AUSTRIAN WOMEN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 April 1938, Page 5

AUSTRIAN WOMEN

NEARLY ALL WAGE EARNERS TODAY. Germans though the Austrians are, they seem to have preserved certain racial characteristics and lost others, so that sometimes the two seem far apart. Both men and women are very proud of their nationality and rejoice in the tradition of Empire glories. But a nation cannot live on tradition, and post-war conditions in Austria have found the people ill-equipped to face them.

The Austrian nation is a learned and cultured one, able to converse on any subject, and more idealistic than prac-

tical. It is not a peasant nor even a working-class nation, but one endowed with qualities of leadership whether in war, council or profession. The women are more adaptable than men, so it is not surprising to find the Austrian women grappling with difficult situations and doing' it with a calmness and a quiet determination that many of the men lack. In Austria today nearly every woman is a wage-earner. Only the very privileged few can lead the normal life of wife and mother and make home duties the only job.

The working hours on the Continent are long; shops are always open by 8 a.m. One sees as many women aboard the early trams or walking quickly

along the streets. And this is due to sheer economic necessity. Chambermaids, waitresses, .shop-girls, typists, all seem to be happy in their work. To stay in a hotel in Austria either in the city or the country is to find an ideal of service and consequent comfort to the guest. Their interest in guests is most noticeable, and they signify approval of frocking or adornment with a naive spontaneity. Austrian women dress well, since they dress suitably, and, whilst shops are full of lovely garments smartly cut and well made, these are mostly for sale to visitors. It is usually possible. to guess the employment and the standing of the Austrian woman by her appearance, hat or no hat; apron or no apron; powder or no powder; high heels or low. There does not seem to be that uniformity or dress and hairdressing in Austria that prevails in English-speaking countries. Thus, a waitress, whose home is in the country, is content to braid her hair, and tvears her embroidered blouse and coloured apron with distinction. She does not ape that smartly-dressed, well-made-up Countess who now runs a beauty parlour, but formerly ruled large estates. And Austrian women are both lovely and attractive, with keen intelligence and ready wit. Their absolute cleanliness and freshness is most obvious.

The constant and prevailing need for women to work has naturally given rise to new conditions within the homes. Even the rich families of today can afford little hired help, and look after their own homes and gardens. Most of the skilled workers and artisans; live in small, compactly-built cottages that can be worked by one person. All other adults of the family can then be wage-earners. To this end, kindergartens have been established in all suburbs, and children from two years of age attend school. Thus, a clever woman can give music or language lessons or teach sewing and still look after her home. Then again, for the poorer people, where wholetime work is a necessity, huge blocks of flats have been erected as part of Government housing schemes. Here the housework is often done before 7 a.m., and cooking is prepared for the family eveneng meal. The flats are equipped with communal laundries and bath-houses, which mean a mimimum of labour in the flats themselves. All the children from 18 months old can be left at the creches and kindergartens for nominal sums. Flat-dwellers with children must use these amenities if both parents are at work. All this community care of the chil-

dren is a tremendous boon to the working mother; she knows her babies are in the best hands, and no danger can befall.