The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1913-03-21
GIRLS MUST WORK,
MARRIED OR SINGLE
SuffragiSts Hold It's a Question
of Children Getting
Enough to Eat.
CAN BE GOOD MOTHERS
More Help to Youngsters by
Career Than by Home
Drudgery.

The girl OF to-day must choose be-
tween working spinsterhood or
working married life. That was the
new note brought into the Edgeli case
by the discussion In the public speaking
class at the state suffrage headquarters
last night
"The average married woman OF the
future will have to work for pay out
side her home" said one speaker. 1T
is not a question of whether her chill
dren need her care, but of whether they
are to have enough to eat
yesterday women of the tenemeDts
had to take in washing or go out scrub
bing to make ends meet To-day most
of the women holding responsible posi-
tions in the stores are married. To-
morrow the private secretary, the nurse
and the artist as well as the teacher Will
have to keep on at work after marriage
II their children are to be suitably edu-
Gated"
The next speaker replied that the
woman could still do more for her nus
band and children by staying in the
home and stretching his salary economi-
cally. no matter how small II was. she
could give her child better care than
any one else, even If she had all her
nOnSeWOfk 10 10.
Mrs kcan declared that she had been
| school teacher and was now both
successful mother and business
woman. Her child had never been
neglected or left to the care of nurses
for her own mother had spent all her
! time with it.
Most homes. she said. had mother
in-law or an aunt glad to feel herself
/ INN Mt IN ri fnr "A
beloved grandchild. The real mother
could do more for the child If she We're
/ following really interesting career for
which she had been carefully educated
than If she We're always worn out by
! household drudgery which could be az
well done by servants.
Miss Harrison followed. quoting Mrs.
Beatrice Forbes Robertson, who told
the Woman's Political Union on Sun
day that the social evil would never be
reduced until early marriages were
again made possible for young men who
were earning too little to support farni
lies unless their wives were willing ia
work also. The actress expects to keep
on with her work after marriage but
she IL almost the only woman who does.
Some interesting foreign statistics
u,
public school teacher. She said there
was not the slightest discrimination
against married teachers in England
and Germany, who had time off when
they needed II. In London particularly
teachers who were mothers were given
the preference as being more efficient
and devoted. When the London teachers
came TO this country they were shocked
10 find how many OF the married teach
ers We're not mothers.
Italy has q law compelling tobacco
factory owners to provide n room where
mothers can leave their babies, giving
them what attention they need with
no docking for time.
Mrs Gertrude Wilson Andrews, the
leader warned the class that the Edgell
case was one of the most importa mt
that had ever come up in the woma n
movement. Woman was facing indus
try, asking whether II should be fitted
to her needs or whether she must sacri-
flee TO II her most precious prerogative
of motherhood.
The members of the Flatbush Roart
OF Trade most of whom are neichbors
OF Mrs. Katherine G. Edgell have al.
most unanimously approved the recen,
action OF the Board of Education in
denying her leave of absence to bear
and rear a child The action was taken
at the monthly meeting of the body on
Wednesday evening.
II. A. Van Tassel said It was abso.
!utely impossible for wife or mother
to keep house and discharge the duties
OF motherhood properly and at the
same time be in school five DAYS OF the
week.
President Walter p. Brown said I,
was not right that a mother should
neglect her own children to care for
the children of others.