HUSBANDS OF TO-DAY.

Thames Star, Volume LIX, Issue 16623, 20 October 1925, Page 6

HUSBANDS OF TO-DAY.

LESS ARBITRARY MATES. “I am not one of tlie women who showered praise upon men,” said Jane, “but L should like to say a good word for the present-dav husbands. They are, I think, an enormous improvement upon those of the previous generation.” And we all agreed with Jane, writes Jocelvn Fane, "in an exchange. Wo were all sure that the husbands of today are much less selfish and self-in-dulgent than were those of 20 or 30 years ago. Then it was the usual custom for men to spend all their evenings _at their club or an hotel while their wives stayed at borne alone. They really do not do that now, perhaps because present-day wives would not stay at home alone, and their husbands know it. .

The wife of our mothers’ day “stayed put.” Not so the wife of to-day. If Jack goes to his club, so will Jill. Probably the fact that the Victorian wife was always there when her husband wanted her 'made her society of less value in his eyes. For we all value less what we can obtain easily. Then, too. the woman who lived a purely domestic life could not he a companion to her husband as can tlie woman of to-day, with her wider field and more varied interests. One reason for the change seems to be women’s greater economic independence. When girls remained at home, dependent for their amusements upon the money allowed" them by their parents, they were accustomed to see all the more expensive pleasures enjoyed by their moneyearning brothers while they went without.

Now. when most girls earn something. and many successfully compete in the labour market with their brothers and men frends, they. too. spend a considerable sum on their pleasures. One can imagine their surprise if. when married, they ueie told that there would be only enough money for one to join a golf club, and that one their lord and master. Whatever the reason, it is certainly true that present-day husbands do not neglect their wives in the good, olclfasliioned way. Treatment that 20 years ago would have passed without comment now rouses a sform of criticism. If wives of to-day are selfish, as I have heard asserted, this good at least lias resulted from it—husbands are less selfish. Perhaps when women can be sure that unselfishness is in no danger of exploitation they will

again cultivate it as a virtue. But they will do well to wait until men s unselfishness is more strongly established.