The Washington times., 1920-08-27
ADVISES WIFE:
TO GET WORK
Judge lean Norris Says Help OF
Women Will Solve Freak
/. Domestic Tangles.
By MARGARET REX.

NEW YORK, Aug. 27.-"Jf people
were willing to work, there would be
none of these offers OF wives to sell
husbands, to sell themselves, or 10
give away their children for adoption,
"As for any one who would be a
party to the raffling Off, or auction
ing on. OF a husband, I should say
that that person should be put into
the hands of a psychiatrist for OBJ
servstion.
That sort of thing is making a
Jest of the very foundation of society.
~ motherhood and fatherhood."
These are the opinions OF Judge
Jean Norris. presiding magistrate Of
the Woman's Day Court, expressed
TO me in commenting upon the many
recent cases OF selling wives and hus-
bands and giving away little ones
for adoption.
The latest and most sensational in
stance OF selling the family" OF
part of the family, is that of Mrs
Lillian Russell. of Boston, the mother
of seven children. who, in order prop
erly to provide for their future, Of
fers to auction off her husband. Carl,
to the highest bidder. Mrs. Russell
has stated that the earnings OF her
husband failed to supply even the
barest necessities Of life for the fam
lily Of nine, and after consultation
with him. 1t was agreed upon that
the family's most salable possession,
the husband. be raffled off or put up
at auction.
VIEWS OF JUDGE NORRIS.
az cannot believe that such pro-
posals are the outgrowth of a des-
perate need, as Is claimed for them,
but, rather, they seem to arise from
the demands Of women who. unwill-
ing to manage their affairs in a
legitimate manner. are looking for
cheap sensationalism and notoriety
as the quickest way to fortune" said
Judge Norris.
"The Woman in Chicago who said
she would sell herself gave as ex-
cuse a sick husband. Isn't she will.
ing to work to help him? Evidently
not! Then there Is the case of the
husband for sale in Boston. That
wife's excuse Is that they have
seven children who must be sup
ported.
Modern commercial conditions are
such that anyone who is willing to
work can secure employment at good
wages. You may say that perhaps
these women are unframed. Very
well. But there is the problem OF
getting women to do housework. Any
woman who has not learned some
other trade could he expected at least
to be a good housekeeper or cook.
HOUSEHOLD HELP NEEDED.
Anyone who needed housekeep-
er would be only too glad nowadays
to take in woman even with seven
children and give them all shelter
and food. And 1t is not unreasonable
to suppose that the husband and
father of the seven could find remun-
erative occupation.
There are many women, of course,
who might think housework beneath
them. But it certainly is not such
degradation as they would meet with
in selling themselves.
when the demand for workers far
exceeds the supply 1t is a disgrace
for women to come forward with such
propositions.
''They should be busy in keeping
up the standards Of family life which
are so necessary in these times Of un-
rest.
"As for any one who would be a
party to the rafting of or auctioning
of husband, 1 should say that that
person should be put under the care
of a psychiatrist for observation.
And the husband who is at auc-