New-York tribune., 1912-02-04
HIS MIND AT REST
Father Knickerbocker Leaves
Cares to Fair Official.

Father Knickerbocker certainly looked
ten years younger.
Its tho load off my mind, my dear, ne
said, by way of explanation to his roma
little wife, as she brought him hot drink
where he sat toasting his feet before the
gas log. 1t was the first Saturday nan-
| holiday the old man had taken for months
Yes" he chuckled, i've appointed
| curly-headed little woman down there In
the inspection Office, and, tell you, she's
| hustler I'll trust her to keep track OF
my property now. These smart young per-
sons who try to palm off their old stun on
poor old Pop knickerbocker won't get
past Mrs. Anna w. Won Hohoff, inspectress
Of the Bureau Of Supplies"
Mother Knickerbocker smiled mischiev-
| ously.
What about women in public affairsY
she suggested. Seems to me you're get
ting very progressive. You aren't going
| over to suffrage, are your"
"Oh. Suffrage, nothing! snorted the old
man. I'm after the person who can do
| the workman or woman. l don't care
which"
well, what about the other men in the
office-those who have to take orders from
the inspectress? Don't they find that gall
| ing to their masculine conceit?'
PA sure 1 don't know" answered Faith
er Knickerbocker, serenely.
While this peaceful little family scene
was being enacted at the Knickerbocker
| freslde the subject of the conversation
was laughing at a reporter.
Don't ask me what I'm to do she said
| 'I don't know myself yet. It's all new
now, and I'm just getting acquainted.
| There's really nothing to tell"
But, surely, you have ideas on the
woman question? No famous person escapes
| that these days"
We'll" said the curly-headed inspectress.
! laughing again (she really Is an astonish-
| lngly good-natured person for public Of
iclaD, "of course, | believe in suffrage.
Women should have equal rights with men.
and they certainly don't have them under
the present system. Things have improved
very much, OF course, In the last fifty years,
and they would go on improving even II
women weren't given the ballot. But 1 be-
lieve that will accelerate matters.
Not the noisy agitators, however. They
disgust people. 1t is the quiet, matter-of-
fact women who do the thing that comes
their way that convince men of the justice
been advanced more by women In admins
trative Offices than by dozens OF orators
women who are in business because they
must support themselves and perhaps their
orphaned children, not because they are
trying to demonstrate the equality OF the
sexes
| women in business need not try TO ape
mems ways. The severe suit and stiff col
lar do not disguise the fact that one Is
woman (and do not add to ones appear
ance, either). Neither need woman think
because she is I'm business that she must
give up all womanly qualities and occupa-
tions. Che can he a good homemaker. even
II she is n stenorrspher. Girls should grow
up with the idea that either lot may be
theirs and they must have training for both
Certainly, all the academic training she
can afford II a girl can go to college and
really wants 10 It will give her the best
preparation In the world for business
career. II broadens and trains the mind in
4 way which. supplemented by a few
months practical experience, may lead her
10 the highest career open to women. OF
course. a girl who has never been to college
may succeed as we'll or better at first, but
sne is less likely to attain the heights in
the end"
| Mrs. Won Hohoff is emphat atIcally reticent
on all details about her new place It is
said that she was brought to the attention
OF Father Knickerbocker through her deal
ngs with the city departments in behalf of
the Hudson Guild. with which she has been
associated for four years. She had charge
there Of all charity cases In the neighbor-
/ hood. She encountered the city officials
every time she placed a baby I'm an orphan
asylum or a naughty boy I'm the reform
school. She Investigated tenement houses
and brought them To the attention of the
! Board Of Health and the Buildings Depart
mcnt. She discovered consumptive patients
and sent them away TO be cured. She or
ganlzed a cheap pure milk depot for the
sick babies and a club for mothers In all
| this she showed an executive ability which
commended her 10 the officials OF the Bu-
reau OF Supplies. where they need some
body TO run things. She does not expect to
be called on just yet to examine personally
the cty's purchases OF hollow tiles for build
| ings or fire trucks or school books or carts
| for removing ashes. She stays in the Office
and gives orders TO her male subordinates.
/ -e