The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-04-16
WORKING Wife
CONTEST STIRS
HOT ARGUMENT
DeadIine on Letters Is at
Midnight; Majority Are
in Negative.
MAN BOOSTS YES SIDE
Women Also Debate For
and Against Jobs for
Their Sex.
MAN BOOSTS YES SIDE

expressed their views (mostly in the
negative) on this question in the
last week, during the Should Wives
Work?" contest, which ends at mid
night. Any letters postmarked be-
fore that hour will be given con-
sideration by the judges in award
ing the two $40 prizes, one for the
best negative letter and one for the
best affirmative argument.
Here are four letters submitted
today.
The first is by J. Stanley Jones,
Flora, Ind:
"Set Them to Work"
The arguments used to prove that
a wife should not work, hearken
back to the dark ages. Back to
the time when religion and super
stition had woman classed as the
property of her husband.
1t seems to me that that day has
passed and a new day is here. I
. think the first thing that should
be done now is to declare another
emancipation proclamation, freeing
women from this slavery.
What right does mere man have
TO decide what kind of career his
wife should choose? In most cases
1t is enough that she condescend to
marry him. She surely is entitled to
as much privilege as is the man
whom she decided to marry.
4 L.
housewife and raise a family than
to enter a business career, all
we'll and good. But if she wants to
try her hand at the art Of making
money. then say, Luck to her"
So far as her taking money from
some father Of a large family-that
is one Of the breaks of the game of
life. Nature has been and always
will be unjust, in that one Of her
fundamental laws is, "the survival
of the f1ttest." There always will
be some one taking money from
some one else more deserving.
Therefore, I think there is only
one reason why wife should be
entitled to work if she wants to
and no reason why she should be
prohibited from doing so. That
reason is expressed in one word
freedom.
One in the Affirmative
Here are the views of Mrs. j. M.
Harrington, 1868 North Talbot
street:
Certainly wife should work, il she
is really wife, rather than a hus-
bands social ornament.
A real marriage is not built upon
romantic illusions carried over from
the days of courtship, but upon the
shared trials that test the metle of
which two people are made. 1t fol-
lows that necessary trials Of life may
require of a wife that unexpected
duty to her husband or family of
employing herself in the commercial
field in any honorable capacity for
which she may be fitted.
1t would seem to be implied that
the VOW of "love, honor and obey
imputeS to the wife a duty to all
reasonable things necessary to happy
and successful fulfillment of that
VOW.
When, without fault of husband.
the welfare and home Of his family
is threatened by financial or bust
ness reverses, who but a wife should
be his partner in the field of bust
ness to save their happiness?
Things which really bind husbands
and wives together are the anxieties,
the struggles and the cares that
they share; the work that they do
to make home; the sacrifices they
make for each other; the sick ones
they watch over together: the lit
tie collins they weep over; the diSap-
pointmentS and heartbreaks they
endure together; the salary checks
they deposit together. It is the ham
mering of life on two hearts that
beats them into one.
Wives should work if it is neces-
sary to maintain family or home as
1t should be maintained. But the
present day privilege of employ
ment in the business world which is
extended to wives should not be
abused by women who, to the
neglect of their family and home
desert their proper place for lust
a thrill"
She Thinks So, Too
This is the way Helen santiste-
ban, 1919 East Tenth street, Co.
lumbuS, Ind, sees the matter:
Why should a woman not work
If she is capable? You say Cd She
is keeping a man who has a family
to support out of job. (2) Wom-
ans place is in the home. (3) Wom-
en- are too delicate to work. shall
endeavor to prove that you are
wrong.
Cd The position is given to the
most capable person. regard
less Of sex or need of money. If
woman lis the most capable, she
should have the position.
I'd II a woman is suited to do
mestic work her place is in the
nome. A woman who loves to cook,
sew. and keep house will not work
IN a factory unless she is forced to-!
II woman is strong and loves the
outdoors, she never should stay in
the home.
CD Why do people harp about the
weaker sex? In most cases women
ire as healthy as men. If a woman
Is delicate she should get a posi-
hon with healthy. cheerful atmos-
bhere.
Keeping Men JobIess
And the last letter is from Mrs.
Paul Whipple, 2445 Park avenue,
which follows:
do not think that wives, whose
husbands can support them, should
work. They are keeping men and
girls who really need the work from
employment and obtaining a living
wage, especially when they sup
port their parents or families.
If every large corporation made