Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-31

toms as a national delusion.' She admits
that they are undoubtedly the most in
dulged and petted women in the world
but as for real respect she thinks that the
downtrodden German hausfrau gets more.
The German husband may seem to us UNI
chivalrous in the minor details of life. He
may talk with brutal disparagement about
the female brain, but when he goes out TO
amuse himself it doesn't occur to him to
go alone. He takes with him his wife and
his children. That pathetic person whose
husband n~eglects her for the society OF
men, for whom our tears flow so often in
this country, is not found in Germany
The reason assigned is that by her skillful
household management the hausfrau has
become a source Of wealth to the country.
The part which women play in the national
life is what makes them pre-eminent or
relatively unimportant, says the article.
THE amount of small courtesy shown them
really does not make much difference.
Show me a country where its women add
to the country's wealth by participating in
the business of that country, or by their
thrift, and 1 will show you a country
where the economic position Of women is a
higher one" In France. where the woman
is her husbands comrade and business
partner, she has the most power.
"As a contrast to this the American maj
stands alone. The women folk OF his ram
lily do not help him. AS far as his business
goes it is quite immaterial to him whether
he has a wife or whether he has not. Our
men may talk as much as they like about
the uplifting influence of a noble woman,
ann of the tangible support that the
thought Of her nobility gives them. 1t does
not alter the fact that the average Amer
lean man transacts all the business Of his
life without ever dreaming of turning to
his life's partner for any counsel in the
matter-and generally without her even
having any knowledge of the business in
hand"
There is comradeship between young girls
and men, Mrs. Worse finds, but it ceases
just at the time when the latter began the
real business of life. For this state of af-
fairs she thinks the women are to blame.
when a man first marries it is his in
stlnct TO take his wife into partnership with
him. 1t is natural for a man to want to
talk about that which takes up most Of the
hours he is awake to the person he cares
for most in the world" But the wife
checks these advances according to her
nature and disposition, EITHER she will
slip her arm through Johns and say, coax
ingly: Don't let's talk about horrid busi-
ness. dear; let's talk about something nice.
You ought to rest when you get home
Or, less agreeable and more honest, she
may admit frankly that business bores
her"
SO the man actually comes to think that
he ought to leave his business cares at the
office. He sits bored and silent In his
own home" while his wife complains that
he is 80 absorbed in business that he has
no interest left for anything else"
Il do not for a moment mean" the ar
ticle concludes. ito bring the influence of
woman in her household down to a matter
of dollars and cents, but it is not probable
that the spiritual bond between man and
woman was ever less because they were
helpful partners to each other in the af-
fairs of everyday life"