Images provided by: Million Book Project. Post-Processing : Wilelmina Mallière. WHAT EIGHT MILLION WOMEN WANT [Illustration: CONVENTION OF OUR WOMEN AT HOTEL ASTOR, NEW YORK] WHAT EIGHT MILLION WOMEN WANT BY RHETA CHILDE DORR 1910. TO THE AMERICAN REPRESENTATIVES OF THE EIGHT MILLION-- THE EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL FEDERATION OF WOMEN'S CLUBS-- THIS VOLUME IS DEDICATED Many of the chapters contained in this volume appeared as special articles in _Hampton's Magazine_, to the editor of which the author's thanks are due for permission to republish. CONTENTS CHAPTER I INTRODUCTORY II FROM CULTURE CLUBS TO SOCIAL SERVICE III EUROPEAN WOMEN AND THE SALIC LAW IV AMERICAN WOMEN AND THE COMMON LAW V WOMAN'S DEMANDS ON THE RULERS OF INDUSTRY VI MAKING OVER THE FACTORY FROM THE INSIDE VII BREAKING THE GREAT TABOO VIII WOMAN'S HELPING HAND FOR THE PRODIGAL DAUGHTER IX THE SERVANT IN HER HOUSE X VOTES FOR WOMEN XI IN CONCLUSION INDEX LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS CONVENTION OF CLUB WOMEN AT HOTEL ASTOR, NEW YORK CARPENTER SHOP, VACATION SCHOOL, PITTSBURGH CAPTAIN BALL ON GIRL'S FIELD, WASHINGTON PARK, PITTSBURGH STORY HOUR AT VACATION PLAYGROUND, CASTELAR SCHOOL YARD, LOS ANGELES, CAL. MRS. SARAH PLATT DECKER LADY ABERDEEN A "WOMEN'S RIGHTS" MAP OF THE UNITED STATES MISS EMILIE BULLOWA MRS. FREDERICK NATHAN MRS. J. BORDEN HARRIMAN MISS ELIZABETH MALONEY A DEPARTMENT STORE REST-ROOM FOR WOMEN MISS MAUDE E. MINER IN THE NIGHT COURT, NEW YORK MISS SADIE AMERICAN A TYPICAL DANCE HALL AN UNTHOUGHT-OF PHASE OF THE SERVANT QUESTION ANOTHER SERIOUS CONTRIBUTION TO THE SOCIAL QUESTION THE SERVANT GIRL AND THE EMPLOYMENT AGENCY SUFFRAGETTES IN LONDON ADVERTISING A MEETING MRS. HARRIOT STANTON BLATCH MEETING A RELEASED SUFFRAGETTE PRISONER THE WOMEN'S TRADES PROCESSION TO THE ALBERT HALL MEETING, APRIL 27, 1909 HELEN HOY GREELEY SUFFRAGETTES IN MADISON SQUARE THE "QUIET WALK" OF THE NEW YORK SUFFRAGISTS, WHOM THE POLICE WOULD NOT PERMIT TO PARADE SUFFRAGE DEMONSTRATION IN UNION SQUARE, NEW YORK WHAT EIGHT MILLION WOMEN WANT CHAPTER I INTRODUCTORY For the audacity of the title of this book I offer no apology. I have had it pointed out, not altogether facetiously, that it is impossible to determine with accuracy what one woman, much less what any number of women, wants. I sympathize with the first half of the tradition. The desires, that is to say, the ideals, of an individual, man or woman, are not always easy to determine. The individual is complex and exceedingly prone to variation. The mass alone is consistent. The ideals of the mass of women are wrapped in mystery simply because no one has cared enough about them to inquire what they are.