Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-10-15
Hrs. Woodrow Wilson Has De-
eided Views On Subject
4 CONFUSION or NAMES
Wife of Democratic Candidate G'sea
Out Letter Taking Strong Stand on
Smoking Habit.

Woodrow Wilson became the Demo
cratic presidential candidate has Mrs
Wilson appeared. She attended in
person her husbands daily conference
with reporters, although heretofore
she has made special requests That she
be not quoted nor wri tten about N the
papers
What Mira Wilson wished TO have
fully understood was that II she PEI
comes the first lady OF the land sac
will not. as mas been saio in & widely
distributed Interview. have packages
OF cigarettes in her personal desk at
the White House and indu!bo In smon
ing them with her oaller2.
Through Governor Wilson, Mrs. VIII
son asked that publicity be given to q
letter she had written TO the editor OF
tbe State Journal at Columbus. O.,
repudiat!ns 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 then TO reod such
preachment as your interview offers
them. ] am q workingnan. and see
men lose their jobs almost every day
because they are ilcaDacltated Tor
work By the use Of the cigarette X
smoking does this ior strong men
what will It do for girls and women"
The interview" was indeed q Coz.
dial Endorsement Of the woman smo.l.
er. Here are scme Of Its assuring
phrases, ali credited to Mrs Wilson:
"a woman writer for syndicate OF
Sunday newspapers asked Mrs Wood
row Wilson II she agreed with Ger.
tIude AtherGons oDiilcn CT the smoN'
ing Of cigarettes BY women. She smil.
insly exhibited three cigarette boxes
piled in the corner OF her desk, all bus
empty
"Why shouldn't q woman smoke II
she enjoys IT, she queried.
"Why hasn't she Just as much right
to a cigarette az u man Certainly I
agree with Mrs. Atherton that any
existing prejudice against women
smoking Is TO the last silly and ab-
surd.
Smoking cigarettes Is question
of manners, not Morals. 1t promotes
good fellowship.
"'Sone women feel that q cigarette
Gains their nerves end helps their
brains into working order. Personally
smoking diifuses NY thoughts instesi
OF concentrating them. | enjoy 1t %
cntcy after dinner coffee. Both arc
Pleasant ways of ending and fniehln!;
off; both add to conylvialtty and g3oa
frl!iwship.'
The editor Of the Ohio State Journe'.
Il was clear, had been much incen3fd
at the apologies for the cigarette heh't
among women attributed to Mrs. NIL
sou, as he wrote on Aug. 10 an edltG.
rial In which he called for the defeat
Of Governor Wilson or O reputation
from his wife II there WAS no mis-
take about it, no wrote. Mrs. Wood
row Wilson shouldn't be mistress q.
the White House"
II the Ohio editor was emDhati:
Mrs. Wilson was certainly not less 50.
After the reporters had said they
would gladly publish her letter to tn,
Ohio editor she asked for an hours
time in which to write one. This was
what she prepared:
Dear Sir-I have just received &.
COPY of the Journal with your editc.
rial entitled Smoking Women and
beg leave to deny Indignantly tho
statement that I approve OF women
smoking cigarettes. The intervie"
upon which your editorial was basel
is q pure invention. | intensely dis
like the cigarette smoking habit foT
wou,en-in fact, 30 strong is my feel.
ing on the subject that my real danger
lies Ia being unjust and unkind in M
Judgment of those who differ with IN
in this respect.
"But certainly no woman in oUr
household ever has or ever will smoke.
lutte apart from the bad taste OF it. |
believe with you that it has an e.
treneIv Injurious effect on the nerves.
sELLEN A. WILSON
("Mrs. Woodrow Wilson,
Governor Wilson, in approving thu
letter sent out by Mrs. Wilson, offered
what he thought might prove an ex.
PLANTATION for the interview.
81 do not think it was maliciously
invented" he said. There is rather
we'll known writer who signs hersel,
Mrs Wilson Woodrow, and she NJ
doubt has been confused with Mrs.
Wilson"
Mrs. Wilson Woodrow was formerlT
married to a relative OF Governor VII.
SON and it is understood that her
y;ews on the matter of women VINO
smoke are different from those hel;
in the household OF the Democrat;
candidate.