Evening star., 1936-02-03
MRS. ROOSEVELT
TALKS ON WOMEN
Work and Divorce Individual
Problems, Town Hall
Is Told.

Mkos T dllhA1lA ~ xtOSoCvNAV gov AS" -
with some $500 Of her Washington
neighbors in the Town Hall meeting
at the Shoreham last night for give
and-take discussion of the problems Of
American family life-divorce, the
rearing Of children and the right Of
women to work.
Mrs. Roosevelt appeared eager to
enter into the free and easy spirit
OF the occasion and volunteered to
answer more than her share of the
questions submitted by the audience
after she had concluded her formal
address.
Some of the questinos were highly
controversial, but the Presidents wife
laughed them aside and her tart re-
plies to some evoked applause and
laughter from the audience.
One questioner said she would like
to hear Mrs. Roosevelt's opinion of
the married women's section of the
economy act.
She laughed at that one and threw
up her hands in gesture of help
lessness. UNFORTUNATELY" she said,
II can't comment on legislation which
Is"
Another questioner asked: What
about chivalry? Are men expected
to treat women with the same con-
sideration when they are competing
for jobs"
"Politeness the Question"
Gas to that" said Mrs. Roosevelt,
IT see no reason for men and women
being rude to each other simply be-
cause they are competing for jobs.
Chivalry after all is essentially Moth
ing more than a matter of politeness.
Another question-"Do you think
the fact that so many women are
working Is responsible for the great
number of divorces?"-was read by
Chairman John w. Studebaker.
rs that meant for me?" inquired
Mrs. Roosevelt. I'll be glad to
answer it.
mo, I think divorce is due to a
great many things" she continued
slowly. 1T is not merely a matter
of husbands and wives being sepa-
rated because the latter work. Often
there is nothing of sufficient interest
in the home to hold women there"
This last sally was applauded vigor-
ously, mostly by women in the audi
ence.
Mrs. Roosevelt was emphatic in
asserting women should not be paid
less than men for the same work.
"I believe in equal wages for equal
work." she declared. Il have seen
many girls working for so-called pin
money and trying to live on it. They
are unable to make ends meet, and !
think it is thoroughly bad principle.
I think conditions will be better for
both when women in industry are as
well organized as men,"
Huston Thompson. a member OF
the panel, asked whether working
women contributed to the unemploy-
ment problem.
Thinks Solution Possible.
"If women can do the job little
better than men-and so far they have
had to do it better-why shouldn't
they get the jobs? Unemployment, :
Mrs. Roosevelt continued, ''is not Q
question sof men or women, but of
people. I am l-ot able to solve this
problem any more than fny one else,
but I believe solution will be found"
Asked about the effect on the home
life and children when mothers work,
Mrs. Roosevelt replied that this was
~,,~~y,, ;,,S;1y;d,yo1 r,1ccfio,,
II do not believe the mothers and
fathers of this country are going tc
neglect their children" she added. 1T
q family is in economic straits, that
particular mother and father must de-
eide whether the mother should 60 OUT
and work to help feed the children OF
stay home and care for them. 1t IS q
question nobody else can decide. All
/ say is that the mother must have
the right to work If she wants to do so
Mrs. Roosevelt and her audience, too
laughed uproariously as she answered
.. question ridiculing the work Of
women's organizations.
Work Justifies Existence.
summing up her remarks, Mrs.
Roosevelt asserted:
II think it is the right of any woman
who wants to work to do so. believe
there is something inherently good for
every one in work well done. Only
through working can we justify our
existence"
Scores Of prominent Republicans
and Democrats, Federal officials and
prominent business m en- were in the
throng that packed the room to hear
her. Glimpsed in the crowd were Sen
ator and Mrs. McAdoo, Representative
Edith Nourse Rogers and Secretary
and Mrs. wallace.
Besides Mr.. Thompson, other men,
bers Of the panel were William c. Cul-
bertson, former Ambassador to Chile;
Fannie Hurst, the novelist; George
Creel, author and lecturer; Miss Jose
phine Roche, Assistant Secretary of the
Treasury, and Mrs. Lucille Foster NC
Millin, member of the Civil Service
Commission.