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V D \) V'o ).)-T (,0 . https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Neve:Libor 23, 193.8. To: Women's Br•noh, Ordnance De - artc_lent From: Wiry Van Kleeck, Director, woman in Industry Service. Subject: larten's Nork, Deont Coak:any, Nashville, Tenn. jjoioni The att-tche'3, :uelnoranda and letters sent us by Major Tully are forNarded to yclu for action in case they nave not alrealy bean brought to your -ttention by Major Tully. L. Enc. Dictated by Miss Van Kleeck but signed in her absence. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis :ylary Van Kleeck, Director Wox.an in Industry Service. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis 'CV 7 'dr A.M. WAR DEPAR —rm ENFT, WAS H I N OTC N. 1,7ovember 6, 1918. From: 7:ar Departrrient, :7ajor F. ',7. To::::iss ?.Tary Van Taeeck, Director, 7,7oman in Irustry Service. Subject: 7omen's work, DuThnt Company, rasville, r2enn. Complaint forwarded 1); Ton. T. L. !rovernor of Cklahora.r... I am forlarding copy of letter received by the Secretary of War from the J-overnor of Oklahoma, and a copy conof letter which he for-,-..a.rded to the r')ecretary of ::ar, hashcernin'; conditions at the Dtz,"ont Coma's plant at yule, Tenn. tql %el. Tully 1:ajor, Ord. U. S. A. Detailed to Office of Secrc,bt-ry of r:ar. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (Co Y) Jacksonville, Tenn. oct. r9-18 r. Williams ov. :;tate of Okla. Okla. City. Dear (jir: (ioubt you will wonder who this letter is from when it reaches you. Dupont -101 know lots of :,eople coo hre to work for the ng. Co. of 1:ashville - women as well as men. how to got to the subject I want to toll you about is they want the',omen in the twder --'1ant but they sign them ill) for the box factory and when they get them here they tell them the box factory is filled and they have to work in the owder Plant, and it is the most dangerous place as they don't tell them anything about the machine they have to Also the machine gauges are not working and they operate. don't know hr much pressure they are putting on the powder. Also when the girls got off from work at midnight they have no place to get anything to eat and have to t: .- t up . et anything. at six in the morning and be first or they don't , Of course we have refined girls and those are not, and they think all are sports, it is not safe there for a woman. It looks like a white slave nroposition to the refine girls as they make that remark. I knau of a young lady Who was here only two .ays and had to go to an office to 'mit for a truck to take her to work and the man in charge of the office made an insultin remark about her. cmder They also tell the girls if they don't work in the lant they will have to go to jail. :r. Williams I know you are a man and I think you will do something to help the 7irls out. The men are having an a7;1Ul time to get something they can oat. Worms in the corn bread - matChes in the oatmeal. I am from 1nid r)klahoma, and there are several from there. I haven't told you the worst, as it wouldn't do to write it. If you could only come and see how thins are. 7ope to hear from your, I am, Yours truly, (SD-) 1.77I https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis OF , OFFICE -7:2•77,CT.T.TIT., OICL.`,7707.7A CITY 1:crvn-iber I, 1910. Herewith I beg to hand you a letter written by Tennessee, one Levi Orr relative to conditions at Jacksonville, '.':ngineering growing out of the employment of women by the Dupont Company. I don't know tl ma,n nrr. I thought it mi;:ht be :ell for these charges to be looked into SO I send them direct investi to you that they may roach the iro-oer avr3nue for Yours very truly, "rovernor. 7ionora.ble 1:ewton D. 3aker, Ac.-etary of War, .D. C. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis August 7, 1918. MEMORANDUM FOR UR. 00ST: nn Tuesday July 30, Mrs. Bernice Todd, now living at 1307 - 17th St. N. W., called to lay before you certAn matters, and I heard her story at your request. The substance of it is incorporated in the memorandum attached hereto vhich I requested her to submit for your information. There would seem to be no particular Bureau of the Department under the exclusive juriddiction of which this matter would come. It concerns not only the Women in Industry Service, but the EmplOyment and Itorking Conditions Services as well. However, the quOstion of jurisdiction can very well be settled after the facts are detdrmined, and for the present, at least, it would seem that the proper disposition for the whole matter is to refer it to the Investigation tind Inspection Service aith Instructions to report upon the facts. I therefore r,,spectfully suggest that you make such a recommendation to the Secretary. (Signed) Hugh Reid. Private Secretary. Al.LC Noted and mfurred to the Secretary with recommendation end reference to Inspection Service for Investigation. Post, Ase't