The Washington times., 1914-02-21


ways tell a girl baby from boy
by the first word the girl speaks;
Buy, buy"
So long as the ingenuity of men
is expended in tempting and coax
ing women to be customers. and so
long as other avenues Of instructive
desire for acquisition are closed to
women, just SO long will this i'm
piled charge be true.
At the present time one OF the
principal vocations Of women Ii
shopping. There is very little left
for them to amuse themselves
with. The men are doing all OF
the baking. most of the sewing,
and all the governing. The men
who are not engaged in these vo-
cations are engaged in tempting
women to buy. What Is poor
women to do?
The other day. I walked through
a large dry goods store in Minne-
apoIis. along the center aisle was
the most gorgeous exhibition Oh
fabrics that / have ever seen. The
cheapest was SIS per yard. and l
saw beauty hungry women almost
fondling them. and casting up In
their minds the possible oppor-
tunity of securing enough money
to own a few yards.
Forms of Exploitation.
One of the best-known men in the
United States once In public life, now
in the business OF supplying the
needs and stimulating the eXtrava-
gance of the female portion Of So
ciety. has recently had an exhibition
Of Partisan models in which the girls
who wore these models had their
own hair powdered green. purple.
and to suit the tone of the gowns
displayed.
Another form of the exploitation Of
the weaknesses of women Is found
in the United States customs laws.
man-made. which encourage women
TO spend money in personal decora-
ton rather than in the things which
mean comfort for the family.
You may bring in gewgaws and
articles of personal adorrment to the
value of 500 free of duty. hut IL you
desire to bring in household linen.
or some article for domestic use.
such as articles of household con-
venience used by Dutch women. you
must paw duty on them-they cannot
be included in your $loo.
I am sure IL women ever get a
finger m the tariff pie they will allow
articles of domestic comfort and con-
venience to be brought in free OF
duty. and will put n heavier duty
upon those things which are Used
for personal vanity.
Attitude of Women.
Women are very fond of talking
about woman the exploited" but
when it comes to woman the ex-
ploiter' they like to forget her ex-
istence.
Not long since I was a guest at n
State Federation of Women's Clubs.
The subjects of my talks are not
usually much suited to such gather
ings. because I represent section
OIL tie sex whose eSlsttliSe lISy line
to forget.
The speeches preceding mine eu-
loGized woman and credited her
with so much of the advancement OF
the world that ycu would hardly be-
liCve such a think as a man had
ever lived. At first | was amused.
and then 7 became serious. for
BEGAN to fear that women We're OBJ
sesSed with the idea of sex. Inmates
Of insane asylums always imagine
that they are kings and queens or per
sons Of imDortanc". and | wondered
if we might not he travelling along
the same road.
When my time came to speak
felt impressed to show the other side
OF the picture.
Intensity of Character.
If the history of the human race
has been glorifled BY woman. her
shadow is also to be found on every
pace'
Sacred and profound writings
abound with instances. The poets of
ancient days. as well as modern
writers. Rave pictured in no uncer-
tain tone the woman as the dead
uest of tine species" and have paint
ed the vampire in sombcr hideous-