MARRIAGES BARRED

Evening Star, Issue 15514, 9 June 1914, Page 9

MARRIAGES BARRED

L.C.C. DECIDE TO EMPLOY ONLY SPINSTER DOCTORS. " Quit if you marry" is the dictum laid down by the London County Council concerning wr.men doctors in their service. The (question arose over the appointment of three women doctors in the Public Health service. The council in such appointments insist that women shall resign on marriage, and a similar condition was included in the case of the three new appointments. Mr E. Smith said that the best women workers were married. The census returns showed that there were large numbers of married women teachers and nurses, who were rendering signal public, service, and against whom no fault could be found. It was wrong and improper for the L.C.C. to attempt to impose a restrictive, condition. Mr Gordon pointed out that the council inskted that, charwomen should resign on being married, and the same policy should apply to women doctors. The encouragement of the wife-working system resulted in lowering wages; Mr Easton said that in their asylums they had men doctors, some of whom had been thero 20 and 30 years, who had been forbidden to marry. They received from £IBO to £2OO a year; Their remuneration ought to be as good as that of the women doctors, who were going to get £4OO a ytar, and were not liable to bo on duty at all times. He thought that when a woman married she should stay at home and look after it.

Miss Adler and Miss Wallis supported the amecdnient The latter urged that the council ni:eded women of experience, _ and Miss Adler'said it would not only be wise to have married women doctors, but also married nurses. Women could organise nowadays, so there was no great fear that wagies would bo reduced.

Lady St. Helier took a view directly opposite to that of her two iady colleagues. The council allowed women teachers to marry, but she declared she was convinced that no woman could do her duty to her home and family if she had to go out to work. The voting was 30 for the amendment that women should not be asked to resign, and 72 against. Hence, the women doctors will hare to leave the service of the' counoil if they get married..