A Councilman's Attempt at Control
A local Everett union official tries to insert 'obey' into the oath of office for his colleagues.
Vice President Olinger, of the Trades Council, isn't the only married man who keenly remembers the omission in the marriage vow of the one little word 'obey.' There's a good story of how he tried to remedy that fatal omission and almost got away with it. Mrs. Olinger was one of two ladies who were obligated in the council Friday night as delegates from the Label league. Mr. Olinger administered the obligation and after the usual vows had been repeated by the ladies, he instructed them to repeat after him the balance of the obligation. It wasn't in the ritual, but it went something like this: 'You hereby solemnly promise and swear that your husband's will shall reign supreme in your home.' Not sensing for a moment what was being 'put over on them,' the ladies started repeating the words, but were brought to by the broad grin which the president failed to keep out of his countenance. President Olinger is regretting that he didn't wear a mask and another hubby is accusing him of being a quitter.
“You hereby solemnly promise and swear that your husband's will shall reign supreme in your home.”
This piece of social gossip highlights the casual misogyny and power dynamics expected in public life in 1911. It serves as a stark reminder of the cultural hurdles women faced when entering organizational spaces like the Trades Council.
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