RIGHTS OF WIVES

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 48, 25 February 1921, Page 8

RIGHTS OF WIVES

TO 111 BDITOK. 'Sir,—The writer for the Welfare League, whoever it may be, is troubled about my, letter. He or she says it does, liot matter.'to the Welfare League " whether it is called a strike, a lockout, a picnic, or a picture show." Perhaps not; but I like to call things by their true names, and this is a lock-out. If the Welfare League's writer chooses to call it a picnic, that will not make it one. It seems funny that the person who does not let us know who or what he or she is should say that my letter ".is very much like a man's letter." If thai is meant for a compliment I sliould like to return? it, for it seems to me the Welfare League's two letters seem to be written by a woman, and an old woman at that. I hope my own sex will' forgive me for baying so. I am afraid I do not quite understand exactly what this writer wanted when !he started his lecture to the waterside workers' wives. To-night he Bays he "nowhere suggests that the women should have a secret ballot." But in the first letter he said, " Why should not these women have a say in the question?" then, "That is fine talk, but have they ever allowed their own jwomenfolk a vote on the question?" Later in the same letter he says, " To the women we make the appeal that it is time they consulted together, and decided to make the demand for a secret ballot on ibe question." How was a woman to know, after all, that he did not suggest a vote for the women on the overtime question? And if he didn't suggest the women having a vote what does he mean by women's rights,, and what was the letter about anyhow? Another of the writer's lady friends tells him her husband is earning £4 a week, and if he is off- for three weeks it will take twelve months to catch up to it. I don't think she is a waterside worker's wife, or she would know that the boats will not fly away, and if the trouble does last three weeks or more St will take a good many weeks to load „iup and discharge all the boats the employees haye tied up, arid perhaps her husband will get a week or two with more than £4 in, Anyhow, I think I remember the Welfare League's, writer, some time ago, referring to the high wages the waterside worker got. Does -he think £4 a week a living wage today? How would he iike to live on it, and have, to work till ten o'clock one or two nights to get that, too? I hope the writer ■'will'not forget my offer to arrange a meeting of waterside workers' wives and the of a few of "tho single irien 1' he refers to several times, for him to address them. ""But I think ho iwill have to speak'clearer than hs writes,-, and. .he must answer; qn.es-' tions/—l_ a-ni,. etc.,' . ■' .

. : " EDITH CARMICHAEL. 24th .February.