The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-29
A Slur ON Woman

there is no way that know of by which
mental strabismus may be cured
A Slur ON Woman
| Every once in a while some college pro-
fessor makes himself ridiculous by ill
considered twaddle.
An instance is that of Northwestern
university professor of economics who
told an Evanston woman's club that wo-
men did not earn their living and were
unproductive and expensive to society.
Which is but silly slur.
There may be few-a very few-women
who do not pay their way and earn the
right to live in the world, but they are the
exception and prove the rule that women
even more than men earn their living.
Unproductive and expensive
Women the world over work longer
hours than men, especially women of the
sex.
Let a man try to perform the monoto-
nous and exacting work of the average
housekeeper. His nerves will be on edge
before a day is over and the longer he
continues the nearer he will be to the in
sane hospital
| Who are the loafers in every commu-
nity-men or women? Who are the
'vags?' Do you see many tramps who are
women?
Or ~
Go to the penitentiary and compare the
number of men with the women. Do you
find many women in the saloons or in the
gambling houses?
| Do you find many women engaged in
occupations that are not only unpro-
ductive, but also ruinous to humanity?
| The tenuous theory of the sapient pro-
fessor does not fit the fact.
Merely because in most cases the wom-
en- are not the wage-earners of the fami-
ly are they to be classed as unproductive
and expensive?
Even considered economically land that
seems to be the professors viewpoint) she
who saves a dollar or expends it so as to
get the most out of it is as useful to the
family and to society as he who earns a
dollar.
Is not the Woman who makes the home
for the husband and nurtures and trains
the children, to say nothing of her labors
as housewife, bearing her fair share of
the burdens of the home?
And besides
When wife and mother goes down into
the valley of the shadow for the sake of
her unborn child Is she not paying her
way in the world-aye, in the next world
also?
Let us be personal. Does this absurd
professor believe that when his mother
bore him and nursed him in infancy and
watched over him in sickness and health
that she was reproductive?
Maybe she was. Some sons turn out to
be both witless and ungrateful.
The Art of Being Kind
1t is the history of kindness which alone
makes the world tolerable. II 1t we're
fnr that ,o o$ M
multiplying, spreading, making one happy
through another and bringing forth ben
efits, some 80, some 60, some 1000 fold,
should be tempted to think our life a
practical Jest in the worst possible spirit.
Robert Louis Stevenson.
Your neighbor or friend has failed in
some enterprise or slipped a cog some
where or lost his job. He Is miserable
over the situation or hungry for little
sympathy, though he is too proud to
show it.
Your disapproval will only add salt to
his wounds.
Or an acquaintance has committed an
error. He is heartily ashamed of 1T. 1t
was wrong to be sure. But humanity is
not angelic. We all make mistakes. Are
you going to be big and help him along
or little and turn him down?
Be big! Help him.
If you turn a deaf ear and an unsym-
pathetic heart toward your hayward or
mistaken brother or sister you show
yourself weakling.
God radiates and uplifts. Great souls
and good souls are godlike
Can you imagine a pitiful God who
sneers at the one who fails or falls? No
more can you fancy a great human soul
In such an attitude
When all this sad world needs
Is just the art of being kind.
And that is where most Of us fal-in
the minor ministries OF everyday kind
ness Thoughtfulness, gentleness, en-
couragement. the kindiness OF little
things, are forgotten in our selfish heed
lessness.
This is a good habit-never let day go
by without making some one happier.
1t may, be cheering word to help some
struggler through the day or a smile to
a child or an inquiry at the door of a
sickroom or a few flowers on birthday
anniversary.
Trifes?
No They are expressions of love. and
love Is the greatest thing in the wo d.
You have troubles of your own?
Surely. But will it not help yourself to
lay kindly hand on the weary shoulder
of another? A touch of kindness Is like
the rubber ball you throw-it bounds
back.
Talk happiness. The wcrld is sad enough
without your woes. No path is wholly
rough.
Look for the places that are smooth and
clear
And sneak OF these to rest the weary ear
OF earth, SO hurt bv one continuous strain