Nature demands all from the mother. She takes possession and uses her so that the woman has no will for the time. She is Nature's, body and soul, "Used by an unseen Power for an unknown end." Does a woman enter into this prison-house voluntarily? Never. Nature blindfolds and lures her into it. Before civilization developed a hectic super-sentiment in woman, she lived as do the animals. Naturally, motherhood was an incident in her life. Her children early became independent, and she had a comfortable, healthy indifference to their welfare after they were able to get a living. All the time she was a mother she was economically free. She had had the strength to take care of herself from childhood, and when her child came, she was able to care for both. The father of her baby made no demands upon her for service as cook, housekeeper, laundress, valet, lover or friend. He took care of himself wholly, and so did she. All they wanted was food and shelter. But since man's needs are multiple, the demands upon male and female are great. NATURE'S METHOD _The more intimately we attach ourselves to Nature, the more she glows with beauty and returns us our affection.--Froebel._ Nature does not seem to have expected man to get more than a primitive living. She has not changed Her methods at all. Man has changed. He makes and directs machinery that earns for one man what fifty men can earn; so that one man is fifty times richer than a primitive man. Nature uses no machinery. It takes more than twenty years of the mother's time to develop one citizen. There are no short cuts nor quick methods in woman's special work. The mother of a large family has given twenty-five of the best years of her life to the work which none but her can do. She has given to the state citizens. This has cost her all her strength, all her time and the ambitions of a quarter of a century. As our present civilization is, she has given her economic independence, her individual ambitions. She pays dearly for the privilege of being mother to citizens. She is dependent upon one man for the maintenance of both herself and her children. * * * * * The man, too, is blindfolded by Nature and is led where he knows not. The desire to give all of his earnings to the development of citizens may never have been his. He may not know nor care about the welfare and perpetuation of the state. But Nature has not bound him hand and foot to Her plans. When, or if, his affection ceases for this woman who is dependent upon him for food, shelter and clothing, he may use his own judgment about the woman's and the children's needs. So long as they escape the attention of the Humane Societies, the family is at his mercy. The woman and her work are dependent upon him just the same. Unwilling money buys poor food, clothing and teaching. It has evolved bargain-days and cheap goods. ECONOMIC FREEDOM