Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1912-09-04
Mrs. Woodrow Wilson Has De-
Cided Views on Subject.
A CONFUSION OF NAMES
Out Letter Taking Strong Stand on
Smoking Habit.

cratlo presidential candidate has Mrs
Wilson appeared. She attended in
person her husbands daily conference
with reporters, although here tofors
she has made special requests that she
be not quoted nor written about in the
papers.
What Mrs. Wilson wished to have
fully understood was that il 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 a
letter she had written to the editor OF
the State Journal at Columbus, o.,
repudiating an alleged interview with
her in which she defended cigarette
smoking for women. The interview
mad 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
a preachment as your interview offers
them. l am a workingman. and 1 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 It do for girls and women"
The Interview" was indeed a cor
dial Endorsement OF the woman smok-
er. Here are some of its assuring
phrases. all credited TO Mrs. Wilson:
"A woman writer for a syndicate OF
Sunday newspapers asked Mrs Wood
row Wilson II 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 IL /
she enjoys it?' she qusried.
why hasn't she just as much right /
10 a cigarette as man Certainly 1
agree "..h Mrs. Anterior that any .
existing prejudice against women /
smoking is TO the last silly and alb
surd.
Smoking cigarettes is a question
Of manners. not morals. 1t promotes
good fellowship.
Some women feel that a cigarette
calms their nerves and helps their
brains into working order. Personally
smoking diefuses my thoughts instead
Of concentrating them. I enjoy IL as 7
inJcy after dinner coffee Both are
pleasant ways OF ending and finishing
IN. both add to conviyiality and GOOD
t.l' iwship'"
The editor OF the Ohio State Journal.
Il was clear, had been much incenSed
II the apologies for the cigarette habit
among women attributed to Mrs WI.
son, as he wrote on Aug. 10 an edit0.
rial i'll which he called for the defeat
of Governor Wilson or a reputation
from his wife. II there was no mis-.
lake about It, he wrote, Mrs Wood.
'ow Wilson shouldn't be mistress II
lle White House"
II me Ohio editor was emphati,
Mrs. Wilson was certainly not less co.
After the reporters had said thov
would gladly publish her letter 10 the
Ohio editor she asked for an hours
lime in which to write one. This was
what she prepared
Dear Sir-I have just received
copy OF the Journal with your edito.
rial entitled Smoking Women and
beg leave to deny Indignantly the
statement that l approve OF women
smoking cigarettes The interview
upon which your editorial was based
IS pure invention. l intensely dis.
like the cigarette smoking habit for
women in fact. 20 strong is my feel.
.ng on the subject that my real danger
Hes In being unjust and unkind in nv
judgment OF those who differ with ma
In this respect.
But certainly no woman In our
household ever has or ever will snr ol,e.
1 ute apart from the bad taste of it.
believe with you that II has an e.:
tremely Injurious effect on the nerve,
ELLEN A WILSON.
('Mrs. Woodrow Wilson,
Governor Wilson, in approving the
letter sent out by Mrs. Wilson, offered
what he thought might prove an ex.
PLANTATION for the interview.
Il do not think 1t was maliciouslv
invented" he said. There is a rather
we'll known writer who signs herself
Mrs. Wilson Woodrow, and she no
doubt has been confused with Mrs I
Wilson"
Mrs Wilson Woodrow was formsrlv
married to a relative of Governor Wi.
son. and II is understood that her
views on the matter Of women VINO !
smoke are different from those held
N the household OF the Democrat,
1t IL reported that papers which are
the bull nonaar hava n.