The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1914-11-28
NOVEL PLAN TO EMPLOY
women DEMONSTRATORS
Scheme Of Maxwell Motor Car Company
Endorsed by Florence Guersey, Har-
riet Stanton Blatch, Charlotte Per-
kins Gilman and Others
By Ethel Peyser

Word comes that an entirely new
field of endeavOr Is about to be opened
to women; and 1t Is one of the most
pleasant as well as profitable labors
TO which women may aspire. The
word is that Walter E. Flanders, of
the Maxwell Motor Company, is about
to make nationwide canvass Of all
the women's organizations to find
capable women to act as demonstrators
Of the Maxwell car.
The plan has the endorsement of
several of the most prominent club
ana suffragette leaders of New York,
when interviewed last week by one
OF New York's leading papers.
1t Is genuine business move on the
part Of the Maxwell Motor Company.
Mr.. Flanders believes that women will
be successful In the automobile busi-
ness and particularly In demonstrate
ing and selling car like the Maxwell.
which Is exceptionally light and easy
TO handle and has already proved
highly popular with women drivers.
When questioned regarding the
move, Mr.. Flanders said: "To be
frank, we want to sell our cars to
women, and we think women can sell
them successfully. It has been our
experience that women in department
stores as agents are good sellers and,
therefore, we consider 1t no Utopian
scheme to engage women as demon
strators of automobiles
THE long and the short of tits that
we believe in women not only to the
extent Of employing them, but to the
extent of paying the same as We pay
men for the job. Every business
man." he concluded, 'is looking for
progress and we believe with Charlotte
Perkins Gilman, that the main line of
progress is towards economic equality
and freedom. That is all there is
to it."
Mrs. Harriet Stanton Blatch, Presi-
dent of the Women's Political Union.
said: "Why shouldn't women go into
the automobile business, or any other
business they want to. 1t seems to
me that this is a great opportunity
for women" Good business" flashed
Mrs. Inez Milholland Boissevain, II
know that women will prove just as
efficient as men,"
the Morgan Library. said: Cant see
think of 1t before. 1t is a splendid
idea"
Florence Guersey, President of the
New York State Federation Of Wo-
mems Clubs, was just as encouraging
when asked if women would take up
the motor as a trade. "Women will
jump at this chance for broadening
their field for economic independence.
The best chauffeur that 1 ever rode
with was woman"
Mrs. Charlotte Perkins Gilman, the
noted writer, speaker and publisher,
said in regard to the plan: II never
give interviews, but l must give my
word of endorsement to the Maxwell
Motor Company on the new move. l
wholly approve of opening all indus
tries and all kinds of business to wo-
men. especially outdoor work. l can
see future for thousands of women
In this business of selling automobiles,
a future of healthy outdoor work,
short hours and good pay There is
no doubt In my mind hut that they
will succeed. Hundreds of women
have proven that they can sell goods,
and many hundreds have proven that
they can drive cars and become COM
petent mechanics"
Mrs. Norman de R'Whitehouse,
when told of the new Maxwell plan,
said Splendid! The women are
bound to succeed. If car is light
enough-and you say that is a special
feature of the MAXWELL woman
drives better than man."