Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-03
SENSE
WITH
Written for The Star.

Written for The Star.
TITS the mans game, that's what it is!'
exclaimed a vivacious young spinster at a
recent state convention. He gets as ex-
cited over 1t as If It were his college foot
ball. And no wonder. for 1t is hundred
times more difficult because it's a hundred
times more subtle. don't want to play the
game myself-no woman suffrage for me.
thank YOU but love to look OF, just as
used to peep through the fence at the prac-
tice games Of foot ball when girls weren't
supposed to be part of the audience"
you were the only girl in family Of
boys, weren't your" asked her companion.
Yes. that's why I was spurred on to learn
the details Of the game. What was the use.
1 asked myself, of being left out of the only
conversation that really interested the boys,
just as II were brainless doll knew
girls who thought that they made a hit If
they put on a sweetly feminine pose and
showed their ignorance Of foot ball by ask
ing If so-and-so had made any splendid
slides to bases lately. But also knew what
fools the boys privately called those girls, so
studied up the game until could enjoy all
the fine points of good plays as much as the
boys did,
Have you studied up on politics for the
same reasons?" asked the friend.
Like Mother Eve.
"Yes partly because 1 have more than my
share OF Mother Ewes curiosity. and can't
bear to have the people around me talking
of things don't understand. and partly be-
cause it's such an important and interesting
subject in itself. Even the kindergarten
stages of the game, the caucuses and pri
maries, are interesting II one only makes
oneself intelligent about them. That
man should achieve the greatness OF a
nomination. or have 1t thrust upon him,
even though It is only for a minor office, al
ways stimulates my curiosity. Why was he
nominated? Because he is the tool OF the
boss Of the district? Or is he his own mas
ter? Is he so intelligent and so public
spirited that his nomination was demanded
by his fellow citizens, or he is really out
for the goods the slang phrase goes?
When you try to find answers to these ques-
lions you are sure to run across lot OF
dramatic situations and human interests
If you don't believe me try taking an inter-
est in the next primaries in your own dis
trict.'
'.Oh, I don't doubt that the dramatic pos
siblities are there" the other woman an
swered, but I can't keep track of the game.
1t makes me think of the old-fashioned
Kaleidoscope, where there was constant
shifting of the figures. Those little pieces
lions even while you were sure you were
holding the kaleidoscope steady in your
hand. When 1 think I've got the politics of
my district steady in my head l find that
I'm behind the times
Read the Papers.
Eternal vigilance is the price of knowl-
edge-that is, knowledge of the political sit
uation," replied the spinster. Neglect your
daily papers for a week and you'll
find that new names and new local issues
have sprung up like mushrooms. OF course,
Jor Of
ignorance is to ask ones husband or brother
or man friend to throw some light on the
obscure points. Most men not only keep up
their reading on political questions, but
they seem to have, in addition, an intuitive
understanding of politics, sort of sixth
sense, that we women lack"
ITS not only intuitive knowledge we
women lack interrupted her companion,
'it is interest real, live interest. When
do you ever hear women talking about
political affairs or discussing the merits of
candidates."
almost never" the spnster assented en-
phaticaly. But how to keep a Marcel
wave from getting straight or the advan-
tages of a corset that laces in front are
topics of burning interest compared with
the problem of how to get men who will
conscientously make our laws for US.
You will say that l am speaking only
of the frivolous-minded woman, but If you'll
notice you will find that the practical
Marthas get more excited over directions
for making an evening cloak out of an old
piano cover or a new combination Of cold
vegetables for a salad than over the moral
character and Intellectual ability of the men
their husbands are likely to vote for And
they are just the women whom you'd think
would take an interest in the passing of
laws to regulate child labor or in pure food
bills or in the better protection Of women
who work In factories.
"Oh, but do all care about those
things" began the friend protestingly.
Show Genuine Interest.
Perhaps; but the trouble is that care
in such an impractical, abstract way. We
don't realize that 1t is the men each dis
trict sends who make the laws. If every
wife and mother would feel as much genu-
inc interest in the election Of her states Of
ficials as she feels in the petty social hap
penings of her circle. her influence would
be felt by the men of her household. There's
a lot of truth in that hoary adage, The
hand that rocks the cradle rules the world
OF course, you scientific mothers don't rock
your babes nowadays, but the truth Of the
adage holds just the same.
There can't be much ruling of the world
of politics by such women as the one whom
met at a dinner party not long ago. Cleve-
lands name was mentioned and a sweet
young thing who must have been playing
with her dolls when he was in office asked
what his greatest stunt was
anyway? Before any of the men could
swer woman said. Why, he was the
President who gave us the two famous
"innocuous desuetude'' and gilt
tering generalties." This was in dead
earnest, mind you. I'm sure she hadn't
idea about the electoral count act of 'S7 or
the Boring sea arbitration episode
"She must have been the spiritual twin of
the woman 1 heard acknowledge that all
she knew of Bryan was that he was fond
of talking about sixteen to one! Yet hap
pen to that this woman spends hours
reveling in the mysticism of Hauptmann
and discussing the subtleties of Henry
James. Her husband doesn't care fig for
these distractions; he loves the game of
politics: she could be vastly more enter
tanning to him and to his circle If she would
use her wit and discernment in the study
of the real drama of history going on about
her. Moreover. she could exert a good deal
of influence, for she has strong PERSONAL
ity. It's waste of talent for her not to
know care about the politics of either her
city or state.
A Chance for Dress
"A waste of opportunity, too. I should
say" remarked the other woman. ''She
must have a better chance than most Of us
to hear the fascinating little bits of inside
history-the personalities, the scandalous,
humorous and pathetic stories that make