The Washington times., 1914-08-26

en- from agricultural colleges. the
extension work of those colleges,
from farmers Institutes, and from
the grange.
The sore spots in the lives OF
farmers wives are variously set
forth. Common to all is lack of ef-
hcient help and Of suitable equip
ment:
The servant problem is the greatest
one that we have
Many have good and moderately CON-
Venient houses. But more houses should
have water piped into them and water
boilers with the ranges
In this State housework on the farm
does not keep pace with modern facilities
for farming. There are too few modern
labor-saving appliances in use, and there
Is too little attention paid to hygiene
and dietetics."
'One Of tho greatest needs here is
proper equipment for the work women do
In the home. That. however. is not a
need peculiar to the farmers WIFE 1t is
common to all women
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III there were good strong girls willing
to do general Homework. think that
the greatest burden Of farm women in
these parts could be lifted"
Although the query put to these
women bore explicitly on how to
make farm life profitable to women,
the reply Of only one definitely mem
TONED moeey matters.
Il would say that farmers wives need
more than anything else to have an in
terest in farm finance. Girls should be
taught as well as the boys the worth tf
the dollar. They should be helped in the
spending Of each dollar in the providing
OF Clothing and food for them, so that
when they start out on their own re.
sources they will know the value of the
doiiar. III the woman Is prepared to do
this and the man understands how to
Keep books. to know the debit and credit
OF his farm from month to month. and
year to year, and to allow the woman
the spending OF one-third Of his income
to save or spend as she sees ft believe
that one Of the most difficult problems
could be solved
Farmers wives work Is never done.
and about all they get in remuneration
Is their board and keep-and sometimes
A woman writing from Honolulu
has In view the opportunity which
farm life affords women to engage
In "gainful pursuits without going
away from the family and the home.
As the farmers wife needs neighbors
to foster the best mental and social de-
velopment. so. for any product OF her in
dustry and thought she needs communi-
cation with market which can be reach
OF her product for transportation.
Honolulu is the only local market Of anv
moment, and transportation from any out
lying district by the ohe railroad OF .he
addad to vv,yI
mission. leaves little to the producer, and
by the interisland boats from the other
islands of the group. 1t is even worse
The Agricultural Department Is al
to promote money-making industries
In which women may eugage on the
farm. 1t Is also to the utmoht Of its
ability promoting the science of nu-
triton with a view to aiding house,
wives. But to make all this and the
whole benevolent aim Of the depart
ment toward women practical, II has
got to conceive the work of house.
wives on the farm in precisely tho
same light as the farmers work.
not forgetting that child-bearing Is
an important occupation Of women.
To that end II needs to determine
the economic value Of the house
wife's unremunernted labor.
That rest will he plain sailing.
But the Agricultural Department can
scarcely hope adequately to fulfill
its mission toward farm women
without the cooperation Of a bureau
OF woman labor. The United States
Department Of Labor. for the prob
lem of farm women is. after all.
only an Incidental feature OF the
whole labor problem Of women in
the United States. and the crux OF
that problem is this-to elevate the
work of women, whether paid or I'M
paid. to a definite role In the eco
nomic concert of the worbes pro-
duction Of wealth.