San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1926-04-11
Working Wives

why we've made law against it,
THAT ISN'T the reason" hotly re
torts Ann Rogers. you've made q
law discriminating against certain
classes Of woman labor because you n
afraid of woman competition. You're
favoring the men-that's what you're
doing. Well, my children need sup.
port as much as any mans and they'll
starve il ] don't give it to them.
And I've as good right to oyerworl;
myself as a man, in their service.
1t isn't fair to make laws against
me-
There you have the gist of the argu.
ment, pro and con, which is being
raised about the Lucretia Mott
amendment which declares that "men
and women shall have equal rights
throughout the United States and
every place subject 10 its jurisdic.
ton"
PROS AND CONS.
There's much more implied in that
amendment than the question of dis
eliminating laws against women work
ers, but that particular angle of It is
making great fuss. Not only are
women prevented from working over
time in some states and institutions,
but there's also discrimination against
the married woman worker and
against the employment Of women in
certain occupations.
Those who would thus discriminate
against women declare that it's for
the good Of the women themselves and
for the good of the home.
Those who would abolish such dis
elimination say that "this protection
plea is all stuff and nonsense. There's
plain selfishness and greed behind al
these determinations"
While the Women's party is LEADING
the fight for the amendment, there
are almost as many women arraycI
against il.
What right have these women 10
come in and grab our mems jobs away
from thcm:' cry the working mems
wives in furious chorus. "How's a
man going to support a wife and fan.
lily if all these silly flappers, an !
greedy young married women steal his
job from himY
WHAT THEY ARGUE.
Its all right for single girls %
work." cry the unmarried women.
We've got just as good a right to
work as bachelors and most Of us will
starve il we don't. But what right
have these married women to take
our jobs! Yes, we know that they
pretend that they have TO work to
help out but don't you believe it,
Most Of them work just so they II
have a lot Of extra money to spend
On clothes. They ought to pass laws
everywhere to keep those married
women from working"
Then comes a quieter, graver chorus
the chorus Of the thinkers who see
beyond the individuals 10 the growth
and progress Of the whole human
race. President Coolidge leads thai
chorus. He says:
The employment Of women is =
social problem, and as such it needs
the attention and interest Of the couu.
try as q whole. Women eau never
escape the responsibility OF home and
children, and the working woman as =
mother and potential mother chal-
lengcs universal interest. Millions Of
working women are home makers. In
asmuch as our national life rests On
the stability Of toe American home,
and the nation can only be as strong
az its women, we must have an in
telligent understanding Of and syn
patty with their problems"
Well. what do you think about the
Lucretia Mott amendment? Would
you let it pass II It rested on your
vote?
Copyright. 1896. King Features Syn, Inc