Los Angeles herald., 1908-02-18
HETTY GREEN, ALARMIST

M RS. HETTY GREEN has sounded
WI the alarm. She says the rich are
Az growing poor and the poor
poorer. In spite of the masculinity of
rer methods, there can be no doubt
of the essential femininity of Mrs.
Green's modes of thinking. Such de-
lightfully woman-like interview as that
which she gave to a wrtting-man in
Boston reveals the weakness that like
hope springs eternal in the-female-
breast. The bravest and most forceful
woman is likely to break down at the
sight of a mouse. Joan of Arc leads a
victorious army, but quarrel with
her firing maid sends her into hys-
terics. 1t is easy to picture in imagina-
ton q woman-dominated congress, at
the height of a critical debate, with the
ST eaker of the house lying PROSTATE,
beating a tattoo on the floor with her
French heels.
Mrs. Green says she saved the coun-
try, or the rich of the country. Ac-
cording to some the terms are inter-
changeable. If 1t had not been for her,
she claims, the first families of this
American "plutocracy" would be dead
broke, living on beans. We are 60
ing from bad to worse. Therefore
the worst is yet to come But, at
ter that, American prosperity will re-
Sume business at the old stand, be-
cause American institutions are at
heart sound. 1t is evident that Mrs.
Green has been unconsciously con-
verted to belief in the first principles
Of Americanism. Since she means to
assert them, there is hope for the ulti-
mate political and social salvation Of
the United States. The nations fatc
is pinned to Hetty Green's skirt. She
rounds off her pessimistic humiliation
with an optimistic prophecy.
Cheer up, she says, 1.-THE worst is yet
to come, but after the worst, IL you are
still alive, you will again see prosper
ity."
Mrs. Green's most startling statement
is that the reputed millionaires Of the
cast are in reality paupers, who have
had to run into debt for the neces"
saries of life, the creditor being, gen.
orally, Mrs. Green. She loaned a mil
lion dollars to Harry Payne Whitney.
she says--and she says it with the in
souciance OF the ordinary mortal who
has staked a suffering brother with a
"fiver."
Not only did she save Whitney with
a timely million, but she loaned money
to the New York Central, the Wander
bilt road. The success of the negotia-
lions in respect of the railroad seemed
to have encouraged the needy Wander
bits to attempt to do some borrowing
on their own private accounts. But at
this point Mrs Green asserted her Ro-
man matronhood. She said "No." Upon
this the yanderbilts offered for security
the family jewels. Take away your
baubles. l am not pawnbroker," said
Hetty.
Up to this point in Hetty's confess
sions we regard her as one having
authority. But when. with the natural
eIation of a spurner of the greatest
railroad family in the lane and lender
of a million to Harry Whitney. who Is
an out-of doors fellow and a dead
game sport" Mrs. Green turns her at
tention to matters political. She says
that Taft is stalking horse for Roose-
welt, and that the campaign win be
stampeded for Teddy after a. bogus
nomination of Taft. While Hetty may
be a true prophecies; nay, while she
may have some inside information from
some mysterious source. we cannot ac-
cept her advance program Of Republic
can politics with the same implicit faith
which we repose In her statements that
she spurned the vanderbilts when they
tried to hook their diamonds, that other
representatives of the rich people Of
New York came to her in droves, ask
ing for accommodations. and that she
helped them out at per cent when
they had good collateral, and, when
they had not, turned them down.
Mrs. Green includes with her inside
history Of the rnefni rich a little hit Of