SOME DIFFERENCES

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2705, 26 February 1916, Page 12

SOME DIFFERENCES

FRENCH & ENGLISH WOMEN

THE STRESS OF WAR

An article of considerable interest lias been contributed to the English 1W and whether or Jiot British women arc ill agreement with the views enunciated iierem it will scrre to stimulate tnouglit and evoke some expression of opinion on the point, states a writer in .to Australian newspaper. Madame de toppct. the into of the French Consulbisnoral, deals with the subject of how and whj women of France are prepared to meet the national emergency winch confronts their • country. She vartes: "It is. a very difficult question to discuss without perhaps unconsciously offending some liuglislnvomen, which °! course, I have no wish to. do in any circumstances. The wdmen in France lire able to carry on,. I think, for many teasons, primarily because they are born to a.different history. England has been most fortunate in history. In history, as in life, those who have known hardships know, perhaps, best 110W to get through them; and those who have not seen their soil trodden by the enemy cannot feel what that means 111 the same way.

Effect of Military Service. Since 1870 all our men have to serve, U P co |0 J' ear s of age each man at cuiterent limes has to do military periods. Thus perhaps the woman has been accustomed to see her husband leave oft his business to do his duty for his country. Hut Ido not think that that is what has taught us most. The women of France are—l say this with all respect better educated in the more important matters of life than the Eng. llshwomau. First at school, then at home; at home by the example of tho mother, the young woman learns what sue mils', ltnow, <m<j especially sue learns how to work. Yes, we work more 111 France, wo 'women, and at every ago and,in all classes; almost every Frenchwoman, poor or rich, 13 capable of doing some kind of useful worir. an«J docs it. I think that is where there is such a great differenci: between the French and English women. But Ido not blame the Englishwoman ; it is the training that is wrong in this way. In Franco when a woman marries she is not only the wife of the man, but also his companion' and help, and what is so important, she continues to work.

Th-3 Principle, in England. "Tile principle here in England ia tliat the woman who mairies discontinues to Uo the work she waß-doing before. She thinks her husband .'must keep lier. In franco slio feels mora that to help her -husband is hur duty. 1 huve known instances of women man-red to Frenchmen in°ji»«land who come to me lor advice. Sometimes I suggest congenial -work, and I ("} ve o n b' too often oifended them, ttorkl I have nevor worked since 1 married-.' It is diliicuit to understanu. because there is no disgrace in work rather it is a vircuo. ' "In commerce our women are much more observant. They are interested m business, aiid, when they marry, pa\ great attention to the work of then husband. and strive to '■ understand it They are taught to do this, and consequently are ready for any emergency. In England I have noticed sometimes that the wives know - little or nothing of their husbands' business. The result is obvious. If the man is called away the':business fails; because his' wife is unable to carry it on. It

seems to mo tliafe the l'lrenchwonian is a companion and lielp to her husband, whereas in England tlio woman is too often 'a spoilt oliild.' The lesson of preparedness in the event of a big war involving tho calling up ol all men im never be?n demonstrated to tho Englishwoman—hers is not the fault.

'Training has taught tho French, woman how to bo economical and to become also thrifty, and that the first qualities of a Frenchwoman should he work and economy. AVe arc always looking ahead, and, thanks to our training and education, wo arc side by side with our men, and when they go, thanks to our preparedness, we are always able and ready to carry on." Considerable Justification. Many may feel that the criticism is of a too drastic character, and yet wo have but to go into facts or cases known to us to be convinced that there b often considerable justilication for Madame Coppet's remarks. Further evidence in support of hor contentions is.to be found in an article in an linghsli paper showing the need for woman workers, in view of the calling up of the_ vast, numbers of men which is now taking place. 'Under tho heading Women iVtust Work the following passago appears:— "Tho need for more woman workers from the leisured classes grows every day. For clerical-work alone in_ England and Wales 150,000 new women clerks are necessary if the places of men who enlist are to be filled. , TIII3 total assumes that only one-half of the 300,000 male clerical workers of England and Wales will enlist, and is quite over and above the vast number of women rapidy being absorbed in trade, industry munitions, agriculture, hort-i- . culture, transport, and the rest. Work for Learned Wopien. "That the only women available to fill this special demand" for clerical workers are women who have never worked before is a point to bo specially emphasised. It means that girls of leisure, to whom a year ago a fmv of the lightest house duties, perhaps, with lawn tennis, golf or boating, reading and music, wcr'o chief" interests, must enlist in the ranks of the na. tion's workers. Virtually every Woman! accustomed to work has already her place and the leisured woman is tho only available reserve. \ "Many of those leisured women have already come out. Farming, horticulture, trade, transport, and motor driving -and many other callings have tnken a number of them. And every dav new callings are being opened up to women.

"Head mistresses in. a number of cases are writing a circular to old pupils whom they know to bo free asking whether or not thoy care to join cla?ses to give them some useful training for business or other work.. Employers are helping by giving preference to relatives of men who leave and by giving preliminary trailing. Educational bodies are helping by sending out circulars to homes where unemployed or semi-em-ployed women live inviting attendance at business training classos. Young men are helping by inducing their sisters and sweethearts, and in some cases wives, to leave homo arid 'hold down' their jobs_ till them come back. Tins last way is especially popular, because a man leaves his position in the hands of someone he can trust to yield it up if he should want it again."