Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-09-08
EVERY SUNDAY
MOTHERS DAY"
By Frederic J. Haskin.

day Mothers day." a small but deter
mined band Of reformers Is leading de-
structive attack on one OF the most sa-
cred the most venerated. the most popu-
lnr OF all American institutions-the Sun
day dinner.
The. big dinner Sunday has been the
Joy and delight of the children and the
men Of every generation since distinc-
tive American social customs were evolv-
ed. So delightful was the weekly gorge
| that the unstinted praise given 1t by men
| and children for long time concealed,
even from the mothers themselves. the
| fact that what was joy to the other
members of the family was a grievous
burden to the mother, Transforming her
day OF rest into the hardest day OF the
| week.
A few years ago Miss Annie Jarvis of
Philadelphia originated the idea OF set
ting apart one Sunday In the year for
| phia newspapers gave the idea to the
| world. the movement grew, and soon
Mothers day became an established
annual festival all over the country. The
| white carnation was adopted as the
| flower for the day. and in churches OF
| every denomination services are held on
a May Sunday. paying tribute to the
mothers Of the nation. individually and
| collectively. Absent sons and daughters
write home to mother, the man In the
street wears a white carnation and a
sentiment Of JOY tempered with tears
pervades the whole country.
And yet, on that very Mothers day."
tho average American mother Is work
ing over a hot stove in a hot kitchen,
preparing a hot meal that must be piping
hot on the table when father and the
children come home from church.
The proposition to relieve mother by
the abolition of the time-honored insti-
tuition Of the Sun
Mothers Likely to day dinner may
Appreciate It.. sentimental appeal
as the annual Mothers day." with its
white carnation, but the chances are that
the living and working mothers will more
highly appreciate this practical move
ment, which aims to make Every Sun
day Mothers day."
OF course, in some families there are
servants to prepare the Sunday dinner,
but it is an odd fact that where there
are servants the Sunday dinner is not
accented, and differs but little from the
dinner on any other day. Any survival
Of pre-eminence that 1T may retain Is
due not to the presence of the servant,
but to the habits and customs original
ing in the history of that family when
there was no servant and when mother
did the work. Anyhow, in nine out OF
ten families there is no servant.
To most mothers Sunday is the hard
est day of the week. The man Of the
house. having been obliged to have
an early breakfast all the week, feels
privileged to indulge in an extra nap
Sunday morning. This necessitates a
children for church. Usually. to begin
this process before breakfast would
disturb father. The breakfast Sunday
morning also is a more elaborate meal
work for mother. To clear up after
breakfast. attend to the children and
make her own toilet keep her ION
the jump from the time she rises
seated in her church pew. as thousands
of mothers can testify.
II mother does not attend church she
is expected to have an elaborate din
ner ready to serve by the time the
appoints this expectation. If she does
attend church the dinner must be a
little later and she rushes home to
prepare 1t after church. too hurried
often to know whether the minister's
sermon pleased her or not. If a roast
is to be cooked she can hardly serve
dinner much before the middle Of the
afternoon. After this Is eaten 1t takes
most Of the remaining afternoon to
clear up. Usually some sort of sup
per Is also expected Sunday evening.
What wonder Is it. that mother goes
to bed more tired on Sunday than
any other night during the week? Yet
her work has not the pleasure of va
riety. 1t Is only an exaggerated repe-
titiOn Of the tasks she patiently has
been performing throughout the week.
The father Of the family may work
harder during his hours of employ
ment than mother. These hours are
not so long as mothers, and seldom
IS his work as nerve-racking. Yet
every Sunday father has a rest and
an opportunity to enjoy his home In
many homes his very presence makes
it harder for mother, who feels that
he should have a better dinner that
day than usual. 1t is only lately that
people have come to feel that mother
ought to have things better Sunday
than other days, but the idea has
started and 1t is bound to grow.
A Kansas City man, last winter, caught
the spirit and has taken it upon himself
to tighten his
Kansas City Man wifes Sunday
Cooks Sunday Dinner. p nUln 0' p the
dinner himself. 1t is a novel employment
to him and therefore not the dull monot
ony cooking is to his wife. He serves
only such things as he can prepare easily.
Steaks and chops are easier than roast
beef or poultry His dinner usually con.
sists of meat and one or two good canned
vegetables with a simple dessert nrena rod