“THIS FREEDOM,”

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4512, 8 January 1923, Page 3

“THIS FREEDOM,”

WOMEN IN DUAL CAPACITY. The vogue of “This Freedom,” Mr A. S. M. Hutchinson’s widely-read novel, has beep immensely increased in America, where it has been the “best seller” of the season, by the discussion that has arisen over the moral which the author seeks to convey. For the benefit of those—at mosc comparatively few—who have not read the book, it may be explained that it tells t'he story of a capable business woman who marries and has a family, .all of whom come tp a bad or tragic end because of the lack of proper mother-care and real home life. Hundreds of . thousands of women in the United States, we are told, are now asking themselves, with serious concern, whether it is true that they must give up either tlreir careers or their home life. By way of crystallising responsible feminine opinion on the question raised by Mr Hutcjhinson’s story the “Liter, ary Digest” organised a referendum of the married women whose names appear in the current issue of the American “Who’s Who,” and who therefore may be assumed to have “done something” besides- being housewives. These women were invited to reply tp the question, "Can a woman run a home and a job, too ?” and some 250 sent in replies, most of them in the affirmative. They agreed, in the main, wib.T the view taken by Carolyn Wells, “She can if she has brains,” thong i she severely qualified this assertion by adding that “Few women have brains,” and that “No wife and mother should pursue a career of w.ageearnhig interest outside of her home unless her. aid is needed financially.’ The women who believed successfu accomplishment of the dual task was impossible included Mrs Robert Peary, wife of the explorer, who sai l she “adhered to the old saying .that it was impossible to serve t.wo masters at once and do it well. A woman should choose between ,a business career and one of a home-maker.. 1 do not believe that she can do justice to either if she tries to do both.” A considerable number of women writers, teachers, and others’ prominent in philna.tliropic and social worn agreed bn the whole with this opinion. One, while contending that Mi Hutchinson went too far in trying to make his point, said, “A woman who spends eight, hours of the day away from home and children cannot expect the results, obtained by the mother, whose first consideration is •the welfare pf her family.” The physical point of view was stressed by t.wo women, one of whom said .that the task of rearing a family successfully, while at the same time pursuing a career of her own, “can only be done by a woman whose strength permits her to live two lives,”. Wtule another, wrote that, it took “a superhuman woman to ,_c,arry out .two careers, home-making and a Pl’ofessipn, even under the best conditions. As we have said, a’ majority of thv women who replied to the question, “Can a woman run a home,and a job, too ?” did so in the affirmative, But it is noticeable that in a number of cases they qualified their opinion oy “ifs,” some pf them of a very large size. “If the woman’s husband were willing to give his share of .time anl care to the family, and were a good man,” wrote Mary E. Wilkins, the authoress,, “it might, be managed.” Another prominent woman, after declaring that the “biggest and most sacred thing in life” was to be a good mother, have a large family of children, and bring them up jto t>e good meii and women, added, If she can do anything else without neglecting this biggest thing and leaving it entirely t.o hirelings’, I see no reason why she should not do it.” “I have seen more neglect by the mother in the so-called leisure class than by the industrial mother or the prpfessional ones,” declared a. -woman .who is honorary Dean'of a College of Law, but her reply is hardly an answer to. the questoil. Here and .there among the affirmatives one finds an author or musician or artist asserting that it is' possible to run a home and a career at the same same time, but the nature of their occupations, makes the task easier, since in many instances -they could follow their career within their homes. Generally speaking, the affirmative answers are not so convincing as those on the negative side, though they are more numerous. They hedge their opinions with, top many qualifications. That some women have managed homes' and reared families of children successfully is undoubted, but the conclusion one must come to is that these have been super-women, gifted in brains, strength, and endurance above the .ordinary run of women. For these, the dual task, when it has been essayed, has too . often proved beyond their ability and poweia And since to be a good home-maker and mother if the highest achievement that a mairied woman can accomplish, why should she endanger success in the best and most, honourable function that woman can perform by seeking distinction in less worthy occupations ’—The Press.