South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-09-18
WOMEN GROWING
MORE POWERFU Ill
Feminist Movement Developing
Aggressive FemaIe-LOSing
Moral Influence Some Say.
BY CLARICE VAINE.

The question Where are you going
to?" which a popular novelist recent
~ asked in the title of her new
book, is being asked now of the fe-
male sex. not only by men--"quiet"
or otherwise-but by "A large pro-
portion of women themselves. What
are we tending to become, and what
is TN egoal to which all this develop
ing of their capabilities develop
ment which has been, perhaps. the
most extraordinary feature of the past
decades helping women to attain.
The question is eminently perpleXing.
and there are perhaps as many diff
ferent answers TO il as there are diff
ferent people in the world.
On one point. however, there seems
to be comparative unanimity. Wo-
men unquestionably get a better
time" now than their mothers or
grandmothers did; they have more
opportunities of education; fewer re-
strictions: the possibility of leading
healthier lives and widely increased
opportunities of earning their own
living one result of this increase Of
liberty is an astounding alteration in
physique.
Women Grow Stronger.
While the men of the race tend to
are growing taller and more powerful
This is a phenomenon which the most
ardent feminist must view with some
dismay, or at all events with mixed
feelings. One practical result of 1t
may be found in the fact that mar
riages are on the decrease. The stall
Wart, self-reIiant, wage-earning young
woman of the moment is at a disad-
vantage when applying for protective
n of Mi a 10 a
male thinks he is better out of it.
In any case. ii is an outstanding fact
which cannot be ignored in any esti-
mate of the woman of today. or any
forecast of the woman of tomorrow,
that marriage as an institution has
decreased in popularity proportion
ately with the increase of female "ag
gressiveness" and self-reliance. on
national grounds this must be de-
plored. but no doubt there are many
arguments which would be brought
fOrwar dtO show that progress in
this respect has not really been re-
progression in disguise. as old-fash
toned people might be led to suppose.
Losing Power over Men.
In connection with this progress
it must be added that there is certain
ly one point on which old-fashioned
people will be inclined to sticR to
their guns, and that is on the power
welded by the sex today compared
with yesterday and the day before
In these days when women are act
i've on boards of guardians and have
| brought about a state of things which
| sooner or later-sOOner, if wise coun-
sells prevail-will necessitate their be-
/ ing enfranchised, there are many who
! feel that the influence of the gentler
| sex has never at any period in mod
| ern history been so neglible. This is
| a hard saying, and / merely quote it
for what it may be worth. as a b elief
which is widely held today. Those
who hold this view affirm that il is
| impossible TO get around the fact that
nature has ordained that in the hui
man partnership man must be the
| executive.
Consequently when women exer-
cised a paramount influence over their
men-fOlk they in the true sense of
the word ruled the roost. To use the
trite phrase 'the hand that rock ed
the cradle ruled the world" All this