The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1909-07-10
Of IN I TIE / RE ST TO \
/ @ ! II ! ! n ! ! 4.
HOW FAR MOTHER !, 1
n J. CAN CONTROL HOME

We are forever being told that the
place of woman Is in the home. Well,
so he It, But what do we expect Of
her in the home? Merely to stay in
the home is not enough. She Is a
failure unless she does certain things
for the home She must make. the
home minister, as far as her means
allow, to the health and welfare, moral
as we'll as physical, Of her family and
especially Of her children. She, more
than anyone else, is held responsible
for what they become.
She is responsible for the cleanlH
ness of her house. -
She is responsible for the whole
oneness Of the food. - :.
She is responsible for the children's
| health. =.
| She, above all, is responsible for
! their morals, for their sense Of truth,
! Of honesty and of decency, for what
they turn out to be. o..
She can clean her own rooms, but
if the neighbors are allowed to live
in filth, she cannot keep her rooms
| from being filled with bad air and
smells, Or from being infested by
vermin.
| She can cook her food we'll, but II
dealers are permitted to sell poor
food, unclean milk or stale eggs, she
cannot make the food wholesome for
| her children.
She can care for her own plumbing
and her refuse, but if the plumbing
in the rest of the house is unsanitary
If garbage accumulates and the halls
| and stairs are left dirty, she cannot
| protect her children from the sick
| ness and infection that these condi-
tions bring.
She can take every care to avoid
! fire, but if the house has been badly
built, if the are-escapes are INSULT
cient or not fire-proof, she cannot
guard her children from the horrors
Of being MANNED or killed by fire.
| She can open her windows to give
her children the air that we are told
is so necessary, but if the air is laden
with infection, with. tuberculosis and
other contagious diseases, she cannot
protect her children from this danger.
r. She can sed ner children out for
air and exercise, but if the conditions
that surround them on the streets
are immoral and degrading, she can
not protect them from these dangers.
Alone, she cannot make these things
right. Who or what can?
The city can do it, the city govern
ment that is elected by the people, to
take care of the interests of the peo-
pie. And VIII odecides what the city
government shall do?
First, the officials Of that govern
ment; and,
Second, those who elect them.
Do the women elect them? No, the
\ men do. So it is the men and not the
women that are really responsible for
the -.
Unclean houses, ! ~ -.-.':s'.,' '. -
Unwholesome food,
Bad plumbing, 49,
Danger. Of fire, 49,,
Risk of tuberculosis and other dis
eases,
Immoral influences on the street.
In fact, men are responsible for the
conditions under which the children
live, but we hold women responsible
for the results of those conditions. II
we hold women responsible for the re-
suits, must we not in simple justice
let them have something to say as tt
what these conditions shall be? Their,
is one simple way Of doing this. Give
them the same means that men have
let them vote.
Women are by nature and training
housekeepers. Let them have a hant
in the city's housekeeping, even i
they introduce an occasional house.
| cleaning.