There is, I suppose, a common assumption that single women
have no dependents, and many of them are paid accordingly. The National Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs has been securing information on the subject from its members, and the results are interesting. More than 5o per cent. of the women concerned had to meet family claims on their incomes. The majority earn under L30o a year, and in most cases the dependents are elderly or invalid relatives. A good point made is that " men usually choose to have dependents, i.e., wives and children ; women have no choice." The conclusion drawn is that equal pay for equal work is essential, and that " family allowances " ought to be enlarged to include " dependents' allowances." However that may be, the enquiry clearly lifts the veil from what must be many hard and unexpected struggles to make budgets balance.
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