The Washington times., 1935-04-29
NOW
BOudOir Cap Us.
:. Permanent
PRICE OF A JOB
By HELEN ESSARY

PRICE OF A JOE
BY HELEN ESSARY
AS I consider the agitation
about Section 213 of the United
States Economy Act which says
that a man and wife cannot
both be employed by the Gov
ernment, 1 wonder if women
were as smart as they thought
they were when they escaped
from the Boudoir Cap Era into
the Permanent Wave Era.
The boudoir cap wasn't pretty.
It covered long hair wound on
kid and paper curriers'. Some
times it topped off last years
kimono. But the boudoir cap
was relaxing Tor half the day.
sometimes. 1t wasn't expen-
sive. The money to buy it
wasn't often earned at type
writer.
The permanent wave is pretty
and slick. 1t survives the scram-
BILE to hold a job-the early
morning alarm clock - the
Splashed coffee pot and the
burnt toaSt-the dash to the
office-for or beside some un-
certain man. The permanent
wave is the expensive symbol of
what it costs a woman to hold
a job-to stand on her own wan
dering feet.
In the Boudoir Cap Era mil
lions of families got along some
how, without wives and daugh-
ters working in offices, shops
and factories. There were no
more poor people then than now.
I don't believe the word relief
existed until the Permanent
Wave Era.
A woman (there are hundreds
of her sort now in the Govern
ment and other places who was
worried because her husbands
job would be taken away while
she, more efficient, kept hers,
was a creature even the imagina-
ton had not touched.
Women in the Boudoir Era
didn't have to express them
selves away from home. In the
sitting room, some of them
rolled and whipped seams and
turned the sheets. In the kitch-
en- some of them pared potatoes.
There was less wise talk about
birth control. And husbands
were younger and more plenti-
full. Life was simple.
A poor widow was a poor
widow to be helped by the fam
lily and the neighbors. Maybe
she took boarders. Maybe she
got a new husband. Sometimes
she had soma worthy son who
sold newspapers. Grew up to be
the president of Trust Com
pany. And kept her in fresh
frills for her best black satin.
Now, crisply independent,
widow works to keep her son in
college. Tries to lay aside a little
fund to help him start his first
home, And the Permanent
Wave Era has had to organize
a Mothers Day so the son won't
forget her.
One of the dangers Of the
Cochran bill, they say, is that it
will encourage unmarried men
and women to live together.
So that's the pass woman has
brought herself to, by indulging
in beautiful self reliance.
In the Boudoir Cap Era, a
woman of uncertain virtue had
a nice house, generally on the
wrong street, diamond earrings,
and spangly dresses.
In the Permanent Wave Era,
in Washington at least, a career
woman must not only endure
the suspicion of uncertain
morals but she must work all
day in an office, do the market
ing, and mop the communal
flat.
Another type of woman in
volved in modern self expression
is the "Auntie" of the last gen.
Grafton who used to do the
darning and sit with the chill
dren when they had the measles.
The "Auntie" of today has
indulged her thwarted maternal
instinct in acquiring a careless
young husband. She is probably
wondering at this minute if the
New Deal will let her support
her man a few years longer.
Well, it's all very confusing.
Women's ambitions have caught
I'D with them. They are pay
ing fat price for escape from
the home.
AS for me, I'm hangover
from the Boudoir Cap Era with
q leaning toward the Perman-
ent Wave Civilization.
But I hope my littlest daugh-
ter will grow up to wear a
riband in her hair and cling to
the arm of some strong. superior
male. Perhaps even the male
might be stronger and more
determined to make a good
salary because of the clinging.
Anyhow, the picture seems rest
full and romantic. Maybe it's
practical. I'm certain it has