Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-10-01
ciety bud even while she was doing
hard manual labor.

ciety bud even while she was doing
hard manual labor
And we women want to be com
petitorS Of~men, fight with them on
their own ground for the fat bones
in the, commercial world. and then
have them treat us as if we were visit
ing angels. Every now and then
hear some working girl complain that
her employer is a brute who smokes
white he is debating to her, or that
he swears when she makes mistakes,
or that her fellow clerks keep their
hats on when she goes down with
them in the elevator.
She wants everything that is com
ing to her as fine lady and as a com
petent little hustler in business. She
wants to transfer the gallantries, the
compliments, the handkerchief picking
Of the parlor to the counting room,
and when she can't she considers her
self extremely illused.
The most curious phase of our
fiftying, however" went on the
Woman Philosopher, lis shown in our
social relations with men. We want
men to regard us as their equals, yet
at the same time We want them to look
UP to u3~as goddesses on pedestals.
We want to march shoulder to Shout
der with them, be good chums, yet
to be baby dolls and clinging vines.
We want our husbands to give Us all
the support and coddling that was
bestowed on the old woman and add
to it the freedom of the new woman.
I'VE are strong for men ceasing to
regard us as toys and playthings,
to be petted and flattered and dressed
up and humored, and are insistent
upon our demand that we shall be
treated by them as rational human
beings, their partners and fellow work
ers in the marriage relationship. Yet
/ wonder how many women could en-
dure that kind of a sane and safe mar
riSge? l wonder what sort Of cruel,
heartless Hun the average woman
would consider her husband if he treat
ed her with the brutal frankness he
treats another man, and if. he did eX-
pect her to stand up under her share
of the family esponsibilities. and if
he didn't doll baby her up now and
then and call her temper nerves, and
bring her flowers and candy?
Girls talk a lot about the. ideal
marriage being one of reason based
on two peoples appreciation of each
others real worth and desire for
comradeShip in working out ones life
destiny, but | fancy there would be
mighty few marriages if courtship
were carried on on that platform.
81 met Mary johnson the other day"
smiled the Woman Philosopher. Il
heard her discourse by the hour along
that line. She told me she was going
to be married, but she looked defect
ed and disappointed, and after bit she
admitted that the reason was that
when Jack proposed he simply put the
matter up to her as business propo-
sitioL. Said he wouldn't. tell her she
was beautiful because she would
know it wasn't true. Nor would he
threaten to commit suicide if she re-
fused him because he wouldn't dream
of doing such a. thing, but that he adj
mired her and respected her and
thought if they pooled their finances
and brains they could make a 60 of it.
"'Of course" said Mary, "'that's
the sensible modern way to look at
but oh. did want the loVey
dovey, stuff, too!'" 4#%
"And we are all like Mary. We
women are none of us happy because
we are fifty-fifties. We want every
thing in the world, both ways. And
we can't have it,"
Copyright, 1917. by The Wheeler
Syndicate, Inc.)
Dorothy. Dix's articles appear reg
uIarly in. this paper every Monday,
Wednesday and Friday.