South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-11-26
By Gertrude Anterior

women Of belligerent countries who have taken
TO work the most pampered Of them, as natur-
ally as il efficiency and necessity had been a
family tradition, whether this pros
perty of ours. which. no doubt, will continue
as long the war does-and that may be for
years-wil make them more recklessly extrava-
CANT more averse from anything but play and
selfindulgence than ever The men, making
money rapidly for the first time in years, will
&c ill more the traditional good-natured in
duleent husbands; the question is one that will
be decided by the women alone.
There is, of course, and always will be a
hopeless parasite class. lazy. sef-indugent,
merely sensuous don't fancy that even their
own country at war would move them to
changes, possibly could not. The point with the
women of Britain and France, in particular
who have conceived these sudden activities,
end with such astonishing results. is that they
were full Of latent energy, as we'll as nobility
and only too glad to expend 1t upon something
worth while
Save in bare physical power of lifting, there
are few pursuits which women cannot Ill as
well as men, and even the labor of the British
women in munitiOn factories has hardly sur.
prised any student of the sex. Women had
their restricted place in the general scheme OF
life during the long centuries of the large
family, but in these days their restlessness Is
entirely due TO the need of severe practical
outlets for their surplus energies. and even
their power of endurance is as great as that OF
ali but the exceptionally strong man.
There has for the reasons given been great
awakening 10 her powers and to the larger
possibilities of life among the women of this
country, witness the insistent demand for
the vote and all that it's power implies For
that reason believe that the thinking women
OF this country will never cease TO exhort heir
followers to persist in their determination to
place themselves on level with men, Not
for any mere desire for equality pleasant as
that would be, but to insure against future dis
aster. For just so as we must profit
enormously by the present economic prOstra.
ton In Europe, so will we suffer frightfully in
the reaction when the war is over Even IL q
panic is avoided there will be long dry rot
during which only those that have saved the
greater part of what they are MAXI g now will
be able to live in comfort seasoned by a few
Injuries.
The keen minds among the women leaders
will realize all this and encourage women Of
every class the rich, and much more the
daughters of all grades III the middle class 10
apply themselves to some remunerative work
to learn trade study a profession, turn their
smallest talents to account, go into business;
In short, deliberately ft themselves for com
plete independence. We now despise the man
who does nothing, even If he has an independ-
ent income; the time is not far off, and accele-
rated by the lessons OF this war when it Will
be equally disgraceful for any woman to loaf
Tie rich women OF this country are by no
means the idlest, for they make a business OF
society at least and give many hours Of their
week the various organizations charitable
and otherwise, for the amelioration OF the
race: that is to say. the women of any sort OF
social traditions do the "nouveaux riches"
that fill our hotels seem TO be quite hopeless:
although. doubt. they would be glad TO as
sist in any sort OF work, if taken up by the
socially established
IQttff 10 fhah hun ODE Of
who live in flats. where the days work is very
light, and who have little or no acquaintance
who are the real idlers OF the country. who
are bored and disconnected. and who swell the
divorce list. IL is TO these women that the
fashion TO work at something, to try out their
abilities, 10 watch themselves develop from a
useless idler into efficient human being
would be the greatest boon that has ever Wis.
fled the sex. 1t is in their that leisure is
q curse Leisure is blessing only when one
can travel, entertain enjoy constant associa-
ron with intelligent people, or study. Even
spending money grows monotonous and there
are few Of these apartment house women who
are not full OF latent resource. but who have
neither the education nor the training TO find
it out for themselves.
There should be a great central bureau es-
tablished run by women who for years have
been associated with organizations to which
any sort OF inexperienced woman could 90 and
demand an examination which would enable
her TO start hopefully at some sort of re-
those that could pay. and advice for those in
Immediate need.
But the point for women 10 consider nov is
the wisdom Of not waiting for necessity: 10
prepare themselves as college men do or find
job after the fashion of the poor mans son.
feel sure this will all come about in time
but | should like TO see il in full swing during
the next ten years. There is another factor
shat may contribute 10 this result. and that is
the almost automatic way in which so many
people OF this country follow fashions set by
Britain | don't think this tendency among
Americans is prompted by subseryience or
snObbshness, by any means; on the contrary
there is ancient instinct OF both resentrr ent
against the mother country and OF rivalry IL
irritates the average American 10 be told that
they do anything better in England. History
has something 10 do with this the similarity
OF language more The Americans are both
an initiative and inventive and they
dislike extremely that any people of their own
tongue should get ahead" OF them. There
fo<e, when invention fails they borrow and i'm.
prove
doubt II the American women will long
stand hearing how wonderful the British WON
en- are. They will start out before long TO
prove themselves quite IS wonderful more so.
for they are not wrought up 10 the exalted