Edition Bobbett1. Texts by Elizabeth F. Bobbett: 1.1.3. Correspondence, Letters to newspapers
1940 Elizabeth Bobbett: Letter to the Irish Independent, 06.03.1940
The Farmers’ Children
Elizabeth Bobbett, Springfield, Wicklow, writes: A letter appeared in the Irish Independent under the nom-de-plume “An Average Farmer.” Is he ashamed to put his name and address to it, or is it written by a farmer at all? He advocates the advantages of Summer Time for the city folk and for the farmer. His chief reason for advocating it for the latter is that his children (whom he states have two miles of a mountain road to go to school) “are home in good time in the evening to give him much needed help with turf, hay, oats, and other jobs. They have really a half day in the evening.” Oh! I cry shame, shame on such a man who expects to run his farm on the slave labour of his children. Is any other industry run on the unpaid labour of the proprietor’s wife and children? No. Trade unions don’t allow that sort of tyranny. No wonder the flight from the land continues.