Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-07-20
threat 10 The sseredness Of sex in those
TIM: MALE PROTECTOR.

i i i
An eminent man, one OF deep thought.
and progressed science, once said to me-.
s,You cannot have the conditions yDu
the spiritual relations Of the sexes
Man ls Wornan's natural protector,
| Nothing gives me the sense OF pleasure
and Satisfaction. as that of protecting
| a helpless WOMAN / looked at him
calmly and serenely Protect her.
against what? asked. II Is a strange
problem III social science when we
must be protected from our natural
protectors
Mrs. Gilman spoke of tho Importance
of the great Wonien's counr,tt II Is
the first time she said. that woman
have travelled across the earth IN.
groups. Men have done so always; in
war. in commerce. and In common mir
grations, taking their women will;
them. But this movement OF today
marks great change in Woman's cotl--s
dition.
Unjust criticism. said Mrs. Gilman
has been current tn regard to her own
statements concerning motherhood and,
the care or children. The idea given
forth by them was Of a proposition for
chilly 10 tear the child from Its mother
fling 1t among an indiscriminate cou-s
course OF babies under unfeeling nurses.
trained to care fol, the charges like ma
chimes. This was an ignorant idea *
her thought. q would like to know
how many mothers are fitted to give,
their children Intelligent and humane
care. I1ectuflng once upon this sub
sjcct, she had said to her audience. II
8conoede that all you women present
are good mothers and saw y smile of
satisfaction wreath every face. But
she continued, hoHfmany or you think
Il, n
and the expression changed.
SCIENCE OF 8MUrHERHOoD.
The fact is that We women have as
our creates and our undivided special
Etys he science OF motherhood. and NOT
one woman In; 10 is roPerlY trained in
her scierfea, we know II all by ill-s
tuition, ~ hey say. Bl AZ the practical
motherhood OF today may bs called an
exact science under this tutelage, Why
$do5a quarter of all the children oil earth
die under two years of agei'
The appalling statistics Of infant NOR
tality is q sufficient rebuttnl to this
cry OF intuition as an Efficient trainer
in motherhood, was Mrs. G,i!inans in!
Terence. Is there then, anything bar
barous In the idea OF prevailing for
children the intelligent and humane
caro- they cannot get from mothers Z The
light of coming civilization vii, reverse
this traditional thought Women in fact
do not have time for proper mother
hood; that sentimental conception of
athe5honie as meaning chiefly housework
has kept women all this time from an
ideal or even consistent motherhood
t5sbI picked UP a paper once, containing
an article entitled Hints to Brides
and read 1t eagerly in search for some
now and uplifting thought. The hints
however dealt chiefly with recipes for
keeping the brides hands free from
stains in peeling potatoes. Is it notSa
queer thing,after all, that the thought
snf a bride should suggest cooking :. Tie,
whole absorbing question with her
from the time of her engagement, is to
not begin to, train for citizenship. yet
that8is the highest thing ahc can bring
into her home or motherhood, Mother
hood needs the help of a wider training
than for the cook stove. America neels
conscientious citisenship more than
anything and we mothers cannot teach
our children things We do not know. y
The entire lecture touched through,
out upon the principles suggested In
the lecturers book, .Wonlan and Eco
nomics,,. aiming to outline the posi-
bilities of the race when women shall
waken to her capabilities. Believing
that traditions treasured az much By
women as by men have crippled the
latent gifts and powers of the sex, Mrs.
Gilman aims to destroy this faiSe sense
and believes that a new and higher So
cial order may be founded on the
Thought.