CLEVER WIVES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22084, 13 April 1935, Page 6 (Supplement)

CLEVER WIVES

ARE THEY APPRECIATED? FAMOUS HUSBANDS' OPINIONS Do men distrust clever wives? Do they long for a return of the submissive spouse of the Victorian era, the woman who had no interest outside her husband, home and children? She was a paragon; all that a woman should be. The wife of to-day supervises her house and children, and often runs a job of her own as well. Does her husband distrust her because she has outside interests, because he sees so much less of her? Is he jealous of her varied capabilities? Here are some opinions of husbands of clever women, as expressed in a London daily:— Harold Knight, A.R.A. (husband of Dame Laura Knight, A.R.A): An intellectual wife gives to her husband a companionship, an understanding of the mind lacking in tho more ordinary woman. When husband and wife both work, and their work lies in the same direction, it forms a common interest, a bond not easily broken. It is not necessary for a wife to run tho house herself. Provided she sees that it is adequately done, and her husband's interests looked after, she can devote much time to her work. Lewis Casson (actor husband of Sybil Thorndike): Stupid men generally distrust cleverness in wives. The fault lies in their own stupidity. A clever man knows how to trust his wife —even if she is not clever. It is an excellent thing for a married woman to have a job. Too much domesticity is bad for all. Children, who see less of their mother than the normal, are not necessarily neglected. They probably appreciate her more, and early develop a broad outlook on life. Lieutenant-Commander Giles Borrett, R.N. (whose wife was the only 8.8.C. worna# announcer): Why should a woman be tied down to do nothing but look after her house and children? Women are so much more versatile than men. They can adopt an awe-inspiring mantle of efficiency during working hours, and discard it entirely in a second. Their charm is the more subtle for being hid under this official veneer. From a purely financial point of view it is often necessary for a woman to lend a hand nowadays. Jim Mollison (husband of Amy Mollison): Trustworthiness is not a monopoly of the stupid woman. There are just as many clever, trustworthy, as stupid, untrustworthy, wives. A sensible husband is proud, not jealous, of a clever wife. It is inevitable in modern life that a wife should have interests which prevent her from being constantly at her husband's side. Only a very narrowminded man would let this be a cause of estrangement. Never to see quite enough of your wife is infinitely preferable to seeing too much of her. Men need not worry. Women will never have the upper hand.