The Washington herald., 1912-11-17
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WOMEN BAND TOGETHER REFORM

gether. Therefore we have been working
everywhere for public markets, owned
and operated by the municipality instead
of being run for the profit OF some indi-
SiduaL Where public markets already
, exist we have been cleaning up and bet
tering conditions. We already have
among our members many farmers wives,
and we want more. We are endeavoring
to organize women in remote country
towns and villages as well as in the cities
The farmers wife. as a producer. and
the city housewife. as q consumer, both
working IN harmony for the common
good, are bound to bring about beneficial
and lasting results.
So. also. we are working hard to spread
| the movement among all classes Of women.
In every city we have groups Of suxiI-
iartes among the poor. They greatly need
the help that the leagues purposes and
strength will give them. They have not
been trained in the economic and efficient
spending Of their small incomes, and. just
because these are so small and precari-
Gus, they cannot buy In large quantities
They are forced to be extraYagant by the
very conditions under which they live.
But the rich consumers. too, must realize
due caution and economy The market
can not be controlled except with the
help Of those who set the pace in pur-
chasing. because every exhibition Of care
lessness or extravaganza makes condf-
tons harder for those of less means
! The women have had to take up this
question in a business-like way, because
on its economic side. marriage is a busi-
ness partnership. in which the husband In
the producer and the woman the dis
burser. Statistics tell US that three
fourths OF the income OF the weII-to-do
and nine-tenths that of the poor are
spent directly by the women. The woman
needs as much expert knowledge for the
proper spending Of this money as the
man needs to earn It. Their economic
obligations to their partnership are equal.
The woman can not expect properly to
meet her obligation until she sees that
housekeeping Is a profession, practices IL
as such, and runs her household on a
business basis.
The high cost of living is not a local
condition. 1t is felt all over the world
in free-trade England and by the peas
ant Of France. Many reasons are given
for these mounting prices. The trusts
have been placed on trial, the middlemen
have been condemned. the producer has
been called to account, unequal supply
and demand has been suggested, and the
increased output of gold has been de-
clared the cause. A thousand and one
remedies also have been suggested. but
until the Housewives League was evolved
no one thought Of organized women, the
prime disbursers Of money, as a control
ing factor.
The question IS sometimes asked If the
Housewives League is not a step toward
cooperative housekeeping. Quite on the
contrary. I consider It an excellent way
to keep the individuality Of the home.
1t brings about concerted action on the
part Of the women Of many homes, but
the object Of that action is not in any
sense 10 merge those homes, but to pro-
tect them from influences that, II not
checked. might lead in the other direc-
ton.
Cooperative stores, such as exist in
England and elsewhere. may some day be
organized in this country and help to
lower the cost OF living. But the time
does not yet seem ripe. \ good many
ventures have been started and have
failed, usually because the people engaged
in them did not consider all OF the condi-
tons likely TO imperil the enterprise And
there are serious obstacles TO be contend
ed with in every case. For instance, as
soon as cooperative store is established
commission men and others invariably try
to cut off the supply. Then. too, those
going into the venture 100 oftsn do NOT
remain loyal to its interests-