The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1912-08-29
CIGARETTES are
BAD FOR WOMEN
Mrs. Woodrow Wilson Has Do
cided Views on Subject. #.
| CONFUSION OF NAMES
wife Of Democratic Candidate oIves
Out Letter Taking Strong Stand on
Smoking habit.

Woodrow Wilson became the Demo
cratic presidential candidate has Mrs.
Wilson appeared. She attended in
person her husbands daily conference
with reporters, although heretofore
she has made special requests that
she be not quoted nor written about
in the papers.
That Mrs. Wilson wished to have
fully understood was that If she be-
comes the first lady Of the land she
will not, as has been said in a widely
distributed interview, have packages
Of cigarettes in her personal desk at
the White House and indulge in smok'
Ing them with her callers.
Through Governor Wilson, Mrs. VIII
son asked that publicity be given to .
letter she had written to the editor OF
the State Journal at Columbus, O., re-
pudiating an alleged interview with
her in which she defended cigarette
smoking for women. The interview
had come to her In a letter signed
American Citizen" which said:
Dear Madam can scarcely think
of any greater calamity to the young
women Of the nation than to read such
q preachment as your interview oilers
them. am a workingman, and l see
men lose their jobs almost every day
because they are incapacitated for
work by the use Of the cigarette. II
smoking does this for strong men
what will 1t do for girls and women"
The Interview" was indeed cor
dial Enforcement Of the woman smok'
er. Here are some Of Its assuring
phrases. all credited to Mrs. Wilson:
"A woman writer for syndicate Of
Sunday newspapers asked Mrs. Wood
row Wilson If she agreed with Ger
trude Atherton's opinion Of the smok'
ing of cigarettes by women. She smil'
ingly exhibited three cigarette boxes
piled In the corner Of her desk. all but
empty.
why shouldn't a woman smoke II
she enjoys it," she Quered.
why hasn't she just as much right
to cigarette as a man? Certainly I
agree with Mrs. Anterior that any
existing prejudice against women
smoking Is to the last silly and alb
sur6 :tssa e III n S:st: s,..'.
smoking cigarettes is a question
Of manners, not morals 1t promotes
good fellowship.
"Come women feel that cigarette
Gains their nerves and helps their
Brains into working oE9eE:: PsFfoaels
smoking difYses my thoughts instead
Of Concentrating them. ! enjoy it as
zh]oy aftes.aiapsI S9gsA R$ f9s
pleasant ways Of ending and finishing
Of; both add to conviviality and good
Fellowship" ..es.,ss,x--~
The editor Of the Ohio State Jour
nal, 1t was clear, had been muc9 "
censed at the apologies for the cigar
cite habit among women attributed to
Mrs. Wilson, 80 he wrote on Aug 10
an editorial in which he called for the
defeat Of Governor Wilson or q repu'
diation from hts wife. II there was no
mistake about 1t, he wrote. "Mrs.
Woodrow Wilson shouldn't be mis-
tress Of the White House"
II the Ohio editor was emphatic
Mrs. Wilson was certainly not less 30.
After the reporters had said they
would gladly publish her letter to the
Ohio editor abe asked for an hours
time In which to write one. This was
what she prepared:
"Dear Sir-1 have just received .
conv of the Journal with your editorial
entitled Smoking Women and l beg
leave to Indignantly deny the state
ment that l approve Of women smok'
| inc cigarettes. The interview upon
which your editorial was based is a
nure invention. intensely dislike the
cigarette smoking habit for women
IN fact. 80 strong is my feeling on tho
subject that my real danger lies IN be-
ing unjust and unkind in my judgment
~ those who differ with me in this
respect
"But certainly no woman in our
household ever has or ever will smoke
Quite apart from the bad taste OF It.
he,,eve with you that it has an ex'
tnemely Injurious effect on the nerves
ELLEN A. WILSON.
| ("Mrs. Woodrow Wilson.")
covernor Wilson, tn approving the
letter sent out by Mrs. Wilson. offered
what he thought might prove an ex
nlanation for the interview.
Il do not think it was maliciousi'
invented" he said. There 10 rathel
we'll known writer who signs herself
NJ. Wilson woodrow. and she nc
doubt has been confused with Ms
Wilson" :.
Mr.. Wilson Woodrow was formerly
mar,ied to 4 relative Of Governor VII
, son and it Is understood that bel
vtew. on the matter Of women whe
.moke are different from those belt
hor.ahold Of the Democratic