WOMEN AND MEN'S WORK [To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.]
Sin,—I agree with your correspondents that there are a number of girls whose fathers could support them in idleness who voluntarily choose to work. Their existence does not materially affect the statement that there is an economic necessity for the work of young women nowadays, because their numbers are relatively so small. The total number of people with incomes of over £2,000 in the year when the Census was taken was under 90,000, and this included many who had no daughters of the age in question. The total number of men who might have daughters of 18-20 (i.e., over 45 years old) was over 5 millions—or more than 50 times as great. Even if every girl of 18 whose father is rich is at work, the effect on the total percentage is small.
Nevertheless, I apologize for not referring to these girls, and all the more if I thereby appeared to be disparaging their motives. I heartily approve the impulse which makes them wish to be self-supporting, and rejoice in the extermination of economic parasites, both for the sake of the ex-parasites and for that of society as a whole.—I am, Sir, &c.,
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