The evening world., 1911-01-16

subject. Appar-
emily, though.
the point has
not been decided 70 tho satisfaction OF
any one. The question remains:
Have women a sense Of humorT
Does not the inquiry itself imply a
sub1e compliment May we not
gather from It hat women are still
complex, elusive, Interestingly In
short. men do not yet know whether
women have a sense of humor. We
continue to be the riddle as old as the
sphinx and more alluring.
On the other hand. who ever asked
Of men: Have they this quality. Or
have they notT' We know-we men
and women-the full gamut OF mans
temperamental possibilities. Men are
q solved problem: a jigsaw puzzle with
the picture complete.
In reply to the question raised by
the German Journal Jerome X. jerome
has written: W
my observations have shown
me that womsn have just a. sharp
. sense OF humor As mon, but they
have less understanding OF tho
grotssQue."
Can't Laugh at S%lap-Stick.
. II is a fact hat women are not quick
to laugh at so-called humor which is
founded or physical discomfort OF pain.
The old "slap-stick' methods OF vaude-
vile seldom appeal TO women. Few
women see anything ludl,rous in jerk
ing a chair from beneath a person, or
find anything particularly comical in a
erotesque stage makeup" which con-
verts the actor into a ~misshapon crea-
ture. The enthusiastic allies Of women
will say this IL because women are
more tender and sympathetic h men.
.As a matter OF fact. women probably
do not laugh at the grotesque because
they think more Of physical comfort
I'd comeliness than do men. For many
EMU. les-until so lately we can remem-
n VIXEN the change came-.he phys cal
.lp-lrlnee of "A woman was her chief
set ani her chef weapon. Women
ave been forced to dcliy their physical
sclycs. Consequently IN any humo.
W5..5I has a .cyeIsc sid Of d~isrcspect
= harm to the body the Instinct OF the
'ta!s shows women the tragedy TO the
,tter destruction Of the ludlsrous.
rranz Lehar. composer OF The Merry
Widow" says:
women have hunor waen ticy
are among themselves and arc
making merry over us men."
Now, If Herr Lehar did but know 1t,
the woman who laughs at all men
merely because they a.e men would
marry the first one OF them who asked
kAs The u,ornan yFhn Ia a ma n-hlsar
and the man who is a wo~man-hater are
stupid. abnormal persons. And STUPID
persons do not have a sense OF humor.
Only disappointed wives & I'd spinsters
gather In circles TO laugh at men as a
sex. We venture then to question the
famous o~oanposeg's premises.
Humor Is a Necessity.
But why ask at all whether women
have q sense of humor' Why should
they not? Humor Is scarcely a materia,
quality. Surely It is a question OF the
Individual. There seems no logical rea-
son why men should posses more
humor hi women or women than men.
One thing At least II certain: Unless
M persons both possess a sense OF
humor they cannot live together hap
piiy a. man and wife. For real humor
10 Q kindly thing. 1t smooths dificul-
tiss, helps 10 to regard indulgently the
foiblas Of each other.
The strongest bond of comradeship Is
sharsd laugh. When a woman laughs
WITH her husband she loves him. When
he can laugh AT him she has ceased
70 low him.
Julius Freund. a popular musical
somsdr hbrettist. says:
"1hs g~Totesquensss with which
ne modern woman bsdocks herself
from head to foot establishes be-
yoaA all doubt that she
with Q sense Of huIaor."
Now this comment, II we may be par
donsd tho vernacular. is a very Old
"whsez" indeed, Probably Adam re-
marked to Eve that he could tell she
had no sense OF hunor from tho way
she wore her ng leaves. Woman's style
), overdresg!ng or underdressinS has
zen slnse the beginning OF time proof
as.tiye to ma that size did or did not,
q the case might be, have a sense OF
u:nor. But II this were true and a
nae OF the !udlcrous were unfal!nSGy
manifest Itself IN clothes the average
an would have "caniption fts" at the
at OF !.!mse!. n a full dress salt
An Opinion on Stage.
rosa Dertons, leading lady OF the
,,9yal Thestrs. Berlin. tells US!
IL We had not q sense
c. humor how could we tolerats
lie superiority Of nian9"
"a 4 matter OF fast we might remind
Tau Bertens thar a self-respect1nS
.S!nan-wlth or without a sense OF hui
u.or-does not tolerate the superiority
u anybody. A s~elt-resDecting woman
seldom has to DO SO.
However, real humor is democratic.
No one can laugh comfortably on a
pedestal. But where does That lead US?
For more men thar women are per-
mancutay on q pedestal. Men may els-
yats women. a a sex, to a pedestal, but
In tho privacy Of their own homes they
are expected to come down and wash
the dishes. But once lot Q man soram-
lie um on Q pedestal and the household
gods are supposed 70 b0ra more ancsnse
then the rest Of the world.