The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-08-02

after and interviews with Mrs. Kauff-
Nothing is more striking than the hold
feminism-that is to say. the doctrine
of equality of the seXes-has upon the
French public. 1t is hardly possible
to take up popular novel without
seeing some reference to it. The ad-
vanced group of women who claim the
vote have followed. step by step, their
prototype in London. When the Brit
ish women processionized and Grated,
the French suffragettes procession
lied and GRATED too; when demon
stration took place in the house of
commons, above the very head of the
speaker, the free and independent
feminists of Paris threw down hand
bills like gauntlet on the floor of
the chamber. The head and front OF
this offending-no more typical of this
volatile people than, say, the Salvation
Army-is Nine. Kaufman. have
been privileged to hold long CONVEX
sation with her. She is advanced in
life; her open and expressive counten-
ance is crowned with white hairs. Her
conversation is voluble, with a curl
Gus little laugh that punctuates each
sentence.
Down with prettiness, useless
prettiness," may be said to be the gos-
pei of Nine. Kaufman. Woman is
too much a toy, alas! sometimes a
mere instrument of pleasure. She is
content to be GENTLE" and pretty,
like graceful ornament in SaXony
porcelain, instead of being ambitious.
Il have been much struck" she said,
during these days of the great strike
with the enthusiasm for socialist
ideals displayed by young men of
eighteen or nineteen belonging to the
working classes. That is what l want
in my own sex. wish them to be-
come enthusiastic in social matters.
1t is a great relief from ones private
sorrows. That has been my expert
ence. l was unhappily married. Like
every provincial girl in France, l was
taught the necessity of sacrificing my
self for my husband and my children
| found nothing to alleviate my suf-
ferings until l became interested in
the social condition of others.
Man should take woman for his
comrade, for his associate-that is the
ideal condition. In the same way that
he makes friends with young men of
his own age, having similarity of
ideas, he should seek the friendship
of young women. l know a case in
which it was done, with the happiest
results. The young man has married
his girl conlrade and he has made the
best OF husbands. The co-education
of the sexes is what l firmly believe
in
Nine. Kaufman has many original
ideas on these matters. She thinks
the marriage laws need reforming, so
as to place the man and woman on
terms of perfect equality. She is for
the material, moral and physical de-
velopment of woman. She considers
that the existing theory that man
should support his wife is degrading
to the latter. "No," she says, leach
should contribute his or her part to
tine common labor" In this she is
but the mouthpiece of the socialist
party, who claim that wife has a
right, which should be legally recog-
nized, to be paid for homework, out
of the wages of her husband.
AS this pioneer in the army of
feminism warmed to her subject, she
asked my opinion of the women's
demonstration in the chamber. When
deprecated it from the point of view
Of the dignity of the cause. she re-
piled that it was necessary in order
to call popular attention to the just
claims of the sex. Consider" she
said. eve have no mouthpiece among
the deputies"
"But the socialists?"
"Ah! the socialists. When their
principles remained in the theoretical
stage, before they had entered upon
active political life, they were favor
able to our demands. which we're in
scribed on their programme. Now
they have no need of US, because we
have not the vote"
At this point in the conversation ar
rived, Mile. Pelletier, doctor of
medicine. who has conquered the right
to compete for staff appointment in
an asylum. She is one of the COM
bative feminists, and with her square
and ccrsetless figure and shortcut
hair is sufficiently emancipated from
feminine weaknesses to satisfy the
very elect.
Referring to pure feminism, Nine.
Kaufman demanded absolute equality
of opportunity for her sex. Let a
woman be street-sweeper or president
of the republic, if she has the ability
| for it.
President of the Republic?" ]
| queried, little taken aback.
Yes, certainly. Did you not have
Queen Victoria, and was she not a
good Queen?"
"And Queen Elizabeth" said DR.
Pelletier. by the way, did she dom.
mate her admirers, or was she in.
fiuenced by them?"
"She may be said to have dominated
them" replied, remembering the
fate of Essex and of Raleigh.
"Ah! SO much the BETTER" returned