AUSTRALIAN WOMEN.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 32, 6 February 1913, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN WOMEN.

“HAVE BEEN GROSSLY LIBELLED.” Australian women, according to Rev. Alexander M‘Cullum, have been grossly libelled. Speaking to a large congregation at the Central Mission, Melbourne, h© entered a spirited defence on their behalf, referring to the allegations regarding conduct at seaside camps. Mr M'Callum said that any maa or woman on the foreshore could see conduct on the part of girls—who were merely thoughtless in the main —that would make any 'serious person tremble with dismay for the possibilities of the future. His conviction was that there was an outburst of wilfulness, immodesty, and boldness, but he believed it stopped before the actual point of immorality. The Commonwealth statistics of “unwanted children” proved this. He appealed to the manhood that respected the character and fair name of woman to impress upon young men that to do anything tending to embarrass a girl’s name was cowardly, despicable, iriean, and cruel. There were too many who regarded life as a great “lark,” whereas it was a big solemn thing. People were finding fault with thousands being on the beaches and in the streets, but they could hardly be expected to stop in many of the houses that were in the community. Every decent family ought to have the chance of a decent home, and if the capitalists who owned property were not able to provide it, the community ought to take up the business. He did not think that mixed bathing was going to pass away. It was not necessarily an evil thing. He had seen mixed bathing. In the main the womanhood of Australia was such as could be respected.