New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-04-02
LONDON SOCIETY.
Drascing Room Lectures-The SNf-
frage Campaign.


r.n,e,ns has little faith in the intellectual ten
s.,.,es Of society He condemns with fine irony
sto eforts Of the Duchess of Sutherland and
49, bostesses 10 revive the literary salon OF
- V7,ig period and to convert fashionable
o-.,,nq- rooms into improvement associations.
lecturers MY be as clever as they like but IN
.he Judgment OF that veteran moralist they can
Ever succeed IN emptying bathrooms and In
.s-r,ntiDg bridge play. The reasons assigned
Cor the inevitable failure Of the literary reform
o,s are two-lack OF royal patronage ana lack
- ,nterest in belles-lettres among smart wOm-
An Neither the King nor the Prince OF wales
"a an intellectual faddist, and without their
leadership no movement Of the reform OF
vondon drawing rooms can be successful Each
,u an industrious. careful worker, with Keen
sense Of responsibility for public acts, but both
.o,s,der themselves entitled to relaxation and
-.creation after working time. The King requires
an atmosphere OF gayety and vivacity, and
n easily bored by affectations of culture and lit
crsrv pretensions. He is not likely to consider
-brosophv and intellectual hygiene amusing,
and Is he sets the style for smart society there
VII not be many recruits for the blue stocking
brigade Jenkins has even discovered that the
ladies have gone late and have rustled out OF
C-laridge's long before the rhapsodies on Plato
mere ended. and that their time while they were
sbere was mainly occupied with taking notes on
hats This may be a Vagary of cynicisTn, but
Il IS doubtful If drawing room audiences are
deeply interested IN lectures or take serious
view Of testhetic culture.
These literary entertainments are more serious
than the causerie Of Mile. de Nys at Lady sas-
soon's. where French poetry. dramatic or senti-
mental. is recited with charm and grace. There
are courses OF lectures on philosophy, art or lit
eratire al a dozen or more well known houses
during Lent, and some of these are to be either
enlarged or repeated in May at afternoon lat
homes" Mr.. William Giliett is not credited with
having initiated the movement in the familiar
discourses and demonstrations on the subject OK
radium Professor Emil Reich possibly supplied
she inspiration for It by his Germanized render
ings Of Plato which have interested fashlonaole
audiences, or the motive power may have CONS
from Father Vaughan's explosive attacks on the
sins and follies of society. Whether fascinated
nv the beauties OF Greek philosophy or scouFged
nv the fiery tongue Of the jealous priest, some
of the leading hostesses have decided TO offer
practical proof that society is not so idle and
,bouehtless as il is made out 10 be, and that II
Is beDt upon improving its mind as well as dis
ylaying its new clothes IN the best known draw
ing rooms How much support they can COM
lnand will be known when the season comes on
sor Measurable excitement. and a hundred en-
pagements a week It is not likely. however
that the weekly society journals viii suspend
their notes on bridge. or that the familiar col
umn OF fashionable intelligence will become
medley OF platonics and aesthetics.
There is also the suffrage question. and many
women OF wealth and social position are TAX
,ng an active interest in il and displaying con-
siderable talent for organizing and directing an
aggressive movement. The leaders having de-
fed the police and gone to prison for the sake
~ advertising the suffrage cause, have prohted
hv the experience OF the labor unions and or
,snized demonstrations on a large scale. The
wisdom and expediency OF the fresh attack this
week on the houses OF Parliament may be ques-
toned. but skin and practical ability were
shown !n enlisting the support Of working wom-
en- in many northern towns and in converting II
into a representative march Of English ana
Scottish women Large contingents. with traV-
cling expenses paid by local supporters, came
up 10 London for a combined movement, ana
with viscountess to lead them they made
series OF raids with elaboration and precon-
oerted effort A mistake in judgment was the
employment of several girls in their teens as
law breakers in a street campaign against the
police. and the magistrate was fully justified in
expressing his indignation over their presence
IN the dock Otherwise It was well organized
demonstration. and when seventy-ave women
were arrested its object was accomplished
Whether the leaders viii persist in repeating
these organized attempts to force their way into
Parliament. IL sentences are doubled or trebled
FOR chronic offenders. is an open question.
Whether they are aiding the suffrage cause by
these disorderly scenes and acts of violence IS
more doubtful II may not be the best method
Of removing the prejudice Of men and the
apathy OF women the two main obstacles to the
political acknowledgment Of their sex, but Il is
az least proof Of earnestness and conviction.
I y. F.