"But back of the men's actions I think I can see the question which disturbed their minds.
If women enter the trades, what are the men going to do?
Will there be work enough for everybody ?" Even before he stopped speaking, Mary knew that she had found herself, knew that the solid rock was under her feet again.
"There is just so much useful work that has to be done in the world every day," she said, "and the more hands there are to do it, the quicker it will get done." That was as far as she had ever gone before, but now she went a step farther.
"Let us suppose, for instance, that we had three thousand married men working here eight hours a day to support their families.

If now we allow three thousand women to come out of those same homes and work side by side with the men--why, don't you see ?--the work could be done in four hours instead of eight, and yet the same family would receive just the same income as they are getting now--the only difference being that instead of the man drawing all the money, he would draw half and his wife would draw half." "A four hour day!" said one of the leaders, almost in awe.
"I'm sure it's possible if the women help," said Mary, "and I know they want to help.

They want to feel that they are doing something--earning something--just the same as a man does.

They want to progress--develop-- "We used to think they couldn't do men's work," she continued.

"I used to think so, myself.