Evening star., 1946-06-21
COMMENTS.

(From G. M, HyattsUille, Md
I would like to express my ap-
proval of Mrs. L. B. J.'s letter con-
cerning help for young mothers.
agree with her. They do need help.
Women are centuries behind in
making demands to alleviate their
grueling position as mothers, home
makers and wives with no relief,
even for sickness unless it is total
]y incapacitating illness. This job
that women have held through the
ages still requires the physical
strength of their primitive ances-
tors. Yet with it, there must be
knowledge of dietetics, accounting
interior decorating, dressmaking
psychology, anatomy and medicine
What other career demands at least
a rudimentary knowledge of so
many different arts, sciences and
professions? She awakes with the
earliest cry of her youngest, usually
long before daybreak and is often
active and on her feet until long
after the last one has been put to
bed. Then when she would grab
a few moments for her own relaXa-
tion, she is SO tired she falls asleep
sitting up and somehow manages to
get her clothes off and into bed with
minimum of preparation. No put
ting her hair up in curriers', seldom
even brushing her teeth. With all
this she is supposed to be alluring
or at least companionable to her
husband and to keep even tempered
and sunny toward her children
The job is seemingly impossible.
Yet women have been doing it for
ages. Only within the past so years
has the drudgery been lessened
somewhat for good many of them
by labor saving devices, but not all
women can possess many of them,
as they are expensive and the cost
of living prohibits what many men
call luxuries. Many farmers, for
example, electrify and put modern
machinery in their barns before they
will in their homes. But no ma
chine has ever been invented, nor
is it likely ever will be that could
give the eternal vigilance that is
necessary to rear a family safely so
that when the children are grown
they will possess all their arms and
legs and not have too many visible
scars.
Nevertheless, women keep up the
steady march to the altar and &C
Cept this toughest of all life jobs,
without one thought of remunera-
ton for their personal services. If
women were more like men in their
outlook on life, they would have
formed guilds centuries ago when
men first did that sort of thing and
doubtless, by this time, they would
have had a much easier life. But
probably then they were too busy
or too tired as many of them are
now.
You see. I have raised my family
and I have my hours now for re-
taxation and thinking. And many
times I think how much easier a
mothers life could be if she could
get minimum pay for her labor,
regular hours off, vacations with
pay and sick leave. This is not too
much to ask. The woman in busi-
ness takes these benefits as mat
ter of course, and yet the demands
on her are not nearly so many nor
varied. If these things could be
granted to mothers in the home,
many who are holding outside jobs
to the neglect of their homes would
be glad to return to their homes.
With more mothers in the homes,
juvenile delinquency would be ma
terially decreased.
Won't some woman who has or
ganizing ability, pick up these ideas
and work them toward making them
practical and working institutions
part of the good American way of
life?