The Washington herald., 1907-08-28
FROM WOMANS
POINT OF VIEW

II the wave Of crime sweeping over the
country serves 10 make mothers and girls
more careful, the horror Of the thing
will be bearabIe. There is no denying
an amazing indifference to danger on
the part Of women, lack of ordinary
caution, that permits a promiscuous ac-
quaintanceship without the ceremony OF
an Introduction. that accepts love-making
without the safeguard OF an honorable
proposal Of marriage and intrusts the
future TO fards when are not known to
be reliable or even unshackied.
So much foI women who are supposed
70 have arrived at an age Of discretion.
Then there are youthful daughters and
little girls who have mere apology for
maternal care. daughters who are per-
mitted TO go where they please. when they
please, and with whom they please. and
who can be found on the streets late at
night exchanging familiarities with rough
hammered men OF their own age and
much older. and found on late trains and
boats engaged In public love making.
The opportunities for crimes against our
sex are unlimited, and the only wonder
is that the number OF horrors is not much
larger.
Some women have 10 be out at night
unprotected. and they must take their
chances CT safety. There are women who
work evenings. and they must so home
when the labor Of the day is finished But
that class is small and does not account
for more than a fractional part Of the
throng Of women 70 be met each night.
believe IN curfeW. / know many small
cities and towns where respectable women
are not found on the streets after o'clock
az night without an escort Of some kind.
The other kind is liable to arrest al any
time. II is surprising what custom will
do toward reforming a place. In those
districts where curfew obtains men do
escort duty as a matter. Of course, and
the chances Of trouble are greatly d.
minished.
That a young girl spends weary hours
behind a counter, IN an Office or factory
is no good excuse for passing the even
ing on the public streets or being allowed
to frequent places Of amusement without
proper escort. The members OF a girls
family are her proper guardians. and out
side Of the circle the line should be care
fully drawn TO exclude dangerous per-
sons When intrusted to the care Of out
siders. girls should be obliged TO observe
time limits set by their parents. There
are too many latehkeys used after father
and mother have gone to sleep to make
feminine safety ordinarily secure. and as
long as such a state Of affairs exists we
may expect crimes OF the kind that Is
erestiug mob violence.
Small gisls can disappear for hours
without causing uneasiness in the fami-
lies TO which they belong. Is that a nice
state Of affairs? If dogs can be taught 10
avoid strangers and refuse food from any
but the hands which feed them each
day why cannot children be similarly
trained? If boys and girls are to be less
carefully taught than animals, how can
we expect TO avoid disaster? Little girls
belong at home under the watchful ma
ternal eye, and when they are sent away
for even a brief five minutes mothers
should be so sure Of their destination and
the road TO il as 10 make a search much
easier than It usually is. BOYS generally
receive better care and need less, for
boys are surrounded with fewer tempta-
tons. 1t Is rare 70 hear a child say. as
one did the other day. II can't leave this
piazza till my mamma returns, because
she told NE TO stay right here" Obedi-
ence is an almost obsolete word.
BETTY BRADEEN.