A WORKING WOMAN AND MR. LLOYD GEORGE.
[TO THE ED/TOR 07 TEE "SPECTATOR."] SIR,—The very interesting article by Miss Loane on " The Cost of Idleness " in your issue of December 3rd brings to my mind a conversation which I had with the widow of an Essex labourer at the time of the last Election. After asking me what I thought about Tariff Reform, Home-rule, &c., of which subjects she candidly acknowledged her complete ignorance, she said with emphasis : "But the Government they have made a mistake about them old-age pensions." She went on to explain that, in her opinion, the scheme should have been made contributory, and that the existing machinery of the Friendly Societies should have been used. She ended :—" A young man, nor a young woman neither, didn't ought to spend all they earn ; do they're bound to come to no good. It do seem as if the head ones [meaning Mr. Asquith and his colleagues] don't understand. It's like as if they want some one to explain things to them." Agricul- tural labourers and their families in Essex do not earn high wages, and this woman has had her share of trouble and difficulties, having been for many years the main support of an aged mother and a feeble-minded brother. Yet she con- trives to pay something every week into a benefit society which secures to her sick pay in case of illness and a small pension for her old age. We in Essex are proud of such Friendly Societies as the famous one at Dunmow, and some of us find it hard to believe that the energy, thrift, and self- respect which these Societies represent will not be sapped and weakened by what seem to us the ill-considered social schemes of Mr. Lloyd George and his supporters.—I am, [Our correspondent's letter reminds us of a true story. A deputation of women workers once went to a Home Secretary to protest against an attempt to forbid their employment on grounds semi-philanthropic in appearance. After the inter- view one of the women was asked what she thought of the Minister in question. " Oh, he's a very nice old gentleman ; but it do seem hard that he's got to sit there and make the laws and him knowing nothing about 'em whatever." She had been shocked by his ignorance of the terminology of her trade,—an ignorance exposed by questions as to what she meant by this or that " shop " word.—En. Spectator.]
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