New-York tribune., 1920-02-15
BY Ishbel M. Ross

= Louise Closer Hale 10 . woman Of
decided opinions and wide experience.
She has had the satisfaction Of achieve
ment In more than one direction. There
are eight books to her credit, with q
new ono now In the publishers hands on
the domestic servant problem In
Britain. For twenty-five years she has
made q particular study Of women's
problems and has definite theories
aboRN the Importance Of being con-
ventional. High-water mark in her
popular theatrical career was reached
when she took the part Of Prossy in
Shaw's "Candida." At present she
does an extraordinarily fine piece Of
character acting in Beyond the Hori-
xon" at the Morosco Theater.
Hero are some Of her epigrams for
"The girl who wants to be uncon-
vsntional should wait until she is
thirty to try It. By that time she will
be too fastidious to live irregularly.
s"The girl who breaks the conven-
tions society has built up FOR its pro-
lection always regrets 1t. She may
pretend she doesn't.
every mother ought to make girl
think that she is the rarest, most ex-
Quisite thing on earth. Girls aren't
snobs enough.
"Intrigue is unlovely, and great
alienist has told mo that there is moth
ing as disintegrating as \ secret. It
corrodes one.
"City girls have better morals than
country girls, more imagination and q
greater degree Of independence.
~ have studied the question from
many angles" said Mrs. Hale when
interviewed in her dressing room at
the Morosco .Theater, "and believe that
the social foundation is essentially a
moral one. For their own happiness
and self-respect girls should be more
snobbish in the matter Of love. The
question Of leading an irregular life is,
Of course, up to the individual, and
am not sure that we should all be gov
erned by the same flaws. But do
think that any one In the public eye
has no right to confuse little minds by
being openly unconventional. Their
example counts for something in the
lives of hundreds Of girls. What else
have many of them to go by?"
"Too many Of US do not recognize
our destiny" she declared. II always
feel sorry. for a boy when the time
comes to choose his career. 1t is COM
ing to be almost as big problem for
women since their choice has widened.
Personally, I'm the rottenest cook in
the world, but still believe the natural
occupation for women to be house
keeping. 1t is gift that more women
have than not. We frequently mistake
the gift, however. and go out with the
intention of doing big things when it
would really be much better for US
to be fine cooks.
"The problem Of the wage-earning
wife-God bless her. for there's none
better!--is serious one. 1t hasn't yet
been Strengthened out. With the stamp
Of the harem still upon her, when a
wife begins to support herself, her
husbands sense Of responsibility is
weakened This destroys a fine mas
culine quality. Wage earning wives
grow resentful as they outstrip their
husbands. When it so happens that
they do tho larger share they feel
hurt, even while they glory in this
success. Their husbands resent it, too.
There is nothing else for woman who
has talent to do. She must express
herself. OF course, too often, talent
is taken for the desire to show off.
Too many homes have been broken up
by women who haven't realized that
their chance to show off lay In the
kitchen. But I think the question
is one that will right itself as time
goes on"
The maid problem Is Of vital interest
to Mrs. Hale. In an attempt to study
1t and in getting color for her latest