The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-01-25

The most dreadful thing in the world
is the unnecessary waste of life.
1 nave received a letter. many pages
long, detailing an example Of such
waste. The woman who has written
it was married when she was seventeen
to a mar who, she later discovered, was
a confirmed loafer and an habitual
drunkard. .
During their first miserable years of
marriage they drifted about from n
place to another. Now and then at
what time he could spare between
sprees he worked a little, but these
occasions became fewer and fewer.
They had several children which she
says were never properly clothed and
fed. and it was only by a miracle that
they aver all had shoes on their feet
She worked day and night, and was
the sole support of the family, includ-
ing her husband.
f~orties. The children are grown up and
gone their various ways, leaving hons
as soon as possible and putting as
much distance between it and them
as lay within their power. Her COM
ment upon this fact Is: :,
Il think they love me, but that is all
there is to IT. 1t Is all they can 40
to look out for themselves, and they
want to forget their home"
The result Is that now she finds her
self approaching the age of fifty with
out a decent home and with the neces-
sity Of caring not only for herself, but
also for a husband who Is a degraded
and disgusting companion and who
constantly abuses her and frequently
threatens her life. The children she
has reared under disheartening circum-
stances are of no assistance to her.
| And she is a woman with a longing for
better things and an appreciation OF
them,
Such cases are far from uncommon.
| We hear Of them and sigh, shake our
heads and say, very sad, very" and
! let it go at that.
But what can be done?
1t would be hard TO say. No one,
with the best intentions in the world,
| could hope at this late day to reform
the husband, and II would be a difficult
them to contribute TO their mothers
support. They are probably struggling
to get a foothold themselves.
Remedies for symptoms are no par
ticular good. Cures are effected by. get
ting at the root Of a disease" And the
root Of troubles nike h one | have
%recounted lies in the haphazard and ir-
rational home education of girls.
Marriage is and will continue to be
the profession entered into by the great
est number of women. and the majority
enter II totally %unequIpped for its du.
ties, which are maintenance of a home
and the rearing of children.
As things are, II a girls gets a goot
husband and has any sense of respon'
sibility herself. the marriage is apt t
turn out happily. II she contracts ar
unfortunate marriage, she is the victim
Of chance, and her helpless children
suffer the consequences.
Take this woman's case. In a few
years time she must have realized tina.
there vas no possibility Of reforming
her husband, and that because she pro
vided him with a home and spending
money he vas not only going down hill
fast. but drasging her and the children
with him. .
Suppose that she had then looked tn,
facts in the face and had said to her
| self:
4 IL am not giving either my husband
or my children, or myself a square deal
I am encouraging him in his bad habit
by giving him a home where he ca
loaf and idle and recover from hi
sprses. have nd right to subject m,
chfldren to such an >inrluence. 1t /