The Washington herald., 1912-11-26
Assert. shaw social Disinfectant.


As to the first proposition. rs Mr.
Shaw justified in claiming there is so
much sham about society" the question
should be emphatically answered in the
affirmative. Mr. Shaw has done as
much, perhaps more. than lbsen. to
show what really lies behind society's
mask. He has labeled, with a plain
name, the microbes injecting the cream
of society" Their function, of course,
is to gnaw the roots and poison the
soil wherein grow the positive qualities
of men and women. Mr.. Shaw's written
and spoken words have been in the ma
ture OF a disinfectant which, having been
applied cOpiously to the soil indicated,
has at least, slightly retarded the luNu-
RANT growth of weeds in the gardens of
the upper crust" the seeds Of which
were sown within the last quarter OF
the nineteenth century. For the accom-
plishment of the purpose which he under
took he needed all the sharp, barbed
and cutting weapons within the rhetO-
ricIan's armory and the strength Of in
telleCt and courage to use them more
skilfully than any OF his predecessors
in this chosen field of endeavor. In this
respect he excelled all others. and, as
a result, the shams of society have been
laid bare In fact. it might be said,
that the cloven tongue of Shaw has
lashed the epidermis of the social lions
and lionesses into quiVering rawness.
and now and then, in spirit OF demo-
niacal gIee, added a small quantum of
pepper and salt for the sake of em-
phasis. Such has been the treatment of
this uncomfortable social physician-this
kingly manufacturer of the quintescence
of wit, satire and ridlcule. His patients
are legion and receive daily, heroic treat
ment by the words of hero whose mot
to is, Cure IL you can. kill IL you
must He is at present lieutenant gen.
eral Of the army Of the English language
and woe be unto the enemy when he
opens upon 1t with heavy artillery and
closes with gatling guns. In such en-
gagements with society there Is nothing
left but its shame" greatly ''disfig-
uredr It Is true, but still ''in the ring"
II is considered a sheer waste of time
to undertake the setting forth of any
specific reasons showing why Mr.. Shaw
is justified regarding his claims as to
the shams of society. There is no ques-
tion but that they exist. For this rea-
son the discussion has been confined
solely to the methods employed by the
author of Man and Superman."
As to the second proposition. DO
American girls entice men into marriage
rather than risk single life,' the query
should be answered in the negative. The
possibility of single life to the average
American girl has no terrors. II they
remain unmarried it will be found in
nine cases out Of ten that 1t is from
choice. The average American married
man could easily enlighten Mr.. Shaw as
to whether he Cthe American) was ''en-
tIced" into the marriage state. Ameri-
can husbands remember with feelings
OF pride that there was no lack of COM
petition in their cases. Mr.. Shaw's re-
Election of British ideas applied to the
great generality of American girls re-
fiects sadly on the spirit and charm of
English women, and indirectly gives
basis for the inference that men Grit
ish men especially are indispensable to