Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 110, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 May 1911 — NEED MORE LEISURE [ARTICLE]

NEED MORE LEISURE

Long Hours of Working fiirls Cause Freak Ideas. Dr. Caroline Hedger Makes Plea for Adoption of Amendment to Women’s Ten-Hour Law, Giving Time to Think of Doing*. , •■■■■ Chicago.—More leisure as a cure for women’s craving for-“rats,” puffs and high heels was advocated by Dr. Caroline Hedger in a talk before the members of the Women’s Trade Union league. Her subject was “The Cost of Long Hours for Women,” and she intimated that one of the results of long hours was an inordinate desire for “overdressing” and for appearing in freakish costumes. The speaker made a plea for the adoption of the amendment to the women’s ten-hour law, making the limitation of hours 54 a week, which would, she said, give working women more time to think of “some of their doings and mend their ways.” “Women who work need more time for their religious duties, for their family, and for the development of the best that is in them,” said Doctor Hedger. “If working women had lnore time they wouldn’t do the things they do now. “They wouldn’t wear high heels and strut around with rats and puffs. Thank heavens, I never had time to buy a rat If the women had more time to study art and life there would be few rats worn and they wouldn’t wear freakish ’hand-me-down suits’ that are made the same for thousands and without any more individuality than a thousand. “What do we women aim at as women? We wish to attain and maintain economic efficiency. We wish to have social and family relations and we wish to have an effect on the future. “Nothing affects us so vitally as fatigue, which may be classified as normal and abnormal, and fatigue is the result of mental and bodily action. A certain amount of work is necessary for the muscular and circulatory functions, but overwork increases the fatigue stuffs in the system and ends in a physical breakdown. “The fatigue stuffs are poisons that must be taken out and kept out of the system to maintain economic efficiency. The main w’ay to dispose of the fatigue stuffs is by sleep. Fatigue can be reduced by the taking of food, but sleep is the main cure. More time is needed by the workingwoman for sleep. “You can’t lose six hours’ sleep one night without paying it back. If yen don’t pay it back soon then you will have to pay it back with interest later on, and you may overdraw your bank, account of health and go bankrupt. “Nothing produces fatigue among working women like the work of the standing trades such as waitresses and store clerks. I have seen a waitress in a Chicago restaurant fall asleep standing on her feet behind the lunch counter. These trades produce the ’flat foot.’ » “Nothing impairs economic efficiency so much as the’flat foot,* which sometimes is produced by some of the prevailing styles of shoes. Working women must have more leisure tiine to learn these things. “Girls should be taught in school how to feed and care for babies, cook food, and keep house. Women must feed their husbands or they win go to the saloon to satisfy the craving.”