New-York tribune., 1908-04-19
AS OTHERS SEE US
Being Notes by a Lady from the
Planet Mars.

My husband IS always telling that this Is q
free country and when I ask him what he means
by that, he says that he means that people on
Earth can't be compelled 10 do what they don't
want TO do I am really sorry 10 appear so Dense
but once more, really don't understand.
You see we have no free countries in Mars.
otherwise the people who are strong would be free
10 victlmze the weak, and the weak would he 1ree
to-suffer. So we compel every citizen 10 do GER
tain things such contributing his fair share to
the wealth OF the country he lives in. and to re-
spect the comfort Of his neighbors- Outside these
details the people may be, perhaps free as YOU
would understand the term; but even then, as far
I am able 10 see, they are a good deal freer
than you
I was walking along g crowded street even
ing when omnibus came up 70 the opposite side.
Immediately number OF people began 10 scramble
for seats il, and very much amused AT
the manner In which the women allowed the
10 push them side that they could have
the best places in the omnibus. In Mars the
women stronger than the men. and II a man
ever pushed woman about. she would pick him
up and throw him into the Government Once that
deals with people who have forgotten their man
ners
So I said 10 my husband. If these people are free
why do they subject themselves so much ircon-
venience and suffering? 7 thought at first that as
they were free they were doing II for run. but.
I can't understand a girl crying for fun the whole
thing is really quite mysterious. I think II I were
free would choose some other sport than one
that made unhappy Ny husband. however
tells that my ideas the subject are very
raw, and he sings little song 10 the effect
that Britons never shall be slaves. In Mars how
ever. we should say that people who have TO do
this OF thing every morning and every evening
off than slaves. Indeed. as 7 tell my
husband. I would rather be a slave IN Mars than
free" Earth.
I noticed this day when We went TO ?
country place. It distance from the
streets Of London, although a good many people
lived there think my husband said the place
was called a suburb. and IT seems that the people
in this place have 10 go to the 10 do ''bus-
ness" and they travel by train a funny sr-
rangerent of carts that tied together and run
on metal lines that they so more quickly
I went to the railway station morning with
my husband. that could get back to London
time for business Ny husband does
business" but he does not seem to get as much
for IT the people who do business but
only drive about in carriages in motor cars. I
think II I free I would decide 10 be one
OF those people with motor cars. and let business
alone
But what I was going say was that as soon
tho train came iLto the station all the people
scrambled for seats, Just I had them do
in respect Of the omnibus. I dreadfuIy
pushed about but my husband found A seat for me
by his side last. We had FIVE persons sitting on
our seat, and the crush terrible. there was
hardly room for four. Everybody looked very IN
happy and very uncomfortable; and Yet my hus-
band tells that quite a lot OF free people do
this every morning every evening their lives
could understand their doing this If they wers
slaves and had TO do ii; but they are free and
never VIII be slaves" really astonished that
they should decide TO put up with much dlscoul-
fort Of their own accord If 7 should get back
70 Mars I shall tell everybody to be very careful
about introducing freedom into :he place It seems
one of the most unpleasant things have met dur
ing my stay on Earth
This suburb" my husband called the couec-
tion Of houses seemed to me dull place and
surprised that people who were SO free should
have decided to and live there OF their own
accord. If they wanted 10 go 10 a theatre thew
had to take the train TO place called London
where the theatres are and back again TO
their homes in the same way late at night, when
they were tired cut and wanted to get 10 bed. The
queer part of it is that London is a NICE bright
place at night. and doesn't want so many theatres
and things. while the suburb is really in need OF
a place where the people can go and amuse them
selves. But, they free" I suppose they
prefer 10 so a long way TO their theatres and to
have long journey home afterward.
In Mars don't have our theatres In any par
ticulsr place. II somebody has written a good play
= number OF persons learn how 10 perform it. and
then they all so round and show as long as any
body wants 10 II. In return for this the play
are excused from doing their share OF labor in
the fields and workshops. My husband says that
system would never work on Earth because here
the man who manages the theatre wants to make
a lot of money by showing the piece and instead
of taking II TO the people he makes them come 10
him. saw nice large house In London which
belonged TO a manager who had made the free
people come TO see his play so that he might build
the house with the money he had made these
free people pay him
Yesterday my husband took mo TO the country
and showed me nne building like palace. When
asked him what II was ne told me II WAS an
asylum for keeping Iunatics shut up. asked him
why you did not build more OF them, becaus. thev
seem 10 be very badly needed.-I1ck. .Me-up