The Ypsilanti daily press., 1946-02-22
Observations
Argument Begins
Over Abilities
of Men, Women
BY HELEN ESsARY

The equality OF men and women
or the lack OF equallty-is one OF
the most fascinating OF topics to
discuss. In almost any magazine or
newspaper that one reads there is
an article stating one side or the
other.
Some say that the war has proved
without a doub; that the gentler sex
can do a mans work as well as the
man himself. Others excitedly In
sist that women must return to
their kitchens and parlors and
never emerge again. Many seek to
prove that giving the vote TO wom-
en- has not improved the morals OF
politics or the world at large, as
was prophesied. Or that many OF
the worlds Ills are directly due to
women having deserted the hearth
for the office.
know one big, strong man whose
eayorite atter-dinner topic Is that
the male Is better than the female
IN every single occupation supposed
TO belong to the feminine gender
except that OF child bearing. This,
he says, is just an accident OF ma
ture.
IF men were able to have and
raise children" he declares, they'd
, probably do q better job OF 1t than
women. In war men proved them
selves exper. nurses.
who are the best chefs, the most
famous dressmakers, the expert
typists, the inspired hairdressers'
he asks. Men, OF course!"
The wife OF this big. strong man
was brooding over this depressing
male superiority the other evening
as she wrestled with bathing chill
dren and cooking dinner at the
same time. The cream sauce got
little lumpy every time she left 1t
10 answer the phone or the door
bell and the biscuits burned when
she rushed to prevent the young
man from flooding the bathroom
floor.
She had recalled that on several
occasions her husband, who has no
kitchen training, had prepared some
excellent dishes; roast wild duck
and delectable creamed soups ana
pies.
She also remembered dinner par
ties she had attended when exciting
courses were servd-all cooked by
the head OF the house. Men proba-
bly, are better cooks than women,
she conceded, with a sigh, as she
strained the cream sauce.
Then she thought back to the
famous wild duck. While her hus-
band was exerting his genius, II was
she who took care OF the children,
set the table for him, and cooked
the vegetables. She wondered II
those famous chefs who are photo
graphed beside their incompatible
filet mignons and 10-layer wedding
cakes. peeled the potatoes and
whipped up the ice cream while
turning out their masterpieces. Or
didn't they have staff OF assist
ants (probably women) to tend TO
all the dull little details Of the rest
OF the meal?
II was then that she stumbled
upon the true value Of women. 1t
is not that they excel in any partic-
ular line. In fact, their efforts are
pretty pale alongside those OF the
brilliantly plumaged male. But mud
ding along as they do. they can DO
four or five things at once without
failure.
A man directs all OF his energies
to doing the one task at hand and Is
surrounded by secretaries, assist
ants, or sometimes a wife TO see
that he is never interrupted while
he is working. II Is the duller sex
who generally lays the groundwork
and mops up afterwards while the
man pursues his great idea.
know OF a young couple who are
both practiclng physicians. They
went to medical school together, In
termed together and married on a
shoestring. He Is fast becoming a
renowned surgeon. She may become
an equally proficient pediatrician.
II she has the opportunity. She has
taken time out to have three chill
dren and nurse, cook and launder
when her servants disappeared.
When the children are III her hus-
band says she's the one best quail
fled to look after them since she Is
a child'e doctor. She may never be
as famous in her profession as he.
but would he be as great a surgeon
IL he had to rush home between op-
erations to get the turkey to the
cook for the evenings dinner party
and see II the children had fallen
4 I'M a