THE UNBORN MILLIONS
have read Mrs. E. H. Paul's letter in your last issue with some interest and very considtrable astonishment. Mrs. Paul appears to consider as " desirable " parents only those who are (or perhaps I should say "have been ") accustomed to keep servants. Married couples of the small tradesman or superior artisan type (among whom 1 per- sonally can number some of the healthiest and happiest families of my acquaintance) ar:. not, it would seem, to receive any special encourage- ment, although the desire to give their children educational advantages may lead parents of this type, like those of the " professional " classes, to limit their families.
Though in agreement with much of what Mrs. Paul says about modern houses, I cannot accept her view that, in order to conform to the ordinance of the Creator, a home should contain a large, ugly and expensive stove burning coal (the smoke from which is incidentally a source of much of the ugliness of modern English cities) rather than an efficient gas-cooker together with som- kind of drying cupboard heated by electricity. I can only think that Mrs. Paul desires to provide employment. for: (a) Coal-miners—although there does not appear to be any particular rush to enter this occupation at present.
(b) :The large class of unmarried women who require, for one reason or another, to earn their own living. Since all other avenues will presumably be closed to them under Mrs. Paul's scheme of things, the black-leading of kitchen ranges will have to be the occupation of many young women of the " professional " classes, who will, owing to their virtual incarceration in the non-labour- saving kitchen" of Mrs. Paul's dreams, be denied the opportunity of meeting " suitable " young men and thus becoming " desirable " mothers.
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