Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-05-01

Some Observations o., On and By the
Astors and Some Reflections Born
Of Today's Meeting and Guests
BY SARAH d. LOwRIE

BY SARAH ID. LOWRIE
7 HAVE always held that II some one asked
L you a question in the morning you had
only to wait until afternoon to have the
answer come your way without so much as
holding up a finger to beckon 1t.
The other morning, for instance, was
called up by the committee In charge q the
Academy meeting at which Lady Astor
speaks today and asked to send character
sketch Of her that could be printed for .pur-
poses Of news. had never met Lady AstOr
nor any Of the famous Lanshornc sisters ;
nor had I seen her nor did know any one
so far MS 1 was aware--who could describe
her TO mt.
! promised rather, vaguely to make
stab at writing about her, however, before
the sun should set on my ignorance. and
then | went about other affairs perfectly
sure that II i were to write her up the where.
withal would be given me ''out of the every.
where into the here"
CURE enough at lunch in my accumulated
~ mail found n letter from woman
whose opinion OIL any one IS worth having.
because she is Scotch in her rcticencc and
Irish in her observation.
This is what she thought of the Astors:
III. and went down to the dinner given
in New York for Lady Astor. 1t was
glorious occasion and unique. ! could not
begin to give you an idea of her. They
both have not only exceptional charm and
inoh'' puI my nave "hu
the accomplishment of something real through
their own efforts and convction--a. rather
unexpected inward rarnestncss' which is
very taking and very apparent. II she comes
10 Philadelphia do see her. 1t is probably
quite as much seeing as hearing.
Miss Agnes Rcpplicr also spoke. and,
though the papers scarcely mentioned her.
she was quite as extraordinary in her way
as the Astors. There she stood, quite of
another generation. yet, making the most
Inp pIarn In Epil hpI ufatf hul
essay you ever heard-amusing, serious.
common sense and all clever. Wasn't she an
anti suffragist once? The other night she
was the champion of woman's place in pO-
litical life. | wish You had been at the din
ner: 1t would have been wonderful to write
up
T WAS duly grateful for this "help over
L hard places and medtated whether I
could turn it TO account when later OH in
the evening discovered by chance that the
man that was put next to Inc at dinner was
cousin Of the LanghOrncs and had stopped
with the Astors and could give me q still
more nmplified impression Of Lady Astor.
whom he pronounced so charming that be-
fore you were with her ten minutes you were
apt to think her the most beautiful person
In the world and the most delightful and the
peasantest TO laugh with and the clevercst
to match wits with
Equipped thus with the opinion of n very
observing and experienced woman and an
exceedingly discriminating young man. Lady
Astor looms pleasantly distinct on my EOri-
zon. ] shall go to hear hcr--and TO see her
this afternoon at the Academy. Great charm
such as she has-lf all accounts be truc-is
Il very great possession. and used as she
uses II is distinct asset to the country of
her adoption as we'll as a credit to the coun.
try of her birth and upbringing. Its poise
md graciOuSneSs are Southern. but England
has put its stamp on her. modern England.
without doubt: the ''unexpccted inward
belongs 10 country whose nd.
class feels the responsibility of
making the laws and Of keeping them. not
Dnly as duty to themselves. but as an ex.
ample to their countrympn.
ENDtCATED men and women Of the same
IL c'ass over in this country are shame.
'aced about being examples and shirk their
responsibility as ~ithcr makers or admins.
traitors of the law as Il class. which is why
such astonishment is felt that a man like
'iif"rd Pinchot who could either accumu.
late more wealth or us" an intelligent leisure
in pursuit Of private ends. should feel moved
% s"rv" his country IN open and unshamed
/ manner. hs though politics was no Occu-
patton for one who was brought up q gen.
leman.
Ns matter of fact. this country will
never come into its full strength until all its
'ltlz"ns follow Mr.. Pinchot's example and
regard the responsibility of public service as
Mt least as important as the responsibility of
private gain
$" Lady, Astor's visit is very timely to
ler native land. She points a moral as well
as adorning any place she may occupy. from
a seat in the House of Commons TO n yelyer
'hair in III" Academy of Music.
HER appearance in the Academy is for
a cause not much in vogue hitherto in
the National Womcns Trades
mon League. an organization of which
Mrs; RAYMOND Robins. of Chicago. is the
moving spirit for the country at large and
IN which such women as Mrs. J. Alison
Scott. Mrs. Pinchot. Mrs. Charles Rboads
md others have been locally helpful from
lime to time. The Bryn Mawr Summer
school last year had fellowship scholars
het a very interesting group of women be.
longing to it who were being entertained ont
nt Mr.. George Woodward's one lusciomS
summer evening
1t is chiefly educational In its spirit and
fosters movement TO make WORKING women
intelligent as to their rights under tie State
laws as employees and strong in enforcing
good working conditions
Some Of its members are radically social.
sir. but its leaders are on the whole con.
SerVatiVe III the advice they give and the
movements that they encourage It ncts 7
believe. as chimney to carry away much
Dissatisfaction thar if left unexpresscd nnIer
the present conditions might prove danger.
Gus.
1t is interesting that the Astors shou,J
max" that particular cause their own In this
town, and it is characteristic Of thair
adopted rather than their native land Eor
IN England the persons who are supposed
to be most threatened by radical views are
the least afraid to 90 up to them, handle
hem, discourse about them and agree with
what appeals TO their intelligence in them
ENNGl.AND is 30 sure that her Constjtu.
~ tion is revolution proof that she c,r
afford 10 let revolutionists declaim IN ,ha
same park in which her royalties take their
"irIngs and her nobility take their exercise
and her middle classes take their f;Il ~ Iac
ing on and her lower classes 20 abont tbo
business OF life; and her educated and well.