The Indianapolis times., 1930-04-18

Editor Tines-In various letters
appearing in recent publications
the removal Of the married woman
from business has been offered as a
panacea for all existing social evils,
and especially for the immediate
alienation of probably the most
dire unemployment crisis this coun-
try has experienced since that caus-
ing the formation of Coxey's army
in the early COS.
The viewpoint expressed in the
majority of the letters seems to be
formulated largely by personal ex-
perience. The fact that my neigh
bor's wife goes out to work so she
can have a fur coat while my wife
stays at home and is dissatisfied
because she can not afford such a
luxury" is not the fault of the en-
ployed married woman. Is my
wife" jealous of the daughter of
the wealthy financier who has a
fur coat and did not even have to
work for it?
We are all striving to get the
most we can out of life; we choose
the path, either conspicuously or
unconsciously, which we believe
leads to our goal Should the mar
ried woman be criticised, then, be-
cause she expends extra effort to
gain her desires? Would it re-
lieve the situation If she did "stay
at home where she belongs as the
throwbacks to the stone age cry?
No! Progress is the desirable
state. Machines were not discarded
because they could do the work OF
two, four, six or even q hundred
men, though the earlier inventors
encountered great obstacles in es-
tablishing them.
With our immense wealth, ou1
natural resources, our great fund OF
knowledge, there surely is a logi-
cal solution to the dilemma without
resorting to class distinction, as
would be the case in legislation pre-
venting married women working
and without constant destructive
criticism of individuals who are
striving for happiness.
1t is human nature, however. tC
blame the "other fellow" when we
make nothing worth while of om
lives. We are facing a period Of in
duStrial readiuStment, that age-olc
problem Of maintaining q balance
between supply and demand. One
manufacturer already has inaugur-
ated the five-day week with the
wage scale of the former five anC
one half day week for his workers
This may be the beginning or
which hinges satisfactory solution
of the situation.
When business has perfected the
plan and every man, instead of the
few, is able to make a living wage
there will be few married womer
in business. Human beings in gen.
eral are innately lazy and married
women are no exception.
The vista of constructive thought
for every one sincerely interested
in this vital subject has beer
opened. Why, then, should we
quibble over the less important
question of the married Woman''
status in business?
A well-formulated idea Of ad-
vance for the future is what We
need, and not destructive criticism
We are all victims Of circumstance
Our only salvation is to change the
circumstance, that is, reconcile
lucrative employment for all to The
machine age.
MRS. CLAUDINE L. WAGNER,
SO South Butler avenue.
Editor Times-This Is an opel
letter to Al Smith. I had been in
tending for some time to anSWe
your letter reminiscent Of the swee
long ago, but with the debacle il
stocks, wheat doing a nose spin
all this agitation pro and con OF
the liquor question, and, as tht
sale bills say, other things too MI
rnerouS to mention, it seems 1 jus
couldn't get down to it.
We have had long, hard, COLI
winter here in Indiana, Al, and th'
run of sap has been only moderate
I do not feel that it would be draw
ing the long bow to refer to it a.
the liver winter. Certain it is, tina
it brought unrequited sorrow anC
paucity of meat to IS older news.
paper boys, with moderate fixed in.
comes.
Locally, there isn't much to write
you, Al, only that we had the pro-
hibition convention on our hands
recently. In point of numbers, il
very much resembled the historic
gathering of the three tailors o.
Tooley street. But what I started
out to say, Al, if I ever could gel
down to it, is to congratulate yol
over your defeat as our chief mag
istrate, in the light of all that hai
happened since that memorable
event.
Were you In that position now
they would cruelty you on eros!
of stock, embellished by a wheat
background. You would be the big.
geSt political washout of the ages
They would emblazon across the
eternal hills in letters of fire sucI
little tidbits as these:
"Al Smith wrecks Stocks!"
"Wheat again goes Democratic! J
/