The San Francisco call., 1909-09-08

sistency in Words
And Acts
By MARY ASHE MILLER

m ODERN martyrdom appears TO be
jVt typified by the American husband,
according to foreign comment.
The citizens of Europe have thrilled
with sympathetic sorrow for decades
past when considering the sad plight
of the married men of the United
States. and now even the Japanese, as
represented by Mr.. Matsuda Zumoto,
editor of the Tokyo Times, have shed
the public tear for them.
Mr. Zumoto has told New York that
he feels deep pity for American hus-
bands, and he thinks the most expen-
sive feature of life in this country is
the wife who is fresh looking and
handsome compared with her tired,
anxious faced husband.
The sentiment is not exactly new
we have heard practically-the same
thing before-but the variety lies in
the fact that it is the first time that the
far east has taken UP the cudgels for
the western brother.
UNNECESSARY CHAMPIONING
1t is what might be termed awfully
sweet OF them all, but here in America.
at the very center of oppression as it
WERE the sentiment does seem trif1e
unnecessary.
There are, of course, instances of un-
/ happy husbands in the land, whose
wives are on the order of "a rag and a
bone and a hank of hair,-and the
rags and bones and hanks are of the
most expensive quality-and who draw
of life blood and money in cruelest
| fashion. But is that confined to the
United States? 1t was an Englishman
who wrote The Vampire" one remem-
bers, and he didn't add foot note say
ing, American wives only take notice"
Even acknowledging that there are
some selfish women here-even as else
where-one finds it impossible, on a
casual reminiscent survey of affairs
matrimonial among ones acquaint-
| ances, to weep very much over the
state of things or to feel very deeply
grateful to the Tokyo gentleman for
his kind remarks.
Most of the husbands seem about as
happy as any one else.
! We are told that 1t Is an undisputed
| fact that American women, taken as
a national whole. are better groomed
and gowned than in other lands, but
that is one of the assets or attributes
or characteristics-cau it what you
will-to which the Americans turn with
pride. 80
DRESS AN ACHIEVEMENT
| 1t is to be classified with tall build
1 1ngs or north pole discoveries or the
quickest method of making a ham or
any of those things that accelerate the
| heart action of any true American
man.
| The theory that the men are tired
and anxious looking because they put
in their time shaving that their wives
\ iYr1o flt- ha
looking, as Mr.. Zumoto says, is an ex-
ploded one
Men who have no wives work just
as hard and most unmarried women
are as we'll dressed as those who have
husbands
The American man works generally
because he likes It or becomes a slave
to the habit, or is determined to amass
colossal fortune just for the sake of
amassing. His conduct in this matter
may seem a popularity to the foreign
mind but it is hardly fair to declare
the women responsible for it.
RIGHT TO HER PLACE
The japanese champion says. too.
that the wife is the most expensive
feature of life in the United States
probably that is true, but what is more
important or who has better right to
be expensive in a mans life than his
wife? His children are generally quite
as well treated as she, and, in fact. are
during their minor years included in
her expense account. / must confess
that ] wonder what a japanese man
finds most expensive.
After all the controversy among the
na tions, though, one finds the answer
in the facts. 1t is a well known
truth that foreigners-even Japanese
are continually seeking American
wives, while the instances of Ameri-
can men marrying foreign women are
so unusual as to excite comment If
the high contracting parties be of any
prominence whatsoever.