AN AMERICAN LADY

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 49, 27 February 1934, Page 13

AN AMERICAN LADY

FINE PERSONALITY

AN INTERESTING CHAT

A lady of very interesting, personality, one who has been one of the real workers in "the garden of life,"'and who has the broad and kindly view which such works bring, is visiting Wellington at present, this lady being Mrs. Walter Williams,-wife of Dr. W. Williams, ' U.S.A. (honorary president of the World's Press Congress). In the course of an informal talk to a "Post" representative, Airs. Williams spoke of their' wide travels, for since leaving their . home in . Columbia, Missouri, U.S.A., they have been to many places, on the Continent, to Germany, Hungary, Italy, Czechoslovakia, Budapest, and other parts, and Mrs. Williams has taken a wide and kindly -interest in all she saw. She told also of her earlier days, when for eight years she worked on a large newspaper in-her own1 country. She said that the , newspaper women in America do "all kinds of jobs,'' and are not; relegated to only one part as is the custom-in New Zealand, There is no. prejudice against their, work, all that is required in.the newspaper world is ability, and the leaders make use of it wherever they find it, irrespective of sex. The women are paid a little, less ' than the-men, on the assumption (often quite a mistaken one) that .the women have -no one but themselves to keep, while the men-arc supposed to have.families. Undoubtedly there has been? a movement since}thc bad times to dismiss married women'■ whose husbands were earning, but His. Williams hoped ami .believed that the cases were individualised, and 'information, fought, before "depriving the woukmi iof work tltat' thciy really needed. She thought that in any case it was. hard for this to be done, as the love of work' was -a" great' thing, a.nd snf orced idleness a very bad one, while the habit of work was an inestimable benefit to all people. She had'been a general reporter' on her paper, and had done all sorts of things, though there ,was common sense used in sending her, or any,other woman .reporter, into bad districts at night. The great use ;of women on the paper was .to get "a good story," and they were selected with judgment, and sent where they would; be likely to do better than "a member of the opposite sex; she be-1 lieved it was found that they did very good work as a rule anil were i-e'ry conscientious.' There are wqmen .editors,! owners, and managers of newspapers in America, and a. number of the weeklies arc owned by women.' Mrsi William, Brown Malone owns;;and; edits a ISfew York weekly magazine, Mvhich Mrs. Williams considers, is;, an ..outstandingly good one. She formerly edited the "Delineator," a magazine well known in this country, ; The,. question of the feeble-minded, tho crippled,, and disfigured' of the States was mentioned, and Mrs.- Williams said that there, as elsewhere, they are a ■ heavy burden, on 'the taxpayer. Each State has to 'provide its • <own homes and hospitals for these unfortunate people, and immense sums have to be spent. -TheY problem ofj preventing their increase is' discussed all' over the country, as it ■is one of the greatest national; problems.; Sterilisatiola ana birth control are both, under .discussion arid research. University hospitals /provide very wonderfully for special work among the crippled. Bone specialists accomplish, wonders at; times, and knowledge is still increasing. "' Social life among young *;and old goes .on in spite of bad. times, but' in a much quieter and less expensive manner. "They use brains instead of money," said Mrs. Williams', smiling, evidently at the recollection of some of the times and events she could- Te t call. In • the university houses in former, times .the.students used to. vie with each other in their entertainments to see who could produce the most expensive or the most freakish .parties, and fabulous sums of money were spent at times. Now the young people use their brains to make their parties attractive. They do a great deal of work themselves, especially in the way of decoration. They paint- scenery, gather wild flowers and foliage, ' and make wonderfully artistic ensembles, and it is the smie in the form of entertainment. 103. Williams thought that in her country, as in others, the depression had brought out a great deal of good in people, young and old. Harder work, generosity in giving, thought for others, all had developed,'and she looked-for the best in the future after this period when people have to really think hard and work hard. Mrs. Williams is looking forward greatly to her'tour of this country, and is prepared to take a special interest in the Maori race.