A SEX STRIKE

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIX, Issue 249, 20 October 1915, Page 6

A SEX STRIKE

WOMEN AND WAR

Mrs Marian Craig Wentworth, author oi: "War Brides," is reported in the American press as saying: "The sex strike of a million women would make war by the United States or any other coiii'.try absolutely impossible." The Argonaut comments: — "We do not believe that a million women could be found who would engage in such a -strike, that is to say, not a million women who mattered. .

If our immature mind has fairly grasped her proposition, she means that there should be a cessation of the supply of male children who would be more or less ready to go to war in same twenty yours or so. But twenty years is a long way ahead, and we could get through a lot of healthy fighting between now and then." The Argonaut asks whether Mrs Craig really believes that a strike of this sort could be sustained year after year until it had actually impaired the fighting strength of the nation? "It is our own conviction that it could not bo prolonged for twenty-four hours under the present competitive system, and we have not kept our eyes entirely closed during our nilgrimage through this vale of tears."

"Women," says Mrs Craig, "hold the gift of life in their hands, ana they nave the right to refuse the gift if life is to bo desecrated by war." To which the Argonaut retorts:

"Kubbisii! Women are not the givers of life any more than are anon. And \yo may further remind this very si'.ly and talkative lficly that to cut short the .supply ni boys would be n> rut short also the .supply of skirls, and hf«!'f at last we 'i;«v n ray of li«;ht. The million wf»i:eii who would declare .•> ■so:; stri-!c« wonkl be mostly feminists, nnd if tl'.orc is :inythiiit.r at <al\ in tho dootrine of mental heredity, which wu yroatly doubt, we should thus be spared the advent of a la.rg'> nuiuber of little baby feminists, and this would veeoYieite us almost to anvthinjj;. Te Deum !.flud:iri]i;s. But then our hope* !ir(> oucve nvni't* l\.shnd to Uu> ground by the reflection that feminists do noi. usiially Ix-lomr to whot wav >), ; c'!>He<! the productive classes, and wn do jiot believe that their strike would h<m>arp^r^uj?ed^ffe€i^)n^nKw^Mjwu«