THE WOMAN BOSS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 114, 17 May 1938, Page 10

THE WOMAN BOSS.

SUCCESSFUL IN HISTORY.

EX SERVICE WORKERS OBJECT,

It is reported that "there is some trouble in the English Civil Service again because ex-servicemen workers object to having to serve under women. It is stated, among other things, that "thousands of wives would object to their husbands being 'boswd , by a woman." Perhaps a cynical commentator on that pronouncement might suggest the addiV°", of * t,ie W(,rd "another" between "'by" and "woman,' , but. when we come to think of it (states an overseas writer), the reported attitude of the exservicemen is a little strange unless we are to suppose that there are some professions or occupations in which "'bossing" by a woman is legitimate and others in which it is not.

After all. the greatest statesmen of the nineteenth century were '"bossed ,, bv a woman Sovereign in this country, and the word "bossed"' was no mere"fi«nirc of speech. At the present niomentTthe Heir presumptive to the Crown is a girl. It is said that the most "difficult" of all people where '-bossing- , is concerned are those of the acting profession- vet it happens that two of the most successful theatrical producers in London at this moment are women, and the actress-manager was established Ion" ago. Men have managed to submit to the -bossing- of women in various arts; in dancing, for instance. We have had a woman Cabinet Minister, and no doubt she had to do a little "bossing" of her male permanent officials while in office. There are some very lively and autocratic feminine "bosses" of many organi-sations-which have men in their employ. Long ago Palmerston called the wife of one of his colleagues "our Chief of the General Staff."

Perhaps in time the sensitive civil servants will look at things differently. Being "bossed" by women in their office hours may give a zest to that "head of the house" feeling when they home.