The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-22

Wives ~ Parasites" and Marriage a
Temporary Business Contract.

ieUIpOTHTy BUSINESS NOnVTnCt.
To EDITOR OF THE SuN-Sr: There
Is nothing new under the sun. and espe-
cially is there nothing new In the move
ment among women 20 obtain the vote.
Witness tho appeal made yesterday
In Washington to the United states
Commission on Industrial Relations,
through Mrs. Flora Mcdonald Thomp-
son. In behalf of the millions Of un-
paid, unorganized women homework
ers and home makers OF the United
States" This statement does not ap-
ply, or rather IL not intended to apply
as any rational ard normal married
woman would naturally suppose. to the
great class OF women employed as do
nestle servants, housekeepers &c. In
wage earning and s~alaried positions.
II is meant to refer only to the wives
Of the men Of this great country. and
the nam given those wives by suffrage
leaders is that OF the most loathsome
81 creatures. parasites" American
wives living In homes established
through their pledges OF common love
TO lovers and their external vows Of
faithfulness to each other. by which
the husband t%ransacts the outside
business md the wife the inside. the
money earned being equally the prop
erty OF both. who are engaged In the
same work. the sacred work OF home
building, are here stigmatized as un-
organized and unpaid laborers. Thank
God. the movement TO obtain the SUI
frage. though 1t has made havoc OF
multitudes OF individual homes, has not
yet reached the point where American
husbands W become legally the pay
masters OF their wives and American
tVfyae 1aually thn dp,,outl1 anrsaVta ~
their husbandsi
This idea inc its accompanying de-
mand by Mrs. Thompson are no new
thing In suffrage annals for the suf-
frage movement began with II as a
vital part OF It's persistent attack upon
marriage and the home. Among the
laws demanded nv Miss Anthony In
the New York Legislature in 1854 we're
these:
That married women should be entitled
TO their own earninrs. subject to their
proportional liability for support OF chill
dren: that the laws In relation to di-
vorcs should be revised. and drunken
ness made cause for absolute divorce
that q law mould be enacted extending
the masculine deriEnation In sN statutes
OF the state to females.
In a letter written TO Judge Foiger
In 1882 Miss Anthony said
Mr.. Foiser makes mistakes in regard
to the effect Of these bills tths ier1sia-
tion OF the two previous yearsl quite
forgetting that the wife has never had
an equal right to the Joint earnings OF
the co-partn-rship. as no valuation has
been placed on her labor In ths
household. to which she gives all her
thought and strength.
Such a law must. Of necessity. make
the wife equally responsible for tho
support but New York has
better than that. II lays tho whole
burden OF support on the husband
whether the wife works in the house
hold or not. II occurs 20 me that there
might he n great Increase in domestic
ity ~ the wife were compelled TO Civ
her time. thought and strength to
labor in the home IN order 10 bring
in n stated bill for her services, The
can only deal with the partner
who transacts business outside and thus
civic life. while II recognizes
higher law Of love and personal
responsibility which should cause hus-
band and wife 70 deal Justly with each
Money stands for life and It's
developments. and right. here Christian
principle can come into play more
than in almost any other place: but
all suffrage effort has been In the d.
OF producing discomfort and
In She home. Mrs Thompson
that a maternity commission" be
She says:
The economically submerged condition
~ the occupation OF wives in the home
In en-ct license. IN. sweating OF house
and such physical abuse OF wives
It becomes logical. and In a sens.
necessary. FOR women 70 seek relief from
their Impossible situation IN tn. hons
hy means OF race suicide, divorce. pros
When this doctrine was first pro-
in this country by Frances
Wright, the anarchist and c~ommuris,
called. in tho History OF Woman SUI
the pioneer woman in the
cause OF suffrage'). the homes
y this land were the harpiest In IN.
world. To this undermining element.
IN every aoc.alist-suffraCe docu-
ment. IL due the influence that has
brought evil 10 the home. In pleading
tho Legislature for divorce for
drunkenness Mrs. Stanton revealed hcr
that tho marriage relation
should be no more permanent han a
contract with tradesmen.
NELES KENpPlCK JOHNSON.
Nnw YORK. May 90.