TWO-O’CLOCK

The war between Mom and Pop! Who gets out of bed to feed baby at
those unearthly morning hours? Here’s how some families settled It

ROBERT T. FELTON

It’s past midnight and everything
is peaceful in the Jones house-
hold. John had a terrible day at work.
Everything seemed to go wrong at
once and he was troubled with a
nagging backache and a nagging
boss. Now he’s sound asleep, a smile
on his face as he dreams of playing
golf-

Jane also had an eventful day.
Six-weeks-old Bill had a touch of
colic and kept his mother hopping.
But the housework and cooking still
had to be done. Jane’s sweet dreams
center around a new Lilly Dache
hat.

“Baww . . . baww . . . baww!” It’s
now 2 a.m. and Baby Bill sounds his
clarion call for refreshments. John
buries his weary head beneath the
pillow and Jane turns despairingly
toward the wall.

“Darling,” suggests Jane, poking
her husband, “would you mind?”

“Sweetheart,” mutters John, “I’m
poohed. Had a miserable day. Would
you mind?”

Then six o’clock comes around—

and brings on the same old buck-
passing. Whose duty is it to climb
out of a comfortable bed, grope about
in the darkness, fall over the furni-
ture and feed the baby?

The fathers’ side: They work hard
all day. How can they put forth their
best efforts on the job if it’s neces-
sary to be up at all hours ?

The mothers’ side: They do as
much hard work around the house
as the husband does at his job. Why
should they have to stand the early
morning shift as well ?

Most men reason this way: “It’s
only for a few months that the baby
has to be fed at such unearthly hours.
If a mother can’t get out of bed and
perform her duty for such a short
time, I’m sure I don’t know what
the world’s coming to.

Women counter with the follow-
ing: “Why do men believe that
housecleaning, cooking and taking
care of the baby can all be done in
an hour’s time?” And so the con-
testants square off—“In this cor-
ner—”

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