Pueblo chieftain., 1921-03-25
By Frederic ]. Haskin.

washington, u. u, March E9s-A
change in the attitude OF the enlight-
ened toward that knotty problem OF
woman's proper place in the scheme
OF things is SHOWN by the great in
tereet which has been aroused in this
country by the SheppardTowner bill
and by many state measures which
have been passed pensionins and
otherwise caring for motherhood.
This change is based upon the dis
covery that woman's entrance into in
dustry has greatly reduced her value
has a mother. that there are only a
few kinds OF work that women can
safely do. and that poverty and fac
tory work between them are costing
bies every year.
The feminists of quarter of a CEN
tury ago demanded loudly that wom-
en- should have complete economic
Independence. We demand all labor
70. our province" wrote Olive
and influential OF tho early femin-
lists. And then the war came along,
and women got just what Olive de-
manded. Most OF them had never
heard of feminism and had not per-
sonaIly demanded anything. They got
all labor for their province because
all the men were at the front OF
course. oven before the war, the num-
Der Of women in industry was great
and growing. The reason for their
presence in the factories was not that
they had been inspired by visions OF
economic independence but that 1t
had become increasingly hard to
find husbands who could support
them. y little group OF women at the
top demanded economic independ-
ence. They got 1t by going into the
arts and professions and to some ex-
tions they were remarkably success
full. They won places In the working
world without sacrificing either their
feminine charm or their right to
motherhood. But II does seem as IL
these leaders OF the feminist move
ment did not fully realize that only a
very few women can go into arts and
professions. that for the great ma
jority OF them work means eight
hours n day in II factory with very
little hope OF progress. Tho great
bulk OF women have gone to work
have often been injury TO their own
health and that of their children.
Back to the Home
This fact tho feminists themselves
have Just lately realized. Several re-
cent Intelligent books Jn feminism set
forth the new viewpoint In a very
convincing way. That long discarded
and much ridicuied motto: "ISoman's
place is in the home" seems to have
been hauled out OF the attic. busted
off. subjected to n few reyisions and
qualifications, and placed on the wall
again.
At least these recent writer's seem
to have reached the conclusion that
woman should be protected from all
sorts of work which in any way in
jures her usefulness as mother.
and they are forced to admit that
many kinds OF Industrial work are in
that class. They agreed that the WON
an of brains should be given every
opportunity to fit herself for any kind
of work her health will stand. But
they see that motherhood is her most
important function, from her own
viewpoint in most cases. and from
that of the state In all cases.
The trouble is that woman is now
in industry by the million. For the
most part she Is not there by choice.
She is there because she has TO be
in order to eat Therefore merely to
establish the conclusion that she
should come out again is futile. She
Is going to stay there because she has
to. And industry is going to try to
Keep her there because she furnishes
n cheap labor supply.
What Is to be done. then2 The an
swer OF tho scientific feminist is that
laws ifiHN bt pipN''Aihk i'i
from conditions that menace her
health and her value as a mother, and
giving her all possible aid in carinp
/ for herself and her child England
| and France have gone much farther
than we have in protecting women IN
! factories by laws regulating hour
and character of employment. pre-.
scribing rest period and the like
q They have also gone much farther In
| providing care for women during Pre-.
natal and maternity periods.
The Shcppard-Towner bill is The
most advanced step yet taken in this
country. 1t Is chiefly an educational
measure. providing for the instruc.
tion of mothers by state agencies
under the general supervision of the
, children's bureau. As originally
drawn the bill provided also that ac.
tual medical attention could he given
| by the state when 1t was needed. This
obviously socialiatic measure was
stricken out by the senate, which