WORK FOR MEN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23036, 13 May 1938, Page 6

WORK FOR MEN

ENGLISHMAN'S PLAN ' CAMPAIGN TO OUST WOMEN BACK TO THE HEARTH URGED . ; y. > j|| [FROM A SPECIAL COHHESPONDENT] LONDON, April ,23 " A Bristol man would solve the male unemployment problem by discharging, all the women now doing work that } could be done by men. He is Mr. C. Pinkerton, founder of the National. Men's Defence League, which hW launched a nation-wide "sack-the-women" campaign. Mr. Pinkerton said this week: '*l will stick to this fight until pub|i c opinion is really aroused to Britain's peril and women are swept out of men's jobs and sent back to the hearth where they belong. , "Farm work, pharmacy, orchestral music, the 8.8.C. and even the realm of manual labour is being penetrated by the invaders." he continued., "Women should welcome my campaign. Do you think they like theii cut-price jobs in trade and industry Fn the hearts of the typists and professional business women there is a deep hunger for the real life of the home and children. ' ; "I am fighting prejudice. No political party will take up this cause. Thev all want women's votes. But since 1 began making my ideas known, some months ago, 1 have had letters from women telling me they ardently support the campaign." In his pamphlet, "The Feminine Invasion," Mr. Pinkerton says: "TTj e Government is one of the worst ofc fenders in the employment of female labour. Replace women by men, and the result will be that thousands more marriages will take place. _ Thousands more homes would be required to accommodate the newly-weds, giving work to many classes of workers/' Leaders of feminist organisations have not been slow to reply to the, challenge. ' Representing the stage. Miss Sybil Thorndike said: "It is a most reactionary move. If women were paid equally with men for the same work, this question would settle itself. It is up to women to see that this is achieved." The famous Miss Sylvia Pankhurst said: "Women are in the majority—who is going to dietate to us? To oust women from what are called 'men's jobs' would be against progress and against what the public wants. Women will never let men put the clock back in that way!" Miss B. M. Kettle, secretary of ths Association of Women Clerks and Secretaries. said: "All this nonsense about going back to the home! There are not enough men to go round, anywav. Manv women are not fitted for the home and are well fitted for buw ness and professional life."