The Washington herald., 1912-11-25

| in society girl is more or less the pre-,
OF circumstances. From childhood III
she has had drummed into her that he
only aim in life IS to make an excellen
match; II possible, she must ensnare
duke, an earl, or a lord. What! mer'
man? Horrors! Not to be thought Of.
When a society girl makes her debu
her brains are already at work. TIL,
character of the parti she is after Is &
minor consideration; the title and wealth
come first. Many a rich girl envies he
working sisters in so much as the lat
ter have the right and freedom to MARI
for love. To do so in her own set woulC
bring down scorn and ridlcule upon hel
head; perhaps she would be disowned
She is taught to Ignore love: the ugliel
and richer and older the man may be
the better. The old, scheming. rascalIy
mother would never die happy unless sh,
could say to her bitter social rival. My
daughter is Duchess So-and-so'' oil
Countess OF No Account" &C. SucN
are the ways of scheming mothers and
their daughters.
MAX NJ BERNSTEIN.
Care DtsbursnE Once Department Of ConnGs
Claims Marriage Not Essential.
That there is sham about society, there
can be no reasonable doubt. but that
the whole American people are enveIoped
in this mOckery and deception. is alb.
solutely untrue. As much so as though
all men were branded ''thieves'' because
a certain class can be justly so called
Because girls in society, girls witt
plenty of money, and plenty of that
worst OF all evils, idIeness. are satisfied
to sell themselves for a title, does moi
mean that the average American cir
would belittle herself in this manner
Marriage, according to Bernard Shaw's
expressed opinion. is the lowest. most
ignoble thing that could happen to a
man, therefore, / say his own expe-
riences must have been exceptional.
1t is too true that the standard set by
so-called society" the -Four Hundred
and the upper classes" is of the low
est. but this set Of people is not the
type of the true American
Nowadays when girls can be so indie
pendent. earning their own, and often
their famlly's livelihood. marriage is not
the only essential thing. the only DOS
sible vocation a girl can have, and the
earning powers Of a man are not needed
to keep her from want and starvation,
therefore. she can be more particular
about and critical Of. the man she mar
ries.
True. marriage should be the highest
aim and Hottest purpose of all women,
but 1t is not absolutely necessary to keep
her from actual need of a home, and to
say that American girls entice men into
marriage rather than risk single life,
Is absolutely false OF the average girl,
and is utterly disproven by the number
Of single women in this country to-day.
So why judge all by a few frivolous
abnormal women?
Take the society girl. surrounded on
all sides by every luxury, helpless and
useless except as an ornament. Could
she ever face a life OF even middle class
responsibility. no matter how she loved
man? 1t Is not to be thought of. So
she will marry some one who can give
her what she is accustomed to. with
enough additions, to give the matter a
little novelty.
Or, take the girl who is In society,
but cannot afford to be there She is
entertained. housed, clothed, and even
fed by her rich friends, and naturally
she must marry a man with money I'M
less she would step down from the plane
she is on, which is an uncomfortable
thought. Whether ii Is a love match is
of no consequence; If It is a suitable
match, the world is pleased and she is
safe.
Society mothers have nothing to do
but marry of their daughters, and gos-
sips prevent a rich girl from being single.
even II she would, unless she has an I'M
usual amount of stability.
But the girls Of the middle classes.
by which America is more fifty repre-
scented. care nothing for the idleness and
and inactivity Of the society
sister. They are healthy, active, en-
thusiastic, busy girls, and, therefore,
their ideas, their aims, and their ideals
are nobler and purer. They can earn
their own way in the world and are not
ashamed to. They can work well, eat
well, sleep well, think well, and marry
well. They are not afraid to begin with
a little and work up. They are not
ashamed to be true to their ideals and
to live up to the honest standards Of
true affections and real love. Therefore.
with these girls marriage is sacred, not
to be held in light esteem, and such a
union ennobles both the man and the
woman and is not lightly to be set
aside.
MARION c. BARKER,
49,. r... -