Omaha daily bee., 1915-12-14
Girls in Business
BY BEATRICE FAIRFAX.


Temptation exists mostly for the peo.
pie who look for It or invite 81 This Is
not the hard-hearted statement OF one
who falls 70 sympathiKe with the troubles
Of her own sex-rsther II Is generali-
ration to which they are indeed excop.
lions.
All drought the world, in every walk
of life. there are unscrupulous and de-
signing men, The girl who lives shell
tered and protected in her own home
meets with temptation. The gin who
goes down 10 business meets Il, too,
but In both cases one OF two things IL
true-the girl Is unfortunate In the men
with whom she comes in contact, or blum
ders on her own part invite catastrophe
There are plenty of men In the world
who are beasts OF prey rather than hui
man beings. From them neither maid.
wife nor widow is quite safe.
But the average man Is a sane, decent
person, with plenty OF kindly instincts
and a great deal OF chlvalry Such a
man respects nobody more than self
respecting working girl who invites
neither impudence nor familiarity, A
good deal OF tho talk about tho wolf
in sleeps clothing" who Is the average
employer. Is hystericel and quite untrue.
II the g.rl who goes down to business
goes clad in an armor OF disnified self
respect. of efficient determination to do
her work and do II we'll, and of faith in
the fact that tho world is built on the
| principle OF live and let live. she IL
likely to get on famously and to find
herself quite undisturbed In her desire
TO do her work.
But does the average girl go thus
equipped? Doesn't she rather have "a
little sneaking feeling that her sex IL
an asset-and one she might as well
make the most Off Doesn't she dress
TO be attractive so that even office
boys will ganently sharpen pencils and
run errands for her?
| Doesn't she roll her big. blue eyes at
the boss" when she wants to get a
few extra afternoon hours off? Doesn't
she invite admiration because she Is a
pretty girl rather than because she rs
an efficient worker7
II she does these things. is she justl-
fled in posing as prosecuted martyr
when some man takes her at her own
valuation and treats her as q forward
coduette rather than as an efficient
| business woman7
Not oil girls 90 go down to business
with the idea that II Is n superior sort
Of matrimonial agency or place where
| feminine charm Is TO make feminine
work a far easier thing than Il would
be II the employers were women.
! Not all men imagine that the bust
ness girl is an adventures who Is look.
ing for trouble or a shy little creature
| who IL fair game for any man. But
there are men who take this unehlval
ious and contemplate attitude towar,
women just as there are women whit
warrant men In taking It.
The temptations of bus ness girl ar
due directly to two things--the weakness
In the armor of some silly girls VIII
cause more dignified ones to be mis-
judged. and the wickedness in the natures
/ Of some men which a dignified girl by
meeting and meeting we'll may possibly
be able to lessen in slight degree.
The girl who goes down to business
willing to do her work and not 10 be q
cry-baby. and try 70 take advantage Of
her feminin!ty to get her off from any
difficulties will meet with the protec'
ton OF every decent man with whom sh'
comes in contact.
That girl makes It easier for ever!
other girl in the business world The
men who have met her and who know
what a white. honest little thing" chi
is. remember her and treat all othe
working women with respect due 4
the germ of an idea that white littl
thing" engendered.
There is fine chivalry in work 70
women. Women owe It to one anothe
to uphold II. Every girl who behave
herself with dignity. who does her worl
well and who neither looks for trouble
nor becomes panicky when she see
actual signs of It. keeps that chivalr,
white and fine.
And when she meets with difficult.
she will find there are plenty OF splen
did men ready to answer her with pro
lection and to give her the benefit o
the doubt"
II does not pay for the business Sir
to look for trouble. II 10 beneath con
tempt for her 10 invite II. II she doe
neither Of the two the difficulties tina
chance to beset her will be fairly cas-
TO handle.