The Washington times., 1922-09-17
BY Helen Fox.
isn't Q fiapper In

FNr1SfsS Aoh - AoPPoi az Ae
rope. Or rather, with the
Il exception Of the few thou
sand American flappers who do
the Continent. there isn't q flap
per on the other side of the ocean.
And what IL more. II these touring
thousands do not return to the
shores that bred them within the
six months after leaving they all
stand In serious danger of passing
from flapperhood to womanhood.
Europe doesn't like blithe. in.
consequential Young things
young cerebrally, speading-flap-
ping about its mature civilization.
The soil and climate Of Europe are
unsuited to the culture Of that
tender growth known as the flap
per. The air 10 too full Of sophisti-
cation. The ground contains too
many relica. of old decadent races.
THE STEP TO wOMANHOOD.
1t is not only impossible. there
fore, to breed from birth q spe-
cial Europen. brand Of flapper.
but even a slip OF an American
flapper cannot be transplanted
successfully. All the flap comes
out Of her wings. the tease out Of
her mutilated hair. the rolling gait
out Of her walk. and the gush out
Of her talk. In short, her pseudo
sophistication vanishes and 10 re-
placed with the poise and self.
confidence Of charming young
womanhood
Europe does not encourage In It's
youth . sts Of immatufity pro-
longed Be the years Of dis
cretion. IL e French girls and lit.
tie English girls do not grow up
by passing first from girlhood and
fiapperhood and finally to woman.
hood. One day. q little French girl
suddenly rolls her hair up on the
shapely nape Of her neck. drops
her skirts from her delectable
knees to her exquisite ankles. and
forthwith 10 q woman.
As q woman. the newly grown.
UP French girl carries herself with
dignity and poise. She doesn't
walk about the street playing a
ukulele, nor does she wear goloshes
that flap open-with what pur-
pose only the all ll-omniscient really
knows-nor does she 60 on mush
ing parties. An eagle eye of either
parent or teacher is always upon
her.
She Is taught many things, in
cluding the why's of life. as they
are understood by the more ma
ture minds around her.
In short, when the time arrives,
she Is ready to embark upon her
marriage of convenience with a
complete knowledge of the prob
lens she may have to face. 1t il
this sophistication that makes mar.
riages of convenience, contracted
daily in France. more successful
than our love mArriag ges over here.
SOME DRAWBACKS.
The French method of raising
girls is, however, not without its
drawbacks One misses among
other things the spirit Of indie
pendence that one finds among
Angio-Saxon women. One misses
also their participation in the
world Of affairs. Girls seldom get
living wage in Paris. The un-
varying response on the part Of
employers to q demand for more
pay is What you get Is enough
for pin money, isn't It? You know
you can always get an ami II
you want tor And she OCCASION
ally does get a friend. II she doesn't
live with parents who buy her
clothes and contribute generally
to her support.
In England. however, We have
neither the system Of the ''ami,"
the result Of over-sophistication.
nor the flapper. the growth Of
race with too many illusions. How
ever. this happy medium is com.
pensation no doubt for the fact