"WHEN THE MARTYROLOGY OF THE PROLETARIAT SHALL BE WRITTEN, AMONG ITS UNKNOWN AND UNNUMBERED SAINTS SHALL BE THOUSANDS…. OF WOMEN AND LITTLE CHILDREN"
VAN ETTEN, Ida M. Condition of Women Workers Under the Present Industrial System. An Address by Ida M. Van Etten. at the National Convention of the American Federation of Labor Held at Detroit, Michigan, December 8th, 1890. [Washington]: Samuel Gompers, 1891. Octavo, staple-bound as issued, original printed beige self-wrappers; pp. 16.
First edition of this speech delivered at the national convention of the American Federation of Labor about the injustices faced by women workers.
"For brief periods in the late 19th century, the Socialist Labor Party attracted native-born activists such as Ida Van Etten. A member of the New York Working Women's Society, precursor to the Consumers' League… she described the low status of women in the labor force, with special reference to conditions in New York City. She lamented the fate of workers in the sweatshops and endorsed a program of protective legislation and hours limitation. Above all, she called for the organization of working women into trade unions" (Buhle, Women and the American Left 80). The first edition of this title was published in 1891 by both Samuel Gompers and the Concord Co-operative, priority unknown. Of the Gompers imprint, generally regarded as the first, there appear to be at least two variants, priority also unknown (with the slug of the Allied Printing Trades Council (as here) and without).
Light foxing and rubbing to extremities of wrappers. An extremely good copy.