The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-10-11
AMERICAN WOMEN
PROVE A DANGER
Social Conditions in America
Are Warping Her Char
aCter.
SHE LIVES IN IDLENESS.
DIR. ANDREW MACPHAlL OF MON.
TREAL DEALS WITH CONDI-
TIoNs AS HE SEES THEM IN
THIS COUNTRY TODAY.

THIS COUNTRY TO-DAY.
London, Oct. 1O.-The Spectator pub
fishes a remarkable article by DIR. An
drew MacPhail, of Montreal, on the
American woman. Though both DIR.
MacPhail and the editor of The Spec
tator both disclaim any intention OF
giving publicity to general attack on
the women Of America, the article
would have been neither
written nor printed If it had not been
Tor the recent discussion regarding
New York society.
DR.. MacPhail. who writes wildly
and suggestively, recognizes the sound
ness of the American woman as rule,
and suggests that "the American wom-
an" of his indictment is found through
out the modern world In England, Can
ada, and France, as we'll as in the
United States, only she is more visible
in America because she Is more abu-
lated and more advertised there.
she is." adds The Spectator, in an
editorial, "a special danger to America,
and chat Is why we, who yield to none
IN our sympathy with and admiration
for the people of the union, shall be
Glad II We can do anything to call at
tsntion to the very great danger to the
larger half Of our race.
Tho old-fashioned American novel
ist,s says MasPhail, "who was pressed
for an explanation of the waywardness
of his heroine, found it in the fact that
she was born of French mother. The
novelist Of today finds another explain.
aitno, not of the virtues-for novelists
no longer and the virtuous women in
teresting-b of the caprice of his her
oine In the fact that she is an Ameri-
can woman. A life of luxurious idle
ness alone appeals to the American
woman Of fiction. For reasons largely
beyond her control the primitive func-
tons OF woman, such as preparing
food, clothing. etc, have become less
incumbent upon her. With one excep-
ton that of maternity, they have been
usurped by the male or placed in the
hands Of hirelings. Every advance in
industrial development continually
makes for the destruction of the fam
lily. The country has grown rich. but
the family is destroyed. There is
money and idleness for the women OF
tho well.to-do: idleness alone for the
women OF the poor. For the daughters
OF the poor there is the refuge OF the
factory; for the daughters of the rich
there IL nothing but idleness. and both
classes are more unhappy than when
they lived in the trees.
Affection Decreases,
1.-THE care Of the offspring has been
handed over to the male or to female
hirelings. and thus the wide outlet fol
physical and mental activity of woman
has been effectually stopped. Deprived
Of the care Of her children, woman
suffers diminution OF affection. and
IL Ii replaced by a noisy sentimental
ism, which is equally disastrous fol
the mother, the child, and the husband
1t Is the matrnal instinct running riot
II exhAusts itself upon the infant ant
none remains for the growing child, te
whom It might be OF some value. Thu
American mother is famous for hel
care Of her infant and her neglect o.
her child.
''In q society which has grown W
by q natural process in the course o
slow centuries the woman performs he
duties easily and almost unconsciously
In q society which is the product o
only q generation the woman who as
pires beyond her primitive functions i
an amateur In new role. We hav'
all seem and pitied the animal COMPEL
ed to perform new and uncongenia
task-the dog in q dance. for instance
on the stage, we are told, these AMI
mails are subject to fits Of ill-temper, t.
outbursts Of emotion, to discomfort
they crave excitement and finally breal
down. It IL not disclosing any Pre-
fesional condolences to say that symp
toms Of a somewhat similar natur
have been observed in the case of al
American woman as a result Of he
performance. The most oppressiv
burden which q woman is called upol
to endure Is that anomaly amongs
created beings OF the wearing Q
clothes. In 4 state of nature it is or
dained that the female shall go quietly
The male is the gaudy. strutting crea
ture. But in the race to which we be
long It is the woman who is glorious
and this burden OF splendor. fallin
upon an organism which is unqualifie
for the task, breaks it down hopelessl
and renders 1t unfit for the perform
ance OF It's proper functions. The pos
session Of splendid apparel involve
the necessity for its display, and GU
Of that arises vanity. jealousy. rivalr.
and all uncharitableness.
This is the genesis of the thin
which is known as society. To tn
American man there is somethin
mysterious about this society, and hi
womenkind alone are supposed to III
derstand it He, in reality, is sin
ple-minded person, brought up in tn
old-fashioned way and believing ths
the one mark of poverty is that Ii
women are obliged to work The Anne
lean man thinks he has extricated hin