Australian Womens Weekly, 1951

[xenith]

These are some advertisements and articles from the Australian Women's Weekly, 27 July 1951 (Fifty years since Federation special issue). Although "some" turns out to be a rather big number, so I'll post them over time. Just in the order in which they ended up after I uploaded them, to make it simpler. There's three articles I typed up, at least in part. So I'll throw them in too.

EDITORIAL PETTICOATS IN POLITICS One of the first results of Federation was the Act passed in 1902 which gave a vote to every adults man and woman in Australia. Many and bright were the dreams of women as political leaders in high office. Many and gloomy were the prophecies of disaster under petticoat rule. Both the dreams and the nightmares failed to come true. No petticoat party emerged, and only one woman, Dame Enid Lyons, has held Federal Cabinet rank since Australian women have had the vote. Possibly, no party composed entirely of women could have a wide appeal. Governments must legislate for men and women alike, and both sexes must share in shaping part policies. It is, however, surprising that so few women gain selection within the big political parties, for each owes a great deal to its woman workers. That woman's position community has been immeasurably strengthened by her having the vote is shown on any election eve. Special messages are addressed to the women, particularly wives and mothers, by the leaders of all parties. This wooing of feminine influence has been responsible for many reforms in the status of women in the past 50 years. If women continue to use their influence as they have done in the past they will be able to so improve the lot of the wife and mother that Australia's position as a nation will be vastly strengthened. For it is on the homes and families that the soundness of the whole national structure depends.