The Monroe journal. [volume] (Monroe, N.C.) 189?-1965, 1921-05-06
Bridge Playing Woman aud Crap .
Shooting Boy.

Miss Alice Robertson, congress-
woman from Oklahoma appeals to
women to refrain from playing games
OF chance. particularly in their own
homes. She says il is not right for
women to play for prizes at bridge
parties. while the courts fine small
boys for shooting craps in the alleys.
! think Miss Robertson is right about
it. for the principle involved in the
bridge party and the crap game in
the alley is precisely the same. The
fact that the bridge game takes place
in the drawing room with a costly
prize as the guerdon does not make
IL any better than the crap game in
a dirty alley where few pennies or
nickels are the stake. Yet, human
nature. in its manifestations of in
consistency will pardon the one and
condemn the other in the spirit of
It's all right for me and all wrong
for you"
Every time | read of fresh public
scandal, this one thought occurs TO
me. 'If our leaders do not hold to
the most scrupulous ideas of honor, il
they by their lives and work do not
demonstrate the utmost respect for
The law, what can we expect of the
ommon people. for the lesser always
have and always will looks to the
greater for standards of thought and
conduct"
The higher men and women rise
in the scale commercially, socially,
and politically, the greater is their
responsibility.
Every city, county, state. and ma
tional officer. who evades or disobeys
the law, just because he occupies a
position of power and can get away
with it," gives open encouragement
to men and women having no official
status, to follow in his train.
Every woman who enjoys a desira
BILE position in society. and who at
the same time is unfaithful to her
husband. who neglects her home and
her children. who gives up her en-
tire time to world pleasure and frlv
olity, who In short, is time and OPP
portunity-waster, Is providing the
wrong kind of example for women
and girls in humber stations who say
among themselves. well. IL she can
do that and still be admired and
honored. why cannot ! do the same?"
Every business man who takes
advantage of his position in putting |
over crooked deal is furnishing
hideous model for the generation of
business men and women coming
after him. And II one who does not |
enjoy the power and privilege that
would save him, be caught In the
tolls of the law and be sent up for
A term of Imprisonment for the same
crime that his "model' committed
and got by with" he is by no means
as guilty as the one who by his life
and example set the standard for
him.
While will not say that II Is wrong
or woman to give or attend a bridge
party. will say that II is the very
height OF injustice TO punish the weak
for the very same thing that the
strong are upheld. that the poor urch-
n the alley should be fined for crap
while a woman who plays
bridge for a prize or for money Is
and admired: that the poor
girl guilty Of moral detection should
De kicked into the gutter or thrown
INTO Jail. while her wealthy sister.
who commits the same error. even
when found out, continues to basis
m the smiles OF society: that the
xretched thief who steals a dollar
n desperation is punished while the
.rafter continues to live, undisturb-
d and secure.
What is wrong for one class OF So
'iety is wrong for all other classes
Ind the higher the class. the loft
he position. the more with justice
nay be expected of II.
MRS. MINNIE ATKINS,
Maud, Okla, April "a, 1921. |