Seciy. lug. 7, '18. --771Tri. Referred to I. & I. service for Investigation. Aug. 14 - 18. W. B. W. Old Hickory Q July 30, 1918. Du Pont Plant at Nashville, Tenn. By Mrs. Bernice Todd. I bear no malice In giving this statement to the but believe it my duty having come to the knowledge of conditions, which if not checked threaten the very foundation of our country, the confidence in its Government and it'e justice of those unheralded soldiers who fight with shovel and pick, and those soldier women who in their unprecedented patriotism leave their home and friends and come to "do their bit" with whatever weapons they can lay their hands to, be it ft typewriter a telephone wwitchboard or a frying pan. Knowing the fine sentiment that is prompting the eromen of our country, and that eventually, should this war continue,- if we "carry on" the burden will rest greatly upon them, and that "ingratitude groweth like a serpents tooth." It is imperative that such conditions should be remedied, to which end, I aim giving facto from my personal observation and experience while employed as the Asst. Emp. Mgr. for the Du Font Plant at Old Hickory, Jaetwenville, Tenn. from whioh position I resigned for reasons herein 3et forth. On Friday July the 19th I reported to Mr. H. L. Gardner the EMp. Mgr. that the eoung women employed at the plant sent there by the various employment agencies on Govt. Transpottation were leaving in vast numbers. In fact almost as fast as they were being brought in,- his reply was "let them leave we can get others", but I said "this is coating a frightful lot of itioney." I cited the case of a Konsas City ehipment about July the 19th,- brought in by Mrs. Pickering, govt. Trans. at $24.00 ond some cents each,- nearly all of whom had returned home". Mr. Gardner said "I should worry", we could get others". I then asked why we did not spend eome of that money to better the rking and living conditions of those women, so that those who came would remain, and not go away to spread a bad report abread about "the Plant". I then made the following suggeetions which I thought alight be helpful. That we arrange a rest room (a temporary one) where women might be seate while waiting their turn to be cigned up for employment as when they came in large shipments, they would reeuently stand in line for hours. That we have all the baggage of women searched privately by women, and not in a public place, by plaice officers as is now the case. That we have sanitary toilet LOO vendinL,. machines placed in young ladies rest rooms. That we have an 8 P. M. reading club for the clerical help and a military drill for all women for the home defense at some hour in the day. That We dmuld have an investigation of charges brought by stewarts and minor employers against oung ladies before they were discharged. That we should have four minute speeches at t ACture show every night have a boethe with attendent to sell War Savings Stamps. To have all persons employed and shLped on Govt. Transpatation have character references and a health certificate from physician. Mr. Gardner's reply was "I should be doing welfare work." I knew nothing about such cattle as they had to deal with". On July the 10th Elizabeth Yates of Athens, Tenn. employed by Lige Kagle arrived in no condition to work being within four months of maternity https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis -2- and destitute. She remained on the grounds three days and was returned to her home at the Govt. exiense. Rachel Cordell, 2908 Penn. Valley, Kansas City, Mo. ems on Govt. Trans. as unhealthy a subject as I ever/ saw, the day after her arrival she had a rniecarriagc un1 returned tr her home on Friday the 26th on Govt. Trans. total cost 854.00. Leta Runyon of 1316 Broadway, Kansas City, Mo. on Govt. Trani,. sick worked one day returned on Govt. Trans. July 26th. In Memphis shipment of 46 women on Govt. Trans. chaperoned by Mrs. ray Hervey on July 12th, 3 returned to Mfs, thet seme day. 27 within four dye. Mrs. Blanche Nolan and her daughter Mary Nolan came from Kansas City on July 84th oh Govt. Trans. nonditions were so bad Mrs. Nolen and her deughter did not report for eork. They sat up in the Union 3tation two nights Ted. 8! Thurs. 