s.

Anyone, therefore, who is producing food or preparing it is a necessary
worker. So are the great armies of workers who are engaged in producing
materials out of which all kinds of necessary clothing are made, and
other workers who make necessary clothing from wool, cotton, linen, etc.

Such workers occupy an honourable place because our lives actually depend
on them. Their daily work adds to the wealth of the world and makes it
possible to improve the standard of living for everyone. We could spend
much time naming the occupations of necessary workers, such as fishermen,
sailors, railway men, farmers, miners, and many others. Sailors and
railway men are not directly engaged in creating new wealth as the farmer
is, but food would not do us much good if there were no one to bring it
to market, so all transportation workers are necessary workers.

Mothers of children add infinitely to the wealth and well-being of the
world. Every girl or woman whose work it is to prepare food and make a
home is a necessary worker of honourable rank. The paid house worker is a
necessary worker and has this honourable rank.

Whether or not we are engaged in necessary work makes a great difference
to the steadiness of our employment. If we are doing necessary work, we
are much more certain of steady employment than we can be if our work is
connected with providing luxuries or other commodities which are not
essential to the maintenance of life.

About twice in every ten years, the world, or part of the world,
experiences what is known as a financial depression. Perhaps crops have
failed in many countries, or unwise people have been speculating madly,
or a great amount of money has been invested in utilities which will not
become productive for a number of years. Whatever the reason is, the world
passes through a time of business depression. Every worker, young and old,
should remember that these times of depression will recur. In good times
when we are earning good wages we must prepare for these bad times when
wages may be lower, or we may be out of work altogether and have no wages
for some months. If we are not primary producers, such as the people in
the classes named above, then it is wise for us to learn how to do some
necessary work so that when a business depression comes, if we lose our
usual employment, we may turn to this other vocation which we have learned.

Some girls earn wages by curling feathers. Now feathers are a lu