New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-21

" solution Of their difficulties7
There have been suffrage en-
thusiasts among American women who
have, for a brief session, hoped to
conquer that world next. who have had
as their souls dream a picture of the
lady with the mantilla at the polls,
casting a ballot for-well, perhaps for
running water all day, instead Of for
ono hour, as It is at Vera Cruz.
In their spirit of sisterly helpful
ness they have pitied the Spanish
American woman with her restrictions
and impositions and hoped to relieve
them. But great is the shock when
they learn that the pitied sister is not
only perfectly complacent about her
own status in society, but also per-
fectly disappearing of the American
woman as she sees Her. This, and much
more, comes from Mrs. Allene Upper
Wilkes, writer on Mexico in "Harper's
Weekly" and daughter of DIR. Henry
Allen Wilkes, representative of the In
ternational Peace Forum, who has just
returned from two years stay in
Mexico, and who as an intimate friend
of the leaders in the revolution proba-
bly, knows more about Mexico than any
other American woman.
"Can Mexico hope for anything from
her women, as America camp was my
question.
The Virtue of Restriction.
"She very decidedly cam" came Mrs
Wilkes's immediate response. Right
now the Mexican woman, physically
and morally, is far superior to the
Mexican man. She has become so
through her very restriction. Men have
had license and freedom and have dis
sipated energy; but women have had
one narrow little path to follow, and
that has made for concentrated energy,
both of body and spirit.
"But you can't make an American
woman out Of your Mexican lady. You
can't rush down there with suffrage
and feminism and expect her to take
them up. For already she thinks
American women are loud and con-
sp:cuous-she is judging the superb
cial mannerisms-and that in her So
called freedom she has lost sweetness,
loyalty to family and religion, three
qualities the Mexican woman cherishes
so carefully. American women are ad-
mired and envied least Of all other ma
tons by the Mexicans-indeed that is
true both of men and women. We are
not highly regarded down there, you
know"
"But how can we teach her? Women
I'D here have a democracy with each
other which certainly the Mexican
women need"
81 don't know that they do need
what you call democracy of women.
Their system is feudal. The wealthy
women look after their dependents.
No, they don't need what we have
yet. That is where we make our mis-
take. We think that our ways are the
only ways. We want to start some
thing down there. show them how, as
it were. Now, showing how is just the
very last method we ought TO adopt.
"But III tell you just what would
impress Mexican women with our ex-
cellence. That would be for every
American woman who goes down there
for any purpose whatever to set the
very best example she can of dignity
and excellence, and then to try to under
stand and appreciate the Mexican wom-
ans point of view. But other methods
will never work; certainly forced, sup
erimposed standards of civilization
will not civilize anybody.
Mrs. Wilkes then went on to politics
and business in Mexico, not as natural
a transition in Mexican affairs as here
in America. And again, the Jealous
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