24 a 25th end spent b00 for food thd intervening time for both of them. I lest saw thee sitting in the station on Friday Eve sick discoureed rnd weeping. They had been trying to find work. A young son of Mrs. Nolens, G. P. Nolen, I.C.S. Gen Del. Kansae Cite, NO. was with them, he was working it the elert but h.ad no money. Floyd Grisham, 914 Berry Mill, ,lashville, Tenn. fireman on the N. C. had wore.ted lt Duoonto, seid "conditions vere ee ?Awful no woman who had any eespect for hereelf would ererk there." Mrs. Hattie Soethwick elewAtor operator at the ith k let BldA. Nashville in Memphis shipmenteluly 12th seid her room wee 30 unclean as to be unsanitary,- she had no chairs, no cldan linen or towels no broom with which to sweep her room. lho finell! became ill :And was unable to work. She came to my desk at the employment bureau end said she wao sick end klungry,I gave her money to buy fool. lho loft Vlo lant that la-, ere; obtained the above emple7ment. at the Mrs. Myer cashier Jersey Lunch said Mr. Baker the chief stewaft lent told her "no decent woman would coo there to work". nn Sat. July the 20th heard Mr. T1. L. Ge.rdner 'FImp. Mgr. dictate letter to Miss Leis 7hite ordering three first class riggers to be returned to Kansas City 0t1 Govt. Trans. and full eav for throe days time as they had been sent by ft labor scout and there was no employment for the men at the plant,- they had come also on Govt. Trans. On Sat. July 20th Mr. Romie /Men (a personal friend from Dresden, Tenn. I detective brought to my desk three roung eemen ehom he heel foenl walking about the gronnefq crying, one of the girls had been flagrantly insulted the night before by a negro. They were begging to be sent home and were all three in an hysterical condition. They had came nn Sevt. Trans. from St. Louis. They eoturned home that same day, Mr. Cook was called in to talk to the young vomen. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis -3and aAvieed that the negro hed already been arrested and fined 00.00 so we oould do nothing else. On Tues. July the 16th I went with Miss Winsted Miss Hickman, Mr. Woodrmw, and Mr. Gupton to a dance at Hopewell at a road house cnnducted by kr., Folk, having had many eomplainte from the young 30,lioe as to insults offered them gy members of the police department, and having had no action taken in such cases, ehen accoeted by a policeman in full uniform and invited to come and take a drink with him and asked where I worked I replied "I was a waitress at short order #2." The policeman than asked me to come on and go to Nashville and spend the night eith him asked if I did not have a friend to meet his friend and wuke a party of it I called kiss Winsted end introduced her as a waitress from short order A. The policeman then asked us again to go to Nashville said he knew where We could get plenty of whiekey and "he hed iuet killed a pint", himself. I then asked Mr. Bomar of the Employment Bureau to talk to the man and get his name Nhereupon the Policeman gave the name of Claude Turner. To after;au and werds identified him. I reported thie ceee to the empioyment to the police. I did not hoer if env ection wee teksn. On Wed. July the 17th ere. Brooke of Meridian eiss. came to the plant with a letter of introduction from Cupt. Weitt of the Amp. Bureau ut Meridian, asking ehe be elloweu to make Investigution to report to the Yomen's Club Federation. Mrs. Brooke though a charming educated woman was shown no attention by tau erson other then myself. I invited her to be my guest in the dormitory reeerveu for the Clericei Dept. See slept on u pillow without a :clip on it and had no towel whatever. It rained that night and we were compelled to waik the mile between the young ladieo dormitory and the employment bureau in mud to the tops of our shove. eirs. Brooke aeid when oho sat at my desk and sew the only evidence of eny real eumanity et tho pleat she marveled "that env good could come out of Nazarete". I refer to 4iLes. Brookeo report of the plant upon ner return home. I asked gr. Cook the eew amploymene Ugr. for a car to eeke her about in, he said "Let her see as little as possible." Aiello Esther Thomas, Gen. Del., Nashville, Tenn. who acme from Decatur Ala. on Govt. Trans. said the Sttiwart at "Short Order 0", told ner to sit down and eat where thee were negroes, when she refused he told her "if she eas such a high toned lady why didn't eho get a high toned ladies job." Jolmes St., Kanadd City, Mo. end Gertrude Mrs. Jesaie Burgess, Allen same address came in d shipment of 67 on Govt. Trans. July loth amid fully forty of their number had returned home. Tney had hed no matron in the bu]lding thee occupied, 907 Alliston, had not had their rooms clesned, hod no °leen linen or towels since they come. Miss Nettie Ramsey From Topeka, Kans. end Mrs. workman ,eere sick in bed And hAd no attention, no eatron and no food until found and reported to idue Burgess,- whea Aisa &ensue 4dA taken to hospitele The4re ems no excuse fnr a failure with matron, es I hed a number of applicae., tions from capable women already on filIi On July 24th in a shipment of 35 girls from Kansas City chaperoned by MA a George upon arrival et 7.40 A. M. they were loaded into a fteight truck and driven 20 miles to the plant, they walked about all day being "aligned up" 'or employment in a steady rain. lies "iinona Burgos* of 319 https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis -4East 12th St., Kansas City, Mo had sprained her ankle while getting into a truck, and though she reported it no attention was paid to her, finally at about five o'clock when they were sent