Salt Lake Tribune | 1918-12-22 | Page 25 | Future of Women Workers Discussed

FUTURE OF WOMEN EKCIISSED Lady Rhondda Gives Views as to General Conditions to Be Met. Expresses the Belief That There Will Be Work for All Who Desire It. By Universal Service. LONDON, Dec. 21. Lady Khondda. than whom no one is better qualified to speak on the subject of industrial reconstruction re-construction as affecting women at the conclusion of the war, holds out a bright picture of t lie future, and, although she sees grave difficulties ahead, she perceives per-ceives no reason for despondency, says a writer in the London Pali Ida!! Gazette. Ga-zette. "As labor is gradually readjusted, women wom-en are bound to suffer," sho explained. "No woman who now fills the place of a man In the army will want to retain her position If it Is claimed by its rightful owner," she said. "Employment will therefore be difficult diffi-cult to secure, however gradual the process proc-ess of demobilization. It is, however, much to be hoped that, whatever the difficulties of the readjustment period, it will continue to be the accepted thing throughout the country that every one, man or woman, should work, and that idleness will continue after the war, as it is now, to be looked upon as a disgrace. dis-grace. "Personally, I. am sure that all should work. From a purely economic point of view, it is clear that all who consume should produce, and recent years have proved that occupation is beneficial to most people. Much Work Ahead. "Undoubtedly, as we settle down to the task of reconstruction, thero should be adequate employment for all. There is an enormous amount of productive work to be done in this country in factories fac-tories and mines and in the replacement of our depleted stocks. s "The task of erecting more houses in England and rebuilding the devastated lands abroad is a tremendous one. Some of this work will tend to absorb men rather than women, but that simply means that other occupations will be left open to the latter. For example, they will surely, in many cases, be able to retain the positions they have recently filled in ehops and undertake the duties of middlemen. "Many new professions, too, have recently re-cently been unbarred to women, and as the barriers of custom begin to break down wo must expect more and more women to make use of the new opportunities. opportu-nities. Of course, a woman pioneer in one calling is likely to require the assistance as-sistance of a woman pioneer in a second, sec-ond, and so generally strengthen the position po-sition of women in the. working world. "Moreover, there are other branches or work for which women seem preeminently pre-eminently suited. They are fitted hy nature to care for the health of the race, an Important factor in reconstruction. reconstruc-tion. The payment that Is offered to nurses and midwives today is comparatively compara-tively low, and if we are to obtain the services of the best workers, and therefore there-fore maintain a higher standard of health in the country, we must, obviously, obvious-ly, offer better remuneration to those who care for the sick. Outlook for Domestics. "A number of war' workers have been enlisted from the ranks of our domestic servants, and these will, of course, very easily obtain fresh employment. I, for one, however, am convinced that the maid servant will not merely find it possible pos-sible to return to her former employment employ-ment under former conditions. "If our households are to run smoothly, smooth-ly, the workers in them must receive consideration and freedom to some extent ex-tent commensurate with that which they have enjoyed as bus conductors, land workers, factory workers, and the like. "When transport becomes normal. I have great hopes for those girls who will emigrate. Our empire is young, our colonies need new 'energies, and emigration emigra-tion will draw off many women from this country. "The break which many girls have made from their homes recently, the experience ex-perience they have gained iu the ranks of the sister services, will help them to carve out their futures overseas."