The Washington herald., 1912-01-01
PARASITE CHARGE
DENIED BY WOMEN
+" Rich Idlers" Do Not Thrive
in the Capital.

Washington society is agog over the
address delivered at the convention OF
the American Association for the Adj
| vancement Of Science last week by Prof.
Henry W. Farnam, of Yale. during which
he made the assertion tnat the wealth
Of this country had bred human para
sites" which should be the object OF
| scientific investigation.
Among the strongest defenders OF her
sex-particuIarIy attacked by the Yale
professor-was Mrs Ernest W. Roberts,
wife Of the Representative from MasIa-
chusetts and president Of the Congress
sionaI Club. Pointing TO instances OF
charity. Of interest In municipal and na-
| tionnl matters, and of the establishment
OF institutions Of various kinds, Mrs.
Roberts asserted that they furnished a
| self-evident refutation Of the sweeping
| charge that women who are wealthy
are ''Idlers."
Best refutation Of this in Washing
ton." said Mrs. Roberts. rs found in
the organization of the Consumers
League This was the work Of a gf4
known the press as a society girl
and who was wealthy This orEanization
has accomplished much toward the gen.
eral betterment
There are other similar institutions
that have been founded, not by money
alone but by the brain and energy OF
woman who comes in the class which
Prof. Farnam classes as rich idlers.'
In this city there are countless exam
pies OF thrift and a desire TO do good
among the women of wealth"
Continuing. Mrs. Roberts said she gen.
al. -
out in New York by Mrs. Arthur II.
| Dodge, president of the National Asso-
citation Opposed 10 Woman Suffrage, VINO
declared that most wealthy women gave
| splendid examples Of domesticity and
were aids to their husbands not only in
the home, but in the business world as
| well.
Mrs. Andrew Carnegie. Mrs. E. II Harri-
man, and Mrs. Russell Sage-as women
who though wealthy. put the question
OF money behind all other things, were
but a few OF many that might be offered,
said Mrs. Dodge.
Parasites OF the kind Prof Farnam
describes" continued Mrs. Roberts, "ex-
ist in every branch OF society. It is
therefore unfair to claim that because
a woman is rich she Is one OF q class
apart by reason Of her wealth
Women generally are as unselfsh to-
day as they have been in the past. seek
ing s-chance to aid in any good cause.
Until recently, however. woman has not
awakened TO her opportunities, and IL Is
only within the last few years that she
had taken advantage of the wider scope
OF endeavor offered her.
VIII Weed OUT Parasites.
II would suggest that this work 70
on, unmindful OF criticisms and that the
infinitesimaI fraction Of parasitic eIe-
ment be gradually wiped out by popular
opinion. The protection OF the working
sirl. the effort to improve conditions
among the poor, are but. few Of the
things that must be done"
Mrs. Albert Burleson, wife of the men-
Der Of Congress from Texas. announced
that she had decided views on the sub
Ject but could not give them without
thought There was some ground for
the opinion advanced that wealth breeds
parasites. she said. but the whole sub
ject was too vague to be taken up with
out deep consideration.
Il do not think So" was Mrs. John 3.
Henderson's reply to the suggestion that
wealth created women parasites.