to their quarters soaking wet the roams had not one piece of furnitu-e in them, nothing but dirt. When they complained Mr. Anderson of the (parte,- masters Dept. toll them "they ought to be glad to get as good as thet." Miss Burgess, Miss Beatrice Prothero of 2331 Lister St. Kansas City, Mo. and Lilly Moore of the seee address were all in ne condition to stand such physical abuse, having still their wet garments on, no beds in their rooms and their baggage endelivered. They paid $1.00 each to ride into Nashville velere they occupied Room 318 at the Tula-e Hotel. Miss Burgess became very ill, no attention wae paid to her condition, her friends called in a physician to whom Miss Burgess paid hie fee of $2.00 and the physician Dr. M. D. Davie in the Erie Bldg. left e signed stetement that Miss Burgess would not be able to *fork for fully two weeks. All three girls *ere sick from exposure. In the St. Louis shipment chaperored by .rs. Harvey en July the 17th -is. on Govt. Grans. ten left *ithin two Miss Margaret Peake and her sister Miss Ethel Peaks of Louisville, Ky. Govt. Trans. both school tdschere (setae en Fri. the 20th at right the were vat:situated at 1 A. M. and sert to 921 Elliston, room unclean from last occurant. No matron, were found cryirg in the grounds at 10 A. M. by Mrs. Ada C. M. Sturgis who brought thdm to me. They had had no breakfast ant stated they had never been so mjstrdeted and wanted to go home. Mrs. Sturgis went out ard bought them some breakfeet, but they returred home thet same day on own Trans. Mrs. Ada C. M. Stungis, Den. De4., Nashville, Tenn. for twenty years a clerk and book-keeper in the office of the auditor for the P. 0. Dept. at reshington, D. C. came in the Kansas City shipment (80 women) on Govt. Trans. July the 16th said their baggage was searched by men, soiled linen being exposes in a most embarrassing cnd ruthless manner. Mrs. Sturgis states that fully fifty of thet number returned home within a week,e/ter she had been vaccinated and photographed she was assigned for work to a restaurant "Short Order #1", the stewert teld her sY'e could come at 2 P. M. and work entil 1 A. W. when she rebelled and said she would not work 12 hours a day the Stewart e id "I dont want you in here any ho.c, get cut of here". She then came to my Dept. in the Emp. Bureau and asked fcr transportation beck to her home, stating that thirgs had been grossly misrepreeented to her zind it was against the Federal law to work women more than 8 hours a dey. The Eap. Mgr. rho vas present stetted "they would have to worl., when and where told". Miss Sturgie arrived with a party at 7:15 A. M. at 5 Pi M. she had rot been assigned a place to sleep and had not had a chair or any place to sit all day. She took the train to Nashville and went to the Y. M. C. A. and spent the night. grs. Vest the gatron at the Dormitory for the clerical Lept. sJid all of ti.,e girls ano for euiploymc,nt were sick, sore snnd ready to quit pefore they ever reached their ukeping quart,rs, this is only a few instunces out of many,dissutisfattion is so general it lould be impossible to fine or descripe I did not he,r one patriot4 c speech during wy z,t the faant. There Jcas not ont sin616 cvent to b-euk the drub https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis -5monotony of unremitting toil. No music, no npplause, nothing aut labcr beng driven to the full measure of endurance. I would fwegest a thorough investigation 4nd a woman Supervisor or Asst. Nartormanter to hove control . conditions governing J.1 women emtloyed at the 21ant. rhanever I sugo,sted mort. that might in any way allevinte the discomfort of employees, I was to "not to antagonize the quarter mantera Dept." We could not af'ord to offend thee. The quarter moster end •hie assistants arti ull con, Laving kier, sent from the plant at Hopewell. t!r. De Share and Mr. Anderson, let Abet. seem to have been chosen because they "lahd been nt FopeAtell" tot for their general ritness. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis I December 30, 1918. To: Ethelbert BteAart, Director, Investigation ani Inspection Barrios. From: Mary Van *Kleeck, Director, Woman in Industry Service. Subject: bu343nt la:tray:4v, Nashville, Tenn. Sous viseks ago the War Devartrnont received from the Grove rnor .11. been filed Artth hill regarding working of Oklahons, a compll.int which h, t1-.E) AuPont plant conlitions eni living nonl-Itions for woren erap1oy,34 In nashv! le. We referred t he complai nt •r4o the 0.1-3nInce De )artment but shortly as it ms about the time of the aligning of the ar.lati.ce, and afterwaris the Tninstrial Sf;rvico Section wall instrictod to liscontinue its activities, the papers Acre finally reti_)rned to this office. As I unlerstani that you have made an investigation so m3 time ai6;o of conditions there, it has occi.. red to ma that posslbly the rer,ort awl the action taken on it might be the basis for a