New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-20
THE NEW WOMAN.
EUROPEAN GOVERNMENTS ARE SCARED

EUROPEAN GOVERNMENTS ARE SCARED
Slowly but steadily the New Woman" is making
her way. In spite of the many predictions that her
very exaggerations would bring about her early dis
appearance from the scene. The has become
serious In the opinion Of several European Gov
ernments that they have taken fright. and have
decided to interfere In order to avoid lamentabe
a state Of affairs from going any further.
1t Is Belgium that has made the first attempt to
check the New Woman movement" In that small
but overpopulated country there are a great num-
Der of mines manufactures and other centres OF
industry where women are employed in greater
number than men, the consequence being that the
art OF houscwifery has been a steady decline for
years past; for the girls. after working all day as
hard as their fathers and brothers at their divers
callings, considered themselves upon returning
home at night quite as fully entitled to perfect rest
as did their male relatives and friends. and left the
cares OF the house to some worn-out old granny.
to young children or nursing mothers. Some
eight nine years ago NJ. de Bruyn. the Belgian
Minister OF Industry. undertook tour through the
mining and factory regions OF his country. and re-
turned from this sem-oficla trip much startled by
what he had Shocked also, In a certain meas
ure was the Minister finding the pretty daugh-
tiers OF the land standing on footing OF perfect
equality with the sterner sex and. It must be con-
fessed. sharing with the latter goodly number OF
its pet vices To those who have visited Belgium 1t
will be novelty hear that the morality OF that
country Is at a very low ebb. and that. moreover
II is quite accepted fact for women, and even
for very young girls. to visit the countless gnmills
and beerhouses which so generously adorn the
smallest village and hamlet. On the day of the
"Dukasse" the fete par excellence Of the good Bel
CLANS It is habitual for the women to get quite as
conscientiously drunk as their lords and masters,
and TO go home late in the night singing at the top
OF their voices and Keeling about the coal-stained
roads OF the North Country. holding on to each
others In imitation OF the 'gars (boys) de
Wallonie."
NJ de Bruyn formulated and submitted to the
King scheme for reforming education in matters
Of housewifery for he argued that IT was not only
the opportunity OF learning how to manage home,
but also the taste which needed by the work
ing girl The result was that within short time it
became compulsory in Belgium for girls TO be
taught at public schools (and that as separate
and distinct branch OF education the theory and
practice Of housewifery by persons specially trained
for the purpose the beginning the girls. and their
mothers also regarded the schools with something
much akin to suspicion. just il they suspected
the authorities Of wanting 10 obtain work from
them without remuneration Of any kind; and many
were the saucy lace-capped damsels who tossed
their heads disdainfuly and refused go in for the
bodmaking sweeping. sewing mending darnnG.
cooking washing and ironing which were com
prised in the various duties of the housewife
scholar: but this feeling has now completely van
ished and when at fourteen years of age the aver
age Belgian girl Of the people leaves school she is
well qualified TO become model housekeeper. the
talents which she has thus acquired standing by
no means in the light OF her working until her mar
rage in a factory. coalpit or a workshop OF any
kind.
short time ago. comparatively speaking, Aus
tra initiated the example set by Belgium. and sew
eral housewifery schools were created in the big
eest cities Of the Dual Empire. Nine. Otuie
Bondv the writer. placed herself at the head of
this movement and worked increasingly in the
cause At first she met with scant encouragement;
practical teaching costs money. and nobody seemed
Inclined to dsburse small or big sums in order 10