prpfessbr'of'-:. music.-''earned-.'her'living in Prance.,\nth-;:/ !out';tbov much /difficulty!,,.;, She :was : paid',/ on'.'an/average.'froin;' two to!" five"! f francs' ■■■ /for,,-an'.hour's, lesson;;-: In;the!:present" day.".:!,., a'/'go.od. many ;music 'mistresses; have .to..'/. content:themselvesi with;half:a'.franc fp'r-!;; an hour'sJ:lesson ; it^t'he'''pupil's'residchce,!' : , whilst /finusid'; classes .at,: the /'professor's ■; '■■, house';abound, : ;at;.the r"ate;of,-'five/;ff.anc3'; 'per ;rh on th; and; pyen//less.;-/Ajid;! /to/be,borne:'in.jiiiiid:that. the.'.wretchedly/ uiider-baid//, fcmmiue':|professor! must -be.;_' deceu'tfy -dressed;/ riiusf l:rent ; a", presehtablb .flat;'-.and conceal to the -best of; her.' all '/..'outward '.evidence., of.vher,, pecuniary.;;' distress;":;// ;'>/!/; ..ki/;!' ■/;;'/.!!."!;/;; ':■■■& -/;'->'!■!

-The' si tu'ation^of..teachers rin'.i-p.riynta',., 'families.or; schools &tenuaUy,, worthy -0f.,., commiseration.. ',' : :Mdlle. : ;Decauk, Sra m,'the;"Ruche. /Symlicale" pnv.tho."sub-, J. eject,- ,: say's.: that. longing to ber . syndicate":could reckon;; on :,- earning : 1200 .francs'.per ,ahriuui : nsTprivataV;■teacher,'whereas inithe*',present'day,/so -.'■;■; fonormdus, is.Hhefcdmpehtion./shoV.haV.to.:'., accept 500:: or- COO francs,;; with!.perhapa':; sometimes thoj.midday.:;ineal,-,':by:Way.:;, of remuneration >for: her.; services; ;;•:There;;: ; aro- r .women;' .writes.iMdlld; Decaux,■carn-1-V iug'their.'bread ,in' order, to : tdke;tho: train' ;■ for 'some .town, or, village, and:,to travel>, back' by:night; for,-a'.'miserable: pittance '; ■ hardly: enough vto'.,. keep;, body-.and'soul'.: ;togethor/(V*--:,,;,;:;,;;/'-,,-..'■'.'-v.'-' :S : :;\;'V-; : --?

-Society Women :ih' the.- Labour j ■woman , tb : edrh';her'living.''."*' -V. tellectu'ally";ha's, to contend with;' during, the last i'ow:years' a ,'new competitor -liaa..-.-. come'iorward. ;in .tho.".-.p.erspn' otv-Uio'-. "fouime dumondo/''. : the wealthy.'sociely c ,< lady who is no' loiig'eifcontented ,with. : hec.;■. :ipt'as. lnislresslof'a : wc ( . hold,' but yearns" after;' notoriety, bo it" o£ -■:• the slenderest .'description;: -i ... Aristocratic;,;' inatrous'.and wealthy "parvcnues";bf late,-, have ■ taken:;to cultivating: art. and.: nbt-as. a source, of/diversion;,but"nlso ; a: means of attracting! attention;,to, ■ theriW;. solves.', Soii'd have formed for ; 3ii- ..: stilling the art. of.draindtic..declamation;, into youthful : minds.',.Others,',and; by.;far'j-;■ the groater number,;'have., tak'on.ito; fan;:; painting, to the .'ornamentation : of; hotel' ; "menu's", 'or;'- of. bon: bon boxes,', arid .such;';, like- trifles,.; signed. by" them and offered'.y gratis : ' to .fashionable "firms. ■' i ; ;M. j Aoktrr ',• cites'the,case!of .n yo;ing:,woma'n who.fpr,;:. years I !past.;has.obtained,employment;, t^-;; wardif-tho- ChristmasXs'casou', at -a. largo, ; V. bon Uori'wa'voho'uso to; invent and ; ; point; .novelties :i'or. the'lids of oruamental'-boxea . and caskets.'.; This; year: sho" : has .'been .in- r ,,: foi'medVber.:services,are not required,/A. \ group of society women, supplies the; need- ■;. ful'imthc same line simply,for the^satis-„ faction of signing their; productions,,: a'ndVs lit -mav-hd hoped- unaware of,' tho.: injury:,:, they have dnno: to a .liard-working. sister. ■ ''i