Show kathleen I 1 norris N I 1 J says Js Is this woman a fool bell syndicate service N 4 17 51 5 1 71 they never think what it does to a wile wife to spend all her waking hows hours in the presence of three small restless res llesi demanding children and an armenian girl of nineteen whose great interest is the thursday night dance by KATHLEEN NORRIS HEN I 1 was a girl the WHEN burning question was that of franchise for women in that day everyone men and women both 7 thought there thee was some ar argument gu about it women were fit to do all the hard work in the world and the few who struggled through law or medical courses invariably came out ahead of the men in class work but there was a general impression that n no 0 matter how estimable and lovable members of the weaker sex were they have any authority nothing to say about schools or politics or business or housing or morality the only voices that could speak on these topics were those of men in the delicate questions of their souls of their ailments of incomes and responsibilities women must be guided by men women are not yet awake they are still being led blindfolded through life by the all controlling males but at least they are stir ring in their sleep and political responsibility belag being granted a short 20 years ago has encouraged them to work tor for recognition in higher positions and in statecraft future holds more freedom twenty years biologically one second in a hundred years the they will only have begun to grasp the lull full power of their shackles and to take their rightful places as a sex prisoner too long in a world of false conditions cond conditions it t on S made by men only and for which both men and women pay women are gregarious they like community life generations ago young mothers would have united their interests gotten together groups of babies commissioned a few mothers in turn to do the tending cook the spinach watch the sleepers and so have hake treed two thirds of the other mothers for several days housekeeping sewing study and relaxation each week but man jealous and mono monopolistic decreed that each woman should have her own little separate establishment lish ment his business is run on a cheerful companionable group unit plan but until some 30 years ago no wife ever touched money of her own it was doled out to her in dollars and half dollars for shoes and gas and meat she dared not even dream of a babies club in which she and her congenial friends and a group of happy children might share the nursery years no her ber man decreed consciously or unconsciously ly that the only companion she might have in her long birin tiring days was some 11 ignorant orant young foreigner v work could be organized it if work could be orga organized n as mens work is with centers where small children flourished under the care of their own mothers with a garden a playground a well equipped attic tor for rainy days reading hours music language study there would be happier homes less divorce less nerves less psychoses women hunger tor for this economic safe inspiring solution for the small years problem but men still balu frown it down they never think what it does to a wife to spend all her waking hours in the presence of three small restless demanding children and an armenian girl of 19 whose great interest is the thursday daylight night dance EQUALITY kathleen norris makes a plea ale e a k for equality equality of women with men me n she he deplores the state of unconscious vassalage in which many women live their lives are constantly being regulated by domineering husbands who dont realize they the ore are acting as tyrants tyr an is over their beloved ea wives miss bliss norris norri s studies the seri serious ous wave problem r eblem raised by this deplorable condition and offers advice on how it can be solved and women still taking mens orders dont go quie quietly ahead and live their lives as they want to their only way out Is quarrels and divorce but I 1 believe many a woman would find herself out of the woods of headaches depress depression lorl nerves discontent it if she sat down seriously today toda or better took a long walk while pondering the question what changes in our lives would woi make me happy what would I 1 LIKE to do almost always the answer is nearer than she thinks set in his ways my husband is the best man in the world a philadelphia wile wife once wrote me but he is set he hates anything out of the way for example when two summers ago I 1 clipped my little girls hair quite short for or their comfort and my convenience ven veni lence ence in the hot weather he was so angry and so long resentful that I 1 paid dearly for it and so did the girls this year they wear curls a great care tor for mother our boy is six months old and as I 1 do all my own work I 1 was glad to get the baby pen into commission again but kent has decided that the pen may curb the babas natural daring as he grows and he wont let me use it we have a pleasant back yard with maples and elms in it and I 1 have hedges around the clotheslines and the barrels often I 1 would me like to serve lunch or supper there for the birds do the clearing up and I 1 can make a meal a picnic with paper cups and napkins but this conventional vent ional man of mine is always conscious of the few back windows of neighbors houses that overlook the yard some one MIGHT be look ing down on us and our hambur hamburgers gersi kent hands me his pay check every week he drink he loves his wife and children we save and we own a lovely roomy home but it is trying to be checked at so many turns and I 1 am wondering it if you ever had bad a problem like mine to solve and what is the cure regimented living 1 I must not send poems to the evening paper because it embarrasses him the children are never permitted to see the tun funnies nies in the sunday paper no caller must ever be in the house when kent gets home if I 1 telephone a friend he keeps up an undertone cut that dear youve been six in minutes youve been seven minutes if I 1 su suggest agest a movie he be is apt to aay say kindly 1 I dont think that with au all youve had ti to do today you want to sit in a hot movie never in the nine years since my oldest was born ha has 8 he be a stayed at home and let me go 90 anywhere at night but we all love our daddy and this is not complaint the letter e ended nd its only that it if hi he would be a tittle less critical we would au all be so happy this letter is about six years old I 1 quote it as a perfect illustration of the state of vassalage in which some women unconsciously live the man neither r knew he be was a tyrant nor theroman the woman that her life was being robbed of all its bloom and of course the result was tightened nerves and half balf conscious resentment on her part |