Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-07
WARNS MARY M. AGAINST
ALL THE BEAU BRUMMELS

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 2.--[Editor
Herald: Perhaps, Mary, when we
awaken to the fact that we are ar
guing on the same side of the ques-
ton we may be able to close this pain
full discussion. We agree pretty we'll.
Let's leave bathing pants out of the
discussion, l only used that as an IL
lustration of the double standard. 1t
may be perfectly proper for boys to
battle together in nudity, and it may
be perfectly proper for girls to bathe
together in nudity. have no decided
ideas on the subject. But if it Is
proper for one sex it Is proper for the
other. What puzzles me is why Mary
should think that the women writers
in the Letter Box are the enemies of
girls who have sinned and are repent
ant. We have been urging all along
the single standard of morals. The
single standard of morals would give
to the woman who has gone astray the
same chance to reform and hold up her
head again that it would give to man.
A. H, d. in one of her letters made a
special plea for a chance to be given
to the girl who had gone astray--to
give her a helping and friendly hand
to help her forget the past, and save
her from being kicked down to become
the prey of the white slave trader.
But Mary did not appreciate the
friendliness of that letter. No Won
der we thought she was man, for she
seemed to be more interested In de-
Tending the right of man 10 sin than
in giving her own sex a chance to re-
form. She met A. H. DIS letter, writ
ten in the interests Of the poor girl
that sins, with a TRADE of sarcasm
Would woman do that who had been
led astray by a man who was prob
ably suffering none of the punishments
to which she had been subjected?
90 not think that repenlant sinner
of either sex should spend his or her
life i'll doing penance and refuse to
forget the past. If Mary is a woman
who has done wrong, Is sorry, and is
leading virtuous life now, I have
nothing to say about her past. l would
be glad to give her INV hand and as
sociate with her on terms of equality,
but 1 have no respect for a Beau
Brumlnel, who has never said that he
was repentant or had reformed.
think such a man who boasts that he
is leading sinful life, and will only
stop his crimes when he has married
and has no longer any temptation, is
not fit Tor decent people to receive as
equals, and l am gratified that good
high-nlinded girls spurn such men. If
man is really repentant, has quit
his meanness" Gas Sam Jones says)
and is leading a decent life now / say
give him the same chance YOU would
a woman under the same circum-
stances, but not so one of the Beau
Brummel type, who boasts of his sins,
and has not repented. Mary, never
let Beau Brummel deceive you into
believing that he is your champion.
He will tell you that good women are
the first to kick you down. but that
is only one of his tricks to keep you
down. The Beau Brummel says of the
reformed woman, Don't have any
thing to do with her. I know (by ex-
perience) what she is" He follows her
up and hounds her wherever she goes.
I am talking from the standpoint Of a
mother and a business woman, who
has overheard the conversations of a
great many Beau Brummels. The low
standards they set for young boys in
their employ has done far more to
ruin boys than even the many tempta-
tions of the streets. Here's hoping the
Magdalenes NAV all reform and that
the boys may all be saved from the
communicating influence of "the man
of the world"
HELEN STANDISH.