WAR WIDOW PROBLEMS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 79, 28 December 1918, Page 4

WAR WIDOW PROBLEMS

Mr. and Mrs. Sewell are spending tho holidays in Akaroa.

Rome, time ago , (writes "8.D." in the "Daily Mail") I met a mother who was graveiy concerned about her daughter, whose:' husband, .'im ' office! l , had been killed in action. . .

"We don't know what (o do .about Molly," she said.. "Uiihnnil.V, there is no child to comfort her,, and ehe'timl her husband were never able to set up a homo together. Sho has her pension of about. M a week. There is no necessity for her to work. Sim spends her dnys in .sorrowing for (lie dear boy 11)10 is dead, mid wo haven't the heiirt to suggest that what she ought to do is to get s-ome definite work 'lo fill up her time. "Of course, she, is not entirely idle. She helps at a canteen and sews for the Red Crow, but there, is no.compelling reason why sho should work. Hard, interesting work would be her salvation. I Jiavo wished more ilmn once that instead of giving her a pension (lie 011tlioritics hud given her a training for a career. • She was always intenstcil in medicine, and a thousand pounds— n sum we are utterly unabiiv to afford— would havo givon her the chanca to 1»como a doctor." ■ ■

■I. lin've met so mnuy of these war widows—donr, bravo ■ Engl ish.-irirls wlinse. heart's nrn heavy, with end who do not know what to. ninko of lift , now that thft men they loved nro restiuyr Ijctiimth the fields of battle. Whot tliry need so urgently is a pur-, poso in life. . If they were shown tho way. most of I horn would be only too glad to f01i0 , . , . , . But with thciv iTgulnr income there is no point) in helping to swell the ranks of ilia poeker-moJii'.v workers. The authorities should reserve pensio: , . l ? for tho mothers or for women unable lo work, and give to'the childless widows a. training for some profession,. Jt is merely stupid I hat. all these • .voiinj. women, wlio lnijflit be m useful' to the country, should—.so many nl" them little, more thim in their early twenties—be. pensioners. . • Let tho training-money he generous. If a woman wants to be a doctor, the way should be made plain; if she wants n university degree, let her be given the chance'to work for it. If she is a land lassie give her capital to start a farm, of her own. But make her work. England will want many willing hands in the days of : reciinxlruction. Sse will want the übkst hands she can get. Lot tho childless widows of our fighting men be. trained for the great ■ service of the days to come. ]n helping to serve Eng. land they will most surely serve and save themselves. • ■

Tho plainest face and tho coarsest skin oan be made soft and sweet for the holidays ami all lime. Kenowned Ciilfeno Skin l'ood, ,Is., and the dny cream, Culteno Halm, .'ls. Cd.; Hygienic Face l.'owder, 3.5. The mail order department has mado a record for these, preparations ns Season's Gifts. Miss Milsom, Hair and Face Specialist, ill Willis Street; 'Phono 811. Country clients promptly supplied.— Advt. ■ •