New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-31
A LETTER TO NAzIMOVA
Max Nordau Tells Her What
American Women Owe to Men

N,,lmova's success IN war Brides'
A. th. Palace Theatre has brought her
hundreds OF letters OF praise from SUI
fraglsts and peace propsgandists. On
both OF these subjects Nazimova feels
deeply and is jealous crusader. She
/. in correspondent. with numerous
literary men and philosophers here and
abroad. One Of her fsvorito men Of let
Ter, r. Professor Maj Nordau, whose
work on Degeneration" made such a
stir two decades ago. Even though
Professor Nordsu fercely attacked lb-
sen. Nazimova's idol, she believe. that
the critics thought Is for the greater
part valid. In one letter 10 Nazimova
regarding the American woman Nordau
wrote:
This American goddess takes all the
love, all the devotion, all the sacrifces
man makes for her as her due, and IS
not even commonly, decently grateful
TO the American man.
This is because no true, intelligent
woman can be satisfied with homage
alone. She gets mortally tired OF nav
ing incense waited eternally her way.
I firmly believe that nine out or ten
women would prefer TO have master
some one who would spoil them less
some one who would lay down an occa-
sional law and watch with an eagle eye
20 see that said law was obeyed To the
letter. The days have gone by when
woman wished 20 be shielded from
every danger. Now she wants 10 take
-
fitted is she TO do so. That IS one rea-
SON why il will be so good for her 20
have suffrage. II will give her multi
plcity Of useful occupations. women
have 40 much more time than men.
Their intuition Is much keener. Ihey
see a hundred and one things in need
OF rectification where a man VIII be
FIRMLY convinced that everything IS as
ft as a fiddle and go on his happy-go-
lucky masculine way rejoicing. woman
should have suffrage undoubtedly, bur
there ought to be many concessions on
her part also. In the first place. she
should object, as she is doing, with a
vengeance, and, above all, not exact so
much mollycoddling. Then she ought
neither 10 permit nor accept sucn
tremendous sacrifices as most American
men make for the women they love.
when a woman takes a man for bet
ter or for worse, then her place IL by
his side in foul weather and in fair
Think OF the American men who are
never allowed to smoke a friendly pipe
within the sacred precincts Of what
they are pleased to call home because
the odor OF tobacco is distasteful TO the
delicate nostrils of her ladyship, Think
of the hideous egotism OF 1t all! And
what Is the result? Naturally, what
he cannot legitimately enjoy by his own
fireside he must needs seek outside
And what just-minded person. car
blame him? No, on the whole, ] do not
think that American women have very
much 70 complain of, compared with
the women of other nations. American
men, TO my mind, are much more to b.
pitied, and yet must admit that these
latter seem 70 wear the yoke as though
they rather enjoyed it. Perhaps, be-
tween ourselves, they would not dare
do anything else. Personally, shoulC
like to see the men more self-assertive
with their womankind, a tribe more
masterful, and their wives-well, some.
thing more Ike the late wonderful
helpmate Of President Wilson, for ex'
ample. There should be concessions on
both sides. The women should have
the right TO vote, and then they should