Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1917-05-29
Old World
Viewpoint
By BEATRICE FAIRFAX.

We do things differently in Amer
ical Chaperons are convention
rather than a fact; freedom takes the
place of protection, and the average
boy or girl Of Is feels ready establish
his or her own standard OF conduct
The older generation and the
younger are constantly clashing. and
a good many representatives OF the
two opposing forces write and ask
me to act as their referee.
There are two sides to thes tory.
Over in Europe--this does not mean
in Russia particularly. nor yet in
Germany or France or England, but
everywhere in "thc old country
there are conventional restrictions
about which the young people Of this
country know very little.
A year before the war ] spent a
summer in France and Switzerland.
None Of the girls ] met was in the
habit OF having engagements or going
out with young men or entertaining
callers alone and unchaperoned.
The foreign born mothers and faith
ers OF our boys and girls we're brought
up in a country whose social tradi-
tons were nothing like our own.
When the girls of that Swiss summer
had callers they were received in the
presence OF the family.
Generally. the girls suitors were Sc
lected by their elders. And these
made matches" worked out pretty
well, for girls who were brought up
simply and who got their first real
freedom through marriage were happy
and satisfied in that simple freedom.
The Younger Generation.
Now the European born Older gen
crations got its ideals in the conven-
tional society OF the "other side"
Children live simple lives of work and
duty. Good times were few and far
between. Love and courtship were
more or less arranged to order. and
life worked itself out placidly and
pretty we'll on the whole.
Prestol Changed The old world in
habitant was transported to the new
but generations of heredity, years OF
training and ingrained ideals came
along.
And now we have the younger
generation. Seventeen year old
Gretchen or Carlotta wants to wear
flmy blouses and short skirts and
silk stockings and cares never a bit
about saving s. week out OF her ~
earnings.
But Mrs. Schmidt or Mrs. Petra
zini (iately frau or signora) came
from world where the peasants
learn frugality even as they learn to
try to earn--and so they cannot ac-
cept the extravagant standards OF the
young folks of the new world who
want to put their money on their
backs instead of into the banks. And
Carlotta and Gretchen feel abused and
tyrannized over and write to ask me
il do not think their mothers cruelty
unfair.
Just what think Is this. Car
lotta and Gretchen have had better
chance than had the signora and the
frau. And they ought to be gener-
GUS enough to recognize that if they
had not been working peasants
in the old country they might never
in the old county, they might never
have had the courage and the
strength TO work and save and come
over here and make place for their
children in land where these chill
dren have better chance.
It is the duty OF Carlotta and
Gretchen to be grateful to their par
ents for that chance and to respect
the principle of saving WHICH pur-
chased 1t.
As for the older generation, it must
accept agreat deal 1t cannot under
stand. The love of hncry, the love OF
good times, the youthful freedom
from restraint which are all about
the younger generation are bound to
have their effect. There are things in
this new world which parents must
acknowledge they do not understand
Recently young Spanish girl
wrote me latter telling of her sis
ter's unhappy runaway marriage and
OF her own desperate feeling that she
would be driven to taking some such
foolish step, too, because her mother
refused her all freedom all pleasure,
all youthful companionship.
u am afraid to invite girl friends
my mother makes them feel so i'm.
welcome in our home that | dare not
take them there, and if | do not take
the mhome, they think | am queer.
dare not have young man calling
ON me or go to other girls houses Il
they have invited boys. don't want
to lie to my mother-but what is
there for me to do? / must have a
little pleasure and she won't see il,