The Washington herald., 1908-03-25
FROM WOMAN'S
POINT OF VIEW

Exactly twenty-five passengers sat in a
railroad car. on recent afternoon and
saw an employe take down two lighted
lamps, which had TO be tilted TO escape
the porcelain shades. and fll them. one
after the other. without lowering the
flame II must be confessed that It was
hcTrihed crowd which watched the
lamps perched on the narrow top of a set
OF steps, the caps unscrewed. and a huge
oil can tipped close 10 the flame, till eX-
periehce warned him that the reservoirs
were fun. AS a finish. he rested the
amount with lead pencil. tipped tire
lamps up again TO place them In position,
and wiped away the surplus oil after
ward, regardless OF the proximity of the
wen-dressed passengers.
Ii has always been supposed that only
women took liberties with Kerosene oil
and fire, at least the accidents are usual
ly caused by them. and I do not remem-
Der single instance where man figured
as a victim. Accidents OF this kind en-
danger the property OF others, but rarely
their lives; but here was a man who de-
liberately placed a major portion Of the
twenty-five, if not the whole number. in
a position OF danger wholly inexcusable.
II was a little more work 10 extinguish
those lamps and light others, and if the
man was not overwOrked II could have
been done before the train was scheduled
TO start. The blame belongs somewhere.
at all events. and II the incident Is not
reported il viii be because none Of the
passengers like such thankless, disagree
able work.
I presume that the policy OF railway
systems is 20 make as much money as
possible. and / fancy that few would find
fault with It il ordinary precautions for
health and comfort We're observed. Cars
are very much overheated on mild DAYS
and never ventilated. They are not even
decently aired between trips on the sub
urban lines. and the public must accept
them as they are. / have been in parlor
cars where the system was faultless.
thermometers regulating the heat and
patent ventilators keeping the air pure
and wholesome. But the great public
does not patronize parlor ears. and they
are no part OF short lines
The health board is great power for
good. but its scope should be enlarged.
1t should insist on an observance OF the
simple rules OF health in public convey
ances. know it would not have to fight
very hard for results. because no task
seems quite SO hopeless as the one un-
dertaken 10 stop expectorati0n IN public
places. yet Is was accomplished in a COM
partiyely short time. The fetid atmos-
phere Of trolleys and railway ears has
been the means OF materially cutting
down the pauonage-me and women
took up walking IN seIf-defense. and got
10 like IL so much that they would not
return 20 tho old method Of transporta-
tion, even If conditions were improved
II carelessness could be eliminated, ex-
lstence would not be as hard as many
find it, a working girl who had as good
situation as the members Of her class
could possibly find. voiced that in dec
laration she made 10 a new employer who
asked her reason for being out Of work
we do not always know when we are
well or. was her reply. she certainly
did not for she threw away her chance
for such a little piece of carelessness as
continual neglect OF the table knives. The
necessary few minutes needed for the
knife securing were worth more than two
weeks wages, and the strain of settling in
new family. where the work waS much
harder She is not a solitary example OF a
reckless disregard for consequences-there
are many OF both sexes TO bear company.
Workers are necessary In all depart
ments OF life, and il they were all poor
or all good. there would be little 10
choose between them. But good workers
are reasonably sure Of honorable places.
while poor ones are retained only through
necessity IL is with real regret that any
employer parts with capable, faithful
helper. BETTY BKADEEN