AN EXCUSE FOR FEMINISM.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 61, 13 March 1926, Page 17

AN EXCUSE FOR FEMINISM.

WOMEN WHO DOlPt WORK.

LADY EHOXDDA'S DICTUM.

(From Our Special Corresponflent.) LOXBON, January' 22. The -women of the Dominions ought to be on a higher plane than those, of tiie Old Country if Lady Rhondda's dictum he true that the existence of women who have nothing to do tends to national degeneration. • Briefly,- sh« said that one nad come to believe that the reason the women's movement drew its chief inspiration from the well-to-do people was because there was during the whole of the ninteenth century a very real danger of degeneration and decay arising which, might have destroyed, might still destroy society itself. The growth of factories ami. the. develoment of mechanical "appliances relieved the nome of much, of', the worfc that was formerly done by women, aitd she thought that as a result there was a very great danger that the rot of idleness might set in. In any group -where women, were really idle they would find that the attitude of that group towards* Efe'degenerated. It became lazy, luxuryloving, unstable and greatly interested in sex.

There was far more idleness among the young women than among young men, $nd they found an acceptance of lower standards. She thought this was a very £rave danger among well-to-do people. She did not mean among the wage-earn-

ing folk, because she thought that they - ifould find women were working them- ; eelyes almost to death.