Sm,—Mrs. Paterson suggests that the " so-called emancipation " of
women is making them cowardly about the "agony of child-birth." I, do not know what evidence there is for this. But it is not surprising if women are realising the immense difficulties of carrying on family life, too often single-handed, under modern standards and conditions. There is a crying need, not only for more domestic help, but, far more, for labour-saving houses and conveniences—cheap electricity, water laid on, better apparatus for cooking, cleaning, and washing. Our low standards in these matters are quite enough to make conscientious mothers dread the incessant over-work involved in bringing up families decently. Conditions are even more difficult in the country than in the towns, where water is laid on, shops and restaurants close at hand, gas and electricity available. Yet we are constantly told that people must be encouraged to live in the country. And mothers are, I think, the only workers who get no holidays.
If one-thousandth part of the thought and energy now bestowed on the making of up-to-date aeroplanes and tanks can, after the war, be devoted to domestic equipment, a great step will have been taken for the relief of women and the encouragement of families. If our fighting forces had been as ill equipped as our homes, we should have been conquered long ago—and we should have deserved it.—Yours, truly,
BARBARA STEPHEN.
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