Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-11-21
PLAN TO USE WOMEN
FOR DEMONSTRATORS
Automobile Dealers to Employ
Them on the Selling
Force
BY ETHEL PEYSER.

Word comes that an entirely new
field of endeavor is about to be opened
TO women; and II Is one of the most
pleasant as well as profitable labors to
which women may aspire. The word is
that Walter f. Flanders of the Max
well Motor Company is about to make
"a nationwide canvass of all the wo-
mems organizations to find capable
women to act as demonstrate of the
Maxwell car.
The plan has the endorsement of sew
eral of the most prominent club and
suffragist leaders of New York, when
interviewed last week by one of New
Yorks leading papers.
1t is a 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 demonstrating
and selling car like the Maxwell,
which is exceptionally light and easy
to handle and has already proved high
ly popular with women drivers.
When questioned regarding the move,
Mr.. Flanders said, '"ro be frank, we
want to sell our cars to women, and
we think women can sell them sue
cessfully. 1t has been our experience
that women in department stores as
agents are good sellers and therefore,
we consider it no Utopian scheme to en-
gage women as demonstrators of auto
mobiles"
The long and the, short of it is 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, lis looking for progress
and we believe with Charlotte Perkins
Gilman, thatSthe main line of progress
Is towards economic equality and free
dom. 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 great opportunity for
women" GOOD business" flashed Mrs.
Inez Milholland Boissevain, II know
that women will prove just as efficient
a. men,"
Belle da Costa Greene. Librarian of
the Morgan Library, said, Cant see
why some motor company did not think
of 1t before. 1t is a splendid idea"
Florence Guersey, president of the
New York State Federation of Women's
Clubs. was just as encouraging when
asked If women would take up the mo-
tor as trade. Women will jump at
this chance for broadening their field
for economic Independence The best
chauffeur that l ever rode with was
woman"
Mrs. Charlotte Perkins Gilman, the
said in regard to the plan, 81 never
give interviews but must give my
word of endorsement to the Maxwell
Motor Company on the new move. I
wholly approve of opening all indus
tries and all kinds of business to wo-
men, especially outdoor work I can
see future for thousands of women in
this business of selling automobiles,
future of healthy outdoor work, short
hours and good pay. There is no doubt
| in my mind but that they will succeed
Hundreds of women have proven that
| they can sell goods, and many hun
dreds have proven that they can drive
| cars and become competent mechanics"
| told of the new Maxwell plan, said.
splendid! The women are bound to
succeed. IF a car is light enough
and you say that Is a special feature
of the Maxwell, woman drives better
than a man."