The Washington herald., 1912-09-13
AN ATTACK AND A DEFENSE
By FRANCES sHAFFER.

When you read or hear the frequent
statement that the morale of young
womanhood is on the downward grade.
tending nobody knows where, what an
swer do you make?
As for me i do not, cannot believe
II. but that does not in the least alter
the fact that the statement goes broad
cast, to be believed or discredited. as
may be. =.
And acting upon the assumption that
there may be in. the charge a. grain OF
truth, what do you say?
what They Say.
You see, the accusers declare that
young women have grown holder. more
designing than in other days. and they
frankly say that when young men are
around, these venturesome, plotting
products OF this century actually spread
their nets to ensnare the unwary. They
betray none of the retiring grace that
so charmed and satisfied in the long ago
and apparently are clamoring to break
down old dividing lines, pleasantly sepa-
rating man and woman. Where formerly
they were content to wait to bide their
time and trust to fate and the man for
the rest, now they grow restless under
delay, and do all but propose. They are
unnatural, unwomanly, unlovable, and
why, they are plainly demoralized.
OF course, they do not mean the whole
world of young womanhood but a wide
enough expanse to justify their opinions.
And they frequently end with the trite
remark.
Protect, defend them all you like. but
we know what we are talking about.
Training All Wrong.
Yes?
I do not know what reply you offer,
but as for me, the only answer is-If
that is so, then the training that has
gone womanward has been all wrong,
the traditions, the code of rules. and all.
And IL that is SO. look to the very foun-
dalton, into the weaknesses and all the
chain of reasons that have contributed
to so sorry result.
And what do you find?
You find young women torn by con-
f1icting emotions. On the one hand,
pulse that prompts them to want to
marry, and on the other, the stern man
made decree that warns them to con-
ceal it. at least. until they have been
asked" But don't forget that they are
quite human. and sometimes even let
their Grant affections go out before the
mighty word has been spoken.
worst. There stands the unalterable
fact that later times, later opportuni
ties for women have not yet been able
to quite transform-the fact that for
man the attitude of the world is, marry
when you love and can: for woman, love
IL you can and when you can. but mar
ry. The stigma of older days Is gone.
but in its place there is wonderment and
a hint of something wrong. The world
plainly says that woman misses her high
est aim in life when marriage goes by.
AS the years pass along and she still
goes on alone, the curious ask, when, the
critical, why: they speculate upon the
background-did she will 1t so, or did no
man come to the rescue? Is there an
unrevealed romance somewhere on her
life-way, or is she one of the "unspoken"
sisterhood!
And you know right well. there are
many. many young women who will do
what is expected of them, whatever the
cost, never waiting for a blend Of head
and heart. taking the first that comes.
even spreading an obvious net. They are
expected to wed. and 1t may be that no.
body else will appear upon their matri-
moniaf horizon, and since the field may
be very small. why wait? Why not even