HAPPY HOMES

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 49, 27 February 1945, Page 8

HAPPY HOMES

WORLD WOMEN WANT

UNIVERSAL WELL-BEING

In company with fellow clubs in their world-wide federation, the Wellington Business and Professional Women's Club last evening commemorated "International Night" with a | special programme. Members and visitors packed the Blue Triangle Hall to hear an address by .Mrs. Sidney Greenbie, cm "The World "Women j Want," and to see the British Ministry of Information film "World of Plenty." Women, in their approach to the post-war w/orld, said Mrs. Greenbie, were distinguished from others in that they were firstly domestic technicians, keeping tha' mechanics of the home going, and,; secondly, constitutionally and inevitably the underdogs. If there were exploitation anywhere it usually biegan with "the little woman in the h,pme." Because of this, women were better able to understand the underdog and to fight to improve conditions. She referred to the successes of the League of Women I Voters in America who, after a 50----year struggle for suffrage, had become most astute in working for the underdog ail that country. EQIBAL OPPORTUNITIES. The worjld women wanted, said Mrs. Greenbie, was one of happy homes and strong, well-fed children with equal opportunities to win their place in the wotrld. Also, all women wanted a world in which there was no more war. "If we are not to have any more war," she said, "we don't want any social or economic situation that makes war a kind of relief." Referring to the wider educational advantages and insurance benefits sometimes counted as advantages of war, the speaker said that ih the postwar woijld conditions of peace must jbe preferable to those of war, especially to young people. : The third point, said Mrs. Greenbie, was one^ which all women, indeed all generous, people, wanted—that this condition of well-being should be universal. In America people were almost finally convinced that there should be universal education and access to the good things of life generously on their own American level. Everything could not be given to all people at once, ..but there was always some one thing ixi every class of people which would improve conditions of life, and so the; whole world could be set on the upward spiral. Study groups such as the Business and Professional Womeri's Clubs could help to bring about isuch conditions. "It its a far more difficult problem to stop* war," said Mrs. Greenbie, "but I believe that if we can really get to worSe with anything like moderately sensMe trade relationships without too many hindering restrictions, we can't help 'being successful."

Discjussing the immense increase of output possible by modern machinery I and tjraining in skilled trades, Mrs. GreeiAbie said, "People will learn quickly if given half a chance. The Russians have demonstrated this magnificently." NATIONAL SNOBBERY. The question of war was deep in psychological obsession which arose from, economic fear and also from a sort pf national snobbery or superiority. Without this psychology in the German ; and Japanese nations there could not Kiave been war. If this spirit could be weeded out there was some hope that the world could be gradually civilised" beyond the possibility of war. She :.instanced the Scandinavian countries}, once the scourge of Europe, now opposed to war. Greater knowledge, greater study,, and more open minds, MrsL Greenbie contended, would help to Iceep the world on "an even keel.

Mrs. Greenbie was introduced by Miss C. Hooper, who presided at last nig'jit's gathering. Miss M. Toulson, Doitninion president, also addressed the audience and read messages from Canada and America,