WOMAN, THE SLAVE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 639, 16 October 1909, Page 12

WOMAN, THE SLAVE.

"It's true it's nonsense, hut ; 0, what precious nonsense," is the Gilbertian lino which instantly occurs to one (says'an English paper) on reading' tho : so-called' warning uttered by Professor Armstrong at the 1 meeting of the Chemical Section of the British Association assembled last week at' Winnipeg. "Tho most disquieting feature of the times,".said he, "is the revolt of woman against their womanhood, and their claim's to ho' on an equality with man and to compete, with men." 'His chief causo of grievance against tho. sex was .tho recent application of women, who have shownvery clearly their prop'er qualifications for the distinction, ,to be niado Fellows of the Chemical Society. Such women, and all like unto them, ho- thinks, should bo firmly discouraged. Ho would give woman' no • honour where honour is due to her for chemical, medical, or scien-tific-ability of any kind. So soon as it is dotectodin her it should be nipped in tho bud. Presumably her talents in all directions are to ho equally snuffod out directly they show themselves. For,- admit that a woman may compete with a man in this or that ot the. other,. and you must then grant her the same privilege in-all fields of labour. Women have no business,, according to this authority, to use any mental gifts bestowed on them, by Nature save in the one way, which makes thorn practically man's. slaves. Their brains,' ho maintains, must bo hoarded so; that they may be..transmitted-''to- their- sons. Motherhood is woman's only duty, but, unfortunately for his theory, Naturo herself has to be takon into account. Everywoman cannot be a wife: unless polygamy is allowed,, so she. must thus either starve, be a burden ou relations or public charity, or uso- her brains, and to do the last-named Professor Armstrong would make impossible. . There wiH.be always superfluous wpmon, and.'canit bo,maintained that, for the sake' of prejudice "and 'sex-hatred women's brains must ever be stunted and starved,; and their talonfs buried out of sight? { Fortunately, there ate few of his sex who will-agree with him. If all men held such views, thero would be a danger that we ero long should hnve had our day, and cease to.ho a< a nation,:for with thousands of women waiting to fulfil their womanhood, men would ■ have neither money nor time to follow artistic or scientific pursuits. The whole. course of life would have to ■be nltcrod. ,