The Washington herald., 1917-01-15
Interesting Chats
From Hotel Lobbies

uaNc oeen stanch supporter OF
I woman suffrage ever since Its infancy I'm
this country. and have always been will
ing to join in any practical move cal
cuiated to secure national suffrage" said
Mrs. J. N. Browne. of Denver. Colo. at
the Shoreham, but the latest tactics in
dulged in by the prominent sufrragists
there fail utterly to draw any sympathy
from me-
\ Il believe that II is absolutely absurd
to attempt TO coerce (and that Is what
y their present attitude amounts to) the
President OF the United States into plac-
| ing his approval or lending his support
TO the national suffrage movement He
has made up his own mind on bigger
and more important questions than the
| right to allow women to cast a ballot,
and feel confident that he has already
determined his course in this particular
instance. II is futile to try 10 change
his mind by the methods that they are
/ employing
i Il questioned one Of the shivering pick
cts Friday regarding the possibility of
VINO would give in first, the President or
the suffragists. She told me that he
would have to acknowledge them and lis
4 teu to their cause they wished him
to. ] pitied the girl who told me this.
she was so small and actually blue from
the cold, too. At that very moment
4 President Wilson was sitting by a big
IRE possibly smiling to himself over the
women guards who believed that they
were going to make him surrender by
doing sentinel duty before his house
| I tried to reason with her that she
must give up In the end for several good
| reasons. First of all they avow that
their intention 10 to nag the President
ny their continual presence until he Of
| fers peace terms. President Wilson's
daily life will not sdrer from their pres
ence at his gate. At first IT no doubt
caused him some thought Novelties al
! ways do. make us think Of them for a
moment. AS soon as the pickets be- Dfne
human fixtures before the gates of the
White House. he will forget their ,ery
| presence. But above all other things IL
ne has already made up his mand that
the time is not yet ripe for his considera-
uon OF national suffrage. their present
attempts may work against his possible
gradual inclination to favor them.
| "hen they cease to be novelties they
VIII have to indulge in other acts besides
the silent sentry duty to attract stten-
lon As soon as they make themselves
a nuisance. II they should happen to do
so in an effort % create attention. they
will find that the good treatment that
mas been Sheir share TO date will be
quickly withdrawn and stern rules en-
! forced.
Il may be wrong in my view, but I
| am or the opinion that their plan is
devoid of the practical II is true that
they are carrying out their idea in a
| conservative manner. but do not think
that the idea itself is conservative.
| The tactiSs that they are employing
today have been tried before by sIlf-
frasists of other countries. 1t behooves
| the women OF America to inaugurate
| new methods to secure the ballot
would suggest that those who are ap-
| parently so willing 10 remain out in
freezing weather TO hold a few vain
banners would remain home and prepare
a campaign of suffrage calculated to e6 >
cate the people regarding its principl s
rather than to place themselves in pub C
ridicule."
Il am beginning to despair that there
Is any man, set Of men or agency in
these United States capable of dealing
a mortal blow to Old Man High Cost OF
Living" declared Christopher s. Timothy.
| OF Chattanooga. Tenn. who Is registered
at the New Ebbitt Hotel.
| For the past few months food hs $
| climbed into such an exalted price region
| as to make II impossible for a man who
has hitherto made three daily meals a
matter Of mostly eggs, TO do little else
than starve- have grasped at very
| suggestion for cutting down the cost OF
existence but so far the suggestions and
promises have vanished into thin air
| The housekeepers of my town were
the first set of Chattanoogians to band
together for a battle against the soaring
prices Of foodstuffs. They met and in
dulged in TRADE after TRADE against the
man who was responsible. l am active
ly interested in one of the largest de-
partment stores in Tennessee and was
accordingly pointed out as a man who
might be able TO lend valuable assist
ance In their Investigations OF the cause
Of the high prices
That's how ! became interested Well
the women did the usual stunt. They at
tempted boycott of certain merchants.
II succeeded for a while. Soon the other
1 merchants were forced to raise their
prices, too, and so the womens boycott
| failed. They had to feed their families.
Ny wife was an ardent member of the
| boycott brigade. l had TO request her
to cease hostilities and place a regular
meal on the table because my work
necessitated that l appease a hearty ap-
petite
Then We learned Of movement by
some Of the State officials that was cal
I culated to bring the soaring prices to a
standstill at least, but that fell through
Ike shooting star. Congress convened
and the high cost of living paraded
through the Senate and House to be at
tackled by indignant Congressman.
l I began to offer a silent prayer Sure
ly thought that the price Of eggs would
De brought down enough TO allow me to
resume my former diet of eight eggs a
day without choking at the very thought
| OF having to pay as high as Is cents a
dozen. But the efforts of those who sit
M office upon Capitol Hill didn't help me
very much. Then when all else had
failed a new arm of might appeared, nd
coasoled myself with the thought at
foodstuffs would soon be in reach = a
thin pocketbook.
| The Department OF Justice joire in
the battle and doubled its heavy fsS to
strike a blow at our common enemy. I
felt sure that the hot probe to be made
by Attorney Anderson, as commander
in-chief of the departments artillery
| corps, would soon disclose some one re-
sponsfble for the high cost of eatables.
felt doubly sure that I would be res
cued from my condition that was la Il IL
Of the eight eggs per day. becaus I