The Washington times., 1922-01-29
By vIsCOUNrEss AsTOR, NJ. p.
First Woman Member Of tho Hritish
.. Parlismcas.

By vISCOUNTEss ASTOR, NJ. p.
First Woman Member % the British
-. Parlismcnt.
LONDON. Jan. 2s.-once upon .
time. a long time ago. home and
politics may have been two spheres
which had nothing to- do with each
other. In those days a woman
might. perhaps, have lived In her
home. obvious Of the great world Of
affairs without, though rather
doubt II this were ever true. But
nowadays even the most stay-at-
home woman cannot escape from
politics, however hard she tries or
however much she thinks that she
keeps herself to herself, because In
most countries politics have Invaded
every department Of human life,
even the sacred hearth itself. :
The State claims rights over US
In our homes from the day Of our
birth to the day Of our death. II
inspects our houses, our children,
our dustbins; It comes and II looks
for. our children, II they don't 60 to
school; II insists on knowing about
our infectious diseases; Il may regl.
late our rent. our food. our property.
our very clcclxs.. s... ...-,., >, -. y
So thst, however reluctant woman
may be. however rcsentful fnsn may
ignore politics. IL woman.s place ID
the home. that home includes
Politics and the Home.
But. gentle reader. beware Of the
man who says woman's place is the
home. He il generally one Of two
sorts. He speaks from the point OF
his own comfortable home. He
breads the idea OF his comforts be-
ing neglected or lessened. That
kind Of man needs to be neglected
for his souls good. He needs--no.
I won't tell him what he needs
every woman knows what he needs.
The second poo. soul speaks bitterly
from an already neglected home.
He has most Of my sympathy.
But l doubt II a. many homes
will be neglected through politics
Is are neglected through frtyolity.
Politics makes you think. Frivolity
think 1--WE have not had to do any
serious thinking Aloud 30 far) they
will still see that true happiness
must be in their own h0nncs. But
they will SEQ how that happiness
must be shared, and that one un-
happy, neglected homo will spoil .
whole street. .-..-... .r.,..
In our political thinking we can't
stop ut our own homes. We must
aim at the kind Of legislation which
will help all homes to DO cleaner,
better and purer.
Because woman's place 10 the
home there Is no reason to maintain
that they should never put their
noses outside the four walls OF their
houses. Unless they take their share
in bigger things their homes VIII
become narrow and their home
making will suffer. To my MIND
this Is one of the important reasons
why women must take part In
politics. And, as ! have said. they
need not look far.
Where Women Can Help. :.
There isn't country In the
world without an acute housing
problem today. There isn't one IN
which great domestic improvements
couldn't be made by politics. IL
only women realized their chance,
they could get hot water installa-
lions in towns and proper water
supply in villages. They could get
sanitary arrangements for clearing
away refuse they could get all sorts
Of things which would make home
work easier, and / think they are
beginning to realize this.
And then their children, the most
important part Of their work in
the house, what q lot politics has
to do with them! Pure milk for
babies, safe streets, good schooling.
all this is politics nowadays-and
II II is not woman's business,
wonder what is? And then, when
the children are older, when they
are beginning to push out for them
selves and to go into the world,
morality, of decent amusements
for young people, and Of the temp
tations Of strong drink.
All these things have their poll
teal aspect now, and clearly they
are woman's business, too. Is It
true to say that women have no
concern with politics because wom-
ans place Is the home? Isn't 1t
ali the other way round? Is not
that the very reason why women
must come out and take part In
public affairs? 49,. q.
Protection Of The Home.
Home is the center and meaning
of the whole of our social life. 1t
is in order to protect their homes
that nations go to war; 1t 10 in
order to improve them that men
work and toll and women devote