The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1918-05-03
BLAME IS EQUAL,
DECLARE WIVES
OF j. S. FIGHTERS

Punish the man-but punish the
woman. too,
Thus do three Washington women,
wives OF men who wear the uniform
OF Uncle Sam. dispose OF the now
notorious Chicago Iove-pirate case
the case OF Prof. W. ]. Thomas. fifty
five-year-old expert in sociology, who
was arrested at a hotel where he had
registered with Mrs. L. VI. Granger.
twenty year-old wife of an army
lieutenant. now with Pershing, as
man and wife.
Woman is not absolved by woman.
While the three wives OF American
officers The Times asked to pass on
the case severely condemn the I'M
principled act OF the professor. they
just as severely condemn the woman
the wife who forgot her VOWS OF
fealty when her soldier-husband left
for France.
As for the man, the fifty-fivc-yea
old professor. father OF a grown son,
whose matronIy wife refuses TO lose
faith in him, calling his escapades
with Mrs. Granger a childish bit Of
foolishness-here is what the three
Washington women say:
Tar and Feathers.
Tar and feather him in The pub
lie square" demands Mrs. William
Marshall. wife OF Brig. Gen. William
Marshall. OF the Engineer Corps.
"Imprison him for the duration Of
the war" Is the punishment proposed
by Mrs. William e. Gorgas. wife OF
the surgeon general Of the army. She
continues: Or fine him $500 if the
authorities think propef"
Mrs. William :. Benson. wife Of
Admiral Benson. says:
Vile creature. ! cannot think Of
a penalty severe enough"
But with their deep loathinC for
the man who led the Young wife
astrsy, who :oOk advantage Of the
absence OF her young husband to So
fascinate her with his EOneyed words
and glib phrases that she faced the
world unashamed when hey relations
with him were exposed. these three
women do not raj! TO see the lsul; /
that Is tho wOmaUS.
What aboIt The young wife," they
ask.
There arc two sides to every fir- I
tatiOn." says Mrs. Marshall. land the .
woman in this ease is certainly half
responsible. I cannot think Of jusJ
punishment FOR her. but ! think il .
should equal that inflicted upon the .
man"
Whipping for Woman.
Mrs. Benson, who could think Of I
no penalty severe enough for the .
man. urges the whipping post for the .
woman. II think woman who takes I.
part in such an affair should be- .
treated this way" she declares, and F.
] would have her picture published ,
in every paper in the country"
Mrs. GOrgas Is perhaps the most .
lenieut Of the three with the woman
in the case. Suggesting no punish I
ment for the fallen wife. she Yet .
lays upon her half the blame. saying:
such a man as Dr Thomas is the
lowest OF creatures. even though
woman's affections could not b, stolen .
without her consent. She II half L. f.
blame. II the authorities thought il .
a just penalty 10 impIison the man
for the duration Of the war. or finc
him $500 / would agree to the pen
atty. Such a man should be put in
prison, where he could do no further
mischief. Such man destroys the
home Of a soldier. who. himself a
wreck after the war, will return to
lind his home, too. wreck"
Do these women echo the scnti-
ments OF the thousands OF wives who .
sit alone today. lonely and IN fca~
for the safety Of the men who have
left them To do their bit for country
in the trenches OF France? DO the
other wives feel the same way:
Is the woman half 20 blame. or is
the man the r~r5ayuT offender against
society and his country. Should the
woman be punished as severely as the
man: What should the punishment
be?
Thes" are the questions which so
ciety must struggle, a. the iHevita
bic outcome 81 tn" Chicago case and
,therS which may follow. What IS
your verdict: Il