The Gisborne Herald. IN WHICH IS INCORPORATED “THE TIMES.” GISBORNE, MONDAY, JUNE 21, 1948. WOMEN’S PROGRESS TOWARDS EQUALITY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22669, 21 June 1948, Page 4

The Gisborne Herald. IN WHICH IS INCORPORATED “THE TIMES.” GISBORNE, MONDAY, JUNE 21, 1948. WOMEN’S PROGRESS TOWARDS EQUALITY

JN the United States, as in so many other parts of the world, the question of giving women equality in every way with men is engaging the attention of legislators and of the general publicCongress lias been urged by representatives of numerous nation-wide organisations to legislate in favour of equal rights for women by passage of the Women’s Status 1 ’ill. This is a bill that was offered as an alternative of the Equal Rights Amendment, which was strongly opposed by various groups who contended that equality could not come in one sweeping gesture but must be established through gradual changes in specific laws, both State and Federal. The < warning was given, for instance, that the passing of the Equal Rights Amendment would nullify protective legislation for women, such as the minimum wage law, and other legislation covering hours and working conditions for women, and might also jeopardise the Social Security Act with its provision for special benefits for wives and widows. The Status Bill, on the other hand, proposes to set up a commission for a special study of the legal status of women and the discriminatory laws that still exist. There is no doubt that this policy would afford a more logical step-by-step approach to the attainment of equal rights. A writer in the Christian Science Monitor, from which we have gleaned our latest information on the subject, considers that equal treatment, with no allowances whatever for the difference in the sexes, would in many cases result in further discriminatory treatment against women. In British countries legislation is proposed from time to time for the provision of equal pay for equal work, and it would not be surprising if the issue is again raised at the forthcoming session of the New Zealand House of Representatives. On paper the idea sounds fair enough, but it is doubtful whether, in practice, it would promote true equality.; The law of domestic economics, demands that married men, in particular, should be paid an additional sum enabling them to keep their families comfortable at a reasonably high standard of living. In some spheres of activity-they are paid more than single men, even though these latter may be. saving earnestly in preparation for matrimony. It would not seem to be true equality in the long run if single women who have no responsibility other than that of maintaining themselves were raised to the male standard of remuneration. Only in cases where investigation proved a woman to be a breadwinner would there be a strong argument for equality in wages. In all the circumstances pressure for sweeping equality would not be wise. The advice given last year by the. only woman member of the South African Public Service Commission of Inquiry on Women’s Status was far-seeing. “We can never claim full equality with men,” she declared. “Our physical make-up prevents this, although there are many spheres in which we can shine and prove our ability. But we shall never gain much by being too impulsive. This only antagonises the powers-that-be, particularly the menWomen know they can gain more by diplomacy, so let us work calmly and quietly towards our own ends.” No doubt there is room for an improvement in the present position, but more will assuredly be gained from careful diplomacy than from anything suggestive of blind militancy.