Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-06-16
Adamowski and the
Smoking Ladies
Ry Frederic ]. Haskin

Chicago, ILL.,, June 13--Alderman
Adamowski Of this city. has started some
thing. He has raised tho question as 10
whether there should be laws prohibiting
the women voters here from enjoying
certain privileges which the men voters
enjoy and he hgs declared himself TO be IN
favor Of special legislation limiting the
ladies.
In all fairness TO Mr. Adnmowski it
must be admitted that be did not realize
he was starting such debate. Like many
another worthy citizen he has probably
been accustomed To answering the ques-
tion Are women people3' by mental
negative for so many years that II never
occurred TO him that there Was any side
but his own.
This is how il all began Mr. Adam
owski's nineteen-year-old daughter came
home one evening from restaurant
where she Ind been dining out She was
greatly ngitatcd.
"Papa," she said fMr. Adamowski him
self tells the touching and dramatic
storv1, "You are an alderman here. You
ought to do something about thus.
never before believed it was possible -----
in the cafe this evening ! saw women
smoking. smoking, just like meni Some
thing certainly must be done TO stop such
slisgraccful gonps-on in public.
Ills daughters horror stirred the dor
mant reforming instinct IN Mr.. Adam
owski's nldermanic soul Not only did he
wish to protect her from being forced 10
witness such exhibitions every time she
d;ned in nublic he also wished to fulfill
| his civic duties by making Chicago an
even more righteous place And 50 the
very next day at the close Of the high cost
committee meeting in the City Hall,
Mr.. Adhmowski spoke
rue SHOCKED ALpERMAN.
"sav do Won know another thing that
ough,a be stopped IN this mans town
he eeid. This business Of women smoking
in public. Why my rinetcen-year-old
| suphter--et cetera
Needless to say the reporters present
anatched at this stupendotis project Tor
civic betterment That evening It was
blaroned forth in the public prints. And
since then Mr.. Adanowskis s mail has
been swollen with letters Of approval and
condemnation People are writing long
letters for and against { the papers There
are other matters in Chicago, even as IN
other cities, that could bear with o little
reforming. but apparently the Camorra.
the labor question, profiteerinE, and the
MANY other problems, must take second
place until the burning question d
whether our women-folks shall be per-
misted to decide for themselves whether
or not they shall smoke Is settled
MANY Chlcagoans see IN Mr. Adam-
oursli' . proposed ordinance 70 stop them
a step Of the greatest Importance IN the
preservation of the future generations who
ALWAYS seem 70 be in such desperata need
III rresarvipg Others SAY with FAINT
groans, that il IS only TO be expected that
the refornlers, having once felt The ex-
altation Of success, are now proceeding tc
reduce all Americans To an absolute mega
tive state Of goodness But a few think
that the issue at stake is much larger
one than merely the first hand decision
involved They say that Itraises the ques
tion of whether or not we shall have se'
leVislation--that is, laws discriminating
against one sex-a question when Is q
vital interest at this time when women ar
Just on the verge Of gaming equal politica
rights Mrs Grace Wilbur Trout, presi
dent Of the Illinois Equal Suffrage Asso
c,atlon IL one who takes this attitude.
Il don't approve OF smoking, salC
Mrs Trout when she was asked tor nc
views. Il hope that suffrage instead 0
encouraging women to smoke, will dis
courage men. But If we are TO have an!
LEGISLATION about it, let US have the sam
laws for all People have got TO reallz
that women are simply human beings tn
same as men. They are punished unde
laws made for men and by men. otreI,
there is no reason for making extra law
for the more inoffensive sex. All TINS tus
about smoking is rather foolish Of course
Il is only the principle Of equal justice 70
all, which it seems to threaten, that make
it worth anyone's attention.
MEN ARE DIFFERENT.
Alderman Adamowski on the othe
hand is not bothered with an analytlea
temperament. He seems to have dlrec
and simple method OF reasoning and az
rives at an unshakable conclusion on an
subject almost as soon as his mind begin
70 function. When he was approached th
other dav in the City Hall, he came briskl
ont of the committee room, bursting wit
. definite views as 10 just how much freedom