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 WOMAN

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WOMAN

capable and efficient for the duties arising from this calUng" (PierstorfF). How far the opportunities for woman's work for a hvelihood arc to be enlarged should be made to depend upon the question whether the respective work injures or does not injure the physical provision for motherhood. The earnest warnings of physicians agree in this point with the remonstrances of statesmen who are anxious for national prosperity. Thus the speech of the former president, Roosevelt, at the national congress of American mothers at Washington in 1895 met with approval throughout the world. (Cf. Max von Gruber, " Madchenerziehung und Rassenhy giene ", Munich, 1910.) On the other hand, Catholic Chris- tianity in particular, in accordance with its traditions, demands from the woman of the present day the most intense interest in working-women of all classes, especially interest in those who work in factories or carry on'industrial work at home. The achievements of the North American "Working Women's Protective Union" and of the English "National Union for improving the education of all women of aU classes" deserve great respect. In Germany special attention is given to this aim by the "Verband katholischer Vereine erwerbstiitigerFrauenund Madchen" (United Cathohc Societies of Working-Women, Married and Unmarried) of Berlin. , •, r

The second branch of the woman question, which of necessity follows directly after that of gaining a liveli- hood, is" that of a suitable education. The Cathohc Church places here no barriers that have not already been established by nature. F^nelon expresses this necessary limitation thus: "The learning of women like that" of men must be limited to the study of those things which belong to their calling; the difference in their activities must also give a different direction to their studies." The entrance of women as students in the universities, which has of late years spread in all countries, is to be judged according to these principles. Far from obstructing such a course in itself, CathoUcs are permitted, on the contrary, by their traditions to encourage it. This has led in Germany to the found- ing of the " Hildegardisverein " for the aid of Catholic women students of higher branches of learning. Moreover, nature also shows here her undeniable regulating power. There is no need to fear the over- crowding of the academic professions by women.

In the medical calling, which next to teaching is the first to be considered in discussing the professions of women, there are at the present time in Germany about 100 women to 30,000 men. For the studious woman as for others who earn a hveUhood the aca- demic calling is only a temporary position. The sexes can never be on an equahty as regards studies pursued at a university.

The third branch of the woman question, the social legal position of woman, can, as shown from what has been said, only be decided by Cathohcs in accordance with the organic conception of society, but not in accordance wit h disintegi-at ing individualism. There- fore the poUtical activity of man is and remains different from that of woman, as has been shown above. It is difficult to unite the direct participation of woman in the political and parliamentary life of the present time with her predominant duty as a mother. If it should be desired to exclude married women or to grant women only the actual vote, the equahty sought for would not be attained. On the other hand, the indirect influence of women, which in a well-ordered state makes for the stability of the moral order, would suffer severe injury by poUtical equ.ality. The compromises in favour of the direct participation of women in pohtical fife which have of late been proposed and so\ight here and thereby Cath- olics can be regarded, therefore, only as half-measures. The opposition expressed by many women to the introduction of woman's suffrage, as, for instance, the

New York State Association opposed to Woman "Suffrage", should be regarded by CathoUcs as, at least, the voice of common sense. Where the right of women to vote is insisted upon by the majority, the Catholic women will know how to make use of it.

On the other hand modern times demand more than ever the direct participation of woman in pubUc hfe at those points where she should represent the special interests of women on account of her motherly influ- ence or of her industrial independence. Thus female officials are necessary in the women's departments of factories, official labour bureaux, hospitals, and pris- ons. Experience proves that female officials are also required for the protection of female honour. The legal question here becomes a question of morals which under the name of "Madchenschutz" (protec- tion of girls) has been actively promoted by women. Indeed much more must be done for it. In 1897 there was founded at Fribourg, Switzerland, the "Associa- tion cathoUque Internationale des oeuvres de protec- tion de la jeune fille", the labours of which extend to aU jjarts of the world. Thus considered the woman movement is a gratifying sign of the times which indicates the return to a healthy state of social con- ditions.

