The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-12-06
Life Is Big Factor In
 Business
By BETH McILyAINE

SOCIAL llle dlltCIS utI
 life is vital question. Theo- YeticaIly, what she does on her own time should be her own affair. What a pleasant place this would be with our right hand not on confiding terms with our left, and each one living according to his own lights! Unfortunately, or fortunately, whichever way you look at it, our neighbOr, by convention and pub lie opinion. is given the liberty to put his finger in our pie and decide for the world whether or not it has the right flavor.
 All of which bears directly on the subject Most employers assume the perogative of matching up their em- ployes' business and home lives to see that they both agree with their stan dards. A proverb about glass houses and stones might be applicable here, but really wouldn't affect the situation any. An employer with low standards doesn't release a girl from setting up her own high ones, as she Is the only one to profit or lose.
 All large banks have systems of espoinage which investigate and keep jealous track of their employees friends, habits, home life. The least question able deviation from the straight and narrow path is equivalent to "Off with his head
 The employment manager of large insurance company places great impor- tance on the environment from which the applicants come. Whether Jennies father is cook in a hash house or physician makes deal of difference with him, not as regards Jennie her self but as effecting his estimate of Jennies preparation and hereditary equipment for meeting business prob lens. Encouraging home influence, with its traditions and fundamental principles, is regarded as a powerful factor in determining the success of a girls career.
 Aside from the home, how a girl makes use of her leisure time is a ques- tion of much interest to employers, es- pecially when it affects business hours. One man knew two of his stenOgraphers frequented a restaurant dance-hall dur ing lunch period and were no earthly good for the rest of the afternoon. An other man saw two of his employees come reeling out of a questionable cab aret on the arms of sporty looking in dividuals. Still another was puzzled over the behavior of his secretary one morning until he realized she was re- covering from the effects of an al- coholic spree A fourth was under the impression that clerk of his had taken a week off to be married. month later he discovered she was not mar ried but secretly living with an already married man.
 In all these cases the employers original good opinion of and their re- spect for their employees were serious ly impaired. As practical result their business relations were soon severed by 7 invitation.
 A girl in business has two consider ations; keeping her conduct irreproach- able through maintaining high ethical standards at all times, and making a success of her position. The two are complementary. She may argue that what she does outside of working hours is none of her employers business. As it happens, most employers do regard 1t as their business, but if they didn't the situation would not be altered. Moral human beings should not need a policeman to cry, "Be good " Being good is matter of individual pride and self-respect, regardless of onlookers.
 Another problem, raised by the in Aux of married women into business, is this: What is their effect on the unmarried women in the same office?
 One girl writes: Among the ten girls in my office, am the only one un- marred. Their husbands support them so they use their salaries solely for clothes. I have been taught to save certain portion of mine, and besides l have my living expenses. Conse- uuently, my simple, rather worn clothes look positively shabby and dowdy be- sides these beautifully gowned women. So, although the firm is splendid to work for, I'm going to look for another job where employers think married women has home responsibilities and that wedlock is not a case where hubby pays the rent and board, and wife works for clothes and good times.
 This girl would oust married women from business altogether as the only solution to her problem. That is rather stringent treatment for tactlessness, for that is all it is, with a dash of foolish self consciousness on the part of the sufferer. Enforced shabbiness is no crime. even when made conspicuous by contrast with beauty. One such sentl- tive soul, however, indicates the ex- istence of others hurt by external changes which married women in of fees have introduced.
 A woman, married and returned to her old office, is inclined to feel su- perior towards her unmarried co-work- CTS. She will talk possessively about her husband and exult little over her freedom from independence. This IS all very antagonizing for the listeners, who feel she has had her pie and can eat it, too.
 The solution lies for the married woman to leave consciousness of her changed status at the office door to continue dressing according to office average: to impress on her co-workers that she is still one of them, and lastly, never once to slacken on the job.