Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1908-02-14
WOMEN'S COLUMN.
Her Valentine.

IF
That i don't never get. 1t hurts NE
An chokes me up just like I'd Ell too
An they're all lace an verses about
Dear,
An COLBY hearts, an angel kids, an
lust eiergant! seems-like ia almost die
OF mad when that old postman hurries by.
| s'pose their mothers send 'em, or .nelr
That's why not folks that ain
Sometimes / bIieve if Heaven warn't so far
I'd just light out will when am
grown.
Bout an old paper card. on, Huliy
I've found a nickel, Amt that lucky? Say.
Ill buy one for myself You just watch
feel all kind of wobby Ah-h-n,
say Name, dye want to see my valentine!
$50 Llppineot''s,
Finnish Lawmakers
Miss Marie MEIER, a young Finnish
woman, who is staying with friends at
No. 202 West 102nd street. is a per-
sonal friend of Miss Hilda kakkikoski.
one of the eighteen women members of
the Finnish Parliament. aud is well ac-
quainted with the work of the women
in Parliament.
Everybody seems to think they have
done well during their first year." said
she There is no general complaint or
criticism of them. OF course some peo-
pie don't like the prohibition law which
is credited TO them, but the best ee-
ment of the population approves of it,
1t is only a step further than Sweden
went a few years ago with her law for
81 fl,Nl
The other laws which are credited to the
women are the old age pension law and
the new educational law.
"By the new school law elementary
education is made compulsory, high
schools are made free. and clothes and
food are furnished to all public school
pupils in need of them. Formerly q spe-
cial petition had to be addressed to the
Gar before any woman could be licensed
to teach. That is now done away with
and men and women receive the same
salaries for the same grades. This law
does not yet suit the women and they
wish to amend it by removing conlpul-
sorry religious instruction from the
schools.
The old age pension law provides for
pensions for all destitute working men
and women over sixty, their eligibility
to be decided by the authorities of the
communities in winch they live.
The women members have still three
years in office. Among the laws which
they will try to pass before they go out
of Office is one making both marriage
and divorce easier, and another com
pelling fathers to support their illegiti-
mate children.
There is a very interesting provision
by which women who have done any
useful public work may be sent to for
eign countries for three months to study
social, economic or political conditions at
the governments expense. They ale
selected by government committee
whose business it is, and on their re-
turn they must present a report on their
observations. In the last few years sew
eral hundred women have made such
visits Next summer Miss Alexandra
Grippenberg and Miss Kakkikoski, both
members of Parliament, will come to the
United States to study American insti-
tutions.
Nobody finds anything strange in the
fact of women being members of Parla-
ment, any more than they do women in
the Red Guard. The Red Guard? That
is the voluntary militia of Finland, which
drills regularly under officers of the
army in order to be able to defend Fin
land should the need arise. There are
many thousands of young women in
this militia, and one often sees them
drilling in the parks and public squares
in their gymnasium suits. No one thinks
anything Of it because both girl militia
men and women in Parliament have
evolved naturally out of our racial con-
ditions. The Finnish women have al
ways been the keeneSt sportSwomen in
Europe. They hunt, they are good shots,
they are accomplished in skating and
snowshoeing, all hardy athletic sports
which develop health and physique. For
many years the women have had just
+fo
are as many girls as boys in all the low
er schools, and nearly as many in the
universities. Every high school pupil
studies three foreign nguages-Swedish,
French and German-and many persons
speak English also. Russian is not
taught in the schools. The Finnish peo-
pie are very fond of their schools. On
all the better school buildings, both
outside and inside, scenes from child life
or animal life are beautifully depicted
in mosaic or fresco.
Il think the characteristics of Finnish
women are progressiveness and courage.
They are ready to drop an old idea, con
Yention or custom any time they find
better one; and they have the courage
to carry their convictions into action.
1hey are very calm, cool, seIt-pos-
sessed type of woman, never nervous or
excitable.
American women? Well, as | have
met them, casually, they seem to me
pretty, intelligent. well dressed, pleasant
and agreeable; but they seem interested
only in the aesthetic side of life, and |
cannot imagine why any one should call
them advanced in Finland-rather old
fashioned in their ideas than otherwise.
Finnish women are exceedingly democra-
TIC. Caste feeling is rare, and women Of
all classes work shoulder to shoulder for
causes in which thew are interested.
For instance, Miss Grippenberg, member
Of Parliament, is a hereditary baroness,
although titles are no longer used II
recognized in Finland; and she has
among her colleagues in Parliament a
factory girl, dressmaker and the wives
OF farmer, a carpenter and a house
painter New York Tribune.
~o+:.o~
Flowers for Nothing.
One can have a good show of flowers
on the window sill all through March
at no expense if one viii cut twigs OF
noWering trees and shrubs in February