“The female laboring population amounts to one-half of the male laboring population.”[135] As in all other countries, fewest women are employed at those occupations that require greatest physical strength (In mining 2.03 women for 100 men; in quarries 1.65; in metallurgy, 1.06). The greatest number of women are employed in the textile trades, 116 women for 100 men—in the clothing trades, in laundries, 1,247 women for 100 men, and in the manufacture of underwear 3,286 women for 100 men.[136] It generally holds true, as Mme. C. Milhand states, that the greatest number of women are employed in those industries where the hours of work are particularly long and wages particularly low. “It is a sad fact that while the industries, where the hours of labor are short, only employ a few thousand women, those where the hours of work are long, employs hundreds of thousands of them.”[137] In regard to the wage scale E. Levasseur says that a woman’s wage rarely amounts to two-thirds of a man’s wage and more frequently only to one-half.[138]
[125] A number of lists from sick-benefit funds, compiled by the factory inspector Schuler, showed that female members were ill 7.17 days annually, while male members were ill only 4.78 days annually. The duration of each illness was 24.8 for female members and 21.2 for male members. O. Schwartz, The results of the employment of married women in factories from the standpoint of public hygiene.—German quarterly gazette for public hygiene.
[127] “This is especially the case in the clothing trade, but also in other industries such as the manufacture of toys, underwear, cigarettes, paper goods etc.” R. Wilbrandt—Protection of working women and domestic industry.—Jena 1906.
[128] Encyclopedia of Social Sciences.—H. Zahn, Statistics of professions and trades.
[129] Textile Trades in 1906. London, 1909.
[130] E. Cadbury, C. Matheson and C. Shaun—Women’s work and wages. London, 1906.
[131] E. Cadbury and F. Shaun—Sweating. London. 1907.
[132] Statistics of women at work. Washington, 1908.
[133] Earnings of wage-earners. Bulletin 93, page 11. Washington, 1908.