Evening star., 1939-08-27
New Fields
For Jobs
Urged
Miss Nienburg
Warns of Curbs on
Married Women

Women with the pioneering spirit
to forge ahead in new fields Of en-
ployment are needed to help curb to-
days trend toward limiting the right
of married women to work, In the
opinion of Miss Bertha M. Men
burg, assistant director Of the Wom-
ans Bureau of the Department Of
Labor.
Miss Nienburg recently returned
from an extended western trip dur
ing which she discussed with a num-
ber of women's groups problems
arising from efforts in State legis-
lature this spring to limit the en-
ployment of married women. AS a
delegate to the Altrusa convention in
Portland and the American Associa-
ton of University Women convention
in Denver, she participated in dis
cussions both as a club member and
an official, while in Utah she met,
in official capacity, with women's
groups concerned with a resolution
affecting women's employment re-
Gently passed in that State.
The erroneous impression that
large numbers of married women are
employed in clerical positions and
in public service is the basis for ef-
forts to limit their employment in
public service. Miss Nienburg de-
clared.
THE facts, however, are that Jobs
in domestic and personal service
jobs which men do not particularly
desire-claim the largest number of
working married women in any
single classification, as more than
10000 are so employed" she said.
The next largest group Of work.
ing married women-approximately
500, ,000-are found in factories and
IN dressmaking and millinery estab-
lishments," she continued.
Even in clerical fields and in pub
lie service, she contends, relatively
few married women would be dis
placed by Discriminatory methods,
as young women are sought pri-
marily for these positions.
Miss Nienburg emphasized the
danger of establishing precedents
through movements to limit the
right OF married women to hold Jobs
in certain fields, comparing the Sit
uation to what has happened in
Europe.
The challenge thus becomes a
challenge to all women. irrespective
OF marital status, she holds.
Women, as whole, she declares,
have made the mistake Of concen-
trating in few fields, such as teach
ing, library and clerical work, where
jobs now are being sought by men.
The development of new fields
of endeavor to take up the un-
employment slack now becomes es-
sential, she believes
Home construction presents one
field in which women might excel,
If they applied themselves, she sug-
gested. We've all been looking for
homes, with all the conveniences,
that can be erected for a few thou
sand dollars she said And the
men haven't brought it about yet,
but perhaps women, with their
knowledge Of home needs, can solve
the problem and create for them
selves new positions
Patent records and other data
indicate that women are far from
barren Of ideas which might assist
in the development Of new business
fields, she continued, but women
seldom have contacts which enable
them to secure financial backing
to put their ideas on the market.
Already the Department of La
Dor can see trend toward the
spreading of women in business
fields in small towns, she said, cit
ing the trend as an omen all to
the good.
Women are safe, where there is
financial measurement for their
worth" she said. 1T is only in
positions where relative efficiency Is
difficult Of measurement that their
jobs are threatened"
Miss Nienburg gave as an ex-
treme example of discrimination,
the resolution in Utah making it
matter of policy to replace per-
sons employed in public service, in
cluding schools, whose spouse, chill
dren or parents, living with such
persons and assisting in their sup
port, are gainfully employed in pri-
vate industry or otherwise.
Here, she pointed out, the reso-
luton reaches out to affect not only
married women, but spouses of
both sexes, children and parents.
Il doubt that it would stand be-
fore court tests" she observed.