New-York tribune., 1918-01-28
Careers and Husbands

Careers and Husbands
The quarrel between a child and wonl-
ans career is hot while it lasts. Bib-tyng
and voice-placing arc hopeless irreconcl-
ables. But the quarrel does pass. After
a few months there is some spare time and
energy. After a few years there is ample.
Witness that excellent mother and artist,
Nine. Homer. But husband! There is
the beast who can never be tanned, who re-
fuses to grow up and fend for himself,
who begins and remains the real lion in
the path Of tho Wife with Career.
We said "never." But there are, OF
course, exceptions. Mr.. Sidney Homer is
not only the contented husband of Wife
with a Career, but husband with a real
other artist q singer, Nine. Lashanska
discussed the problem in "The Evening
Sun" the other day and declared that,
granted the right sort Of husband, nothing
was so simple as a career. Said she:
A woman has always had to choose be-
tween fame and comfort, happiness and
renown. And why? Because her homo
really demanded so much Of her time and
energy? No, it the husband who
trimmed the saplng down and down until
it had attained the much desired thinness
of clinging vine.
The idea in mind was that tradition,
the old, old customs and expectations Of
marriage, rather than the actual facts Of
joint living and family life, made a career
impossible for woman. Given q husband
with a sense of humor, and lacking the GUS
tomary sense of proprietorship, any wife
and mother could sing scales or paint pict-
ures to her hearts content. Let us say
that it was husbands slippers by the
hearth rather than baby's bib that tripped
SO many a promising young artist in her
first burst Of speed.
Is the quarrel between husband and
career irreconclable? Must it endure as
long as marriage? We have heard many
excellent and intelligent wives express the
view that it is. Some women arc meant
for families; let them marry. Some are
meant for careers; let them not. The man
can eat his cake and have it, too. Let no
woman ask SO much of life.
In company with these conservatives, we
recall a very entertaining dialogue from
the pen of Mr.. Granville Barker that ap-
pcared in "The English Review" recently.
A distinguished and charming actress Gar
Ellen Terry, if we may imply that there
might be more than one) made her "Fare-
we'll to the Theatre" and she did it in I,
long talk with Edward, a rather stiffish
London solicitor, upon whose proposals or
marriage she had resolutey turned her
back to live out her career on the stage.
Now she was on the brink of retirement,
of "death" as an actress--for when the
collapse finally arrives nothing is so alb.
jcct as the oblivion of a favorite actress.
Yet-she did not regret She had made
her choice Git never occurred to her thar
she could live both lives), and having made
it, never regretted it. She conceived Of
marriage and career as sharply con-
trasting alternatives; that if she had
chosen marriage with Edward her whole
being would have changed She would not
now be "dying," for one thing, if she had
chosen "thc cautious life" Alsc her
choice would have meant such items as
these:
If I'd sold my fancies for a little
learning, virgnity for a golden ring, lk-
ings for good manners, hate for silence
if | ever could have learnt the
worlds way to measure our gifts
for money and thanks, . we'll, I'd
have been married to you perhaps, Edward.
That is marriage viewed by the Woman
with a Career. The woman with family
could retort at least by jeers at the artists;
old age-her practical "death' with the
passing of her beauty, and no children ir
whom to prolong her interest in life. But
some of the shot surely hits the mark
And the question it suggests is whether
for all time marriage must be quite the
antithesis Of a Career with a capital C.
that is to-day assumed. Granted that
children must be hatched and reared, that
therein exists a fine but relatively brief
career sufficient to occupy certain very
definite years, must, beyond the children
always stand the husband pointing relens-
lessly to-his slippers? Or is it conceiv-
able that a new type of husband MIGHT
some day be achieved WHO would be glad
and proud to make the necessary accom-
to let wife have at least her
share of fancies, likings. and the free de-
velopment of her gifts?
Congress and Cosmic Force
(iro1n The ('Jiccoo Yrjture,