The evening world., 1912-02-19
WOMEN SCOLDED
FOR CHATTER|NC
BY A WOMAN
Mrs. Mary Thompson Chaplin
Says They Are Scatter
Drained Creatures.
Marguerite MOOcrs Marshall.

Marguerite MOOcrs Marshall.
"Nins-tenths Of American women
are scattsr-brainsd. They bob
about - . cork ON the waves. They
can't think. Their minds ~ OF on
. tangent. Moot Of them don't
know what they really want"
Mrs. Mary Thompson Chaplin. author
ana society woman. has just returned
MS Indictment against the boosted
Cieverness of her countrywomen. And
che finds a powerful ally in that other
philosopher-novelist. Robert Grant. In
tns current issue of Scrlbner's. Judge
Grant gives us the Convictions OF a
Grandfather" and. speaking through
tue mouth OF grandfather's good wife
Josephine. the author declares that
American women generally mistake
chatter for culture"
DO We speak ~l1nguages?" begins the
Indictment. I'm no city Is there more
than a sprlnklins OF American women
able to converse fluentiy with the visit
~ we hdNV w vi
around to find them. What permanent
contributions have We made to scholar
snip? Virtually none. Are we proficient
musically" We take lessons from early
youth and flock to fashionable coacerts
to hear prlna donnas: but. unlike the
English or German girl. unless we are
prodigies. we shrink from performing
within ear-shot OF any one but the
family.
Are we accomplished house
wtves7 The young American woman
of every class has never bothered
her head about housekeeping until
she had to. Now the educators are
trying to bring her to her sensss
BY schools Of domestic science.
Are We familiar with or adopts at
politics? A fastidious few follow the ms
and outs OF European political parties.
but as a sex w have always complained
that our own politics are not interest
ing. The clever French woman has her
country's affairs at her tongues end.
and the English woman kisses the ba-
oies of the voters at election time.
Where. after all. is our great superior
tty? In what way do we manifest our
culture?'
BUT THERE IS ANOTHER SIDE
TO THE QUESTION.
Then the prosecutor turns defender
and brings forward the one argument
for the other side.
THE great possession Of the American
woman-which distinguishes her from
every other woman In the world-is her
mint ~ yiAU Cha thipka Tor hnrsstf
and insists on thinking for herself. This
explains her social a~daptability. Not
only does she feel free to have opinions
on every subject. without regard to mas
cullne ~prerogative. but to express them
with all the untrammelled brightness at
her command. which makes the women
OF other n%ationalities appear tongue
tied In comparison. especially as there
~ no lack OF refinement or modesty In
those OF US who please the most.
" are socially attractive be-
cause we choose to use Il wits
and to be lively companions from
the outset rather than worshlppsd
at long range n then approprt-
atad ~ dolls or drudgss.
This was an innovation in Vanity
Fair which gradually took civilization
BY storm. The American became
the fashion-the cynosure OF the fem
mime universe. With what result?
Woman has walked up everywhere; We
no longer have the field to ourselves.
hut have competitors. Our iEdepen-
dencc, our energetic self-reliance, our
bright. %voluble. spirited ways are being
successfully initiated In every quarter
Of the globe. We are given the credit
Of discoveries. hut with that granted a
dreadful doubt assails me. We have our
point OF view. but a point OF view must
have background and perspective"
Then comes the fatal sentence:
Sometimes 1t seems 20 me that
american women simply chatter.
1T Isn't" the writer continues eager
Iy, that we have no Nine, de Stacl or
Mime. Recamicr. The world OF feminine
democracy. like that of men, is too
busy to put up with elaboration, Yet
the American woman nj large has late
ly admitted the social bee to her bon
net and given II priority over the other
bees. Thirty years ago the fashionable
few who dressed for dinner were
looked at askance-almost ostracized
by the many. To-day the ambitious
woman aspires under the flag of equal
opportunity to belong to a social set
and be mentioned in the society col
umns."
HERE WE GET INTO A WHIRL
OF SOCIAL DOlNGS.
And then comes the cru of the
whole question.
witt increasing wealth we've de-
veloped and are in the throes OF q So
cisl renaissance. the outward sign OF
which are receptions. teas, Colonial or
revolutionary orders. leagues. readings.
bridge. concerts. committee meetings
and conference lectures. from one or
which she feverishly hastens to an
other.
''she is so afraid OF losing something
that some o'hcr woman or m VIII
get ahead OF her II she doesn't appear
at everything. There's always some
new problem confronting her on which
she Is expected 10 converse so intelli-
gently that no one will be able TO detect
that she really hasn't had leisure to
consider II at all, The problems are
even more numerous thar the social
functions and are constantly changing,
HOW A WOMAN SEEKS TO HIDE
HER IGNORANCE.
AR 49, 49,. o.n .hn ,,,e. annaa y