New-York tribune., 1919-10-16
Citizeness Complaints
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To tho Editor of The Tribune.
& IR: SO many aspersions have been
y cast at my sex for not dashing
out to register that I feel it my
sacred duty, now that have discov-
cred the reason why women fail to
register, to defend them.
I spent Saturday afternoon register
ing. l had not intended to. had
planned to take an afternoon train to
join my husband in Massachusetts, but
| registered instead. Foolisfly, and
womanlike, l had thought I could do
both in one afternoon. True, l had
put off until Saturday what might have
been done Friday, but it is just as we'll
| did not attempt it except on my
afternoon off, for work in an Office
all day and have to take csre of my
apartment ald do little sleeping at
night. Hal tried to register on Fri
day or Thursday, for instance, should
never have been able TO have done it
SO thoroughly.
To begin with, had no idea where I
was to go. l looked for policeman,
but we don't have policemen in the
village; then l asked my bootblack,
who lives hard by. He directed me to
the schoohouse. "a sensible place."
thought as | got into line to await
my turn. I listened first with interest,
then with terror as 1t approached my
turn, to the private and personal his
tories of some fifteen or twenty per-
sons shouted out and echoed back by
the dismal walls. was growing more
and moro nervous at the thought of
having it roared from the school-tops
that I live in a basement, that l am
married but keep my own name, that
am really woman, though my name
does not sound like it, and other very
personal things about my age.
"Vherc Them"
When my turn did come-in twenty
five minutes-I was more calm. l had
stecled myself to the idea of hearing
myself shouted about while | looked
on. I gave my address. "Not here
said one Of the men who held one Of
the eight large books. "Not here"
echoed one of the five women who
wrote on cards and long papers
"Wherc then?" | vcntured apologize
cally. "To your right in this build
ing" grudgingly vouchsafed one of the
I've men who were smoking cigars
IA me background.
followed their scanty directions
and wound my way to another gather
ing of men and women who were per-
forming or, like me, attempting to per-
form their sacred duties. "This time
know the ropes," thought |. | ap-
preached the man who was acting most
important. 81 live att "Wait your
turn," he beloved | took his advice
and waited. l listened to a Persian
pour out his biography eXtempore and
the troubles he had being chef at a
certain hotel. When I was finally
allowed to give my humble address
was told by the gentleman who had so
courteously addressed me few min
utes (about tifteen) before, "Not here.
Sorry TO keep you waiting" "Pcrfect-
ly all right" said /. Now I know
what is the matter with the food at
that hotel But where do / register? %
"TaiIor shop across the street.
My wait in the tailor shop was not
caused by the number of registrants
before me, but by baby. One of the
women who was there to make card
index OF my life had a caller, and the
caller brought a baby. The baby was
objecting loudly to the smell of the
tailor's shop. ! did not blame the
baby, but it WAS taking all the Mayor S
ladies and all the Mayors men to make
the baby like the smell or forget it
and apologize TO the tailor; SO, nat
urally, they could not be bothered
about registering me.
.Sieansing Patriotism
When the baby at last became will
ing to arbtrate | stated the reason for
my intrusion and again heard, "Not
here May l be told where" hesi-
tated, fearing that the exact location
of my particular Board of Registry
was secret and that L had no right
to ask. Laundry shop on West Fourth
Street"
had been all this time within q
stones throw of my house. I trudged
past 1t, putting behind me the tempta-
ZION to g. into its cool and comfortable
depths and forget my duty.
In hot, steaming laundry I found
them. There they registered me. To
be sure | could not squeeze in any
place to put my own slip in the box
but a kind gentleman seemed to be
there to do il for us.
! register in the different parties by