WOMEN AFTER THE WAR

New Zealand Listener, Volume 5, Issue 107, 11 July 1941, Page 44

WOMEN AFTER THE WAR

Sir,-As Dominion President of the National Council of Women of New Zealand, I feel it my duty to comment upon your article, Women After the War, in The Listener of June 27. The article and the heading alongside the inset of Herbert Morrison are meant to be provocative. Candidly, I think you are in danger of missing a great opportunity if you do not make use of Herbert Morrison’s words towards national and international progress, A periodical like The Listener sets out to provide its readers with the most wholesome food for thought, as well as with the sauce or tonic of amusement, Neither Mr. Morrison nor any other British politician would warn a meeting against the demands and powers of women, to-day or to-morrow, as dangerous. In that speech, Mr. Morrison was paying tribute to women as at the moment proving their ability in war and in post-war planning, and was pointing out that already women are dissatisfied with the present state of affairs, and know some of the changes they will later demand. In saying they will be a handful to manage, he surely never meant that women must be subjected to management by men or by a government! Would a politician dare to say that to-day? He might well have meant that there will be discomfort or disunity unless everyone recognises the need for being as up to the minute in preparedness, in thought, in planning, as women already give evidence of being. He wants changes to come without clashes between sexes-or between sections of the community, He wants balance of preparedness among us all, Do not let The Listener miss the opportunity of leading the thoughts of its readers in orderly progress through the various aspects of life which must be considered when we look forward to the good post-war world. You ask whether women know what they want. They do. They want the security of Peace, and the peace of Security. So do men, They want Peace in their hearts; Peace in their homes; Peace in the community; Peace among peoples. They believe in it. Military victory alone will not give it to them. And they know from past experience ‘that plans must be made ahead, — What part will The Listener talse? (Economic Independence for Married Women-almost certainly not by the method of legal partitioning of husband’s earnings-will be one sub-head-ing under two of the main ones, but it ought to be dealt with in proper relationship to the rest of the problem, certainly not as a stunt.) One more suggestion. Hold the 20 to 35 year olds in mind as you lay out your scheme of work. It oes to be and will be, their world. Yours faithfully,

AGNES T. R.

McINTOSH

Dominion President of the National Council of Women of New Zealand. Tuhikaramea, June 30, 1941. a na eee