The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-06-27
TWO-SIDED CAREER
WILL NEVER WORK
Average Woman Cannot Succeed in
Professional and Home Life at
Same Time.
By FRANCES sHAFFER.

II opportunity for observation counts
for anything. David Belasco. the noted
theatrical manager. playwright and pro-
Queer, ought to be in a position to
advise young women concerning some
of the sacrifices they must make IL they
would succeed on the stage.
He is quoted in a very frank letter
TO a young woman aspirant for dramatic
honors, and his advice applies pretty
well TO few other professions and
few other walks in life.
The young woman who writes for ad-
vice, according to self-rea surements, is
particularly well adapted to the profess
sion she wants to follow. She has funds
sufficient to tide her over the winter
of her discomfort" always found in the
long period of preparation, has youth
On her side. and modestly confesses to
the possession of talent. a fair share of
good looks, a few brains, inexhaustible
enthusiasm and perfect health.
Quite some assets, are they not? But
the trouble, as she sees IL, goes deeper
than that. She has heard that in order
to succeed on the stage a young woman
must sacrifice youth, pleasure, happi-
ness and love itself. and she is not quite
sure that she is willing to pay the price.
not even in return for the success of
a Bernhard or a Duse. There is
young man in the background, entirely
sympathetic with her ambition. but with
his way to make in the world. They
are to marry as soon as he receives
an expected promotion, for he is en-
tirely in sympathy with her ambitions and
promises all the help and encouragement
that are his to give and all looks roseateN
indeed But still that little doubt hsunts
heF-is il true that matrimony and the
stage are incompatible? And VIII the
great man come down from the heights
of his wider observation and tell her
the sacrifices she must make?
Gets Her Answer.
For she likes mighty well to go to par
ties dances and teas, and loves to make
merry when she can,-and there's the
young man and the home in the future.
Cannot she marry, continue her social
pleasures enjoy her home and sane
existence and still win honors on the
stage?
She gets her answer-and one wonders
If she likes il.
Mr. Belasco, in reply. tells her he easily
can guess the answer she hopes for. She
wants the assurance that she has been
falsely alarmed: that she need not sacri-
fee one of the things she mentions in
order to succeed in her art-the young
man, the home, society. and success on
the stage may be hers if she is diligent
and patient enough. He would like to
please her. but ideals and life are often
at variance. and he must tell her the
truth-that if her dream of success on the
stage comes true it will mean that it is
won at the cost of not one, but all the
things she seems to hold dear. If she
hopes to shine in her profession she must
cut adrift from the young man and her
thought Of houe-making and must drop
out of the social life she maps out for
herself, for they have nothing in COM
mon.
II the home dream looms big before
her let that be her choice; IL the stage
and the success the stage may offer lure
more persistently, let her profession alb
sorb her. But it must be one or the other,
for she cannot do both with credit to
either
And he thinks il would be we'll IL every
young woman who hopes for a stage ca
reer would pause at the threshold and
make her choice.
Mr.. Belasco maps out rather a severe
course for the prospective actress. and
certainly the stage offers some marked
examples of women who have won their
spurs in spite of the fact that they have
stepped aside for wifehood. motherhood
and more than an occasional glimpse of
play. as they best like to interpret it.
But it impresses one quite outside the
a
little truth in it. not only for the young
woman whose ambitions point to the
stage. but for the whole world of young
women.
Neglect One or the other.
There is more or less talk in these days
of woman adjustment regarding the prac-
ticability of a married woman dividing
her time between the home and the great
he md ctrfa
the world of Observation-Disclosures she is
fitted to go.
And some folk say it is not right for
a woman who might create a real stir
in the midst of things TO remain in the
home. giving all her energies ana her
thought right there, wnen that work
could very well be performed by PAID
assistants while she was out earning a
royal salary and gathering in her we'll
earned honors. And they add that II
is not fair to her nor 10 the world
which, by her retirement. may be DIM
ming or possibly losing one OF its great
est lights
No doubt 1t is true that many a woman
has fretted her life away at the home |
Hest kind of domestic task while she
had every natural possibility OF SHINING
as a star or nrsI magnitude on the |
make-believe stage where player folk |
make a name for themselves or on the |
great stage OF life where action is real |
And many a fine actress. many a bril- |
liant lawyer. artist, or something else I
has been lost in a fine wife and mother |
But it is probably also quite true that |
II any one Of these woman had tried to |
be an actress. a lawyer, an artist, ana |
still wife and mother. she would have |
fallen down IN ner two-sIded career. wei
can point, tune. and again, TO women |
who, as wives and mothers-ousy. work. |
ing wives and mothers, at that-have |
filled a dual role and filled II ably, do |
ing all that wife and mother could |
DO in the home, still winning mighty
honors aside. But as a proposition for |
every woman to try We can only snake
our heads and prophesy-it never would
work.
For. as Mr.. BeIasco emphaticalIy de-
clares, something or other must be sac
riflced-and which would 1t be? The ex-
ceptional woman would win in both
helds: the average woman would raII
in one, ana falling in one there would
be failure in both.
Any cream or custard pie should have