Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-09
WAYS OF AMERICAN WOMEN
HOW ENGLISH EYES SEE THE
GIRL OF THE STATES.
Have Solved the Problem of Domes.
tic Happiness-Their Ambi-
tions Gratified
From the London Mail.

SO much has been said about the posi-.
tioh women hold in the United States
Always. as rule. extolling the virtues Of
the American husband. which are manv-
that II may be instructive 10 throw a DE-
ieht on American life which can only
De done by one who has long res. ded an
america and watched closely
While il is true that the American WON
en- have solved the problem OF domestic
happiness TO the complete satisfaction OF
their own ambitions. and that they can
claim, without any fear Of contradiction.
10 De the happiest women on earth-which
they are. except when their minds go title
sathering in Europe-the question re-
mains: Are the Ambitions of the Ameri-
can women as high as those OF Euro
pean women. and in particular of French
and English women?
ihose who have studied the question
VIII appreciate that one should mention
French women before English women
Tor in France. Notwithstanding the French
mover. the women OF the bourgeoieie es-
peclally OF the "haute bourgeoisie," hold
position which is unequaled by any
women on earth. and il is a position at
tanned ond maintained in despite OF So
cialiy adverse conditions. which is due en-
tirely 10 their own mental superiority ana
to the finesse OF their intellect
In England-and ii is England which
forms the most interesting contrast with
American women because the shades and
degrees of difference are more graduated
and difficult to discern, detect or define
than those between the American women
and the women Of any other country
there is the similarity OF the difference
and the difference OF the similarity which
might well be said to resemble the like
ness or cousins TO each other, brought I'D
by different parents under different sur
roundings. =
Subservient Husbands
The difference lies in the women them
selves in their ideals and their ambitions
more than In conditions. In America the
Law has been on the side of the woman,
and the husband has been. or seemed
subservient In England the law is less
favorable TO women, and the husband is,
outwardly at least. the ruler. and the dr.
ference lies in the following facts: The
woman Of AMERICA is content with the
law. and content with her husbands wor-
ship. while she does not claim to be the
companion of his brain nor his soul
The English woman despses subserv-
fence i'm the man, and. while insisting on
his greatness. aspires to be the COM
panion of his soul, his mind and his pur-
suits. The obvious conclusion that one
must come to Is that the American wom-
an is content with position which. from
a certain point of view, is a baser one.
and the demonstrating OF il. is clearly oh
servable from the fact that American
women take but lukewarm interest I'm
the vote question, and have spared the
world the humiliating spectacle Of ''suf-
fragiSt riots.
Constant Chivalry.
That the American woman is content TO
let politics and business alone is prob
ably the result Of the luxurious confidence
in which she is STEPPED. that she can
always count on the chivaIry and pro-
lection of the lawmakers OF America
luxurious confidence which is extremely
becoming to her personal appearance. and
which prevents ones meeting in America,
at least among the well-to-do classes, 50
many Of the harassed, furrow-ined, IN
tense faces that one does among the WON
en- OF Great Britain-while IA Justice TO
the men of the United States one must
concede that. SO far. women have had no
reason to regret the confidence they have
placed in them. while sincerity compels
one to confess that a certain doubt tran
sends when one for a moment con-
templates what the position of women In
England would be IL they did not now
and then make a dash for liberty
The women OF America will tell you
that the reason they do not help their
husbands and brothers In their political
career is because politics are too rotten.
too corrupt. while the idea of assisting
I'm their publication does not seem TO have
occurred to them: and the men will tell
you.seven in the present day, that a wom-
an who mixes in politics is a lobbyist"
which is tantamount to being an adven-
turess, while they look on with amused
tolerance and treat with mock Difference
the clubs Of women and that newly added
horror to the world. the club woman.