The Scheme of Things By M.H.C. moment.

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 152, 29 June 1935, Page 19

The Scheme of Things By M.H.C.

moment.

As /night have been expected, the speech of Mrs. Corbett-Ashby, who presided at the recent International Congress of Women at Istanbul, was full of helpful, clear, and concisely expressed matter for women, and, it is stated, was listened to with rapt attention by an audience of over a thpusand persons. "Freedom for Women:Peace for Mankind" was the inspiration of her' whole address. At the outset she replied to the question which had been raised, "Why had this great congress not been postponed till hap pier times?" The happier days, ;said Mrs. Corbett-Ashby, would not arise of themselves, inevitably as the sun rose; they could only be the reward of the ceaseless efforts of men and women who realised that the great world had shrunk by modern inventions into a comparatively small community where the poverty or wealth of one member created • poverty or wealth among its neighbours, and where injustice to one created fear in all. The question of the misery and mischief of fear was fully realised by the sneaker, as well as its increase by publicity. Alluding to the position of women in the world today, Mrs. CorbettAshby had encouraging things to say. as well as some discouraging. The conference stood for the dignity and independence of woman, as a personality and as an independent individual; when these were assured she would be able to fulfil her destiny wortWly. The past had shown the incredible patience, self-sacrifice, and heroism of women when they were hampered by convention and tradition, and she looked to the future to show the creative power of educated, free, and responsible women. The speaker then alluded to the often-quoted statement that there had been so few women sculptors, painters, architects, and musicians, but, she asked, how much opportunity or encouragement had been given to women to excel in any of the, arts or sciences? They had only won a certain distance in late years, and that with great difficulty and lack of appreciation or encouragement. She felt that women's creative force had been well shown through their efforts towards social adjustment and harmony. It was certain that in those countries where women voted there was better housing, better nursing, better education, better social insurances, a greater .urge towards peace, and, a deeper sense of responsibility. The idea was then developed of the possibility of women increasing their good work in the world, and Mrs. Cor-bett-Ashby said she was sure that to do their best work women must be developed to their greatest capacity. They must decide for themselves "tvhere their highest duty lay, and what education they would need when they had chosen their way and were prepared to work for their ideals. Only by freedom and responsibility could each individual achieve his or her full growth. - This, it was shown, need not imply anarchic selfishness or denial of the fact that the family is a unit of the State, but it did imply, that the family depended oh'two. equal partners, who

should each bear a generous part, and that the partnershipishould be a spiritual unity rather than an economic one. . Therefore the congress of women stood for full and free development of women against all hampering customs, new and old. It was urged that there should be full and free, though not necessarily identical, education; equal status'under the law; equal economic and professional status. These extended powers, it was considered, should be dedicated to the welfare of the family and the peace of the world.' Mrs. Corbett-Ashby summarised splendidly the changes in the legal and^civic positions of women since the last meeting of the International Alliance a few years ago. Equal suffrage, she saidi had been extended to several more countries, and women had been elected as members I of several Parliaments. A woman was president of the Upper Chamber in Austria, and Sweden had several women members of Senate. Japan, Ceylon, Egypt, Ireland. New Zealand, Peru, and the U.S.A. had all given

women improved or equal nationality laws, certainly a great advance on The Hague interna'tiorial standard. A number of other gains were quoted, as being encouraging.^ and showing that in a number of countries the value of the advancement and cultivation of women was realised, and it was hoped that in time there would be a still better tale to tell.

The fact that there ai'e setbacks and losses was then disclosed. The speaker declared that the attack on democracy was a definite menace to women. In some countries where women M.P.s had been they had either disappeared or their numbers had dwindled. ■ Moreover, women had lost places in local government, municipal councils and boards, as well as in Ministries, "if you destroy the idea of equal personal responsibility for good government and arrange fancy categories of responsibility," said the speaker, "women are relegated to the lower place. Their place in society is dictated to them by men, not evolved to suit their own needs." Other references were made to discriminatory legislation against women, and the statement was made that in Germany and Italy such attacks on the right of the adult individual to work had been decked out as a principle. "In most countries," said Mrs. Corbett-Ashby, "Governments have not been sb cynical,* but have frankly ousted women to make room for men. Chaos is the result. In Great Britain, for instance, the latest figures show' that out of five women four were wage-earners at some1 time in their lives. To oust them would be to disorganise modern industry, so they are retained for the most part in lower-grade work at wages which menace the standard of life of men workers and their families." In speaking of the international work of women, Mrs. Corbett-Ashby said that women were not the sentimental half of humanity. Men were equally likely to succumb to glorious.. nevertheless meaningless phrases. The work of the women's disarmament committee at .Geneva showed that women could put forward constructive policy, uncover shams, support initiative, and apportion blame.

These matters . are of definite interest to women, and summarise a very large;-part of the most important subjects dealt- with affecting the sex. To some a particularly striking paying was in regard- to the creative work of women in the world of art. When history is read and the lives of women throughout the ages are given serious and intelligent consideration, it will be seen that they have been given neither the, education, nor the opportunity, to excel in art or letters; the opinion of the world was so pronounced for centuries that any kind of cleverness or talent in women was concealed as something abnormal oxshameful/ Under these circumstances it was an impossibility for women to excel in these directions, though there were a few striking exceptions. Women are only now beginning to find any kind of place for their work, and even now, the same;, encouragement or opportunity is not given to bqth sexes. The "weaker sex" has become strong in endeavour, after centuries of discouraging effort. Perhaps that is the reason why during the past couple of years they have been required "to make bricks without straw," and have been . denied a place in the better fields of work wherever possible.