﻿Rights vs. Plights 
 
We have seen lilies growing on dung hills, but that is not where they are found as a general rule. Employers that provide such surroundings for their tender sprouts will find the fragrant flowers burn out in no time. . . 

We can find amidst poverty and want glorious examples of chastity and virtue—that proves nothing—even as we find examples of wanton animalism among the tribes of money getters, and gold, diggers. 

Our argument is not that riches makes for virtue. 
Our argument is not that poverty makes for virtue. 
Our argument is not that riches demoralize. 
Our argument is not that poverty demoralizes. 
No, we are not interested in the “moral plight.” 
No, we are not concerned about the “immoral plight.” 
We simply are arguing that poverty is unnecessary in this day of inventions. 
We don’t give a damn whether girls are pure or impure. We want to know if they are getting the full product of their toil—for toil they do, but shouldn’t. 
We have heard reformers suggesting higher wages for girls, better working quarters, more sanitary and commodious homes and numerous other remedies as solutions of our moral plight. 
We do not argue that way. We are direct actionists and believe the girl is entitled to these things as a matter of moral right and not as a solution for moral plight. We reason that if we, and the girl, labor in this society to help produce these things, we shall be permitted to enjoy them — more so than those who produce nothing. 
Regardless of whether high wages, short hours and better conditions contribute to our moral welfare or not; even if high wages, short hours and better conditions sent us all to perdition, we would still insist that they are ours by right— we don’t want any blue blooded parasite to go to hell “on our high wages, short hours and better conditions— “ We acknowledge the corn. Never mind the moral phase, come across. 
There is no excuse for rotten economic conditions. The standard of living can be raised to something that approximates perfection with but a slight effort on the part of organized labor . . . once installed, its upkeep will require less energy than the present rotten arrangement.