The Washington herald., 1912-02-01
Dy JULIE cHANpLER MANz.

| Wnen MI. James Z. waters. Jr.s SUD-
mitted an article on ''The Price Woman
Pays" for publication in The Washing
ton Herald's Page for Every Woman, he
was doubtless unaware that he was
throwing a bomb into the progressive
| woman's camp.
I confess I suspected as much when I
published his ideas along the line Of
woman's place in the scheme of human
existence, for the readers OF this page
are not asleep. In addition to that,
don't believe there is a man in WASH
ington who can pull the wool OF high
sounding phrases over the eyes Of wom-
ans understanding.
But listen TO an answer TO Mr.. Waters
carefully prepared article on woman's
abdication of her high throne, sent me
by Miss Alice T. Jenkins:
Yes, Mr.. Waters, the woman pays,
writes Miss Jenkins. but she pays too
much, and the difference between the
fair price and the eXtortionate is what
she gains through the woman movement.
Is a female teacher worse of in the
long run because she is better paid for
her work? How. then, does this menac-
ing statement fit her case? 1t Is the
independent woman who does not marry
for a home who seems to be threatened.
Nora (not HeIen) Stanton Blatch de
Forest Is doubtless the young woman you
refer to as being able to earn her own
living as a civil engineer instead Of
remaining dependent upon a distasteful
marriage for maintenance. Surely II Is
to the credit OF the women Of to-day
who rise above marriages for mainte-
nance, especially as they have to pay
in consequence by working at whatever
they are qualified to do at the disadvan-
tage OF being allowed no part in deter
mining what the price shall be- That is
. l. NnTR
which ceases TO exist through the bal
lot in the hands of women. 1t is by no
means a natural law, as you seem to in
fer. but one entirely dependent upon the
recognized rights OF women, which dif-
fer in every State.
Depends on Her Fitness.
whether 1t is the truth that wom-
ans highest sphere is in the home as
wife and mother Of a family depends
upon how well fitted she is for the posi-
ton and what motive actuated her in
entering It. The mere physical per-
formance Of this kind Of work is not
necessarily meritorious, and is often
abused from a false idea that IL is the
only thing for her to do. Many a girl
sacrifices herself because she does not
see clearly any other course, and allows
herself to be drawn into an uncongenial
Indrrldge 10 dNOld -"OTh WHICH
tell her she ought to leave for men who
need it. while she can marry and be
taken care of by a man. We all know
how Il works out in nine cases out OF
ten. She does the hardest work, with
the longest hours, for no pay; and this
is where we agree with Mr.. Waters that
the woman pays She pays with her
energy and Hfe's blood for being taken
care OF as a wife and mother.
hear mon Drata about tho highest
duty of women, one would naturally
think that all she had to do was to
grasp this highest sphere at will How
can any sphere OF life be the duty OF a
person who is denied the initiative in
the matter? When fathers object, what
about the highest sphere?' 1t usually
goes to the wall. doesn't it? And GER
tainIy it would be the height Of cruelty
to denounce a person. man or woman,
for not marrying when, in the one in
stance, she may not choose for herself
and in the other instance he may not be
accepted. This Is only as an onset TO
the trite and erroneous notion that mar
riage is the sole provision for a wom- |
ans existence A happy marriage, un-
der conditions Of the highest mutual re-
gard and esteem, on a footing Of deep |
and growing love and devotion, between |
two persons who have been drawn to-
gether by what might be called natural |
selection in the very best sense-such |
marriage must be the highest and |
hsppiest condition on earth. and no one
would decry the institution, but mar
rage before which Mr.. Waters
stands in silence and awe. so profound
indeed, is his respect for it. is degraded |
to the earth when Il Is made the sordid /
thing II becomes when II is used as a
matter OF course for the maintenance of
such women as may achieve husbands
to take care Of them; and the offspring Of
such unions are not calculated TO make
a high order Of citizen.
"On with the woman movement then,
which no more stands for the making
men Of women than the making women
of men who are engaged In the many
avocations distinctly and undisputedly
best suited to women. Human rights
were guaranteed the people by the Con-
before that pernicious little
word, male was added. long after the
original had gone into effect. It is true
that probably our trainers and signers
Of the Declaration and Constitution had
not women in their minds, but condi-
tions were so different that women were
not so much in need OF actual repre-
sentation as they are to-day"
Another Reader Exercises Opinion.
Here is another letter written me by
Mrs. Paul l. Joachim:
why is it that man continually tries
to picture before the rising woman Of to-
day a battlefield of lost desires and bleed
ing hearts?
"It seems as II he fears the access to
the mountain OF recognition which she
is now climbing. and why?
.sNr. ]. g, waters, jr., speaks of the
price, Nav I ask who has ever paid
the price demanded by all humanity II
not woman7
surely she has paid well for every
issue, paid with her hearts red blood,