The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1902-01-31

full reports from the newly appointed
women officials. Public sentiment in
the empire favors the new system, and
the report shows its excellent work
ings. The writer in Frauen Daheim
says that after America, England and
France had approved and generally
adopted the scheme Of women factory
inspectors ut length in 1897 Saxe-Wei-
mar cautiously vcntured TO make the
experiment. Other states followed.
The last one Of all to appoint the wo-
man inspector was, mark you. that
stronghold of militarism and imperial
ism. Prussia.
The studious, careful German mind
paid Il degree Of attention to the quail
fications for their Office of the women
inspectors which may well be com
mended to Americans. The fine lady
from society who goes mincing into
work places with patroniZing air, hold
ing up her skirts daintily and sticking
out her little finger, concerning the
needs and labors of factory women
knowing or caring as little as Il bird
does about Sunday-this fine ladyish
person has place on none of the Ger
man lists. Heretofore in Prussia the
two women assistant inspectors were
both actively employed in factory
work in the capacity of department
overseers or superintendent In Wurt-
temberg the post was given to the wild
ow of former factory owner, while
in Hesse practicing woman physician
was made inspectress. In Baden one
of the most learned ladies ii all Ger
many, Elizabeth Won Richthofen, doc
tor of philosophy, who passed her Hei.
delberg university examinations sum
ma cum laude-with highest honors-
has accepted the office of factory in
specress. One admirable requirement
for all the women is that they shall
have sound health and be able to en-
dure perfectly the fatigues of travel
and extremes of heat and cold.
Elizabeth Won Richthofen was born
at Metz twenty-seyen years ago. When
she was eighteen, she passed her eX-
aminatiOns and became teacher, first
in Metz, later in Heidelberg. 1t was in
the classic old university town in 1897
that she resolved TO study for a univer-
sity degree She was educated partly
in Berlin, partly in Heidelberg. In the
summer of 1901 she passed her final
examinations magnifcently before the
faculty OF philosophy at Heidelberg,
winning the most ilustrious honors in
political economy.
Such is the woman who in Germany
does not esteem it beneath her to ac-
cept place under the government as
inspector of factories where women
are employed. The precedent might
well be followed by American women
university graduates as well as by
those who have the appointing of fac
tory inspectors. Oddly enough. howev-
er. this very fact of her brilliant quail
ficatiOns for her Office at first created a
against DR. Won Richthofen
in the dumb and stupid minds Of many
women artisans Ignorance and stu
picion This prejudice, however. the
accomplished DR. Won Richthofen is
rapidly overcoming.
In Germany, as elsewhere. the worst
obstacles to righting the wrongs of wo-
men are the Indifference and more or
less sullen resignation of the women
themselves. German female factory
operatives know their wrongs. but they
are used to them, and they are often
too ignorant to comprehend that any
human being can really cherish a dis
interested desire to see justice done
them. ALEXANDRA CosMo.