The San Francisco call., 1904-04-27
WOMEN SPRING
CLEVER DEBATE
Members of the California
Club Participate in Dis
cussiOn of EXtravagances
TOKEN FOR PRESIDENT
Ladies Decide That the
Men Are Real Culprits
in Matters of LavishnesS
BY Laura Bride Powers.

From the loads of women, gayly
ed the elevator yesterday afternoon in
the Y. NJ. c. A. building there was as
suredly something doing in the Cali
fornia Club. for the ladies all said
Third, please" And there was! When
the lift had left off lifting the club
rooms were filled to overfiowing.
When the gracious president, Mrs.
/ George Law Smith, called the meeting
/ to order and the prosaic minutes had
; been read, a craning of necks told of
foreshadowed event not down on
! the cards, for all the world knew
there was to be a debate, and a live
one. on the national issue: Resolved
! that women are largely responsible
/ for the extravaganza of our modern
/ life" Oh, how unctuously the mar
ried men would have smiled at the ac-
cuSationi
The expected happened when Mrs.
! Louis Hayward issued from the ranks,
! bearing in her arms an exquisite crys-
J tai and silver vase, and with charming
/ phrasing and sincerity of manner pre-
sented the ornament to the retiring
president on behalf of the club mem
bers. Now, there are various kinds of
surprises, and various degrees. But
this was distinctively the real thing.
and when the applause had died away
after few words of appreciation and
compliments to the club and to the
board of directors, and more was
asked of her, she replied, with the
prettiest flush, Ladies, L fain would
say more, but my lips refuse"
THE DEBATE.
Then on came the debate, with DR..
Dorothea Moore. DR.. Minora Kibbe,
Miss Kate Atkinson and Mrs. Maddern
on the Affirmative side. and Mrs.
George D. Bates, Mrs. Louisa Battles
Cooper, Mrs. George Crawford and
Mrs. Rodney Kendrick lined up for the
negative, with Mrs. J. w. Orr, one of
the aspirants for presidential honors,
holding the watch. Six minutes were
given to each speaker, with more time
permitted by the courtesy of the club
These precious six minutes were later
augmented by three-minute summa-
ries of their own sides and "knockeries"
of the opposition.
I Now the latter inning was where the
fun began. The first arguments were
forceful, staid, historical and more or
less logical. But the last phase, the
home run, will live for many a day in
( the chitchat of clubdom.
For the benefit of the men, who nat
urally figured largely and more or less
complimentary in the argumentative
/ battle, and the women who weren't
J present, herewith are a few-only a
( few excerpts-from the discussion.
Mrs. Kendrick: rs it extravagant
for wealthy women to wear rare jew
els? Why. jewels are like fiowers-of
divine birth. Then, why not enjoy their
beauty? They're God-given." Take
away the wants of the people, and you
take away their ideals" was made
much of by Mrs. Kendrick in defense
of the desire of women to wear good
/ clothes and live in good houses; that a
Millionaire is amply justified in build
ing a $10,0O0,00O house if his taste leads
him to it, for it provides work to hun
dreds and is industrially propitious.
! Nay" says DR.. Dorothea Moore, who
is skilled in statistics and sociology,
mo man has the moral or social right
to put s10,O0O,000 into house for him
self and family. 1t is opposed socio-
logically to the best interests of the
country" and before resting her case
( DR.. Moore laid down some pretty stub
born facts for the clubs inspection.
A PRETTY LOGICIAN.
But when pretty Mrs. Bates got upon
that platform with her rattling sallies
at the aforesaid logic, well, now, logic
did begin to look a bit weak in the
knees. Why" said the speaker. 'it's
the men who are at the bottom of this
extravaganza they're talking about
! No husband wants his wife to go out
with him looking like a poor relation
And as for the paint and powder the
alternatives refer to, why, If a little
art makes one look prettier and
healthier, why, put it on-and so with
good clothes. These things make us
generous and kind in our attitudes
toward the world and help to keep our
husbands-who cheerfully pay for them
at their own firesides."