Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-01-06
TALKS ON HIGH
COST OF LIVING
Or. Maud Thompson Says
Housewives Ought to In
crease Incomes.

Declaring that the problem of the
high cost of living should be solved
by housewives attempting to increase
their income rather than by trying to
cut down on their general expenses,
DIR. Maud Thompson made pointed
address at the annual meeting of the
Housewives League held at the head
quarters of the Young Women's
Christian Association yesterday after
noon.
The speaker declared that the In
crease in wages had not been equal
to the GO per cent. increase in the cost
of living, and said the incomes of the
average worker should be SO in
creased as to equal this increase. She
even went SO far as to suggest that
housewives who have the time go
out and increase the family income.
She commended the women for the
work they are doing in the league.
you stand for new tools in house,
wffery, for new fields" she contin-
ued. Your tools are down In the City
Hail. in the Board of Health. Your
arm must reach down to the City Hall,
to Trenton, to Washington, to the
packing houses in Chicago. BY and
bye you will have to reach all the
way around to Palestine to see how
they put up those dirty dates.
THE duties of the housewife are
wo-fold--to give members of the
family proper environment, including
light, air, quiet and cleanliness, and
to feed them.
I'm ancient Greece the law permit
ted the residents to throw the garbage
out of the window, provided no one
was passing at the time. We cannot
do that now, but we allow the garb-
age department to strew the street
with garbage and to deposit 1t where
the disease 1t breeds may infect the
little children. This Is our affair. In
deed, every department In your home
depends upon that department In the
city, State and nation"
In speaking of the milk question DR..
Thompson pointed out that until the
people can get absolutely clean milk
at. 8 cents quart they have not
solved the milk problem. Adequate
milk inspection, she declared, will he
possible only when the entire milk
supply is produced in diary farms
open to inspection. She referred to
the fact that the first clean milk in
the world was produced in Essex
County and that the movement was
started by DR.. Colt.
In speaking of the endeavor of the
women to get certain legislation
passed she pointed out. that there are
three methods by which laws are
passed: by getting representatives to
think or agree a certain way by di-
rect or indirect bribery, by persuasion
of an active tongue and plenty of
time to WELD it, by organized infiu-
ence and by direct education, and by
the action of the voters in a democ-
racy. She declared the women are
above the first method; the third will
not be open to them until they put a
little more work In the cause, and SO
the second Is the only one at present
at their command. She gave instances
of what can be done by organized in
fiuence, emphasizing the fact that
this influence must be large IL 1t
would affect even local conditions.
She spoke enthusiastically of the
work the league is carrying on In in
speeding shops, and predicted that it
would be the school from which
trained inspectors would come to
make community life worth while.
She urged the women to be particu-
lar about local conditions, not for
getting that the little shop keeper
Is fighting for his living and that
there are large food battles which
must be fought, battles which
trained, high-salaried men are fight
ing at Washington In the interest of
q few wealthy producers.
Mrs. Wilbur F. Osler, of Leonia, the
new State chairman, pointed out that
each league has its Individual work
to do depending upon the conditions
In the locality. She reported that
there are now TWENTY-FIVE leagues in
the State. She urged the members
to write to Trenton and use their in
fiuence to get others to write pro-
testing against the amendment Of
bills 121 and 1872. or their annulment
Mrs. William Disbrow spoke OF the
appointment of woman on the
school board. The league endorsed
the movement and appointed Mrs
William D. kirkpatrick as its dele
gate to the conference tomorrow
morning.
Mrs. Charles Boni was appointed
delegate to the civic centre move
ment which has as its object the
opening of all the schools as. social
and civic centres.
Mrs. Beatrice Maybaum Stern,
chairman of shop inspection, told of
the work of her committee and re-
ported that in two cases the S5 per
cent. signs for good conditions have
been awarded.
Mrs Kirkpatrick spoke briefly of
her work along educational lines.
Mrs. Henry f. Starr, the local
chairman, presided. At the business
session that preceded the program
the appointment of Mrs. Stern as
chairman of shop inspection was an
bounced 1t was reported that Mrs.
leader of the Eleventh Ward and
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