Omaha daily bee., 1916-03-08
The Man and
the Family
ny DoRoTuY nix.

Whenever thcre IL any deficit In the
baby supply women arc always blamed
for a. According 20 popular theory, the
modern incarnation OF Herod wears pet
tIcoats, and moralists and preachers are
never SO eloquent as when declaiming
against the decadcnt woman OF today
who prefers lap DOES to babies,
on tho other hand. We are given to
understand that the one thing that every
man Graves il large family, and that
he celebrates the coming Of each new
olive branch by singing paeans OF Joy.
The most superficial observation. how
ever. proves that women are moro willing
to bear children than men are to support
them that men not only do not want big
families. but they feel sggrieved when
they have them. and that after the sec
ond child every new baby gets a warmer
welcome from it's mother than It does
from its father.
OF course, exceptions are to be found
to all general statements, but when a
married couple are childless the fault,
physically or morally Is oftener the
mans than the womans. Any doctor
will tell you that the wild oats crop is
far moro responsible for race suicide than
the fashion. and that it's the mans sell
fishness rather than the woman's that
limits the size OF family
Also the records OF the domestic rela-
hnx oil ~
the wife deserters are fathers OF
large families As long as there are
no children. or only one or two. a man
rarely forsakes his own hireside. It is
only when the babies begin to tumble
over each other and the home nest over
flows with hungry mouths to feed that
the father bird cravenly flies away 70
parts unknown. But woman almost
never deserts the helpless little creatures
she has brought into the world.
The other day a number OF married
women were discussing this question,
which they turned into an experience
meeting after the fashion OF women. and
the unanimous verdict was that no man
wanted a CULVER fun in these days. He
preferred a bag OF golf sticks.
Said one woman; I'VE have fine chill
dren. and my husband makes no secret
of the fact that he regards himself as
a domestic martyr. He Is always com
planning that he cant keep an automo-
| bile, or take hunting trips, or do the
things that his friends do who have no
children. or only one or two. because all
Of his money goes to feeding and cloth
| ng house full Of children. When our
last baby was born he was 30 furious at
| her coming that felt as II had COM
mitted the cardinal sin and ought to be
down on my knees apologiEing for It. Yet
he was most devoted father when we
only had few children"
Said another woman who was divorced
My husband was always devoted to IN
until, after our fourth child was born. He
was a sickly little fellow that had to
nurse night and day to keep him alive
didn't have time to keep myself dressed
up and looking pretty. or to amuse and
entertain my husband. and that was the
beginning OF trouble for us.
ITS when mothers are holding their
babies hands that the other woman gets
busy holding their husbands hands. ]
have always believed that IL 7 had only
had one or two children l would still
have my husband"
Said the third woman: well. it's hui
man for man not TO want big Family
Nowadays, what with certified milk
and baby specialists and educational
toys. and kindergartens. and the Lord
knows what advantages we feel bound
to give our children, It costs as much
to keep a baby as It does a steam yacht
and every time new one comes don't
blame the poor father for just feeling al
II had inherited the national debt. wher
/ 4 i H.. Ill - 81.
under.
He'd like little rake off OF what he
earns to spend on himself; but he cam
II he's got a big family That's why mer
don't want many children"
That's perfectly true, agreed the other
women +" but why do they lay the blam'
for small families on us? It's our hus
bands that run from the cradle. not we