The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-06-16
Youth Holds
Firm S1Ouy
in Business
BY MARTHA LEE

Woman's reluctance to tell her age
has been a standing joke, nearly al
wsys good for laugh, for ages. The
wise guys always tell us TO ask a
woman her age. add five years, and
we may be near the right answer.
It's not such a joke. when you md
out some Of the reasons why wom-
en- do this. In spite of the fact that
medical science and feminine fash
ions. to say nothing of the accepted
use of cosmetics, has made women
younger and younger each year
there still is such high premium
upon youth (meaning women be-
tween Is and 23) that a woman who
admits IS is sunk before she gets
started.
This is true in almost every en-
deavor she undertakes. A woman
can look as young as a high school
fiapper, she can dress with the pest
of them, but Just let it get out that
she has passed the thirty mark and
the men will pass her up like a
plague. Unadulterated youth Is
what they want. And incidentally
it is that cry for youth that has
caused many women to ruin all
their claims to beauty by cutting
themselves after the pattern OF
seventeen.
Ladies Must Eat
Then there is the more serious
problem about getting job. Get
ting a man is bad enough, but one
must eat and dress and live even
when one has reached the ripe old
age of thirty-five. Being thirty-tlve
and financially dependent upon
ones self is no joke, if we believe
the results of a discussion OF eco
nomic old age, held at the social
workers conference in Boston re-
Gently. And one only has to read
letter from one of these women
to know that such scrapping OF able
bodied. willing minded workers Is
going on here, in favor Of youth.
Dear~aaiss Lei am in the late thirties.
and have been dependent upon what
can earn since I was eighteen. nave
worked myself up until I had very good
position rs secretary in the firm where
had worked for twelve wears. About a
year ago. the company suffered slump
and a number OF employees were let 90. !
among them.
Since then it has been heart breaking
for me. Miss Lee l do not look old. /
dress well and keep myself well groomed.
But I have seen the savings Of years dis
appear as have looked hoplessly for a
position. And the reason I can not ind
one is because I am too old. Younger girls
With less experience. and surely less skill
than I get the jobs. They work cheaper.
probably than the salary I asked. But
would have been willing to take less, so
that might have a Job.
am as active as I ever was. I GER
tsinly know more about my work than I
Md. even five wears ago. I am more
Ealuable to an employer I know. And
ct. here I am. willing to work and cap
able of it. without a Job. And the fund
have saved is disappearing rapidly. What
can 1 do? DISCOURAGED.
Too much hinges upon mere age.
net only in the realm of employ
ment, but all the other realms. Men
will discredit experience, wisdom.
ability-everything, against youth.
And youth has had the inside track
too long.
Really KnOtty Problem
justification of a woman who lies
about her age in order to get
through the employment gate, so
that she can obtain work and
where ithal to hold body and soul
together, is knotty ethical
question. And yet many women find
1t necessary to do this
Employment question is pretty
bad for every one right now, Dis
couraged. You are not alone. Con-
ditions are not normal, and all en-
ployers are producing as cheaply
as possible. Things will break for
you soon. In the meantime. why
not try in different field for a
while? There probably is some 9TH
er kind of work you can do. And
any work would be better than
none.
However your letter does bling up
a question that has been thrustine
Its head above the surface quite a
while now. Why should the "older
generation" who are not really an
older generation at all, excepting
in the economic field, who are per-
fectly capable of self-support. be
placed in this position of being
economic dependents? Why should
a line be drawn, because of age
as long as an employe is capable OF
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