The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-02-15
Social Notes

In view of the fact that the interests
of all women and the eager attention
of the largest majority of the feminine
world, whether socially inclined or 9TH
erwise, is conferred upon equal suffrage
n whether 1t will be granted and the
enthusiastic discussion of what the
outcome Will be, 1T may be interesting
to learn of some of the views expressed
by Madame Nordica, one Of the lead
ing women of the American opera, al
a public interview recently. There
was never so quiet and attentive an
New York as there was when Madame
Nordica, h prima donna, was pub
licly interviewed on the stage there
i. u. Ely was the interviewer, and
thought about equal pay. votes fol
women, whether women had as much
chance of getting on in the world as
men, what effect women in public life
would have on men,, and any number
of other questions. Madame Nordica
rave answers that brought freuuen
laughter and applause from the audi
encee Mr.. Ely began the interview by
asking if women were at a diSadvan-
tage, as compared to men in a pro-
fession like that of a public singer.
If you mean at the top" said Madam
Nordtca, Il think perhaps that is one
PROFESSION where women are on a par
with men, or perhaps have an adyan-
tage, Tor many people would prefer to
see and hear a woman. think no
man ever received the money paid to
In South America and $4,000 here. The
one disadvantage Of women is that
they are no physically as strong as
men. In the lowest ranks of. the pro-
aession,' n continued, in answer to
another question about the chorus girl,
L think the woman has the same op-
poftun1ty as the man, but she works
harder. Girls do not know when they
speak or going on the operate stage
n they will be asked how many
operas they know, N in how many
Languages they can sing, There are
many hours Of tiresome work and
much standing around, and many wom-
en- have children to care for and some
of them do their own homework. They
have the same advantages as men in
the profession, but work harder than
men do" Mr.. Ely put leading ques-
tons as to woman's possession of busi-
ness ability n asked the prima donna
If she would be as satisfied to deal
With a woman as a man in business.
The audience laughed when she an
sWered: Women have not had the
same opportunity as men, and o
cannot expect them to come out Mi
nerva-like ready for the. fray. They
Will do as well as men when they have
learned all the mems tricks of the
trade. ] have had dealings with many
women impressarios and I. never lost
none through one of them" She told
of some states. Texas and Ohio among
them, where women in business or pro-
fession were at a disadvantage because
h law gave all their earnings to their
husbands, but said that she believed
in women being independent, because
anything which tende to independ-
ence of spirit made for the advance
ment of the individual. She ave the
names of many couples on the dramatic
and musical stage who were busily en-
gagged in living happily though mar
ried. The women in the audience APP
plauded when Madame Nordica said:
There are men who have to work
nights, and men who travel, but you
expect their homes to be unz
happy because they are so much away
from them, I can't see why a woman,
If she is a singer and marries, cannot
arrange her household satisfactorily.
Surely, women in private go away WIS.,
tttng, and I am sure the home life of
artists is as harmonious as that of
many people In private life" Madame
Nordica, who sat in a large chair be-
side a table during this dialogue, rose
to her feet when she was asked If
women would ever stand by Zach other
She asked in her turn If 9. woman did
not always stand by her family, If she
was not the most trusted secretary OF
a business man, and if the go 900 work
ing girls now on strike were not
standing by each other. h said she
believed in equal pay, gave her reasons
for believing in higher education, and
thought women might do well as judge