ial
difficulties and hindrances which beset them, and make plain the
value to society of the work they can do. We also believe that the
information here brought together may be useful in helping young women
to choose and prepare for their life-work.

No pains have been spared to make the book as accurate as possible,
and to bring it in every case up to date.

It should be clearly emphasised that each contributor to this volume
has expressed her own opinions freely and independently, and that the
writers have been selected because they are leading members of their
respective professions, not because they represent a particular school
of thought. We have endeavoured to get our material from the most
authoritative quarters, irrespective of the personal views of those
who have supplied it. All the writers have given generously of
their time and labour in order that they might contribute to an
investigation of profound social and national importance--the clear
presentation of the economic position of women as it appears to women
themselves. Widely different as are the professional interests and
divergent the opinions of the writers of these essays, no one can, as
we think, read consecutively the various sections of the book without
arriving at the conclusion that, on certain fundamental questions,
there is substantial agreement among them. Almost all, as a result of
their professional experience, definitely express the conviction that
women need economic independence and political emancipation: nowhere
is there any hint of opposition to either of these ideals. The writers
are unanimous in their insistence upon the importance--to men as
well as to women--of equal pay for equal work, irrespective of
sex. Wherever the subject of the employment of married women is
mentioned--and it crops up in most of the papers--there is adverse
comment on the economically unsound, unjust, and racially dangerous
tendency in many salaried professions to enforce upon women
resignation on marriage. It is clear that professional women are
beginning to show resentment at the attempt to force celibacy upon
them: they feel themselves insulted and wronged as human beings when,
being physically and mentally fit, they are not permitted to judge for
themselves in this matter. Apart from their righteous indignation, it
may be suggested that, even from the ratepayers' point of view,
the normal disabilities of motherhood, with the consequent leave of
abse