Page:Meta Stern Lilienthal - Women of the Future - 1916.pdf/13

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of the workers would be the main consideration. Sanitary conditions would be assured; hours of work would be limited according to hygienic requirements, and each worker would find his life rationally divided into time for work and time for amusement, self-culture and a free, personal existence. In such factories, socially-owned and socially-directed, men and women will work as naturally, as contentedly, as boys and girls study in the socially-owned and conducted schools of to-day.

Occupations will be even more varied and diversified than they are at present, because human needs will increase still further with increasing civilization, and human skill, ingenuity and genius, set free by economic security and wholesome conditions of life, will continue to discover, invent and create without limitation. Instead of restricting individuals or groups of individuals to any definite kind of work, the development of individuality will be given full play. It has been said that in present-day society many a genius may perish unknown beside a machine. During the ages of woman's subjection how many geniuses among women may have perished unknown beside their family altar, the cooking stove? Under the present system few people have the freedom of choice. Countless abilities, talents and lofty aspirations are sacrificed day by day in silent tragedies because the lash of hunger and the grind of toil frequently make the development of talents and the realization of lofty aspirations impossible. Under Socialism there will be the largest freedom of choice for both men and women. Every talent and ability, every inventive and creative faculty will be given the fullest opportunity for development because it will be valued as a social asset. Even if the Socialistic state should be compelled to insist upon the performance of certain kinds of disagreeable but necessary work that no one would be anxious to perform, the hours allotted to this work would necessarily be made so short and the conditions surrounding it so attractive that the workers in such a trade would still find ample time and opportunity for more congenial occupations.

In regard to work performed by women there will un-

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