The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-05-15
How American
Women Shock
the Foreigners
BY ELLA WHEELER WILCOX
Copyright, 1910, by the New York
Evening Journal Publishing
CSmDanV

Company.
MEXICAN women do not seem to
IA grow in popularity in foreign
Ia lands, however they may increase
in members every yea.
No matter where one goes--in what
land or climate-always can be heard
seen the uncomplimentary expression
OF countenance, when the foreigner
discusses American women
England. France. Germany. Belgium,
Algeria Tunis, Egypt. Turkey, Italy
IL is the same everywhere. as a class
American women are unpopular and
not admired
The voices of the american women
are everywhere criticised, and with just
Just cause, it must be confessed
Seldom does one hear in any otI er
part OF the world so many feminine
voices of discordant tones as are to be
heard in America
In foreign countries more attention
IS paid to the placing OF the voice, and
to the manner of using it, than in our
New World. Besides this fact, the
American climate is one which pro-
duces throat and nose and ear trou-
bles; and the woman who is wholly
free from any of these local maladie5
IS rarely met.
Again. the American woman's Unborn
and educated idea of her equality
and Independence" gives a touch of
voice, and her Indifference to the con-
ventions which govern women IN other
lands causes her voice to be heard on
foreign shores at times and In places
where no other woman would be found
America IS a noisy country; and in
order to be heard above the rattle and
roar and whistle and din Of our city
streets, American women have pitched
their voices in a shrill, high key which
offends foreign ears
Ut has become the habit of foreigners
In a hotel dining room or on shipboard,
to designate as those noisy Ameri-
cans any bevy of Ioud-voiced people
without waiting to discover the nation
ality of the offenders.
1t would be wise for any young
American woman who cOntemplateS the
possibility of travelling abroad to de-
vote some portion of each day to exer-
cises for developing an agreez Bile voice
Teachers In public schools. ard private
schools as well. and parents. should
make an effort to instruct children in
the art Of speaking in an agreeable
voice. IT is of greater Importance than
many things now taught in schools.
The absolute independence of the
American women in their conduct
shocks the Old World sense of propri-
ETY.. American girls go about unchap-
erOned: they walk. drive and ride with
foreign men, and they discuss topics
which the foreign-born girl would
think herself inSulted to have men
toned in her presence
The four qualities, placed in apposi-
ton to her good points, are an unpleas-
ant voice, questionable taste, bold man
nSTSs anu Ull6uSlNe IneInOQS OF CO00uCI
in her search for knowledge and ex-
perience or for social prominence
The foreigners accuse American wo-
nasn of treating one another with rude
ness and lack of good breeding when
abroad, while they fawn about the
stranger and huniliate themselves TO
any degree in order to obtain favors
or privileges which will -dvance them
socially.
1t is said that no 9th : women in
the world make themselves so ridicu-
lous in the eyes of titled persons, by
their crazy ambition to be received.
as the daughters Of America cur won
derful land of liberty-our noble re-
publici Is not this a delightful repu-
tation which our American women
have made abroad?
America is the youngest of the
worlds children. as a nation.
It is prodigy in growth, IN 'ssnnart"
precocious mentality. Already ii is an
object of jealousy to other countries
in achievement It is a land of great
ideas, Of great ambitions and of un-
While its women are remarkable for
their beauty, brightness and really no
BILE qualities of heart, It is a depIor-
able fact that old countries do not hold
them, as a class, in high esteem
They are considered too loud voiced,
too aggressive, too pushing, too inde-
pendent of established customs, and too
careless in department to fill the re-
quirements Of a womanly woman OF a
thorough lady.
Let some of our reformers start 2
school for training and coachfnc e
American women travellers.