AMERICAN WOMEN HAVE MADE A LARGE AND GROWING CONTRIBUTION TO FAMILY INCOME PROGRESS SINCE 1940. THE NUMBER OF WOMEN IN THE WORKING FORCE HAS DOUBLED. THIS INCREASE REFLECTS THE DRAMATIC CHANGE IN WOMEN'S WORK-LIFE PATTERNS. THERE HAS BEEN A MARKED INCREASE IN THE EMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN OVER 35. THE WOMAN MOST LIKELY TO BE A WAGE EARNER IN 1967 WAS 45-54 YEARS OLD, AND OF THOSE IN THAT AGE GROUP WITH 5 YEARS OR MORE HIGHER EDUCATION, OVER 80 PERCENT WERE IN THE WORK FORCE. THIS MAJORITY OF MATURE WORKING WOMEN REFLECTS THE NEW REALITIES IN WOMEN'S LIVES. WOMEN MARRY YOUNGER, HALF BY 21 YEARS OF AGE, AND THEY BEAR CHILDREN YOUNGER. HALF HAVE THEIR LAST CHILD BY THE TIME THEY ARE 30. LIGHTENED HOUSEHOLD TASKS HAVE PROVIDED MORE TIME. EXPANDED EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES HAVE CONTRIBUTED NEW SKILLS AND INTERESTS. THE RAPIDLY EXPANDING ECONOMY HAS PROVIDED THE JOBS, AND WOMEN HAVE SOUGHT THEM BECAUSE THEY NEEDED THE MONEY. IN 1966, 16 MILLION WIVES WERE IN THE LABOR FORCE. OF ALL HUSBAND-WIFE FAMILIES WITH WORKING WIVES, ONLY 6 PERCENT LIVED IN POVERTY, 28 PERCENT WERE IN THE $3,000-$7,000 INCOME BRACKET, AND 56 PERCENT HAD INCOMES OF $7,000-$15,000. WIVES' WAGES BOOSTED THE FAMILY INCOME LEVEL ALTHOUGH ONLY A SMALL PROPORTION WERE HIGH. IN 1965, 4.5 PERCENT OF THE WIVES EARNED $7,000 A YEAR OR MORE, A 76 PERCENT INCREASE OVER 1964. WOMEN'S WAGE AND SALARY EARNINGS IN 1966 WERE ESTIMATED TO BE $90 BILLION, WHICH IS ABOUT 23 PERCENT OF THE NATION'S TOTAL. THE INCREASING DEMAND FOR TECHNICAL AND PROFESSIONAL PERSONNEL WILL PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR WELL-TRAINED WOMEN IN HIGHER LEVEL AND BETTER PAYING JOBS. NEW LEGISLATION WHICH IS COUNTERACTING DISADVANTAGE WILL ADD TO WOMEN'S RELATIVE WORK-ROLE POSITION. THIS SPEECH WAS GIVEN BEFORE THE D-A-Y WORKSHOP ON THE HOMEMAKER WHO EARNS, NEW YORK CITY, JANUARY 31, 1967. (FP)