The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-04-23
: . 4
TWO VIEWS OF THE
WOMEN AND CHILDREN.

Hartford Courant.)

(Hartford Courant.)
TWO civilizations are brought into
striking contrast by the Chinese and
Anslo-SaNon methods of treating ship
wrecked TIL" Chinese rule is
TO save the women last. and the Anglo
Saxon rule is to save them first. The
Chinese rule is logical and frankly
utilitarian. while the Anglo-SaXon rule
discards logic and is gloriously scnti-
mental. Henry Moy I'ot, the China
man who brought This matter out, On
plains ii by saying that men are most
valuable TO the state. that adaptive
parents can be found for children. and
that women without husbands are dcs-
ttute. in a general way all this is
true enough.
Men are more valuable to the state
than women although both are essen
tlal to its perpcluity. 1t is a differ
cnce Of function. rather than a differ
enre of ability and quality. If mon
We're not more valuable to the state
ONE would somewhere have found
ed a state and kept ii going. There
have been Very great women in his
tory. and also very feeble men. but
the fixed law governing both is clear
enough: and this law will not be
changed until Wonen grow boards and
me- lose their masculine quality. We
doubt Very much that this harsh rule
counts for much in China. IL may be
laid down as a logical theory, whereby
men. children and women are placed
each in their own com apartment in re-
lation To the state. but when ii comes
tn the practice human affection prob
ably has its way there, as ii does else
where.
The rule hat has grown up among
cultivated men everywhere, whereby
lSn1llnIl lSoG phi1It.on IVn ln.1-.,.1 ~. ~
before the men look after themselves.
is due to considerations Il good deal
larger than those affecting tho tate.
1t springs from the view that the
feehlcst things should have the best
chance. 1t is not the woman as a
woman, or the child as Il child. that
commands the first place; it is the
knowledge that the woman and the
child are not SO we'll equipped to meet
danger as the man. and tina it is the
mans business to deal with danger on
its " merits. as he does With very
thing else. 1t is under this rule of
merit. proposed by himself and dccid-
cd for himself, that he cares for tn.
women and children first. On their
merits they arc not fitted TO meet tho
emergency. and SO he sends them
away and r%onfronts the emergency
himself. Tho most admirable OF men
hold this attitude toward all the feeble
things-it may he a bird With IL hrok-
on wing. or it may lie Il crippled child
whom som" beast OF Il man or a WON
an is beating. So the fine soldier will
run all risks to save Il: wounded COM
radc. who to be sure is Il man. but who
for the is as helpless as !:
woman or "A child. The appeal is OH
the ground of inability. not on tho
ground of sex or unitarian values. 1t
is the sense of fair play and human
equality carried to the highest degree,
50 that one disregards himself in the
effort to take care of another.
When it is ones own womcn who
are in danger-a sister, a wife OF q
mother-then the sense of fair play
lapscs into h desperate JOY of bring
ing the chance of safety to those
ness of life. the only difference being
that the feeling is more intense or
the deck of a sinking ship than it is in
the quiet everyday affairs. No doub,
the choice is harder-tlle effort more
nearly supreme-when n sends the
women of other men away to safety
and remains behind in company with
deadly danger. 1t is not given to al
men to do this-to stake one OWL
life on the safety of a pleasant womar
from Europe or a dollfaced school.
girl. This is a case where public
values do count for something. Blu
after all. il a man is all man and MOI
half woman. this heroic test may be
met. 1t is not a matter for private
judgment or for public judgment, as
to what a mar docs under the stres.
Of such circumstances. Nobody car
say beforehand what he would himsel,
do in such a case. Those who have t.
make UGH decisions may very wei
ask not to be judged.