TOPICS THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 82, 5 April 1924, Page 15

TOPICS THE DAY

(By "M.H.C.")

The Countess of Aberdeen and Temair makes a very earnest appeal to all 'National Councils of Women, and the societies affiliated to support the funds of the International Council, as.it is, in London.. undertaking to carry out' a, headquarters Information Bureau and Centre for service to all- women, visitors to the Exhibition in London, and more especially to members of National'Cbun-. oils who wish to b"e put in touch with movements, institutions, and workers, who will help them in the prosecution of their various activities in. their owii countries. This will be a most useful arrangement for a large number of women visitors, but cannot be carried out. effectively without expense. The International Council is also making great efforts.'towards" gathering together and co-ordinating, -the force. of women's opinions, and. influence towardfth'e. prevention of the causes, of-war—and this is thfi most hopeful thing which lias appeared^in this direction'from any source —"-to prevent war;" is a vague thing, but to prevent the cause is to get it the very root of the matter. There .-should be millions of women who will graspat this, point '.of view, and send along even trje smallest. offering towards this object, for in its .accomplishment lies the true and hopeful prospect of the doing awayVwith^an age:long curse of. the universe. Lady-Aberdeen asks for' contributions, and.,all information may .be gained , from the National Council of Wellington', whose headquarters1- is .at the Pioneer .Club, as to. the methods of sending money ' forward.' Methods mentioned as', likely ■'to lead to the prevention of causes, of war are the following, and meetings will be held in connection with each: —Education in schools ,and colleges (History; and geography form, the international standpoint of interchange of teachers and students, etc.). educationof citizens, international mind in individuals, existing international conventions ■ and their application, democratic control, of foreign affairs, 'international mind in'-'governments; public meetings off the, prevention of the causes of war, arbitration and conciliation.

Nowadays "listening-in" is a 1 faEhion-able-and usual occupation {or is it amusement?)'for people, and in London for estimated ■•millions of women. It has been considered. by the authorities there that some special pi-pvisipn must' be made for.the latter. It is intended to broadcast for women about'from three to four o'clock in the afternoon, for ••'the women who do rest" are supposed to take their siesta at that hour. The ideii was put forward that cooking recipes would be a nice little recreation for them—with . a view, perhaps for their being made use of as soon, as the resthour was over/ But, it is-"said, the women .have objected to this, and actually'have'made it known that they do not.vwis-li.'to .■■ carry the kitchen into their r'.boudoirs-^that, they. will j.-not',, receive* broadcast cookery recipes with any favour at all. N Plenty of. instructions for the1 kitchen,- and-for'the next garments to-be bought -'are to 'Be'"found in magazine and paper.; -therefore ; it does seem rather absurd to haunt women .-with them even ia the broadcasting world. ': _ "■•■ . °

■•■-',. 7 ?rv fluamt is a paragraph in an English paper .which states "that-there is quite a revival of simple hobbies" among women. The working o£ firescreens and painting on glass are mentioned with much approval, and it is stated that-one had taken to hand bookbinding, another to jig-saw: puzzles, and --.-a;..third to uriakmg tea .cosies, while a 1 ''prominent man" finds'a brainiest' in :. the manufacture of coloured spills For this is built up a theory that the' women iWho spend .their time in making Muse- • less ornamentation are to Jibld their former genteel position of approval from the world—as compared-with those who i do something worth while to themselves and the' world at large.- It is strange to find that really serious efforts are bein"-' made, to induce women, !by appeal to ■ • the= latent snobbery which is in Pa ieat niany. or to vanity—which exists in aU , but abnormal human beings; or to the J'yellow streak of laziness,'' which a-ain is common enough, to give up really |ood stuff (to use a colloquialism); in the w*y of amusement, in favour of theCsoul and ■ body-destroying means of wasting the ; ..tjme wh,ch werecommonlylused m the ..last century. The workiifg of fi le screens which are far too fine and elaborate la be. put in, front of ! a hot fire awl the painting'on. glass instead of on paper or canvas, where a .really good . .effect could-be arrived'at, seems a foolKhngss beyond wor^s The argument is .•;(M.ai= it.rests the brain. :. But brainy people must needs be brainy all the time, and the recreation of such would surely/, be in keeping with' their general . institution and habits. Does anyone >£ member "crystoleums," wool brackets and mantel-drapes, fans on the walls. With photographs,, draperies round pictures; ; and various, other inartistic dust- . eatherers, which were atonce the pride ;andHhp 7 despair of careful .and:cleanly - housewives? These "poor dears'.' wore themselves out in the effort to keep such rlocwations. dusted and wholesome, and knaljy'gave ■ them up in favour of the present really artistic styles'' -' ' .

'A vfery fine ideal, is put forward by the president of the New Zealand Coun- <-■<! of Women in the first issue of the councils paper, the "National Council Tvews, - wmch has just come to light, and which will' give "women who think and women who care for humanity" a litile information as to the doings of others here and in other parts of the world. The ..' 'foreword" -of -the president, Mrs. Carmalt Jones, of Dunedin contains a quotation from a work of George Eliot,, which embodies the hopes and ideals of many women nowadays— thus: _.-.-■ " :

. "This is life to come, Which .martyred .men have, made more glorious "■■■ ■ •' '•"■ . For us to strive jto follow. May I . : reach .'. . . ... The purest Heaven, be to other souls The , cup of strength in some great agony, . ■> ; . .Enkindle generous ardour, feed mire love, • . . Beget the smiles that have no cruelty Be the sweet presence of good diffused, And. in diffusion ever the more intense. So shall-1 ioih 'the choir invisible, '- ; Whose music is the gladness of the , .'; 'world " . } ; - - - -■ ■•' '.-•-.

The ideal of the council is to bring together women workers from every ;' field of labour, rs6 that they may gain .; knowledge; and to this mishtbe added .- to:create an interest in the distressed, . not' only with 'the idea of present relief, ■. but with the , larger vision of removal :' of the causes which allow and propagate I misery and sin of all kinds. This.' is

: the ideal 6^ the council, and the- gal- '■;. ,-Jant' little; paper,, which presents .much fV'of interest to" i\\ people should find a .-'place in the hearts and homes of New ? Zealand citizen*.. .