The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-08-27
DOROTHY DIX TALKS
BY DOROTHY DIX
Worlds Highest Paid Woman Wr1ter.-


| man, lnaI cOulQ i've thirty years
longer, so that L might see what my
sex is going to do after the war.
| For this war has made new heav-
| en- and a new earth for women, and a
new hell. too, for that matter. 1t is
going to make the world, not only safe
for democracy, but safe for women. 1t
is biotting out the sex line that sepa-
rates the masculine sheep from the
feminine goats, and when it is over,
the world will not be inhabited by men
and women, but by human beings.
1T is amusing to think how all the
ancient superstitions about women
have shrivelled up and persisted in the
glare of battle. Formerly one of the
arguments against giving women the
suffrage, was that they couldn't bear
arms or do anything to defend their
country in time of warfare. Nobody
has the nerve to advance that theory
now, with women crowding the NUM-
ton factories. making high explosives,
and doing the delicate work on air
planes, and with Red Cross nurses,
women ambulance drivers and can
teen workers. going calmly about their
business with shrapnel falling about
them.
And nobody trots out the old buga-
boo about woman getting out of her
sacred sphere in these times, when
women are being employed to do ev-
cry possible variety of work from dig
Sing coal to unloading cars and rails
But it isn't what women have done
or are doing in the way of war work.
it is what they are going to do in the
future that piques my curiosity and
makes me wish that I was going to
be there to see what effect the great
war Will really have on moulding the
destiny of the coming woman.
ITO begin with. there are hun
dreds of thousands of women to whom
the war has brought the first touch
of real life they have ever known. For
the first time in all their pampered
existence they have made sacrifices;
for the first time they have heard the
call of duty, for the first time their
; minds and hearts have been inspired
by worth while aim.
| They have been butterflies. fitting
about in the sunshine from flower to
, flower, with no thought except for
their own pleasure, with literally no
interests except in clothes and motors,
, and in fine houses and parties. In
their war work these women have
, literally found their souls. After 1t
lis over, will they be satisfied to go
i, back to the flesh pots? Will they be
content to spend aimless days, filled
with nothing but the pursuit of
amusement? Will not the executive
ability, that so many of them have
, developed, require a bigger outlet
. than running a town or country
, house? How will they dam up the
energies the war has set free into the
small circumference of a drawing
room?
i And there are millions of other
women who have been engaged n
:, bidding women's work where they re-
ceived only starving wages. They
have found out, since the war began,
that they can do mems work and earn
mems salaries. Are they going to be
willing to give up the lathe and the
a big jobs they now have, and retire
: once more to the kitchen and wash
? tub, and the dollar a day envelope?l
And there are thousands of other
! women who chafed at domesticity,
and who loathed women's traditional
tools-the cook stove and the sewing
{ machine. Many of these women were
married to husbands with no gift for
l money making. The war has given
these women a chance to see what
> they can do. and they have made
, good Will anyone be able to shoe
Y these women back into the home to
, | hagg1e with husband over pennies
! | when the war is over? The woman
= who has once known the Joy of her
own pocketbook is like the tiger who
: has tasted blood.
= 'Will not the war change the whole
= theory as regards the propriety OF
u married women being wage earners
. and engaging in any kind of work for
;, which they have a talent? The world
!, = will need all the skillful workers Il
can get TO OFFSET the economic waste
: | of war.
!, "Will not the war also change our
= ideas concerning woman's status in
: the household? Thousands of men will
:, come back from over there incapaci-
y tated for life for supporting family
= This will force many women to become
y the bread winners. and 1 wonder how
h the men and women are going to ad-
= just themselves to this change.
= Il wonder if the war is going to give
women a rational dress, and If wonIer
are going to realize that people who
= have real work to do and big affairs
J. to decide, cannot waste their time and
!. energies on adjoining themselves ir
~ fripperies. Thousands of women are
is now wearing uniforms and are finding
t. out for the first time the ease of mind
=. and body there is in plain, substantial
= comfortable gowns and shoes. 1 Wen
: der if out of this will not come the
!, Standardization OF clothing for work
10 ing women.
y Il wonder what the millions of wo
! men whom this war will leave hus
9 | bandiess and childless are going to d.
If with their Hves-the women who
ic would have married and brought W
j., families, the women nature designed
for that purpose, but who will nevel
a, have chance to marry, because the
men who would, under normal condi
tions, have been their husbands, hav,
is been slain in battle. On what mama
in will they feed their hungry hearts
n What interest will they devise fo
s. themselves? What outlet will they FIND
at for their thwarted mother love?
a, "Oh, it is going to be an interesting
n world after this war" added the OLE
al woman, with a sigh, land I am 81
a. sorry that won't be here to see it"
!: ]: ]: A~& ~