Evening star., 1929-12-13

A radio plea by Secretary of Labor
Davis that the housewives of the Ma
ton, having a real occupation, should
be entitled to an eight-hour day and
an annual vacation such as the worker
in business in industrial life has, has
attracted unusual attention. There are
many words of sympathy for women
whose work is never done" Paying
tribute to Mr.. Davis for the worthy ap-
peal, the Chicago Daily News COM
ments on the fact that "he has only
begun to deal with large problem"
What" for example, 1t asks, would
he SuggeH for the wives of farmers, the
wives of keepers of small shops, the
wives of traders in modest way?"
That paper continues: "It is perfectly
true, as Mr.. Davis says, that the wife of
the wage worker gets little credit be-
yond her own household for her indus
try, efficiency and manifold managerial
skill To add up her list of occupations,
either in time of health or in time of
sickness in the family, is to marvel at
her endurance, ingenuity and executive
ability. UnqueStionably, she is entitled
to consideration in all shorter day or
shorter week movements, and she de-
serves an annual vacation with pay
Her husband and also her children,
when the latter are old enough, owe
1t to her and to themselves to take
steps to conserve her health and give
her suitable pleasures and recreation.
A little thoughtfulness, little practical
tenderness, from the family is or would
be highly appreciated by the house
holds general manager. The Census
Bureau, by the way, is guilty of a fla
grant bureaucratic blunder IN listing
housewives as persons without occupa-
tion.' The protest of the Woman's Par
ty against that designation is under
standable, even though the phrase OBJ
jected to was intended to imply that
housewives had no gainful occupation
No occupation, forsooth! Endless and
much nearer the literal truth ot the
matter"
The census situation also Stirs COM
ment from the Hartford Daily Times
which says on this subject: There can
be no denial of the assertion that
housewives do not receive sufficient
credit for their work. Nobody seems to
take the trouble to count the hours of
their day nor evaluate the million and
one things which they whose work is
never done accomplish. There is am
pie basis for the call which has been
broadcast by the national vice chair
man of the Woman'S Party, Mrs. Flor
ence Bayard Hilles, that in the forth
coming Federal census the occupation
of housewives be DESIGNATED in the
forms. AS 1t is, they have no 'occupa-
ton so far as the Census Bureau is
concerned. That seems to be a pretty
general attitude of governmental pro-
cedure on this point and we are not
surprised that the worm has turned.
The Government Is somewhat exclusive
in its Interpretation of the term 'occu-
patton Whatever is done inside the
jc ffnfnl lI,v
by the housewife, but let it be done by
a maid, nurse girl, janitor, laundry
woman, social secretary, and it is care
fully noted on Government records"
X X x x
"Its high time somebody championed |
their cause" in the opinion of the Har- |
risburg Telegraph. when labor laws |
were being enacted, the housewife was |
let out. No eight-hour day for her; no
Saturday half-holiday. Nobody ever |
fights for better working conditions |
shorter hours or higher pay for the |
housewife. When the alarm clock |
speaks, it is she who responds most |
quickly. While her hard-working hubby |
turns over for another ten minutes in |
dreamland, she is putting on the cof- |
fee and frying the bacon. While he is |
reading his paper in the evening, she is |
putIAliS bIlc CGIIu4SA1 W pcQ, Washing /
the dishes and getting ready to do bit |
of mending"
Anybody who wonders why Secre-
tary of Labor Davis keeps on in the |
cabinet year after year." remarks the |
youngstown Vindicator, "can find the |
answer in the radio address Mr.. Davis |
made on the greatest, busiest. business
executive in the world The tribute he |
paid to the workingman's wife, who has
to figure and plan to make her hus-
bands pay envelope meet the familys
needs and go as much farther as pos
sible. was not only we'll considered and