The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-10-20
President Mitchell OF Chamber
of Commerce Is in Danger.
Grandma's Welfare Society
Building a Fire Under Him.
DON'T LIKE C. OF C. MUSICALS
Protecting Arm for TOpeka's
I. B. NJ. Offered by Women.
Unless Business Men Act En-
tertainment Is Doomed.

1t looks as tho the live business
men of Topeka who have been allow
ing their enthusiasm for the town to
carry them to the Chamber of Com
merce at Moons will have to either
bundle up their lunch at home in the
morning and carry it to their offices
or hasten home at the noon hour and
''eat with the family
The fire that has been built under
Charles Mitchell, the new pep presi-
dent of the c. of c., has been fed so
Joyously by the complaining women of
the city who object to the MONDAY en-
/ tertainments arranged by the city's
executive booster. that there is danger
of return soon to the same old
! dreary tinkling of cups and saucers in
the commercial body's dining room.
1t is granted that the women of To-
peka manage controlling hand over
politics. They are supreme in their
proper sphere Of welfare and charity
activities church affairs and war
work. They have been given many
city and county elective positions
tiles in all matters of public concern.
They are given the privilege of voting
and are hauled in gilded cars to tn :
polls. Male citizens here are still 50
provincial-for the sake of the women
that they remove hats in business
elevators and leap to their feet in
crowded street cars. The women have
their business clubs, they own prop
erty, they manage departments of
business houses they have been grant
ed free and united hand in the
city's political, economic and social
administration. Topeka has no
saloons, she has no resorts she has no
theaters or places of amusement that
are closed to women. In other words
! every privilege of the city is equally
shared by the women.
But now-ye gods!
Charlie Mitchell, a live wire who
has become a real asset to the city's
commercial activities, a short time
ago was elected president of the
Chamber of Commerce. He began
at once to stir up the glorious self
satisfaction that has placed Topeka
in dead light over the state and
| lnstilled life, alertness, ''jazz'' into
| business and business men One of
his many schemes was to attract
them to the Chamber of Commerce
for the MONDAY luncheon. He start
ed out by furnishing entertainment
to the diners The entertainment was
varied singing, instrumental solos
and uets;-something to make the
luncheon an hour of rest and enjoy
ment.
Enter the women
Now the women had been invited
to attend the Chamber of Commerce
meetings The women always are well
come The women's ROta club al
ways meets there There are women
employees in the offices and dining
room But the president of the c. of
Z: is man-horrors! Every officer
of the c. of C. is a man! Horrors.
again! And these men, together with
scores OF other men, dare go to the
chamber of Commerce and smoke
with their meals rather than bow
and scrape and lay their naDkins
| neatly FOLDED across their laps (if
they nave any laps) at some down
town tea room or chocolate shop!
Wen, they do it, anyhow.
AS diversion, President Mitchell
the Iast Tour letters in his name give
away ms dastardly plan-arranged
| with Manager Roy Crawford of the
| musical numbers from the local play
| houses.
Then came the STORM Lord pitv
| the sailors on night like thisi Now
please recall that the women were in
| Vlted- Remember that there are wo-
men employees at the Chamber of
| Commerce. And finally remember
! that the Chamber of Commerce is
composed of grown men. business men.
i grandtathers, if you please. men of
/ ideals and IDEAS. men of affairs-yet
! the protecting arms of the intsrfer-
/ ing women of the city fell like a serna-
| phore upon this MONDAY entertain
ment
Mature IN years and experience,
4 wise to the ways of the world, gray
haired in their associations with man
/ kind, owners and managers of estab-
! lishments of prestige and money-rat-
! ing-these monday diners at the
! Chamber of Commerce We're shielded
/ by their self-appointed guardians of
/ the weaker sex.
The very Goddess of Liberty must
/ be trembling in the cold water of New
York bay at the thought of the autoc-
\ racy of her sex way out in purity
/ protected Kansas
Now there is no Joke about these
1 conscientious DIRECTORS" They have
raised their voices over the high tele-
! phone poles and have sought to rush
/ re-enforcements to the morals of their
husbands and business associates. OF