WOMEN AND WAR ECONOMY

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2779, 25 May 1916, Page 3

WOMEN AND WAR ECONOMY

(By Mrs. Alec. Tweedio.) T.n the English "Review" of April appe re an interesting article by Mrs. Alec. Tu> xlie upon "Women ana War jsconoL'.y," and as wo have heard and read eo much of what men have thought of the British Government and its actions, it may prove to be an interesting change to read Of tho women's point. of. view, especially as they, too, are bearing so heavy a burden. Hero are 6ome extracts from the article:— "Men are everlastingly preaching economy, and women are unceasingly practising it," writes Mrs. Tweedie. "Let us take a peep at the topsy-turvj. muddle of it all. "First: The Kitchen—Thousands of wo-, men are trying to be careful. Porridge for breakfast has taken the place oi eggs at 2d. or 3d. each, and bacon at one and sixpence a pound. Less meat and mora rice and macaroni, dumplings, and vegetables are eaten. Tho casserole pot is everywhere with its succulent joy. Butter in the dining-room has been substituted by margerine. C'olce ekes out the coal. Simple, washing is done at home. Smart frocks are taboo. Hats are trimmed up from bits or odds and ends; in fact, the woman is economising all round except upon servants' wages, and many servants don't yet seem to know that there is a war at all. "Socond: Men talk a lot about economy; but where are they practising it? Judges, politicians, and Civil Servants are all apparently taking the same incomes as usual. They still drive about in their motors. The artisan is drinking almost as much stimulant as ever, and it is murmured that the bar of the House of Commons is still open. Men are cooking at and supervising camps on most extravagant and wasteful lines. The _ Government is building huts and hospitals at vast expense -where old. buildings might be utilised at half the cost. Where, oh where, are the men economising? "After one year and nine months of war, tho Government is still haggling over many little things which women would settle in one hour and nine minutes. "Speaking roughly, one might say: "The vast majority of women would have general conscription. "Women would enrol every woman as a worker of some 6ort. »' • "Women would have bread tickets and tickets, and control the markets. "Women would pay wages half in cash and half in war loans from the highest tortile lowest in the land. "Women would intern every alien, and make him pay or work for his maintenance, and to help the State. They would employ every naturalised German to help m somo way, and not leave them free to make money while our own men aro on service.

_ Women would employ every German prisoner so that he should be no expense to the State. . . stop strikes which impern the lives of our. soldiery and sailors by imprisonment of agitators and paid strike leaders, or shoot t'liem, if by so doing they would save others from being shot on war service from want of muni tions or coal., 'Women -would put an absolute ban on all enemy goods, and a high tariff on everything imported except from our Allies and our own Dominions. ' They would tax amusements ana highly tax imported kinema films, "Women would draw up a list of '-' all tnmgs of every .kind that we can purchase from our island, our colonics, 1 our Allies; and another list of goods to bo eschewed in every way, and' they would rigorously abide by that list in their purchase of food, clothing, and such like.' They might forbid the making of butter and give the milk to the babies* whose mothers could not afford to buv it. Wo need babies—there are plenty of them— and we must not let them die from neglect. • "■

Women would band themselves together to forget self-consideration, whole-. heartedly working for the quick and sueCBSsful termination of the war, no matter at what; sacrifice to themselves; but-'we would insist that men and women, should, be paid equally for equal work, and stand shoulder to shoulder. We would beg that fast rules for war economy and war usefulness should bo laid down, and that the Government should tell us what to do and how to do it, or true economy will never be practised. The first thing this Government has to learn to do is to make up its own mind, and once it has said a thing to stick to it. Op to now we have been told to 'carry on as usualVthen to 'stop everything.' To spend fully—then to spend nothing. To cat sugar—then to leave sugar alone. "To have conscription—then thoy havo starred right and left, and made as many exceptions as rules; in'fact, they vacillate so often that we women aro utterly at sea, longing to know what is expected of us.

"With the first cry of war we were told women's work was not wanted, women's place was the home. Eighteen months afterwards we women were implored to come ■ forward and leave tlio homes : for every class of work. Which was right? The first or the last? '"Why talk of a blockade and then fill it with holes like a wire sieve, so that important wares percolate 1 through to our destruction? When women want food to last they put it on a plate, and when they want. it to drain they put it on a sieve. "The majority of women are anxious to be thrifty, but our lords and masters who control the destinies of England must bo good enough to tell lis exactly what is economy. "For Heaven's' sake let them 6top the import of all we ought not to buy, and import ill vast quantities everything that will help us or our colonies; but make it quite clear what helps and what tinders, and every woman in the land will do her bit. ' ' "Why not lot women take a turn in organisation? ■They hava-proved their capacity, to the surprise of men, and let them prove it still further by giving them a seat on every board and every committee, whether for economy, war, emigration, health, education, or sanitation. "In war women pay the toll. Women lose their sweethearts, their husbands, sons, fathers, brothers. Women it is who give life, and, through war, live to see what has cost them so dearly thrown ruthlessly away. • . "Women did not make war, any more than they made the law, and yet in silence they must abide by both. "To them the last and greatest war economy of all—Oiey must economise in tears."

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