The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1952-04-28
HAL
BOYLE
SAYS
BY HAL BOYLE


married men are taking a great
secret interest in the fate of a
proposed law being debated in
Britain's Parliament.
The law would give British
wives a legal right to a fair share
Of their husbands income.
You understand, old bean, things
are done differently In America
and Britain. Here the average wife
can get everything In her hus
bands pocket by force of arms,
language or tears.
But over there the Englishman
holds to the old-fashioned idea he
10 still the king of the cottage.
What's his is his. And what is his
wife's? Well, whatever he decides
to give her.
Naturally, the Englishman wants
to do the sporting thing by her
fair play and all that, y'know. But
what with pub prices being what
they are, and say q mans had q
bad fortnight at the dart board
well, old girl, chin UP, you'll just
have to skimp along with the shill-
lines that are Left"
The master Of the house gets
the lords share Of the pay cheque
and the wife has To exc out her
tea and crumpets as best she can
on her marital dole.
Often British husbands won't
even tell the old girl how much
they really earn, figuring II really
isn't any of her business.
DR.. Edith Summerskill says
this Is stupid. because there is
no more certain way Of alternating
q woman's affection" She Is au-
thor Of the proposed new law that
would enable British wives to 60
into court and force their hus-
bands to divvy up their take.home
pay.
British men might be amazed
to learn that probably most Amer
lean husbands heartily hope Par
lament passes the law. They
would probably regard It as mas
culine traitorism on the part of
their Yankee cousins.
But actually Ii Is a step In self
protection, q bold new bid for do
mestic liberty on the part Of the
American male. Here is q sum-
mary of the views heard ex-
pressed by q group Of husbands
here who discussed the proposal.
"The way / see IT," said one
moustached mouse, sis this: If
Parliament gives British women
a break, maybe we can get Con-
gress to pass q law forcing our
wives over here to let us have a
fair share Of our paychecks.
"What I don't see is how Eng
hshmen manage to keep the size
Of their salaries secret" mar
veled another husband. my wife
makes me bring home my pay
check in my mouth. Sometimes /
don't even know myself what I'm
making"
II know what you mean" re-
marked a third. Il have to de.
liver my check unopened, too. The
last time / hit my boss up for q
raise, he said, why, I've given
you two in the last six months
First I'd heard about II. When I
asked my wife, she told me, 4
didn't want 1t 10 80 to your head,
junior. >"
You guys ought to learn to put
your foot down." Dragged fourth
husband. Il tell my wife every
morning she either has TO give me
q dollar or | won't 90 to work.
She forks cut, too"
The others shook their heads at
this bravery and agreed nothing
so foolhardy would work with their
wives.
Finally white-haired old vet
eran of 20 years of marital war.
fare said:
Boys, let's quit kidding our
selves. No matter what parlia.
ment does for wives In Britain,
Congress wouldn't dare do q thing
for husbands here. They'd be too
afraid of their own wives.
No. in America men have lost
their battle for the freedom Of the
payeheek.
To-day our wives and the gov
eminent are fighting q tng-of-war
for IT, All q husband can do is sit
90 the Sidelines and heller. On
wife On government Whoever
wins--well, h won't be use