The Washington herald., 1912-10-13

In America the new woman" was
first laughed at, and then good -naturedly
accepted. The .Englishman. although he
has not conceded the place that she
would have, has accustomed himself to
her outbursts. In fact, he finds nothing
lead pipe or a brick slung by brawny
female arms. He recognizes that this Is
merely a part Of her argument. and lets
II 20 at that. In Germany. however. the
coming OF the new woman" has proven
tragic.
Germans for centuries have boasted
three things. Through all vicissitudes Of
their political fortunes. they have held
these things UP to their own admiration
and haunted them in the face of the
world. Germans believed themselves the
salt OF the earth: because they had these
three things alone among the nations.
They recognized thO; and were their
fortunes on the ebb or on the flow. they
were happy.
First, the Germans were deep thinkers.
in other words. the only true scientists:
they had a shadowy something called
'Gemute." a thing possessed by them
alone and which We can approximately
translate as inward life:" and as their
crowning glory the Germans had the
original copyright on that greatest of
blessings-"the Hausfrau."
The Hausfrau was not clingins vine
Of a woman. She was not a society star.
nor was she the pampered product of
the hothouse. She wasr't beautiful. and
she wasn't ugly. She wasn't noted for
her intellectual abilities. nor was she
confidingly stupid. She didn't do roman
tic things. although she was possessed
Of deep emotions. She was everything
that a new woman Is not. and nothing
that a new woman is.
When her lord returned from work at
night she had his favorite slippers wait
ing for him. His favorite dish was
steaming on the table. His pipe. to-
bacco. and beer. together with his IA
vorite paper. were placed before him.
and while he rested the Hausfrau made
herself obscure behind vast piles of fam
lily mending or armfuls of fancy needle
work.
Priceless Women.
II her man went out and stayed all
night. >playing skat in some cafe. she
never murmured. It was the prerogative
of the man to go and come as he pleased
and one that she never thought to Ques-
ton She lived for him and his children,
and when father was feeling irritable
che kept the children out OF his way.
She was priceless, was this German
Hausfrau; one Of those blessings to good
to be true. still her lord never realized
this though he acknowledged her as
one of the three advantages that he had
over the rest Of the world, and expected
her to last forever.
Well could he afford to become a great
scientist and devote his time to the culti-
vation of his inward life.
All the little worries and cares Of life
were absorbed and conquered by his
ample Hausfrau. She fed him on the
xhn bat Sho
dited such accounts as he left to her
supervision and never asked to see such
as ne kept himself. She kept his house !
clean. his larder filled. his children
humored his every whim. and
effaced herself every time he developed |
\ wish fors ssolitude.
This was the German Hausfrau. |
Like a bolt out Of a clear sky came |
he new woman into the Fatherland. She |
organized clubs for the consideration OF
politics. Her lord was hurt and startled. |
She took to divided skirts and bloomers; |
smoked cigarettes. became an enthu- /
,iastic follower Of the races, and. In
he younger generation, told pop that
{ was up to him to come across with
IN automobile or an aeroplane.
Water" demonstrated. cussed and final
y wept. The placid depths Of his in
yard life were terribly stirred. One Of
his three priceless possessions was being |
ost to him. and as he wept into his
beer stein, he felt that the
'gotter dammerung'' prophesied In
serman legend had arrived.
The movement spread. until the great
mass of Hausfraus was infected beyond
.ope of rescue. New Women invaded
he universities.
Father made a last stand. and for q
eng time refused to teach them. but. In
he end they had their way. They be-
ams doctors Of medicine. lawyers, and
ecturers upon political economy Of
lew school
Changes In Times.
Now. when father spends . late even
nj out. his Hausfrau goes on for Q