The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-15
I. SHALL HOME MAKERS BE- PAID?
MISS IONA VALLANCE'S NEW
THEORY ABOUT WOMEN.
The English Ethical Lecturer I'h"
the state should Reward House
wives VINO do Their Duty-Woman's
Unrecompensed Labor NJ Home

Miss IONA Valance. an English ethca,
rcturer, who Is now the guest OF Ut anu
'Mrs. Felix Adler, holds some very advanced
IDEAS as to the attitude OF the State toward
the home-makng women. She believes
that the State should recognize the service
rendered IL by women who efficiently Ill
.so Office of mother, housewife and home
maker.
Son all sides we meet the acknowledge
upept. SAYS she, that no service Is rendered
10 society greater than that OF the mother
Who rears good. healthy children. 1he
seryiccs OF the housewife and home maker
are also Of advantage to society at large,
proyiding, a. they do, for the health ana
comfort of the wage Garner, and also FUR
pishing that home atmosphere whch
though iDdefinablc and unpurchasable
IL a very real and important thing in the
effect which it has upon the spirits and pro-
d,ctfvo power Of the wage earners.
.Tbase important services have absolutely
no financial value 10 the one who renders
them. The services rendered by any
rorkingrnan's wife are reasonably worth
A. asveek. besides her board and lodging;
hut abe does not and cannot get it. As a
broad. rule, it may be said that the amount
Of money handed over to her depends not
on her ability or industry, but on the money
earning capacity Of her husband. and on
his individual disposition as man.
..of course We may say that she should
. and does find her reward In the health
hanniness and affection Of her family.
But there IL no other worker In the world
who does his daily tasks for such rewards.
-In every other department OF labor the
-. ha M
:. there are certain rewards for rising. Only
In home making and the rearing OF children
are these rewards lacking.
-..We already have in London women
officials called sanitary inspectors, who
visit the tenement districts. II is part OF
their duty TO keep an eye on the landlord;
but they also visit the homes. and both
tsaoh and inoite the mothers to better
housekeeping.
! .Tbev teach the bad effects OF accumu-
htions of filth and disorder. They teach
the proper feeding and care OF children.
They try to excite pride In cleanliness.
order and thrift.
Now why would it be illogical for the
State to 20 a step further and give certain
annual sum-call II income, pension. what
YOU Hke-to the housewife who attained
a certain required standard In these things'
II would not be difficult matter for the
inspectors to decide when she had attained
the standard.
Healthy, well-behaved children. a clean,
well-kept house, tell their own story. They
sre patent to all,
-This little income, for IL would neces-
sarily be q small one. would add immensely
10 the dignity OF the wife II would be .
recognition BY the State OF her services,
and II would be her own. II would dignity
her work and her position, both in her own
eyes and in those Of her husband.
There is great deal OF sentiment woven
about the home, but practically man, par
Z ticularly the uneducated species, has al
ravs despised woman's work, because It
commanded no money. II ism bit more
important TO drive a cart than to wash
dishes; but the man IN the cart-driving
class has a good deal more respect for the
cart driving. because il commands a wage.
In a great and constantly increasing
class of cases this policy would prevent the
necessity Of the wife's becoming a wage
Garner herself. a thing destructive to any
real housekeeping or home making. but
rendered necessary by poverty. The State
would say in effect:
Your services a. q mother. house.
keeper and home maker. provided they are
we'll done, are Of more Importance TO So
cisty than any service you could render
"A a waRe Garner. ! will not pay you TO
Ait down and do nothing at home, but pro-
vided you can come up TO q required stand
ard will make up 70 you the loss Of your
wages
This may seem revolutionary continued
the English woman, smiling. but LITTLE
Denmark has already made a beginning
You know In most European countries there
In a Law that mothers shall not return "a
work In q factory until . certain time has
elaps~d after the birth Of a child. Now
DENMARK never had any legislation on the
subject until within the last eighteen
Then abe passed Law that women should
not return TO work until the expiration OF a
month; but. In addition, the Law provided
that the months wages should bs paid the
mother from the STATE treasury
II Recognizes the fact that society IL IN,
salner by the mothers spendng that month
With her child. and oompensates her 40
I'VE are Increasing our school tAxe. al
money. brains and enorts In IN. Improve
, nlsnt Of our educational systems VIII,
no, devote q little attention 10 the child u
the hoDe, a. vel ~ Ia this echooN
This systsm would act ~ an encourage
n.nf 10 marry among tho~s ~ho mos
require that encouragement. A. sooia
oosditiols are to-day tbs married man Il
o. . 6nsnclAl disAdvantAse with tho singl'
mar He may, or may not, according q
tho hind of vile he LAS, Get great dc,
snose ont ~ lifs than tbs single man, Du
tbs fsc remains that lao must carry
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