THE ROUND OF THE YEAR.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1948, 3 January 1914, Page 11

THE ROUND OF THE YEAR.

WOMEN'S WORK IN BRITAIN. A BEIEF SKETCH. [By Imogen.] The year 1913 that Ims just slipped away from us has been marked in countries outside New .Zealand by a steady advance in the progress of Women, more perhaps in a general direction than in brilliant personal achievements.. Striking evidence of tho progress they have made in scientific matters was evidenced at the. Congress of tho British Association for tho Advancement of Science, hold in Birmingham in September, when notable features of this gathering were the addresses which were given by some of tho women members, several of them being upon abstruse scientific subjects. Tho election of a woman to tho presidency of a section was an innovation bo important as to mark an era in the recognition' of the estimation in which women's scientific attainments are held by men. This honour for the first time was conferred upon Miss Ethel Sargant, who was chosen to give the presidential address to the section of botany. In many, if_ not. most, other sections of the British Association women have been unusually, conspicuous, either- as readers df papers (of which somo score were by them contributed), as speakers, or as' merely forming tho subject matter of the debates. From travel to agriculture, or from, tho sex' problem •to psychology, tho papers contributed by the women members were remarkable for the widcness of their. range, and in somo subjects they predominated in numbers and in novelty over these written by male members. Naturally,'.' in '" educational matters woman had a great deal to say; it .was in such a subject as agriculture that her intervention and success were so novel. At this congress Madame Curie, described by Sir Oliver •Lodge as "the greatest. woman of reienco of all time," had an honorary degree of Doctor of 'Laws conferred upon her, Tie Birmingham University, in'doing so, conferring as'much honour

upon, itself'as. -upon ;tho distinguished, womau who received the compliment. Women in Medicine. Yet another sign of. the times : was the large number of women ; who were present as members at the International Medical Congress which- recently nift in London, and among those to. whom honour was given for the great advance in medical-science was mentioned tho name.of Madamo Curie, together with those of - Lister, Pasteur, Koch, and' M.' Curie, .without.'whoso work, research, skill, and devotion the present outlook of medicine and- surgery would (as, Sir Thomas Barlow' acknowledged) bo indeed poverty-stricken. Thirty-two years ago, when the International • Congress last assembled , in London, tho women members numbered scarcely half, a dozen; on this occasion they were coin) ted in hundreds, a fact not only pleasing .to the pride of women, but of great practical interest to them' in tho. matter of potential patients, for thero are many women', who prefer to bo treated by one of their own sex, and numbers of young children accept medio'al.treatment much, more readily at the hands, of a woman doctor. Women and the Theatre. The Woman's Theatre, whish is to bo opened in London this month, is another evidence of tho independence of women, and while not-excluding men from the tlieatro cither as patrons or as actors, .it is intended to bo used, for tho advancement of the cause of womanhood and of tlie cause of women in tho theatrical . profession. Tho Actresses' Franohise League lias the enterprise under its control, and it includes a number of the loading actresses on tho London stage. The Coronet Theatre, in the suburb of Netting Hill, has been, leased by the leaguo, and plays which givo prominence to questions affecting woman and her struggle for indepedenco naturally will bo produced there. They are going to hive women .stago managers,, women producers, and women in charge of tho box office at headquarters, and it is their intention to fight against sex : qualification in tTio matter of a woman being chosen for. any part by reason ( of lier personal attractions. It. is to lie for her abilities'and her qualifications, for the part that she will be chosen. The two first plays wliicli aro to bo given are ; Brieux's "La Fcmmo Seule" and Bjornsen's "A Gauntlet." Notable Appointment in Music. ! A decision that may have ail important bearing in.the history of women's work in music was that of Sir Henry ! Wood, director of the Symphony Coil- ,

certs held in Queen's Hall, London, to increase the orchestra up to 110 members, and to include womeli players anions the strings. In doing so ho is following tho example of Lamoureux and Colqnne,. tho two finest orchestras in Paris, so that he cannot claim the credit of being the pioneer of;tho movement. Women. however, have formed a large proportion of the orchestras of the Royal -Academy of -Music, the lioyal College of Music, and other colleges and schools, and have been found to be perfectly satisfactory! Sir Henry Wood has offered the six women performers the same salaries that" men would receive. On the difference that orchestral employment may make, to women in their career as musicians, Dr. Ethel Smythe pointed out that a/member of a well-known orchestra can cam much more as a teacher of music than one who has not such a position. But she dwelt more especially on the help 'that orchestral .work is to the musician aiid composer. It helps a man or woman to take in new ideas, to bccomo a conductor or a "repetitor" for operatic'purposes. She answer - ,' the question about the absence of great women composers by inquiring "how many great malo composers there would bo :f men'had been completely shut out from the workaday world of art, deprived of the bracing, tho concentration, the comradeship—in a word tho inestimablo training and htimulus of professional .life." v. Women and the Church. Another indication of ■ increased ■ activity in the direction of women's matters was o'videnco at the Church' Congress which was held at Southampton early in October, and at which a great lead was given by the Bishop of Winchester (president). Among- the jects discussed were: The ideals of manhood and womanhood,- 'marriage, divorce, and tho Christian ideal,-together with tho Church's Law. in the question of divorce, and the question of women's franchise' which mot with strong support. This active interest on the part of the Church; was iertainly timely, for there aro' not wanting signs that a certain section of thinking. women in Great Britain have become -dissatisfied with the attitudo taken by the Church

in matters that affect their welfare and have been' discussing tho question of withdrawing their, support towards ail institution that affords them so littlo aid. ; It is not religion'itself that' they aro attacking,, the part they play in life forbids that, but it is tho- divorce which -.they believe-they discern between tho teaching of, Christ and tho teachings' and attitude' of the Church , on their behalf to-day,' as'.well as its apathy. Women's Franchise. In spite of, all that lias been said of. tho harm'that tho'militant Suffragettes aro supposed to havo-done towards the causo of women's. franchise in ' Great Britain, it has of lato' gained powerful'and noteworthy support. In a letter which tho Bishop -of Winchester addressed to the Press of' Great Britain lie asked for a recognitioivof tho demand of. women, for ; a "fuller, life, greater, honour, and worthier treatment' bv men"; a strenuous consideration of the question whether or not for the purpose. of that l movement the v franchise is indispensable or material;.and a.recognition that much of the passion, tho bitterness of feeling, and the violenoe of action whicli have been shown of late-aro "the bittor crop of a long and cruel sowing."-' - *,