The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-12-19
WOMAN'S WORK
(Mrs. Bunyan Stephens, Editor for
December.)
The Present World Situation with
Reference to the American
Home

From the home economics depart
ment of the General Federation and
Endorsed by that of the Kentucky
Federation, there has just been issued
statement which should meet the
careful consideration of every club
woman. To the Florida women we
commend it because of its broad and
sane view of the present world situa-
ton with reference to the American
home, and because of measures of
mitigation it suggests.
How to buy and how to consume,
how to adjust the family living in this
period of anxiety with rapidly in
creasing prices and no increase in
family income, are problems the solu-
ton of which is in the hands of wom-
en- of the homes. The exercise of ev-
cry womanly virtue, while giving
thanks for the measure of security
and peace enjoyed, IS club woman's
part in the days wGr,l.
The message is signed by Miss Hell
en- Louise Johnson, and is as follows:
1.-THE present time is one of great
anxiety for many in this country. 1t
is time of agony for our sisters over
the sea. Under existing circumstances
it has seemed right to US to urge upon
club women all over the country a
consideration of what the home eco
nomics department. has to offer in the
hope of mitigating some the evil eff
fects of the rapidly increasing cost of
living, much of which we cannot hope
to prevent.
"There is an increase of economic
pressure upon every home in the land.
Some can weather it, some can bear it,
some cannot. This committee feels
that it will not have administered it's
responsibilities until it has induced
club women everywhere to realize the
extreme necessity of discussing pres
ent problems of living with a desire
to assist in solving these, not merely
for themselves, but for other women
of more limited opportunities.
"The responsibility of the budget is
almost wholly in the hands of the
women. They buy the household sup
plies of all kinds. They generally set
the standard of living. Conditions
are now such that in thousands of
cases the wage and salary earners can
get no more. Yet the prices of the
necessities of life have risen steadily
for the past ten years, and rapidly
within the last few weeks. This in
crease must be understood and met in
the right spirit and proper way. In
spite of the fact that a few specula-
tors may have taken advantage of the
situation, the fact remains that legiti-
mate and unavoidable demands upon
our resources have caused and will
continue to cause rise in the prices
of food stuff and other necessities of
life.
''There is no other solution of the
problem than that of learning to live
adequately, happily and well under
confronting conditions. Waiting for
something to turn up, for the ebb tide,
for day of falling prices, will not
avail. Certainly it will be disastrous
if meanwhile debts accumulate.
president Wilson has wisely urged
upon every American woman the need
of curtailment and simple living. Agi-
tation, boycotting, suspicion of pro-
Queer, jobber and retailer are unintel-
! ligent methods of meeting the situa-
ton, which calls for the exercise of
every womanly virtue. 1t is our great
opportunity to show what women can
do to prove their sanity and wisdom.
The actual prosperity of the country
for time, must to a considerable de-
gree, lie in the consumers, hand.
CAS- committee, we urge those in
terested to aid in showing the ex.
IRENE need of learning how to con.
sumo, and in teaching how it should
be done. Club presidents and pro
gram chairmen must realize that helI
to meet this crisis can be had from
the committee.
eve ask the cooperation of tn,
civics, public health and industrial
department of all clubs, and sugges
that club women arrange meeting
where the buying of supplies, the ad
justment of family living, the method
of proper retrenchment, and the nee,
of setting an example in ways of sim
pie living may be discussed.
Representatives of other organiza
tons should be invited to these meet
ings and a cooperative plan be adopt
ed whereby prices may be kept with