The Washington herald., 1918-03-13
THE MOTHER-IN-LAW.
By DOROTHY DIX.
The Worlds Highest Paid Woman Writer.

OF all domestic problems none is 50
impossible of solution as the mother
in-law problem and none so full Of
.rouble
And like the poor, it is always with
Us. Among the hundreds of letters
hat l get, in which people tell me
II their woes and ask for some pan
lcea for the ills of life. fully half
1eal with this vexed question Of The
relationship Of in-laws.
II could be so happy II Il were not
'oT my motheT-in-law who lives with
ne and makes my life a torment to
lIc. My wife's mother lives with
Is and creates constant friction BY
interfering in our family affairs. "
My daughter-in-law makes me ut
.erly miserable by the Iack of respect
she shows me-" So run these letters.
They are piteous human documents
Necause they show so much happiness
leedlessly ruined: so much sunshine
iaTkened without excuse, so many
ZONES made places Of strife and Bit
erness. instead of havens of peace
Ind love. because OF the daily and
Iourly clash OF anita agoniStic tempera-
nsntS. forced into too close contact.
One could weep over these letters
INC ore could rage against the folly
hat never learns anything from the
Ky eTience of others. When will peo-
lie ever realize that human nature
Iever changes. and that rIirdcles have
.eased to happen?
When will they learn hat no house
vas every built big enough for two
antilles to- live together In il IN peace
md happiness and that you cannot
,It two women under the same roof
Without having them give a continu-
us understudy of the conduct OF
kilkenny cats7
Enter the mother-in-Iaw into 4
rouse by the door, and domestic con-
ord flies out Of the window We have
II seen this happen hundreds OF
INES. Statistics show that the moth
r-in-law is first aid o divorce. In
he Domestic Relations Court they
yill tell you that the motheT-in-law
at the bottom of practically all
he squabbles they are called upon
settle between husbands and wives
ct. In spite Of all this, rash men
nd women keep on Introducing the
nOther-in-law into the family circle
They might as well put a charge Of
ynarnite under their hearthstones
or in the great majority of cases
aother-in-law gets in her work and
ever rests until she blows things tC
mithereens.
And it doesn't help matters any
hat she didn't intend to 10 it or thai
he is a dear. sweet. DiouS, Christian
roman who really loved and desired
ne happiness of those to whom she
as done as deadly a harm as malice
self could invent.
The trouble Is, you see. that moth
r-In-Iaw Is q woman and human
.ith all of the human womAn's mar.
owness. Jealousy, and selfishness
bout her child. That makes II i'm
ossibIe for her to look at any matter
airIy, squarely and justly where heI
IN or daughter Is concerned.
Also mother-in-law is growing old
ne has all of the egotism. prejudices
nd tyranny of age. She IL no longer
sxible. She can no longer adapt her
slf to new ways, new customs. new
--oints Of view. She IL not supple anG
lmbIsAenough mentally to bow to the
ayS of>others, or to sidestep an
TIERS ideas- All she can do is tC
1arge at them head down. like q
uli butting into a china shop.
None of which 10 conducive to a
iplomatic understanding. or making
er persona grata in the house ol
fn-law.
1t Is natural but unfortunate, that
mother seldom realizes that heI
aarried children belong more to theiI