Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-07-17

was practically nonexlstent. suppose
| that this means that the burdens of the
I very poor are relieved by Government
aid, but surely the middle classes-the
wives of clerks for instance-are hard
put to 1t TO get along on the Government
stipend.
Their standard of living must he ter
ribly reduced. 1 had no time to verify
any of the impressions 1 am here record
ing. and l offer them for what they are
Impressions, telling you in as many cases
as possible, their source. But / must say
did not see curtailn ents anywhere.
People seemed to be driven and taking
In u way that good many of us gave up
in America In the beginning of the war.
1t occurred to all present. however, to
rejoice In one fact the war has developed;
that the ever increasing demand that cer-
tain problems that are social in their
nature-like INDECENT families and wives,
unemployment manufacture of foodstufs
and, indeed, of almost all commodities
that are OF general demand-shall be ad-
ministered by the central government as
the cheapest and most effective way OF
getting things done. This habit, bred In
the people by the war. will last long after
the war Is over And think then of the
tremendous blow we shall have struck
against poverty and its attendant evils
crime, disease. exploitation, etc.
HER SEX AGAINST HER.
Going down in the lift asked the girl
elevator boy" "Do you get the same pay
as q boy?" "Oh, no maam-slx shillings
less" Do you do the same work for the
same hours?" Yes, ma'am" Then
why do you get less pay?" "Cause we're
Just wimmln." / smiled at her tenta-
lively. Votes for women?" I said. She
smiled back, That's what'll do it, miss"
VIII Irwin came to dine at 7 o'clock
and told me all his news. He has told
1t all to you by now, so 1 shall not
We had a cosy time together and shared
our despair, and then tried to throw II OF
altogether by visit to the Empire to see
Ethel Levey in "Watch Your Step" We
did not throw II off, however-at least I
did not much as 1 enjoyed Miss Levey.
She is a vivid personality, and vivid per-
sonalities are worth taking pains to see
l wish we had more of them In life, and
fewer types. But our system of educa-
tion and social training makes for types,
and so life is much more monotonous than
1t need be.
But the audience interested me most
Mostly all soldiers and their friends;
proud papas with uniformed boy OF
two, and ladies with wounded heroes in
tow A good bit of showing Off per-
haps, but, bless their hearts, they are
entitled to it, only 1t helps to prolong
the farce, which so soon develops into
tragedy. 1 wondered how they could
laugh knowing what lay ahead OF them
For me 1t was next to impossible and
I did not have to face 1t. Healthy Eng
lishmen they were, with apparently no
criticism to mako or a system that was
taking their all-life and peace and
property and JOY 1 am told that 1t is
the upper classes and the lower who
are coming up to the scratch" T. e.
volunteering; the middle class is not
doing its share-is hanging back Sem
slble middle class. But / wish their mo-
tives were more noble / wish their
failure to respond to their country's
call meant that they disapproved that
call as a stupid attempt to settle the
matter OF who Is right by q test which
only goes to prove who is strongest.
Unfortunately. believe that middle class
hanging back means just a preference
for security and comfort, with no vision
of a nobler order Of International pro-
cedure. / may be wrong But, right or
wrong, I do not blame them.
PITY THE IGNORANT PATRIOTS"
Pity the ignorant rich and the ignorant
poor, both victims OF an ideal OF serving
called your country. right or wrong"
which should long ago have been laid on
the scrap heap OF national ideals Shabby
as II Ahl ApWaNEEs II gets Anefn 1neK
yarely question II, Vanity and fear OF
social disapproval play an enormous part
OF course, but the ideal, tattered though
II is Is able to inhame the poor souls 20.
ing into battle with the glamour OF SER
vice. How easily might that enthusiasm
be trained to serve a nobler, more con-
structiye end-aay OF international serv-
ice-in much the same way as the Boy
Scouts In Holland have been trained away
from the military spirit of destruction and
self-glorihcation 70 the spirit OF mutual
aid. 50 that no day passes without the
youthful volunteer recording, II have
done one act OF kindly aid today"
We walked home rather sadly and
felt as II the world was whlrIlng. Tbs
heart OF the world is cracked. II this
Is the result Of one day IN England.
which. according to viii Irwin. Is un-
touched By war as France knows It. pity
me In war-smitten France. AS know too
well others besidee eombatants have been
driven mad.