Evening star., 1936-08-02
WOMEN OF AMERICA: IN UTAH
Recent Decision of Momons Take Over Own Relief of
Persons Focuses Attention Upon Work of Feminine
Members of Religious Group


N.Y. and to prove their point they
show me notices of accommodation
in the Deseret News, their daily
newspaper.
Although Mormon women disclaim
polygamy for this world, they seem
ready for it in the next. While the
church banned the practice in 1890,
it has never renounced belief in the
principle. This Is shown in Mormon
marriage VOWS. The true temple
ritual marries you for time and
eternity" in the rite of sealing"
Under certain conditions, however,
you may be married until death do
us part" But there is no equality
for women in either of these rites.
The man may be sealed to one wife
and if she dies he may be sealed to
second, both wives becoming his
in heaven. Women, on the other
hand, are sealed for eternity to one
man. No matter how many husbands
woman marries all but the first are
for time" only.
Sometimes it happens that a wom-
an falls in love with a married man.
She may not live with him now, but
she may be sealed with him in a
celestial" marriage and will enjoy
his love in eternity. For, according
to the Mormons, no woman can live
tt,e f,,lIoet Jifa in boavep or m earth
without marriage.
The young people marry early, and
since it is the Mormons' duty to obey
the Biblical injunction, "be ye fruit
full" the women bear many children.
You find that while the average birth
rate in the United States is 17.7 per
thousand the Mormon birth rate is
10 points higher, 81.
Irrespective of how many children
Mormon woman has (the number
may range from 10 to 15) she must
participate in certain activities out
side the home. The church has laid
out work for it's members in their
personal and public life, and while
the male becomes the important fac
tor as soon as he enters the priest
hood at the age of ~, the woman also
has her designated place.
She is prepared by entering the
primary group until the age of IA,
when she joins the Young Womans
Mutual Improvement Society. Here
she remains until the age of l8 and
is trained for public service in the
Relief Society. Today 10000 women
are active members of the organl-
zation, which has control of all the
educational and welfare work of their
people.
While showing me the splendid
headquarters and working facilities
of the women, the secretary of the
Relief Society explained, I'VE give
all our women a chance to serve in
Office and be important. Our maya
zines welcome contributions and our
women enjoy writing for them. We
want them all to feel that they are
leaders"
women also are encour-
A'A aged to participate in politics.
They hold many government of1ices
and SO women have served in the
The women claim they
are responsible for the passage OF
workmen's compensation and other So
cial legislation. When you express
amazement at such a record they tell
you that as far back as 1870 women
were active politically In those days
every officer in the town Of Canab
was woman. Women were granted
suffrage In territorial days and soon
after obtaining the vote the Relief
Society published magazine whose
caption was "The Rights Of the
Women of Zion and the Rights Of the
Women of all Nations"
met one Of the foremost Demo-
cratic leaders in the community. She
is slender, pretty, and delightfully."-
young, and when learned that she
has nine children I could not refrain
from asking her to impart the secret
of acquiring the time and energy for
all her activities. II learned to find
time for study and reading" she said,
when I was forced to spend so much
time nursing my children. I trained
myself to do all my reading and plan
my activities while feeding my child
and resting"
Another prominent woman Of great
talent and culture, whose mother was
one of five wives and at the same time
served as editor Of the first Western
magazine, told me that the
high standard Of the organization set
by the Prophet still goes on.
There is splendid feeling between
the Mormon and non-Mormon women
of Salt Lake City. When Mormon
women formed the Pioneer Daughters
Of Utah, many a daughter of the
American Revolution joined.
Not long ago 10000 women organ
lied Buy Utah" movement, which
is gaining strength. Recently the
newly formed Salt Lake City Women's
Chamber Of Commerce launched a
to relieve the city from its
smoke problem. 1t seems that, be-
cause of being situated in . valley
by mountains, the smoke
settles over the city Is If in . pocket
during the Winter months. To quote