The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-12-19

A MONG the questions which have
N been before the public mind lately
in prominent way. the position of wo-
men is certainly one of great Importance.
1t touches the political. the social and
the religious world. Even if we admit
that the position of wife and mother is
the greatest for woman, we cannot re-
main blind to the fact that great many
women do not and cannot marry, and
that when the noblest and best duties
are not granted to them, it is certainly
not necessary, therefore, to consider
their life as lost one. And together
with the social changes. we also see that
the views on religious work done by
women have undergone a revision.
must remark here that the general view
taken Of the position of women is far
more advanced in America than it is in
Germany; but American readers will
observe with interest that progress is
also visible in Germany in that direction.
We are glad of it. as the position as
signed to women can justly be consid.
cred as measure for the degree of civ
ilization of country.
In the old paganism. the woman was
nothing better than the slave of the hus-
band, and this state Of things remains
unto the present day in pagan countries.
1t is only since Christianity came into
the world and where its beneficial inhu-
ence is felt, that the wife has regained
her just position as the coequal the fell
low worker and helpmate of the hus-
baud. But even in Christian countries
there still exist differences. The mod
ern anti Christian movement, as it shows
itself in social democracy in Germany,
goes to the other extreme. No Chris
tian woman will wish to go into that lib
erty which the German socialist leader
Bebel, breaches in his we'll known book
"The Woman" and which considers
marriage itself as an unwelcome re-
straint
The first question raised in this mat
ter OF marital rights is the greater OF
smaller financial dependence of the wife
upon her husband. The old Saxon law
which is still practically in force all over
Germany, prescribes that the fortune OF
the wife comes into the management OF
the husband, who has also the enjoy
ment Of it. and 90 bic part, is hound to
pay all the expenses of the household
and all which are required for the well
fare of the family. In many cases this
is hard. The earnings of the woman
also can be claimed by the husband, and
we have in the poorer classes many an
example where the husband spends this
money in drink, while the family suffers
hunger. The two other systems, the
Roman system of separation of goods,
and the system of community of goods.
can be agreed upon in the marriage set
tlement, but are seldom resorted to in
Germany.
When the new civil code for Germany
which has become law on the 18th Of
August, 1896, and will be the law for the
whole of Germany from the 1st of JAN
uary, 1900, was discussed in the German
Parliament, an attempt was made to
make the position of the wife freer; but
the bulk of the amendments were re-
jected. The existing state of things on
the whole agrees with the view prevail
ing among the people. The advocates
of the rights of women will have great
struggle before they succeed. and they
now endanger their own success by ask
ing too much. A great meeting held in
Berlin on June Doth last. between the
second and the third reading of the code
in Parliament, attended by about one
thousand women. protested against the
vote of Parliament; butt cannot he said
that many really practical suggestions
were brought forward, or that the wisest
views prevailed. What shall we say. for
instance, to the claim proffered that the
woman should keep her own name in
marriage? That would be destroying
the unity of the household. But few
improvements have nevertheless been
introduced into the civil code by Parlia-
ment, such, for instance, for women, as
the more liberal provisions in the guard
ianship of children.
More successful on the whole have
been the attempts to secure suitable oc-
cupation for women in Germany. In the
postal and telegraphic offices, at the
ticket offices of the railroads, women are
now often employed. The question Of
the day is the opening of the higher
schools and universities to young women.
In Berlin woman's gymnasium" as
we call our higher schools, has been
opened. This school is private institu.
tion. but the Minister for Public Worship
and Instruction has allowed a represen.
tative of the Government to be present
at the examinations in order to see that
they are equal to those passed in the
State schools. A private society in Ber-
lin, under the presidency of Prince Car
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