Besides the books mentioned in the test of the article, the_ fol- lowing may be given from the enormous Hterature on the subject: I. For the woman question a.s a whole; Lange and Baumer, Handbuchder Frauenbewegung, v Pts. (Berlin, 1901-02); Rossuer, Die Frauenfrage vom Standpunkt der Natur, der GesckicfUe und der Offenbarung (2nd ed., Freiburg, 1907); C.^thhein. Die Frauen-- /rage (3d ed.. Freiburg, 1909) ; Mausbach, Die Stelhmg der Frau im MeiischeitHleben: Fine Anwendung katholischer Grundsdtze auf die Frauenfrage (Miinchen-Gladbach, 1906); Bekker, Die Frau- enbewegung: Bedeutung, Probleme, Organisation (Kempten and Munich, 1911); Bettex, Mann und Wcib (2nded., Leipzig. 1900); Lily Braun, Die Frauenfrage, ihre gesehichlliche Entwicklung und ihre wirtscha/ttiche Seile (Leipzig, 1901); Wychgram, Die Kulluraufgaben der Frau (Leipzig, 1910-12), in the followmg vols.: (1) Krukenberg, Die Frau in der Familic: (2) Freuden- BERG, Die Frau und die KuUur des offentlichen Lebens: (3) Wir- MiNGHAUS, Die Frau und die Ktiltur des Korpers; (4) Schleker, Die KuUur der Wohnung: (5) Baumer, Die Frau und das geistige Leben: (6) Schleker, Die Frau u. der Haustralt; Laboulaye, Recherches sur la condition civile et politique de to femme (Paris, 1843) ; Klamm. Die Frauen (6 vols., Dresden, 1837-59).

IL Historical: Kavanagh. The Women of Christianity (Lon- don. 1852); Idem, French Women of Letters (1862); Wein-hold, Die tieutsche Frau im Mittelalter (3d ed., Vienna, 1897); BrcHER, Die Frauenfrage im Mittelalter (Tubingen, 1910); DuBOC, Funfzig Jahre Frauenfrage in Deutschland (Leipzig, 1896) ; Norresberg, Frauenarbeit und Arbeitcrinnenerziehung in deutscher Vorzeil (Cologne, 1880); Stopes, British Freewomen, Their Historical Privilege (London, 1907); Peters, Das rrsle Vicrteljahrhundert des allg. deutschen Frauenvereines (Leipzig, 1908).

in. Modern Woman Question: BttcHER, flic Frauen und ihr Beruf (5th ed., Leipzig, 1884); Parkes, Essays of Woman s Work (1866); VON Stein. Die Frau auf dem soziulen Gcbiete (Stuttgart, 1880); Idem, Die Frau auf dem Gebiete der NationalOkonomie (6th ed., Stuttgart, 1886) ; GNAUCK-KtJHNE, fliV deutsche Frau um die Jahrhunderlwende (2nd ed., Berlin, 1907); PoissON, La salaire des femmes (Paris, 1908) ; Criscuolo, La donna nella storia del dinllo ilaliano (Naples, 1890); Ostrogorski, La femme au point de rue du droit publique (1892); GnaUCK-Kuhxe, ll'nriim organisieren wir die Arbeitcrinnen? (Hamm, 1903); Idem, Arhnl.rinnenfrage (Miinchen-Gladbach, 190.5); Pierstorfe. Frnunmrhed und Frauenfrage (Jena, 1900); Idem, Die Frau in der WirtschafI des XX. Jnhrhunderts in Handbuch der Politik, II, Par. 56 (Berlin, 1912); Gerhard and Simon, Multerschaft und geistige Arbeit (Berlin, 1901); Salomon, .Sojiaie Frauenpflichten (Berlin, 1902); Baumrtatter, Die Rechtsrerhallnisse der deutschen Frau nach der gellendcn Gesetzgebung (Cologne, 1900); Dcpanloup, La femme studiruse (7th ed., Paris, 1900); voN Bischof, Das Studium und die Ausiibung der Medizin durch die Frauen (.Municli, 1887); VON ScHKEJAREwSKY, flit' Unlerschiedsmcrh": : ' ■■ nn' ':Iirhrn tind weiblichen Typen mit Bezug auf die F-, Frauen-

fciWung (2nd ed., Wurzburg. 1898); Ewvi: / i ^.nungmit

der Frauenfrage (Hamburg and Leip/ir '''iir,, Sioismund. Frauenstimmrechl (Leipzig, 1912); Idem, Multercrziehung durch Frauenarbeit (Freiburg. 1910).

Augustine Rossler.

Woman in English-Spe.\king Countries. — The movement for wh.at has been called the emancipation of woman, which has been so marked a feature of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, has made a deeper impression on the English-speaking countries than on any other. The outcry against the unjust oppression of women by man-made laws has grown ever stronger and stronger, though it must be con- fessed that every successive improvement in the posi-