The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-02-26
+ X y \ X 4 ** 4
Desire for Husbands
Keep Wages Down
k 4 4 4

(By EDNA K. Wooley.l

3 Edna K. Wooley.)
There still remains an idea in the
feminine mind that It's a cinch to be
married. Our novel-rcading and pic
MISUNDERSTANDING girls continue to
believe that the easiest job on Garth
is that OF the wife.
Did I say job? A mistake. They
continue to believe that the wife
hasn't any job at all. The unmarried
woman unconsciously is of the same
opinion Us the United States govern
ment. which puts down the married
woman as a person Of mo occupa-
tion."
One would think that after q girl
has observed how her mother must
bear burdens both physical and mem
tai; after she has learned that every
body has time to spare for herself en-
cept mother; after, perhaps, a girl has
left home to get away from the dead
~ routine OF household duties and
home impecuniosity; one would think,
l say, that she would fight shy Of such
conditions for herself.
But among the mass of feminity
there's an inbred faith in mar as a
miracle worker. 1t comes from gem
erations OF woman's enforced depend
ence upon men as providers. Men
haven't always provided we'll. by m
means. Still. they keep up the bluff.
and woman still feels that if she can
only get a husband she may be an
irresponsible lady Of leisure for the
rest of her life.
Every opportunity is now open to
women to be self-supporting. But one
reason that salaries in most occupa-
lions remain SO low for women is that
the girls don't go into the business
seriously.
They work superficially and with
out interest" say the employers.
They all hope to marry o o and stop
The domestic help problem would
soon be solved IL girls felt that the
occupation held matrimonial pros
poets.
Consider the st. Louis woman, for
instance, who had nine marriageable
sons. In order to get good wives for
them she trained her servant girls.
Three of the sons married three Of her
maids. Since her plan has been
made public she has been overwhelm-
ed with applications from young wom-
on to become domestics in her house.
hold.
And yet, after the girls are married
and find that a husband wants some
thing besides an idle lady on his
hands. they're not at all contented.
It's women who are keeping the di.
vorcc mill busy.
It's women who claim that matri-
mony hands them a lemon-the very
same ONE who were so ANXIOUS to
be wives that they shirked their jobs
and kept wages down for others who
needed the money.
There is no harder job on earth
than that of being a good wife.
The girl who is earning her salary
Is finished with her Work at the end
OF the day. She car rest if she wants
to.
The wife, however, has the dinner
dishes to wash, a husband to humor,
some kids to put to bed; and at night,
instead OF resting in the deep sleep OF
q girl who has only worked for wages,
shes up several times in answer to
the c1ildren's demands.
There's no rest for the good wife
unless she's sick. and then she gets
well quicker h anybody else would
because she really hasn't time to be
sick.
1t it was love of home and husband
and children and q keen sense Of re-
sponsibility which urged girls to "get
a man," one would no wonder at the
desire for husbands.
But I'm afraid that the general de-
sire is not horn Of such %unselfish emo
tions. If it was our girls would marry
better men. refusing to encourage any,
thing masculine simply because it APP
parently promises free meal tickets
and leisure to wear a kinono.