The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-10-14
BEAUTY BEST BET :
OF EVERY WOMAN,
SAYSDOROTHY DIX
Y :: WASHINGTON SOCIETY $:
Writes Girls Have Found
Curls to Be Better
Than Brains.
by DOROTHY DIX.

hedgling statesman has intro
uueed a bill in Congress that seeks
70 prevent newspapers from holding
beauty contests on the ground that
II encourages women to think too
much of their personal appearance
ana that already they devote more
ume to trying to improve their
looks than they do to their homes.
Well. why wouldn't they, since
me experience of all the ages has
taught woman that beauty is her
one best bet. and that a peaches
ana cream complexion and naturally
wavy hair will profit her more than
oushel of brains and a mountain
of virtues?
Or course. intelligence and cul-
lure are greatly to be desired in
the female. So is a sweet and
IoNely nature So is the efficiency
mat makes a woman a good cook
ana thrifty helpmate, but admir-
able as all these qualities are they
SINK into innocuous desuetude be-
tore mere peachiness.
NO man wants to pluck a lemon,
even II IL does grow on the Tree of
knowledge. No man is interested
IN the beautiful soul of the lady
whose outward appearance is homely
enough to stop the clock. Every man
wants a domestic wife. but he doesn't
want her badly enough to marry the
stringy maiden who looks like fifteen
cent worth of oatmeal.
Every woman knows that it doesn't
make much difference what is inside
OF her head just so ii is sufficiently
adorned on the outside. She also
KNOWS that men value women for
what they look like. not for what
they are. and a slim and willowy
ngure, and golden hair. and violet
eyes are a perfect alibi for lack of
sense. and industry, and general
worthwhileness in a woman.
Every day Of our lives We see in
telligent men. highly educated men.
leading ships of girls to the altar
VINO haven't two ideas to rub to-
gether in their little jellybean heads.
They never read anything deeper than
dream book in their lives. They
VIII never have a single thought in
common with their husbands. or be
any more companion to them than
a fluffy kitten would be. But the
men passed up all of the plain faced.
bespectacled college graduate girls to
select little pretty face for a life
partner because of the way her hair
curled on the nape of her white neck.
and the roses bloomed in her cheeks.
All of us know dozens of men
who are working themselves to death
and doing 1t cheerfully-to buy
Paris finery for some living picture
to whom they are married. and all
OF us know that a homely woman
has to almost chloroform her husband
10 get the price OF q new dress out of
him.
IL woman is sufficiently pulchri-
tudinouS there is no sin under
Heaven that a man will not forgive
hcr. He will stand for extrava-
Gsnce. and selfishness in a pretty
wife. He will overlook bad SPELL
ing and mistakes for a beauteous
stenographer. He will condone
murder IL committed by a lily
white hand. for it has been proved
time and time again that no male
jury will convict any young and
pretty female criminal.
The first question a man ever asks
a bout a woman is not: rs she in
telligent? Is she of a high and
noble character? Is she Interestingly"
NO. he asks. is she gOOd-lOOk1ng -
.If she is. nothing else matters. II
'she is not good-looking. neither does
anything else matter. There is moth
ing stirring for him. Being a gentle
man. he treats her as such, but he
docs it with the air OF performing a
duty. and not as a pleasure.
The pretty girl has the cakes and
|ale of life handed to her on a silver
|salver She gets the first pick of the
husbands. She gets the best jobs,
q she goes to work. A dozen men
Jump to their feet to offer her their
PATS in crowded car. but the
lnely girl gets what she fights for,
precious little at that.
ince men have put this premium
woman's looks. is it any wonder,
that women have accepted their
ltion ot beauty. and have made
eir fetish? How else could il be,
every woman from Mother Eve
to the littlest chicken that
on jay bird heel shoes down