56
SEX IN INDUSTRY.
at dinner.” Poisoned hourly by the polluted air, suffering from the enforced standing, obliged to dress “ neatly ” (which was found to mean “ showily ”), deprived of any opportunity for recuperation in the fresh air (for half an hour barely suffices for dinner), poorly paid, and any loss of time rigorously deducted, it is not to be counted strange if these girls, partaking so continually of physical and moral poison, become both physically and morally unsound. A morality that robs and oppresses does not inculcate a morality to resist temptations to illicit pleasures or deceit, doubtless in some instances impelled to by the deprivations and conditions imposed.
In connection with these errors of standing, etc., Dr. Van de Warker* says, —
“ The fact that those employments are chosen by women which permit a sitting position is significant in this relation. Woman is badly constructed for the purposes of standing eight or ten hours upon her feet. I do not intend to bring into evidence
* Ely Van de Warker, M.D., op. cit. p. 461.