"WOMAN'S PLACE"

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 107, 8 May 1941, Page 12

"WOMAN'S PLACE"

It Is Certainly

In The Wide World

Men—and women, too—who beiieve that "woman's place is in the home" should be interested in the following thought-provoking article written by Mrs. Walter Ferguson in the "World Telegram."

It was in reply to the comment of a sportsman who advised her to go hack to dish-washing and knitting, saying "that the world suffered now from too much feminine meddling."

Rut. good sir. she replied, think of how women are suffering froin the condition of the world!

Unfortunately, modern women do not have ivory towers to which they can retreat when things get tough outside. They are of and in the world, and the impact of horrid events bruises and destroys them. And surely it cannot be argued that these events are not of man's making.

To say we do not like the world we find ourselves occupying is much too mild a statement. We despise. detest and abominate it.

We are infuriated at the manner in which it is marfeged. and we believe no female with an ounce of grey matter can knit in it comfortably. Washing dishes may be a sweet occupation, but when the ceiling is likely to be bombed over one's head any minute it is not exactly a pleasant one.

Therefore, as we get news of so many kitchens becoming rubble over night we find it impossible to relax anrl let papa and the politicians look out for us. Their very protection has become our utmost danger. Their methods of safeguarding women and children seem likely to lead us if not to death at least to bankruptcy.

Our country—every country— needs more feminine meddlers. We hope after this bloody era is ended we shall find the men asking us to join with them in creating a better society for the children who are getting a rotten deal in this one.

It is discouraging and maddening to find our efforts to help blocked at every turn by masculine opposition. Aren't we all—men. women and children together—victims of events which shape human destiny? Why.' then, shouldn't we work together and in harmonv for the good restilts we so keenly desire?

If men were really as smart as they claim to be they would ask the aid o£ women in the management of the nations, just as they ask our help in the management of their homes! and their lives.