THE WAIL OF THE MALE;

Northern Advocate, 21 January 1888, Page 3

THE WAIL OF THE MALE;

Being a British Workman's View of the Cheap Female Labour Question, respectfully submitted to the Trades' Union Congress.

Bill Smith to his Shopmate, Ben Jones

loquitur:— Eh ? Give 'em the Suffrage— the Women ? "Why

What else, that's worth having, lads, haven't they got ? If it's levelling up, lot 'em have it all round, And we sha'n't be the first to complain, I'll be

bound. They've cut down our wages, and copied our coats, And I really don't see why they ahouldn'thave

Totes. . Wish I was a woman, old fellow, that's flat ; I should then have a chance, and know what

to be at. I hate just got the "bullet," mate— sacked without notice. I wonder what poll my possessin' the Vote is ? She hasu't got ne'er a one— she's got my job, I lose a fair crib, and the boss saves ten bob! I've been at it five years, kept a family on it, And she— well, the first thing she buys is a

bonnet ! They're cutting us out, mate— the Women arestraight, And I s'pose it's no use for to kick agen Fate, But it seems blooming hard on the wife and the

kids, She's a woman, of course, though she can't earn the "quids," But then, being married, she's out of the huut For earr'ng or votes. Look here, Bill ! If they

shunt You and me, and our like, as they're doing all

round, Because Women are cheap, and there's heaps

to be found, Won't it come to this, sooner or latter, my boy, That the most of us chaps will be out of imploy, Whilst the Women will do all the work there's

to do, And keep us, and the kids, on about half our "screw"? Who's a-going to gain by that there but the

boss r" And for everyone else it is bound to be loss. A nice pooty look-out ! Oh, I know what they

say : — That the women work better than us for less

And are much less the slaves of the pint and the

What°s that got to do with it ? All tommy rot ! We have all got to live, and if women-folk

choose To collar our cribs or to cut down our screws, J?hey will have to be bread-winners, leaving us chaps To dam stockings at home with the kids on our Wjell, a f "hope as they'll like it. I teli you what, iHßjj&jkTs being ruined by petticoat labour. ffllillHMJjH^iU&aa of this- Womiinj£jiighta^___

fu&i^Jjß Work don't 7a

take 'en£ better; a* •■women, but

wuss. It mucks 'em for marriage, and spiles em for

home, . 'Cos their notion of life is to racket and roam. jffisTTook at that work-girl there, her with the

fringe ! ' 'SbVs a nice ppoty specimen! Makes a chap

To itihk of that flashy young chit as a wife— That's what cheap woman labour will do for our lfie. Oh, give 'ea the Vote, and the breaks, while you're at it, Make 'em solders and Bobbies and bosses. But, drat it, If this blessed new-fangled game's to prewail, I pitties the beggar vho's born a poor Male ! — Punon.