New-York tribune., 1912-04-18
WIVES SAY THEY WOULD
STAY ON SINKING SHIP
Chicago Women Assert They
Would Rather Die with Hus-
bands than Seek Safety.
CLUB MEMBERS GIVE VIEWS
But You Cant Tell" Declares
One, Who Fears Brute In
stinct Might Overcome
Wifely Devotion.
CLUB MEMBERS GIVE VIEWS
tBy Telegraph to The Tribune.

Chicago April f1.--"n YOU were snip
wrecked. and YOU had an opportunity 70
be saved, but TO seize II you would have to
leave your husband. what would you do!
IF your children WIRE with youy would
you 90 and take them, or would you send
your husband. who IL the money maker.
with them. and stay behind TO die?'
These questions constituted the chief sub
iect of conversation to-day wherever any
group Of women came together-at spring
musical of the Chicago Woman's Club, at
uncheons for few guests. at board meet
ngs Of Wednesday and other clubs and at
business discussions of the suffrasists.
Whatever the occasion and the subject for
consideration, the two questions raised by
the Titanic disaster received more atten-
ton than anything else.
II know what I should do,' said Mrs.
John Bass. secretary Of the North Side
suffrage organization and Of the new Cook
County Federation. She had Just Joined a
little group composed OF her aunt, Mrs.
George Bass. and a few others. She found
them engaged in the discussion. when l
fotind the boat was in danger would seek
ont the person on the boat In whom felt
the most confidence. II probably would
be somebody whom I had just met during
the yoyage-maybe "A maid or some kindly.
wholesome woman who had inspired me
with confidence / would say to her: Take
my child and get into the boat in my place
Please take the hest care Of my child that
YOU possibly can Then should stay be-
hind with my husband"
But you can't tell protested Mrs.
George Bass. who Us running for the presi-
dency OF the Chicago Woman's Club, You
can't tell how strong the instinct for life
is. You might think you would even sacri-
fec yourself for some one outside your
family and when the time came for saw
Ing yourself the brute instinct In you
would cry out and the next thing you
knew you would have pushed yourself
ahead of some one else. think now that
| should stay with my husband, and / be
lieve every woman thinks she would But
YOU can't tell what sudden death staring
YOU I'm the face will do TO you"
Mrs. Bass was right in one particular.
Every woman who was heard to make an
observation on the subject in the afternoon
at the several meetings being held in the
Fine Arts Building said that she would re-
main on a sinking ship with her husband
Not through any particular virtue of un-
seldshness," said Mrs f. X. Tracey. vice.
president OF the Chicago Woman's Club;
but ! couldn't go. ! should prefer to
stay | shoud be less miserable dead than
With the memory always with me that
had gone away and left my husband TO die.
| shouldn't want to be left alone under any
circumstances"
But. OF course, it isn't matter always
Of your personal feeling and choice OBJ
iected Mrs. John Swinson. III YOU don't
get into a boat when they tell you TO,
navbe later you will keep your husband
away from a chance TO save himself and
YOU. too. There might ne a place In boat
for him. but not enough for two. And then,
# YOU have children. have you any right to
consult your own wishes and die with your
husband, even II you want TOT"
Il was Just talking about that with my
husband this morning spoke Mrs. Homer
Chandler. II said: II we had been on that
shin. they would have stuck Gloria and me
into a little boat. and ] should have been
saved. while you went down. And then we
should have been perfectly miserable the
rest of our lives. Yet they would have said
my husband was coward and no good II
he had saved himselfif | could have per-
suaded him to-and his little daughter and
let me GO
Il think it would be thousand times
better IL we all should 20 In case we could
not all be saved. For my part. don't see
how the women could consent TO 90. Dear
me-. dear me- They say that gsllantry is
dead: it only needs to be put to the test;
that Is all"