MADAME AUSTRALIA'S IDEALS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 662, 12 November 1909, Page 4

MADAME AUSTRALIA'S IDEALS.

V A cabled message a few days ago quoted a I clergyman formerly rcaideit in New South i Wales as having told a women's conference in s liiigland that women voters in Australia "nei 1 ' ther advance nor rotaid leform Tho woman •voter had disippointingly failed to rise superior to the somewhat corrupt political atmosphere in which she lived Bat her often pathetfc bo , lief in the ideal of hprai? kept Australian Sαomliam sane, and would prove a safeguard qgainsi doetrims nhioh'inenaco family life and ' telfgion,". i Referring to this criticism, a writer in the "Sydney jJloruiug Herald" says it ip realty re i markable luauso the latter part of it flatly ( contradicts the original statement, lo say that thri women's \ote has not influenced politics, '' and then to a\er that woman's Influence keeps , Socialism "sano," is to eat one's ivord? indeed j Politics nowadajs may bo roughly,summed up j cs Socialism versus anti Socialism, and if the ', ■nonion' , , \6te influences ono party to such an extent that that influence is felt at tho pills,, "no Australian w6mrn may plume ourselves on haung accomplished a tremendous , feat, and a feat so'tremendously worth while tint it jus--1 tfflies the \uldcst .hopes' that ever gladdened '■■ the breast of tho most ardent feufffagist living. j Our own special and particular brand qf Australian Socialism is differentiated from all other makes or vanetios of, that doctrine (so we ! have , bean assured timo and again by critics I - of both parties), in that it is only political, and does not attack the- home. As to "Sociallira and the mirnairo tic," ,, was it not tho w stock joke at the Women's Conference last year? Is is sin6a iromcn hatfo become political \ here: that*this question has' become quite set tied onco and for all. f'"lho women; have done II this thing," and. yet their latest critic avers . ' that they have dono nothing 1 < ''Women's true sphere.,is tho homo!" When : jihis platitude, is tittered for the millionth ■ time, weariness settles down on reader or I hearer like a eloud tWo feel tho weariness be t > c<w6o we know the truism .10 veiy Tell Women r do not, need to be 1 told, this, except as a, text ion ,wli»e,h to found some, practice] 1 th/scour'es 1 1 Her nscejlenoy, haying tho ~con,Tietipn, that , 1 "the often/pntheiie ideal of home" is prominent [ *■ in. evqry woman's imagination, ncd her opportunity *tunity (in. addressing the connress. at Melbourne i* ' to urge the five National CQiincils of Women , ' in Australia to do something practical, some- , thing to help the. home.. As a woman who i thinks, and then is able tQ ojothe her thoughts yn. convincing and forablo words, l*dy Dnaley in; her reported'addresses always. Tianages to j eav something that \nl\ stiok in th.o v ramd, ; " To, be: characteristically ourselves,,to give ex--1 fetession to an individual sentiment that shall ! s be trnlj' Australian and truly womanly withal, 1 to hoi Excellency to bo a worthy goal for Wamliitton,of the. councils* To,im.prove.horoe ftlle/mid td impraTe -iho chjldron,s training are -about 'the best aim? whici we Australian wo attfßican, set heforo»oursolyes .Lady Dudlqrs scheme of bush nursioa o MSSi 'advoeatea'bj hotjin ithm aduress.v As a result •o{ keepingitne honve ideal tight is noteworthy, : <>a well cs on its own merits. But it is a part onlyi oMhe whple ideal thai; home Jβ woman a 1 ephere llappy is Australia that nothing dis tracts us from the task of home making Like 1 Mrs Stubbins, who begged for time to learn to be a good housekeeper, we can be told "We < haven't got'anythipg else but time' , 1 '