Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-09-21
Commissioner Of Navigation, Mi
nority Leader Mann and Champ
Clark Discuss Question.

WASHINGTON, Sept 20.-Ape
women drawer than men?
E. T. Chamberlain, Commissioner
of Navigation, says they are.
Martin B. Madden, member of Con-
gress from Illinois, says they are.
Minority Leader Mann says they
are, in some respects.
Speaker Champ Clark, coming from
the SHOW Me" State, says it is a
"stand-of between men and women.
S. l. Kimball, general spperintend-
ent of the Live Saving Service,
doesn't want to show favoritism, AMI
says both men and women are gen.
orally brave"
Chamberlain's declaration is very
emphatic. 1t is contained in a report
which he has just made to the Secre-
tary of Commerce on charges relac-
ing 10 conditions on vessels on the
Great Lakes, and it has awakened
widespread discussion.
The charges were filed by the Amer
lean Vigilance Asspciation. They al
legged it was a habit of masters of
small vessels on the lakes to have
women on board, ostensibly as cooks,
but really for immoral purposes. The
association wanted the practice
stopped. One of its arguments was
that women were in the way in ma
rine disasters. that men were ham
pered in their efforts to escape by
the need of looking after the women.
and that women should not be al
lowed on board the small trading yes
sells. where the life saving facilities
were necessarily limited.
Finds Charges Unfounded.
Commissioner Chamberlain was d.
rected to make an investigation. He
did so. He found the charges against
the masters of the vessels were I'M
founded, and he said as much. Tie
thing that really aroused his indig-
nation, however was the allegation
that women were in the way in dis
asters and the intimation that they
were lacking in physical bravery.
Women, as a rule, in marine dis
asters," said Mr. Chamberlain, have
shown courage, possession self
reliance and obedience, and almost
without exception any display If
cowardice or unrestrained manifesto
ton of the instinct of self preserv3-
ton has come from men. The rule on
shipboard, women and children first,
is based on the fundamental respe (
for womanhood and on self-sacrifice,
common qualities Of mer in this
country, in which, however, those
making charges in this case seem
wholly deficient, and to the existence
of which they seem blind"
Unofficial approval Of Commission
er Chamberlains views has been giy-
en- by the Department of Commerce,
inasmuch as it made special effort to
give them publicity.
Madden Is Enthusia stic.
Representative Madden, of those
who paid particular note to Mr.
Chamberlain's report, was the most
enthusiastic in his Endorsement Of che
Commi sSioner's views.
81 have never seen a woman who in
time of danger wasn't Drawer than
man while the danger lasted" said
Mr. Madden. when ii comes to being
equal to an emergency, a woman is
the superior of any man ! ever saw.
She may collapse when it is over, but
while the peril lasts she Iis as calm
and collected as if nothing at all was
the matter.
II have never seen women in
marine disaster, hut ! have seen them
in automobile and railroad wrecks.
and one thing is about as exciting as
another. l have seen my wife in