Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-04-06

begging that freedom should not be
given them. No one protested more
vigorously against the abolition of
suttee in India than the ladies who
were destined to be burnt alive.
But the best reading of all. along
these lines, is the weltering elo-
quence evoked when the question of
public bakeries was first broached in
this country. 1t was then predicted
that families fed on "the bread of
commerce" would speedily become
extinct. Men entirely in their senses
talked eloquently of nations de-
cline, unfortified by mothers bread
and doughnuts.
1t was n sort of THE hand that
rolls the biscuit rules the world"
prevarication, intended to keep wom-
en- pacitied while they were debarred
from education. In spite of such elo-
quence, the bakeries throve and
tlourished, and the kneading and
baking of the family bread was one
duty lifted from the almost break
. ing shoulders of mother" who died
very young i'm those days. to judge
( by the ages inscribed on tombstones
[ of the period.
1 France and England. both nations
] fed wholly on commercially baked
| bread, have given n very good ac-
count of themselves in the present
I fight. and we. too, have produced
/ some fine specimens during the last
fifty years. in spite of the dismal pre-
/ dictions in regard to bakeries.
J The next illusion to GO and the
decision of the Federal Commission
} Ell of Education ClaXton is a mighty
push in the right direction, will be
that women must give up their posi-
I tions when they marry. In the case
/ of married women school teachers
4 We have a maternity leave of two
| years granted on application. Ne
salary is paid during that period, but
I at the end of the leave the woman
| may return and resume her position
as teacher.
/ l have heard of one or two apart
: ment houses in New York where pro-
vision is made for children whers
the mother is employed. There are
model nurseries in charge of child
! experts and trained nurses. and the
| children are well and scientifically
cared for while the mother is attend
| ing to business.
Among the class of women who
furnish the country with the bulk OF
unskilled labor we have had fol
I
are taken in the morning by theil
mothers and called for when the
days work is done. 1 recall one
such for French children in New
| York, whose mothers were chiefly
employed in 1aundries. and I have
never seen a happier or healthier LOT
! of children as they played theil
| games and chartered in French in the
neighborhood of Washington Square
| We have never made any objection
| to the day nursery for the convent
! ence of workingwomen-the lives
! their joys and tragedies were too fai
| removed from the ken of Mrs. Grun-
1 dy to matter. But We may expect
| no such tolerance-or Indifference
when it comes to the professional
| class.
Though Mrs. Grundy never earns a
dollar and could not if she tried, she
will, in some subtle manner. feel that
! her rights have been invaded when
! the teacher. the Government clerk
and the stenographer marry and con-
/ tinue to work. In some ineNplicable
way Mrs. Grundy will feel that
! something that is hers has been in
vaded, and she will protest accord
! ingly.
But her disapprobation will not de-
ter the vast army of progressive men
| and women, given at last chance
to establish homes that promise to
! continue the best traditions of our
| country.