The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-11-08
Wi6S Pay
Threat to
Happiness
BY MARTHA LEE

There has been so much talk,
both in favor Of and against work
ing wives, that it is about time to
look the thing squarely in the face.
And, like all other problems, it is
bounded only by the individuals in
volved in the special instance under
consideration.
There are husbands who refuse
their wives the privilege of work
ing, regardless of financial condi-
tons, because they consider it a dis
grace to themselves and a signal
of personal failure when they do.
Their wives may be ever so cap
able. ever SO competent in the world
of business, but men of this type
can not tolerate the affrontery CAS-
they consider it, to their pride that
working wife is supposed to be.
Husbands Become Lazy
Then there are the husbands who,
after a few feeble protests, consent
to allow their wives to continue on
the JOB after they are married. The
result is these men come to depend
slavishly upon the wife'S weekly pay
envelop for the landlord, grocer,
butcher and baker.
1t is this type of man who be-
comes dissatisfied with his own job,
and, since the wife is sure to bring
home the bacon once a week regu-
larly, he decides the thing to do is
to look around until he finds some
place where his ability really is
appreciated.
Then (but this is seldom there
is the husband, who, realizing his
wife has a psychological reason for
needing to work elsewhere than
in her home, allows her to work
after marriage. Because it is fair
that she should share the expenses
of the household (since she is not
contributing toward its upkeep with
her time and energy) she pays to-
ward the expenses what seems right
to both of them.
Quits When She Desires
And, when she finds she no
longer cares to continue in the
business world, she quits, and the
standard of living is not changed
because she no longer contributes
financially toward its upkeep.
A working wife, whose husband
falls into the second group of mates,
has written her own version of
the results of continuing on the job
after marriage.
Dear Martha Lee I am 90 and am
married. My husband is IS. We have
been married nine years and don't seem
to be getting anywhere. My husband is
good enough, always nice to me, but he
just does not seem to care whether we
ever have anything or not.
work in an Office, and, while he has
had good positions, he always gets mat
at the other men when they try to boss
him. Just when things are going along
nicely, he will come home and tell me he
| quit his job. Or else the position will go
| to his head and he will get careless and
loose the job. He will sit around, after
one Of these affairs, and curse everyone
and want to sell everything we have and
leave town, which we have done many
| times.
When this happens I have to pay all
| the bills. While I know it is true we
could live cheaper by giving up the furni-
ture and go into furnished rooms, hate
to give up the things, have worked so
hard to get. That Is what he wants to
do. All the credit we have is in my
name, and I have to keep paying or loose
our credit.
am not trying to get sympathy, be-
cause I love my work. He is good
enough man to me, and does seem to help
less without me. But he just doesn't
make out. He is always promising me
things that he does not fulfill. I do not
want any one to know about this, so of
course lean not tell any of my friends.
Could you help me solves the problem?
WORKING WIFE
1t is hard to tell wife what to
do when she is deeply in love with
her husband, as you apparently are.
Of course your husband is a dis
graceful parasite and you can do
nothing until you give him a good
jolt that will set him on his own
feet. You have been too indepen-
dent, in the first place.
Competence Is Drawback
Men admire competence I'm their
wives, but it is a bad thing for
husband to see his wife SO indie
pendent that, if either of them is
going to be dependent on the other,
it will be him, and not his wife.
That sort of distorted situation
does something very harmful to a
mans morale.
Your first move Is to make your
husband realize you are dependent
upon him and his capacity to pro-
vide for you. If anything is wrong
with your marriage, as far as you
are concerned, it is the fact that
you have mothered him too much
and not "wifed" him enough.
Let him feel that you need him
and his capacity to earn, even if !.
Won arc forced IN 1Oua,. UoiIr. ctop