Welsh Journals

THE WELSHWOMAN'S PAGE. MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS. In view of the fact that all the towns, except London, have had their elections for one third of their Town Councils this year, the list of women who have secured their election or re- election, is most disappointing. Only thirty-four women have been successful, and (if my information is correct) only Welsh- pool and Brecon of the Welsh towns have shown themselves to be progressive in this respect. This, of course, means that the majority of towns have no women on their Councils, and when we remember all the pressing civic problems in which women are chiefly or more directly interested, then this fact resolves itself into something very like a calamity. It is true that in most cases the women lost by very narrow majorities, and that is, of course, a consoling thought, but it cannot shape the policies of Town Councils for the coming year! One obvious reason for this apparent failure is that women are largely supported by the Labour Party, and that Party has this year proved very unfortunate at the polls. It is also claimed that women councillors are more extravagant than men. In some ways we are only too glad to admit the truth of his accusation. Domestic life has taught the thoughtful woman that wise and generous expenditure in some directions is the very essence of economy. So we find that practically all women apply their home principles to public life, and urge the need of more extensive health work and child welfare work. In the past, details such as playgrounds, district nurses, health visiting, etc., have been neglected by the Councils, and so when women insist on these they are accused of involving the local authority in expense. But surely this is anything but extravagant policy, for it saves not only in the long run, but in the short run. It costs twice as much to keep a child in an asylum or penitentiary as it does to keep him at school! As regards the ordinary business of the Councils, the general complaint is that women are too parsimonious. What unsatis- factory creatures we are There is urgent need of some remedy for the present state of affairs, and this can only lie in one direction-the development of citizen organisations among women. In Wales this need is particularly pressing, for the women of Wales possess quite unusual powers of public administration backed by rare capacity for practical enthusiasm. WOMEN ON JURIES. There is a good deal of misapprehension on this subject, and we were glad to see that questions concerning it were asked in the House the other day. From Sir J. Baird's reply it seems that the rules made under the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act provide that on every panel of jurors men and women shall be as nearly as possible in the same proportion as in the list from which the panel is drawn. A prisoner is not entitled to be judged by a jury of his or her own sex, but it is within the discretion of a court, on application being made to it, to order that a jury shall be composed wholly of men or wholly of women. The right of challenge remains as it was before the Act; it is for the court in each case to determine how it may be exercised. A SIGNIFICANT STEP. To those who are familiar with the Frenchwoman and her views of home life, nothing can be more significant that the newly-formed Alliance Feministe Francaise pour 1'Union Sacree des Meres." As is well known, Frenchwomen are still deprived of their suffrage rights, and so have no authority with their Government. The officials of the Alliance Feministe are therefore seeking to draw the attention of the Women's Societies in this and other more enfranchised countries to their Insurance Fund for Maternity, i.e., an international organisation attached to the League of Nations, which will oblige the Where her women have no vision, the nation perisheth." B)) M. M. governments of all countries to protect maternity. This is not meant to be a sort of State Insurance of the Family," but a fund for maternity administered by mothers and under control of the League of Nations. Frequent reference has been made in this page to the real necessity for some form of maternity endowment (as it is obvious that at present large families are generally only found where hereditary and other circumstances make them least desirable), but the programme of the Alliance Feministe is based on a fundamentally different conception, and one which, by its courage and scope, deserves the closest consideration. I quote only one brief extract from an official letter By the co-ordination of the maternal interest of all civilised women, one will arrive easily a Internationale des Meres, which is the only international way to prevent future wars and hinder humanity from getting periodically into a state of barbarism." The success of the international effort, through the League of Nations, in the very much smaller matter of limiting the employ- ment of women in the dangerous processes of lead manufactures throughout Europe, should encourage the Frenchwomen in their far more ambitious effort. WOMEN IN THE PULPIT. No, I am not to be drawn into a vehement discussion on this subject, as one of my correspondents, I.T. would evidently desire, who in her letter refers to the remarks made in this page to the admission of a woman student to a ministerial school. Surely the spirit in which my correspondent writes, a spirit of bitter and ill-founded prejudice, is not the most suitable for fruitful discussion of the topic. Yet, I should like to agree most heartily with her statement that our ministers are at present so wretchedly underpaid that — (I do not agree with the rest). Dare I suggest to her (or him?) that her energy should be employed in drawing attention to this scandalous state of affairs, not to obstructing the progress of members of her sex in any vocation which they wish to adopt? Of course, we must admit that there are some ministers who are as well, or even better paid than they deserve to be, and this is especially true of those in rural districts, but still the remuneration of our Noncon- formist clergy among Welsh congregations to-day is an absolute disgrace to our Christian pretensions. Perhaps women can do even more than men in awakening public conscience on the subject. (I wish to thank T.B. most warmly for an interesting letter, which, however, is hardly suitable for discussion in this page. Should T.B.J." wish to write to me privately at this office I shall be glad to recommend some books which may be of use). (Contributions of general interest to Welshwomen will be welcomed for this page. They should be addressed to M.M. The Welsh Outlook, Newtown, Mont.) To Contributors.-An effort will be made to return all rejected MSS." if postage has been enclosed. Articles should not be unduly long, and short poems only are desired. To Readers.-Past numbers of The Welsh Outlook may be obtained on application to the Manager; 7J^d. each, including postage. To Advertisers,-Circulating throughout the whole Princi- pality, and in many parts of England, The Welsh Outlook provides an excellent medium for high-class advertisements. Rates can be ascertained from the Manager.