The Washington times., 1916-08-14
Too Many Women Slave
Day and Night That Their
Daughters May Enjoy a
Life Absolutely Care
Free, Not Realizing That
They Are Sitting Self
Reliance and Rearing
Helpless Drones.
BY SOPHIE IRENE LOEB
m IGHT-HEELED mothers make
leaden-heeled daughters"


leaden-heeled daughters"
These are the words of Ben
jamin Franklin, who knew
the gamut Of the human game. and who
realised that there are no gains with
out pains"
Apropos Of this. a few days ago. a
mother was deploring the "iassitude', Of
her daughter. She had better labeled 1t
This mother had shaved night and day
to make clothes for the girl, who was
to 80 away on a vacation with some OF
her chums. The mother, a widow; Is
other children. The Oldest girl lust
sits around all day." and only pretends
70 do a little here and there to help
things along.
She has finished school. has no sickly
prefers to choose the line of least resist
nnce. The loving mother believes this
lack Of energy is because the child
cannot be very well-is a little amaze
mic" The girl herself believes 1t now.
Make Daughters Drones.
After mother had packed Maud of
to the lovely country place with the
other girls she Just collapsed. being
exhausted with the struggle. II the
truth we're known. this is a case. like
hundreds of others. where the light
heeled mother makes tho lsaden-heelod
When. oh. when. will good. tired. over,
worked mothers sit In the grandstand
and see themselves go by?
They would first Of all see that they
are making drones Of their daughters
by working for them instead Of with
them. They would see that by darn
ing. Maud's stockings and picking VI
after her" they are cultivating In their
daughters faculty Of dependence
dependence on somebody else to do the
work these girls ought to do.
They would see that they are grow
ing clinging vines instead OF young
sturdy oaks; that they are sitting sci.
reliance. and obstructing the way OF
initiative.
The would see. If they could but look
into the future, that these girls get mar.
ried and become mothers with the
struggle OF their lives before them.
For. having been parasites before. they
find 1t difficult to assume the burdens
that MUST come.
These are the daughters that produce
weaklinss because Of their ignorance,
their lack of interest and energy In tho
necessary elements Of existence.
nct Ete onS SeSr sourse Sa Msude When Soa
sit up nights making her party dresses
'"hile she Is getting her beauty sleep.
You nec0 HUE uuty sicep yOuisVh
ard YOU are not fulfilling your duty to-
r.rrd her when you do not Insist on her
rlnyinS her part In the livelihood-in the
everyday work.
Create Sense of Responsibility.
As long as your daughter Is well
there is no excuse for the strong young
shoulders not assuming their share of
the labor. 1t is all folly-this pamper-
ing a beloved one and calling the all
M mt Of ''laziness'' by any other name.
Many a girl gets to see herself as a
rare Dresden piece of bric-a-brac that
must not be moved for fear 1t be broken
~ just such save-the-child habit as
yC'ne mothers encourage.
The big thing for mothers to observe
Il creating n sense OF responsibility In
t.cir Gaughters-responsibl for them
selves at least.
- mother may be az loving as she
will. but she can prove II best by firm
ness In making her daughter take hef
place in the work that Is to be done and
shoulder the care Of It. Later such a
daughter will be able to care for more
and more, and thus strengthen her own
pc"ition In the real Of independence.
II eventually stands her In good stead
i'cr, ne Stevenson says, "Responsibility
~rnvitates to him who can shoulder It. .'
Copyright 1870,