Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-11

DUCHESS NOW
A SOCIALIST
coNsuELo VANDERBILT TOYS
WITH POLITICS
EUROPEAN SOCIETY REsENTs
woMAN's ATTEMPT
Beautiful and Wealthy Young Ameri-
can Tells Why She Refuses to
Longer Aid Suffering
Poor

Poor
LONDON, March 10.--The duchess of
Marlborough, who was Consuelo VAN
derbilt, young, beautiful. talented and
wealthy, with hitherto unquestioned
prestige in American and English soci-
iety, has been made the subject of nu-
merous and severe criticisms among
her former friends and followers, and If
present gossip is correct is fast losing
her popularity.
The duchess rumored decline from
the zenith of social distinction, as a
French critique has said, is inevitable,
for the duchess has donned the wings
of knowledge and tapped her way into
the intellectual cloudlands of economic
ethics. Right or wrong, European So
ciety folk not infrequently resent the
feminine attempt to toy with politics.
And the duchess present pursuit is So
cialism.
Just why society should object to her
interest In this millennial propaganda is
not known, but 1t is evident that many
of Consuelos former frlends-including
not a few of those who once fawned
profusely at her feet and sychophantic-
ally struggled for her favors-now are
renouncing her, though secretly, and
still others are wondering what 1t is
she sees in this so-called visionary So
luton of the Gordon knot of industrial
and economic entanglements to so ar
IDENTIFY inspire and monopolize her at
tention.
NegIects Former Pastimes
The latest report concerning the
duchess pursuit of socialism Is to the
effect that she has become so interested
as almost to neglect her former pas
times; In degree alternating herself
from the social festivities and even
from important functions which were
once admittedly enhanced by her pres
cnce.
In truth, Consuelo is making no reply
to these criticisms and rumors. but
seems steadily to be forging her way
into the realms of the social savants."
She finds the work interesting, for she
believes the theories she has recently
embraced offer the only solution for the
wage Garner and so-called downtrodden
millions, whose lot in Europe presents
a much more serious problem than in
America.
Consuelo has long been identified with
eleemosynary work, and in New York
at one time. II is said earned for her
self the title of the angel of the
sluns," on account of her distribution
of aims and of her other material
families neglected by organized charit--
able institutions From her practical
work of giving financial aid to the
needy. Consuelo some time ago turned
to seek solution to the problem.
Consuelo it is said, even before her
marriage to the duke of Marlborough.
once shocked a fashionable admirer by
saying:
I'm tired of giving money to the
needv II doesn't nav"
What do you mean?" her admirer
asked, looking at her in wonderment.
Looks for Giant
II mean" she replied, that 1t is the
old story of the man who stood by
river and for many hours continued to
pull out people who were drowning.
He toiled to save them until he was al
most tottering from weakness; then ne
wiped his brow and began to wonder
who ii was throwing so many people
into the river to die. He Immediately
walked up the river and found giant
hitting people with a club and throwing
them into the water. The man then
killed the giant, and the trouble ended.
| am gong to stop dispensing charity
and look for the giant
To a friend in London, as gossip now
goes, the duchess recently remarked
that she had found the giant but that
she was now investigating a way to get
rid of him, so that poverty would cease.
"He is a big giant she said, with
limbs reaching into all countries, and
TO slay him will be problem. 1t Will
REQUIRE the organization of all his ene-
mics, the strength of all the survivors
OF his club, and l believe socialism Of
fers that strength.
Rumor has ii that the duchess is about
to ioin the powerful Social Democratic
no ho haofr daVOfa6lV in
vestieating the awful conditions that
prevail in the east end of London. ana
as a result has taken up thorough
course in socialism.
Advocates Shocking Measures
In her desire to ameliorate the suf-
fering and poverty in the east END,
which Consuelo declares represent an
extreme to be expected in the United
states as near pending result of the
concentration of wealth and the pres
ent competitive system there. she has
advocated manv shocking measures
that is, measures shocking to the staid
English folk not accustomed to the
fervent, reasoning of q Yankee mind.
Among these measures. II is said, are
some primarily and fundamentally So
cialistjc to the extent of asserting that
the laboring classes are the equal OF
their employers; that the producers
should share the profits of that wnicn
is produced, and other ideas which are
generally considered absurd and I'M
practical by Consuelo's critics.
BE that as it may, the duchess has
onenly advocated theories that English
society believes would subvert 1T, and
which, if applied by the common peo-
ple. would scatter the great accumuia-
tions of wealth now centered in indlVid-
uals and corporations.
"This wealth." Consuelo fearlessly re-
marked in a London drawing room a
few days ago, lis the life blood or the
nation, and when the blood is clogged
in any one artery the whole system
must suffer. Concentration of wealth
is a financial clogging, therefore ma
tional disease"
"Upper Ten" Smiles
This is but one of the many peculiar
ltterances ventured by the duchess.
ana Is surprising because 1t so vitally
affects the caste, or corporate class, In
which the duchess Lives, moves and
has her being"
The "upper ten" in London merely
smile at the duchess so-called discon-
tent with the existing order of things,
and point with finger of warning at
the once popular and lovely countess
of warwick, formerly looked upon as
the ouintessence of pride and autocratic
Tendencies, who now has virtually os-
tracised herself--a political pariah'-
becauseo her foolish interest In things
commonplace.
n is no secret that the countess OF
warwick, in defiance of the conve-
nances attends workingmens meet