South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-10-01
''MOW Much
Longer"
by LEISA b. ROSTISER.

y extremely eloI t-a4bALtA man
y remarked once that a woman
= name should appear but thrice
S. pr.nt-drst. ia the birth second,
81 The marriage and third ia the
death announcement.
II this extremely narrow and s.ric.
rule had been observcd throughout
time the women rulers the WON n
benefactors OF the world would have
held no houOred place iu history. In
stead they would have lived and died
without recognition of their nobility
81 greatness. save for those who
knew them personally.
Probably no century has contribut-
al 10 the world more women OF finer
mental and spiritual caliber than In
this one in which we are now iv.ng.
And n ] am not very much mis-
taken. 10 is positively stimulating and
encouraging 90 read OF the lives AMI
accomplishments OF those who have
achieved or who are now achieving
taat which needs 20 be done
The unlairness of it is that the
NOBLE and worthwhile things women
are doing which spell inspiration TO
the multitude OF common everyday
folk who are trying too. is being
vastly obsCured by tho INSCRIPTIONS
n ctiOns OF a small class of women
no with their pcanut-poruoned in
telllgences. merrily play i'm their
Shame on the front pages of news
papers for the sport and gossip Of
others and 20 the degradation Of
youth.
People are beginning 10 protest in
10 uncertain terms against mirroring
The sordidness OF life in colorful
terms. Not infrequcntly does one
hear, especially these days. men and
women who are vQICing their disap-
prOval Of the publicity which scandal
achieves Tor it's own. ones only
answer is that a newspaper aims 10
give It's readers what its readers de-
mand, and granting that the press.
like everyone else, owes something
10 the youth Of the community, lei
rs consider wether or not the COM
munity does not owe something TO
the newspaper.
Public opinion, exclusively prOduc-
cd by the people. guides by It's very
force the destiny of individual and
institution alike BY no means in
fa.lible. 4 has seen ut in the past
few years 10 lightly consider and
even Jest over what once ii weepe1
over and severely condemned. The
day therefore has passed when a
woman who finds herself in the
midst Of an ugly story. hides from
the world: rather she prefers 20
score more or less, according to her
nerve. as melodramatic heroine
playing TO an enraptured audience
which listens intently 10 every word
sh might deign TO say.
This situation exists solely because
public opinion has swayed unwiseiy
past the point of melting justice TO
woman as well as 10 nan. and is in
clining more and more TO place the
female violator of the law, the wo-
man whose numerous love-affairs are
the gossip Of both continents, upon
a conspicuous pedestal where the
world may offer it's sympathy. its
movie contracts or whatever else il
may think appropriate.
Any man or woman who has scr
iously considered the subject at all
knows what I say is true and must
acknowledge that such an attitude
on the part OF the world is really
dangerous TO young heads Very
naturally the mistaken idea is plant
81 in plastic minds that sin and sins
haunts are rOseatc and that women
sinners are mighty attractive beings
in the eyes of the world Youth
does not stop and consider as you
AID I consider the depth OF humili-
alton which vice inCurs, nor have
they lived long enough TO hate evil
because il is hateful Ii only knows
that movie offers" and other equal
" pleasant things are offered to
those who do something so motor
iously naughty as to make them
much In the public eye. BehOlding
that public opinion garbs sin in
robes OF purple and provides a brass
band you can't blame youth much
FOR adding a tinselled crown TO the
illusion.
Newspapers are entitled 10 print
news even though it may appear
ugly in print. The objection so far
as can see. lies solely with tales
seeking by clever rUse to arouse in
the hearts OF people a false sympathy
which distorts the pubIC's vision of
right and wroug. The world shout
ders a heavy responsibility when i
favors 9 man offender because he Il
handsome or possesses striking
personality or a woman because she
IS pretty and weeps copiously- Not
only does II lower the worth of is
own Judgment but after the emo
tional excitement is over. the very
people who helped popularize the
judgment viii wonder how they
could have ever been so simple
minded Surely sympathy should BE-
saved Tor those untorJunates who As
time passes on prove themselves
worthy and people viii discover
sooner or later that one viii ma
such only among those who shun
rather than court publicity
some magazines and many novels
err far more than new spapers IN the
respect OF fostering The idea that
vice is attractive and that los partiCi-
pators are not such bad lot after
an The motion picture TOO has
done It's share iu creating the inn
preston that evil IS thrilling and
virtue is gloomy but ~ late it IS
coming into the realization that viz
tue is attractive II one wishes 20
make 90 SO.
The sooner that the public and the
uublir-s servants-thc newspaper.
the magazine. the novel. the motion
picture. impresses young America
tha. there IS nothing picturesque IN
sin. no sinner. however alluringly
arIayed. physically lovely or intel
.ts-.-.1,- .,.,.t--,.5 nil deceive vounE