Evening star., 1937-10-02
BY NC. r.

THOSE who view with disap-
proval the modern tendency OF
young mothers to hold jobs
while intrusting their children
to hired servants will read with sat
isfactDn an article in the October
Scribner's. 1t Is called Careers. Linn
tied" and its author "a Margaret
Collins. who has been one Of the
working mothers herself. She looks
the problems over. after some years
OF experience first hand, and con-
cludes that mothers ought to stay
At home and that for the sake Of
the children whom they have as
sumed to bring into the world.
Since the turn of the century,"
she observes, higher education for
women has increased tremendously,
and with it have come new vstas
OF opportunity. Society might legiti-
mately have expected superior chill
dren to come from the homes OF the
new women. Unfortunately. that ex-
pectation has not been realized.
Talking enthusiastically
VI iFci i1ROIISiOluty W SOCICty, StiC
tthe college graduate who IL \ mother)
ignores her primary obligation to care
for her children. and enters some
political or sociological field. There
she pictures herself struggling he
roically against the forces of ignorance
and self-interest. Gradually she rec
ognises human limitations Is 4 basic
dificulty In every social problem. '''
Can she not then be realistic enough
to see that one of our most acute
needs Is for mothers capable OF train
ing children to become mt citizens and
producers in this complex world?"
Well, bravo, Mrs. Collins. The re-
viewer Is in no position to pass on
the standards OF motherhood which
are maintained by working women.
but II there Is anything which will
cut down the number OF earnest re-
formers in the political and socio-
logical" field, why, then, let us have it,
To one looking At the world today
as it is mirrored in books and periodi-
Gals our society, 1t has the aspect Of
vast hospital, with five nurses for
every patient. Psychologists, sociol-
osists. psycho-analysts. economists. re-
searchers, organizers, soap boxers,
saviors and messiahs-one gets the
impression OF veritable army Of
such, all convinced Of their own per-
feet diagnostic powers. all looking
eagerly. hungrily, high and low for
something to work on.
Maybe the world is sick, but while
we have 4 thousand prescribers for
the disease, we have precious few
pointing out how the disease may be
avoided-that is, by the personal SAL
vation which lies in individual char
acter. II mothers can foster this by
staying at home better than they can
by assuming charge of the files Of
some enlightened agency for social
investigatiOn-then let them stay
home, BY all means Subsidize 'em, II
necessary 1t would be no greater folly
to do that than to pay farmers, for
instance. for the pigs which they did
not raise. In fact. it sounds to the
reviewer considerably smarter.
A RATHER large-sized problem is
presented to the Nation in the
current Harper'x Monthly 1t ia con-
tanned in an article called Balance
What Budget?" the author Of which
is David Cushman Coyle According
to Mr.. Coyle. the balancing Of the
Treasury budget, which is giving
every one concerned 4 pretty bad
headache, il mere toying compared to
the balancing of the budget OF our
national resources, which, he calcu-
lates. are being used up about flve
times rs fast as we replace them.
How disconcerting this is! Only last
month. in this same magazine. Mr..
Stanley High was writing Of Presi-
dent Roosevelt's determination to bal
ance the monetary getting and spend
ing OF the Nation, as il that were the
most desired goal in the whole polit-
ical scene. And now here comes Mr..
Coyle. saying that it doesn't amount
to anything. A serious thinker, such
As the reviewer. is kept moving very
actively to maintain pace with these
pronouncers.
1t certainly seems. however, as If
Mr.. Coyle has something. He wants
to know how our grandchildren are
to eat If we use up all the farmland
with our wasteful planting habits
He is kind man, obviously. and does
not like the Idea OF anybodys grand
children going hungry through his
own extravaganza. 50 he tells us what
We can do about it. though. to do him
justice, he does not announce his rem
edy as likely TO be put into effect to-
morrow. What he offers has. In point
Of fact. been offered already more
than once. and so it Is not TO the rem
edy that readers will turn for signifi-
canoe in his article, but to the grievous
acts Of 4 waste which seems uncheck-
able. The remedy. however. may As
we'll be stated. It is to use this same
technology that supplies goods with
out supplying jobs. The unemploy-
ment caused by technology" says Mr..
Coyl. lis the opportunity to divert la
Dor into maintenance OF the country"
And he goes on:
Some authority (ah. but what au-
thority made of mortal men, Mr..
CoyleD preferably a foundation land
what foundation. tooD should make \
compilation of the known facts, per-
haps why perhapsD filling the gaps
with some original research. and
should publish. In however technical q
form. \ FIRST estimate as to what our
budgetary (national resourcesp con-
dition Is. Then the Government should
see to it that the main outline of how
we are doing becomes known to every
voter
Once supplied with the general
estimate. Congress and the people can
have 4 chance to discuss intelligently
(sicl the necessary policies to be
adopted so that the available labor
will be suitably utilized. and the re-
quired technical Improvements will be
brought into play. ="
Well there it is As has been said