The Washington herald., 1913-06-22
by FRANCES sHAFFER.

For a single day recently the organized
club women Of Georgia were permitted
to assume the responsibility and the
work of publishing the Atlanta Consti-
tuition. and the pleasure and profit OF
gathering in the receipts therefrom: and
II was quite a mammoth affair.
When the newspaper was first un-
folded to the gaze OF some critical folk.
they wondered bit how the feminine
mind would operate In the selection Of
subject matter for the editorial page,
and 1t may prove of interest to note
how the articles ran.
The leading editorial. entitled Real
Cost of Living" says that while papers
and magazines are gravely discussing
the high cost of living and while women.
as docilely as may be. are accepting the
oft-repeated statement that prices would
tumble downward IL they stood guard at
the housekeeping gates as faithfully. as
watchfuily, and as economically as they
should. to stop every wasteful leakage,
our highest bills for living are just be-
ginning to be presented.
The real extravaganza of the present
day comes, IL says, not In buying the
highest-priced cut Of meat or the most
fanciful millinery creations. but in the
waste OF vitality and nerve-force Of chill
dren, a waste that goes unbrokenly on.
This is the outstanding debt which is
really threatening to exceed civilizations
assets
And how? Well. there are the little
folk in our schools. From the long hours
of work in the schoolroom troops of
small boys and girls trudge homeward,
with glasses bridging their patient little
noses, their arms weighted with books
for two to four hours more of study"
Extravagnnt Demand.
There are the baby newsboys thread
ing their way in and out among auto
mobiles. heavy trucks. and motorcycles.
clinging to the rail of a swift-moving
car while they sell a paper or two and
drop of with their pennies, into the rush
again. Man looks on. half in pride at
their cleverness, half in something else,
and says-"But they know how to take
care Of themselves, those little Arabs"'
But the editorial says, Yes, but the most
extravagant demand that can be made
upon a growing child is too early TO
place upon his untried shoulders bur-
dens presupposing strength and knowl-
edge that he does not possess. Extrava-
CANT indeed when childhood's right to
competent guardianship Is taken away!
Then, there's the little understood lad.
with nerves and muscles overstrained.
guiding a delivery horse about through
the crowded streets OF busy city. And,
again, late at night, often when 1t is
rainy and cold. a mere wisp of a boy |
comes bringing a bundle half as big as
the little fellow himself Maybe he is |
well clothed, but the chances are against |
il; perhaps he has had his supper. but
there is no certainty OF 1t.
Out in the street. once more, there Is /
another little chap hurrying by. with a 1
huge hatboX in his hand, another on his
back, and a cigarette of the most killing
type. strongly telling of his passing that !
way. They say he is a daredevil and
reckless. hardly a boy at all-but he is
doing the work Of man. And some
DAY the bill will come In.
And in the busting, fretting city. al
most at every corner. there is the sad
sight of an exploited and oyerstrained
child. grimly promising in later years
he man whose strength and possibly
ambition are spent, seeking in tobacco,
liquor. drugs, vulgar amusements, and
vice the stimulus that overstrained and
exhausted nerves demand with an ire
'isi ible craving"
These, the writer says, are some of
,ur highest bills for living, and they
Ire far more important than the prices
" groceries. meats. and clothing.
Second Editorial.
A second editorial was headed Beau
flying the Way" and il was a call TO
he club women OF Georgia to go to
work. in their respective districts to in
crest the menfolk there in the planting
Il shade trees along every mile of the
states new highways. The district presi-
Tents of the federation were urged TO see
he county authorities and the citizens
living along the roads and to help trans
orm the dusty. sun-baked highways of
Georgia into a long stretch of beautiful
oadside, with the charm and protection
4 trees beautifully yielding in fruit. nut
nd shade.
Another-"A Neglected Municipal AS