New Britain herald., 1919-02-01


 take up business. To me all this fuss is so absurd. If my father had had q son, he would have helped him in his affairs as a matter of course. But when I took a sons place, all the world won dered
 NOW why should this be SO? It Is perfectly natural is it not? Especially to those who believe in the gospel of work. l believe in work for every man and woman. No matter to what posi- tion one is born it Is right that one should help in the labor of the world
 Tn Britain we women have, for ages been crushed by convention, sti- fled by snobbishness. The carly Vic torian idea that lady should not soil her hands by work has hindered woman's progress, prevented her from using her powers to the full. The war, however. drove a few nails into the collins of dead doctrines. and I hope that it has killed forever the false idea that 1t is unwomanly to ~arn wages.
 War, unfortunately, was woman's opportunity. Clever, clear-brained and capable women. who, by virtue of their social position had never utilized their intelligence in any way beneficial to the nation, have helped to run the country and to win the war. And I am sure of one thing. Now that peace has come theso women will never be contented to retire into obscurity again. Brains are like muscles: the more you usc them the more they de- velop. The calls made upon women for all branches of war work have i'm proved the mentality and increased the efficiency of the sex.
 Dignity in Labor
 America will find, too, that this is true; for the daughters of the re- public have done splendidIy for the cause of victory, and surely all this will not be lost. By the time the bells of peace were ringing women of both low and high degree had discovered that there is both beauty and dignity in labor, and real soul-sat tisfying joy in work we'll done.
 At least, that is what 1 think--and what my father thought. He always liked me 10 help him in business for he knew the ordinary life of social woman would never satisfy me"
 There is something about the way Lady Rhondda says my father" which goes to ones heart. It hints at the tragedy of separation, gives an index to all that that wonderful comrade- ship meant.
 The keenest affection existed be- tween these two. As little girl, when her ia ther was known simply as D. A. Thomas, the Welsh coal magnate, she was his constant companion. Both loved the country and the great out of-doors, and hand in hand she and her father used to go on long tramps together, the little girl who WAS to make her name as the cleverest woman in England, and the man who in Brit aims darkest hour was called upon to take up it's most difficult post-that of food controller.
 In those early days, however, there was no shadow or talk of war. Life flowed on peacefully. The happy years flew by. The little girl grew up. Love entered her life. She married into a distinguished Derbyshire family. Hum phrey Mackworth was one of the eleven sturdy sons of Sir Arthur Mack worth, of Caericon, a family which has produced some celebrated men. But even marriage did not break the tie. Pencoed Castle, her new home. was only a few miles from Llanwern Park. her fathers place. and the warmest and happiest intimacies existed be- tween the two houses
 Then came the war. Sir Humphrey Mackworth marched off to join his reg iment and his wife, whose comrade- ship of her father had led her to take an enthusiastic liking for business, now went in for it wholeheartedly.
 T love work, not because 1t is a