FIELDS OF EFFORT

NZ Truth, Issue 1213, 28 February 1929, Page 10

FIELDS OF EFFORT

Does. Opportunity Call

On You In Vain ?

WORLD OF

WOMEN

This is the age of feminine progress. More so to-day than ever before, women are being recognised for what they are worth and not so much for what they are from the old-fashioned standpoint of feminine charm as expressed m dress, figure and domestic accomplishment. ■ '

BUT do women as a whole realise the possibilities that modern opportunity presents, and are they doing all they should to consolidate and improve still further, the advantages they have grained?

Generally speaking, they are not, and the fault is theirs and theirs alone.

To many of us the so-called "socialbody woman" stilly suggests a type that seems to represent everything that stands for the usurpation of masculine duties and functions.

How stupid and ill-considered is such a view-point, yet those who have watched the march o£ modern civilisation appreciate the fact that this 'old-fashioned idea still permeates the mentality of the average woman, notwithstanding the general manifestation on all sides of feminine independence, ook around the town or city m eh you live and you will discover ossibly to your amazement — that al work, for which women are es-

there are opportunities for women m municipal-body work, but, although they are as much at liberty to ask for the suffrages of their fellow citizens, as are men, the number of women who come forward to seek public support for candidature is surprisingly small indeed.

True, on the other side of the scale, we find women well represented *m the business world and m many of the professions, but here again opportunities are not seized as they might be — and, let it be noted by any man whose eye rests on this article — without prejudicing the prospects or opportunities of their male colleagues and competitors.

It is all very perplexing this effort to find the actual reason for feminine apathy that prevails m these matters, m spite of. the open door to achievement through ' which any woman with the ability and inclination may pass if she so desires.

Probably the true explanation lies m the primitive instinct of

Specially suited, is being done by a few, when the field of opportunity is broad enough to absorb many more than are actually engaged. And yet the value of these gratuitous services that the "social-body" women are rendering to the community cannot fairly be assessed m terms of actual and ultimate benefit — not to themselves, but to those m whose interests they labor. If is a disconcerting fact that women as a sex are prone to criticise these self-sacrificing women, and all sorts of things are said. The general impression seems to be that a woman cannot shoulder the responsibilities of a 'home, husband and family and, at the same time, sit on committees and bear the burden of other people's troubles. That is perfectly true of the majority of wives and mothers, but what of

the woman wh o, her family grown up and her boys and girls married, is content to sit about and do little

else but attend to trifling routine duties that take up very little of her time? For women of this type, on 'whose hands time ., is apt to hang heavily, there are Innumerable avenues, along which she can direct her energies, and m so doing, bring not only ' a ivjw happiness . and interest Into her own life, but, at the same time, achieve something by her efforts that will be of great benefit to the community, or that section of it whose interests are cared for and promoted by the particular society^ or body with which she associates herself. The old cry of past years that a woman wh6 has reached middle life is "past such activities" should never be heard nowadays — and, m fact, seldom is. , Then, apart altogether from the purely social side of public service,

National Service

woman for a home of her own and itiaterna) responsibilities. For centuries — m fact since the world began — women have lacked j what may aptly be termed the "herd instinct" as man has acquired and known it for centuries. "Women a.s a sex seem to lack the capacity for- organisation, especially when it means organising for their common good. Then, again, for centuries she has allowed man to do the thinking for her. Everything was left to him -when it. came to weighty decisions, and that is why we find the modern woman, endowed by civilisation with most of the social and political advantages enjoyed by men, still, as a sex, hesitant to reach out and take her legitimate share of the fruits of education and opportunity. Marriage is the natural objective

or t n c average woman, but many factors— social, economic and personal — place marriage beyond the hope of

realisation ot many. It has been truly said that the greatest national service a woman can render to the State is to be a homemaker and the mother of a virile generation, but there are thousands of women m the world who are destined to travel the road of life In single harness. It is to these women that the community at large will look to even up the scales by joining the ranks of those who, though they cannot serve as wives and mothers, can do good and efficient work m other directions for the social and political betterment of the race. We live m an age of progress and continual development. Woman enjoys many privileges equally with a man. Will she avail herself of them m such a way as to demonstrate her right to be heard even m the highest councils m the land? It rests entirely with her.