The Washington herald., 1921-11-04
DOLLAR EBEDROCK
OF MARRIED BLISS,
SAYS DOROTHY DIX
Thinks the Wife Should
Work If Needed to Sup
port Home Expenses.
b. DOROTHY DIX.


this question:
IF the woman works after mar
rage, has the couple as good
chance for happiness as II the wife
gave up her business and became a
purely domestic woman
think that the answer to that
question: depends entirely on two
things: First, on the amount OF the
caliber OF the man.
The very bedrock on which the
happiness of every marriage is
founded Is the dollar. No matter
how much people love each other,
no matter how congenial they are,
no matter what soul mates they are.
they will be utterly miserable to-
gether unless they have an income
on which they can live comfortably.
end in the way In which they have
been accustomed to live.
All of this blathering of poets.
and novelists. about a couple of
young paupers getting married. and
living blissfully ever after on kisses
and romantic illusions is a pack of
lies Married people are just as
hungry as single people. They have
to have just as many clothes. They
desire to be amused just as greatly.
and they require more money be-
cause there 10 generally not only
two Of them, but three or four, or a
dozen to be supported
Nobody can be happy, or satis-
ned. when they are tormented with
anxiety about where the next meal
is to come from. and there is no
calmness and peace in a household
where the wolf is growing at the
door. and the bill collectors camp
Ing on the step.
The girl who gives up a good Job
10 marry a man who cannot support
her in decent comfort is not happy,
nor does she make a soothing and
comfortable wife. She would be
more than mortal IL. as she looked
at her shabby clothes and work.
hardened hands. and trod her mo-
notonous round of cooking. wash
Ing and scrubbing. she didn't think
regretfully OF the days when her
fat pay envelope enabled her to
dress well. and indulge herself in
theaters and concerts.
And the man struggling hi, hes,
10 support family on a shoestring
income is no happier than his wife.
ana Joins the chorus of knockers
VINO declare marriage a failure.
IN the case where q man makes
a small salary, 1t seems to me that
the couple have 1000 times more
chance Of happiness IL the woman
continues In business after marriage.
and adds her income to his, thereby
securing to both of them the mental
and physical wellbeing consequent
from having enough money to live
on comfortably and lay up some
tnlng for rainy day
or course. these arguments about
the woman working after marriage
30 not apply to the cases In which
me man makes a generous income.
Then IL Is a question altogether Of
the attitude of the two contracting
parties.
Wnen woman has a great love
or her profession or business. shS
is seldom happy II she gives IL up. no
matter how much she cares for the
ran for whom she sacrifices her
calling Actresses, for instance, who
leave the stage when they marry.
nearly always go back to II srYer
having FILTERED away a few crucial
years playing at domesticity. and
nearly all women who have been in
b'C business in any way tell YOU that
when they devote all their time and
energies to little six-by-four fat
they feel like a 10o-horsepower en-
CINE that is put to lifting a half
horsepower load.
SUCH women do well either To e.
pouse their careers and leave hus-
bands alone. or else they should mar
ry men who are capable Of sympa-
thizing with their aspirations and
who do not expect to turn them into
cooks.
whether a marriage in which the
wlre continues in business after mar
riage Is happy or not depends mostly
upon the man and what he married
for. II he mArries for a home and
the kind OF pies that mother psad
TO make. wife's work is at the pas
range. and not at a desk. No wonan
can make real home. In the old
fashioned way. with one hand and
hold down Job with the other NJ
woman can meet husband with a
sweet smile and a savory dinner =,
she has been kept late at her worL
during business rush, "a SIR a.
apt to be. A woman can NOT r.
crackerjack housekeeper ana a
business woman. She can no NOR.