Evening star., 1918-07-28
BY ANNE RITTENHoUSE.

entertaining our soldiers and
sailors. As this struggle pro-
"A crosses it may be that the entire
social fabric will cease to rend
itself apart with personal and ma
tional arguments for and against peo-
pie. in and out of power institutions
for the good Of the cause, and the
various phases of money expenditure
that have arisen in the last year
But 1t may be that the people will
not cease to discuss these things. Per-
haps it is part of the war that all
its phases, its changing variations on
the established schedule of life and
thought should be more provocative
of discussion than the plain fact of
enemies killing each other in the
medieval way.
Any one who goes about in various
sectors of society-and by that is
meant the grouping of people for all
purposes. not alone gayety-begins to
feel that the hate which is engendered
on the battlefield has its reflection in
the minds of those who are not in the
struggle. except on the side lines.
Argument is rife. Discussion on diff
ferent -phases of the war grow into
bitter personalities. Friends are es-
tranged who have never had a quar-
rel. Families are separated through
division of opinion on the Red Cross.
the Y. NJ. c. A., the administration.
the War Department and the ques-
tions of -proflteering. grating and
slackers.
waves: the psychologists call It
emotional strain" and the common.
ordinary woman calls it having your
nerves on edge"
A waitress of parts, who was con-
sidered perfect by the hostess and her
guests, said to her mistress the other
day that she could not serve for any
moro dinner parties: that she didn't
mind the work. but that she couldn't
stand the fighting that went on at the
table: 1t got her 30 nervous, she ex-
planned. that she nearly dropped all
interesting that 1t has become a good
story among the set that go to that
house.
We are all aware of this fighting
III OuT AttltuQG IOWdIu each
. other. There are sensible women who
have actually come to the conclusion
that 1t Is best not to go out with ones
friends in any social way, and to re-
at work. Strong -minded men are urg-
ing this attitude on their womanfolk.
There is hopeless belief in some
quarters that this constant habit of
entering into bitter discussion and
personalities comes about through the
fact that women are not used to pub
lie life. They dominate the household.
They cannot dominate committees, in
stftutional work. canteens or the ac-
tfons and thoughts Of the thousands
Of women with whom they are thrown
in contact through war work.
A civil war veteran says that this
pitching of women into the public
arena, with its alleged bad effect on
nothing to do with the situation; that
the civil war engendered the same
kind Of personal animosities. Yet the
civil war-with all it's tragedy. hate.
death and sacrifice. which necessarily
affected the personal lives Of every
one in America more than this war
has done-did not throw women to-
gether in groups Of thousands.
Is 1t odd, therefore. in this rather
malevolent turn which emotions have
taken during year Of war that the
question Of entertaining our soldiers
should be thrown into the arena of
argument?
France looks upon us with astonish-
ment. The French think that 1t is a
most remarkable strain in the Anglo
Saxon people that they must constant
ly entertain their fighters. Never be-
fore in the long, bloody history Of
France has she seen such sights as
now. Her lands are filed with huts
and houses that produce every form
of entertainment that may keep a SOL
dier cheerful.
The fact that the entertainment
came first, and most Of the. soldiers
after, was a thing that caught France
between the eyes. She is just now be-
ginning to understand the Anglo
Saxon methods She has never known
that it was considered necessary to
have behind the battlefield profession
al dancers, actresses. stage managers.
"sing-songs" officers clubs for dane
ing. cafterias, base ball, horse raciGg,
phonograph parties, libraries, writing
clubs. negro mfnstrels and jazz bands.
The ways of the Ang1o-Saxon are. past
understanding, think the Latin races.
The poilu has never been entertained
in a public manner. When he, has
leave he sleeps. and when he has per-
mission to Visit home he stays there.
In America we are initiating the
methods that are going on behind the
battle lines in France. We have taken