Henderson daily dispatch., 1934-05-11
BY ROGER w. BABSON
Copyright, 1884, Publishers Fl
nanCiaI Bureau)

Bazson Park. Mass, May 11.-Revo-
luton is the order of the day. Great
changes are going on throughout the
world Rapid progress is being made
along technical lines; new govern
ments are being created; new econo-
mic systems are going through a pro-
cess of trial and error. These changes
are obvious to every citizen. One tre-
mendous development is taking place
gradually and imperceptibly, but it is,
none the less, a revolution in the full
sense of the ord. | refer to the change
both in the social and economic posi-
tion of omen in the United States.
A century from now the historian.
writing of this period, will say: "The
emancipation of women was one of
the factors which Influenced the
character of the first half of the twen-
tieth century" 1t was only three or
four generations ago that woman's
economic position, legally speaking,
was approximately that of child,
slave, or a lunatic. A married woman
did not own her own property Her
husband was responsible for her debts;
he could claim her wages; and he had
full control Of the children. The single
woman had more freedom of action,
but from the standpoint of supporting
herself she was handicapped as much
as her married sister.
Legal EcansipatiOn
The last half century has brought
about wOmen's freedom. The woman's
suffrage movement was not merely a
powerful drive to secure voting power
1t was broad campaign to place wo-
men on an equal plane with men be-
fore the law, and was highly success
full. In only a few states do legal d&-
ordinations still remain. Women are
not allowed to serve on juries in more
than half our commonwealths. A man
still has the right to his wife's wages
in three states. The husband continues
to be head of the family in all states.
There are other technicalities remain.
ing in favor of men, but these are in-
significant compared to the revolution
which has taken place.
43 Per Cent of Stockholders Women
Most readers readily recognize the
tremendous change in women's place
in society. Many do not realize, how
ever, that along with a social revolu-
ton has come great change in wo-
mans financial status Women to-
day control big proportion of the
national wealth and income of the
United States. For instance, more than
half of the beneficiaries of estates are
women. Women probably receive 80
per cent of death claims paid by in
surance companies. A recent study in
five states showed that 48 per cent OF
the people leaving property affected
by inheritance taxes were women. In
1928, about two-fifths of the income
reported under the Federal income tax
laws was received by women.
The 1880 census clearly brought out
the Importance of women as workers.
OF the 1928, 900 workers in that year,
10,778,O00 or % per cent were women.
It has been estimated that 20 to 30
per cent of the customers of the av-
erage investment house are women.
An examination of the stockholders
lists of large corporation is even more
astonishing. Of a group of IS large
companies, 43 per cent of the stock
holders are reported as women. The
large proportion of women stockhold-
panies is even larger However, these
figures must be qualified-women &C
tually own only about onefifth of the
total stock outstanding in this group
of concerns.
Women as Family Purchasing Agent
The most widespread type of finan-
cial control exercised by women is in
the retail buying field Women prob
ably do approximately 80 per cent of
the buying of consumers goods in
this country. The wife is the family's
purchasing agent. Most concerns long
ago recognized this fact and much of
their advertising is vrepared to appeal
to women. But the average house
keeper lacks the expert knowledge es-
sential for intelligent selection from
the wide variety of goods offered. 1
believe there is an outstanding need
today to educate women in scientific
methods of buying articles and serv-
ices. eliable information should be
distributed by an impartial govern
ment bureau. Schools, offering train
ing in purchasing household articles