DIY History | Transcribe | Iowa Women’s Lives: Letters and Diaries | Eve Drewelowe's journals, volumes II-III, 1950s

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Eve Drewelowe's journals, volumes II-III, 1950s

Page 178

endeavor and relationship.
Despite apparent contradictions we should like to appear broad-minded and give woman her opportunity and grant her equal rights with man - rights of citizenship franchise, property employment without the home, and career. That has all been thought well and good for woman in general fro some time in the past. But when it could come to individual cases - well we apparently follow the ordinary rules for average living and would do otherwise, one meets resistance and a struggle results.
In times of economic depression too - and unfortunately not only then - she is to stop aside for man regardless of her ability or her own need of an outlet. There is even today a definite standing on the part of several states to keep married women out of industry. Although the aim perhaps may not be to keep her in her home, yet it would seem a step in the direction of retrogression and towards fascism - a taking away some of her rights of initiative. True, she may be employed at a lower wage scale than could a man of the same faculties; for in many obvious cases she would supplement the family income. Then her capacity may not only be exploited but she may usurp the position of men. The result of her completion - because she can so ably hold a man's position - is therefore an inclination to decrease the wage scale. To have her withdraw from employment however, does not solve the problem. That problem can better be met by decreasing the hours of employment, increasing the wage scale so that man can earn a livelihood thereby and spreading the work of life much more thinly so that it will reach around. And thus by doing so give every man his due leisure and teach him how to occupy it for proper spiritual and physical improvement.
The community of which I am a part - or shall we say of which I was a part since I shall return to that life I formerly live no more? - is driven by a monster

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endeavor and relationship. Despite apparent contradictions we should like to appear broad-minded and give woman her opportunity and grant her equal rights with man - rights of citizenship franchise, property employment without the home, and career. That has all been thought well and good for woman in general fro some time in the past. But when it could come to individual cases - well we apparently follow the ordinary rules for average living and would do otherwise, one meets resistance and a struggle results. In times of economic depression too - and unfortunately not only then - she is to stop aside for man regardless of her ability or her own need of an outlet. There is even today a definite standing on the part of several states to keep married women out of industry. Although the aim perhaps may not be to keep her in her home, yet it would seem a step in the direction of retrogression and towards fascism - a taking away some of her rights of initiative. True, she may be employed at a lower wage scale than could a man of the same faculties; for in many obvious cases she would supplement the family income. Then her capacity may not only be exploited but she may usurp the position of men. The result of her completion - because she can so ably hold a man's position - is therefore an inclination to decrease the wage scale. To have her withdraw from employment however, does not solve the problem. That problem can better be met by decreasing the hours of employment, increasing the wage scale so that man can earn a livelihood thereby and spreading the work of life much more thinly so that it will reach around. And thus by doing so give every man his due leisure and teach him how to occupy it for proper spiritual and physical improvement. The community of which I am a part - or shall we say of which I was a part since I shall return to that life I formerly live no more? - is driven by a monster