statement to the War Department in reply to these corm:garlAlone. I do not know the sco:)e of the investigation Ahlch you 'rale or the disposition of the re-port, but if you could. attrorriatnly let me have this infor..1.:Ltion, I sho-1.111 F4):1-2criate it. mvio, Miry Van Lleeck, Director WaLan tn Incluctry Service. (;) to All communications should be accompanied by carbon copy and addressed WAR DEPARTMENT To insure prompt attention, in replying refer to OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ORDNANCE PRODUCTION DIVISION WASHINGTON p Attention of December 6, 1918. .3— M4G . Fran: Service Section, Office of the Chief of Ordnance, Lid. Wanens Branch, Clank M. _Tead. To: Labor, Mery VIM Woman in Industri Service, Department of Kleeck, Director, Subject: DUPONT 001IPANY, NASHVILLZ, 1. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis your office, since the The enclosed papers are returned to has been instructed tment Woolens Branch of the Ordnance Depar November 15. not to undertake any new work since • f we. et e CLARA IL. TEAD, DIRICTOR, MIMS BRANCH, INDUSTRIAL SERVICE SECTION, OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ORDNANCE. 2 I' U. S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR WOMAN IN INDUSTRY SERVICE WASHINGTON November 23, 1918. To: Women's Branch, Ordnance Department From: Mary Van Kleeck, Director, Woman in industry Service. Subject: Women's work, Dupont Company, Nashville, Tenn. The attached memoranda and letters sent us by Major Tully are forffarded to you for action in case they nave not already bean brought to your attention by Major Tully. L. Enc. Dictated by Miss Van Kleeck but signed in her absence. https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Mary Van Kleeck, Director Wo-n in Industry Service. h-- https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis November 6, 1913. Front War Department, ::ajor F. 17. Tully. To: Miss liary Van :::leeckv Director, 'ognifan in Industry Service. 3ubject: Du''ont Comeany, Nashville, S.'exm. omen's Complsint forwarded by l'on. 2. L. Governor of (Alf:hom. I am forvarOin coly of letter received. by the Secretary of War from. the clovernor of Mtlahona, fAnd a copy of letter which he forryarded to t':le flecretary of cerntm oon- conditions at the Du 'ont Con7nny's plant at Tash.... ville, Tenn. P. 7. Tully, Detailed to Office of Cocrot-ry of https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis COPY. Jacksonville, Tenn. Oct. 29-18 Mr. Williams, Gov. State of Okla. Okla. City. Dear Sir; No doubt you will wonder who this letter is from when it reaches you. You know lots of people come here to work for the Dupont Eng. Co. of Nashville- women as well as men. Now to get to the subject I want to tell you about is they want the wamen in the Powder Plant but they sign them up for the box factory and when they gat them here they tell them the box factory is filled and they have to work in the PoA.er Plant, and it is the most dangerous place as they don't tell them anything about the machine they have to Also the machine gauges are not working and they operate. don't know how much pressure they are putting on the powder. Also when the girls get off from work at midnight they have no place to get anything to eat and have to get up at siz in the morning and be first or they don't get anything. Of course we have refined girls and those are not, and they think all are sports, it is not safe there for a waman. It looks like a white slave proposition to the refined girls as they make that remark. I know of a young lady who was here only tow days and had to go to an office to wait for a truck to take her to work and the man in charge of the office made an insulting remark about her. They also tell the girls if they don't work in the they will have to go to jail. Plant Powder Mr. Williams I know you are a man and I think you will do something to help the girls out. The men are having an awful time to gat something they can eat. Worms in the corn bread - matches in the oatmeal. I am from Enid, Oklahoma, and there are several from there. I haven't told you the worst, as it wouldn't do to write it. If you could only come and see how things are. Hope to hear from your, I am, Yours truly, (Signed) Levi Orr. - https://fraser.stlouisfed.org Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis COPY STATE OF OKLAHOMA EXECUTIVE OFFICE OKLAHOMA CITY November 1, 1918. Herewith I beg to hand you a letter written by cne Levi Orr relative to conditions at Jacksonville, Tennessee, growing out of the employment of women by the Dupont Engineering Company. I don't know this man Orr. I thought it might be Well for these charges to be looked into ao I send them direct to you that they may reach the proper avenue. for investigation. Yours very truly, (Signed) R. L. Williams, Governor. Honorable Newton D. Baker, Secretary of War, Washington, D.C.
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