The Washington herald., 1922-09-09
new HUTCHINSON
NOVEL MAY EQUAL
FORMER SUCCESS
This Freedom" Has Same
Power as @If Winter
Comes.

ssThis Freedon,v by A. s. NJ
Hutchinson (Littie, Brown &
Company
The first question Of every reader
who opens Mr.. A. s. NJ Hutchfnson's
new novel, This Freedom viii In
eyitably be. is IL likely to have the
We may say at once that in its own
way, II Is q worthy successor to
that book and will probably appeal
equally to the public. though II con-
tains no one figure as attractive as
Mark, Sabre. 1t raises issues OF a
modern kind with powerful and
dramatic realism. and It Is inspired
throughout by Mr.. Hutchinson's SIN
certify and humanity.
The idea underlying the novel
will arouse endless discussion. And
that idea is this: Should a girl who
has made her own way in the world
and values her independent position
above all give up business when
she marries or try to remain on
equal terms with her husband in
that respect?
The heroine of this book thought
that she could marry and still re-
main in business. She loved her
husband. she loved her three chill
dren but she loved her business. too.
Her husband begged of her again
and again to make a home" for
himself and the children but she
hardened her heart. She did not
give home the special atmosphere
the old, conventional atmosphere
which binds family together. And
the result was utter disaster.
Her story is an extreme and even
melodramatic example of VIII. is
probably going on in a minor way
between many husbands and wives.
II is SO extreme with her because
there is touch OF the pathological
in her attitude. Her early adoring
! admiration Of men as represented
by her father and two brothers,
soon turned into profound contempt,
and even disgust
Then when she suddenly fell in
love and married, she still resolved
to keep the freedom she had won so
| hardly. Back and forward she
| argued 1t with her husband, with
ever intenser doggedness as the
years went on. Here is an example
of their talk:
Resale let's keep the thing
square. A man can leave his home
he often has to. l think not so a
woman: not a mother; not as you
wish now to leave IL. II can't, with
out her, go on-not in the same
way,
Yes ours-ours can
Not in the same way. You can't
take out the woman and leave il
the same: the same for the man, the
same for the children. We're
married. The married state. With
children. Doesn't the whole fabric
of the married state rest on the
domesticity of woman"
She murmured, NO, in her
resignation. Harry
As If he had touched something
| and been burnt he very sharply
drew in his breath.
She said, An, you'd be hur, 1
told you. Dear. can't be other
than l am on this. Upon her
resignation. Harry, Men call Il
domesticity. That's their fair word
! for their offence. It's woman's re-
/ signation is the fabric of the
married state. She lets her home
be built upon her back. She resigns
| everything to carry IT. She has to-
| IL she moves it shakes. If she
stands upright il crashes. A
woman can stand upright and yet
| be wife. be mother. make tome.
Dear. you are not to ask me now
| for resignation"
This Freedom" is much more of
a problem novel than If Winter
/ Comes" The sympathy that will
go out to Rosalie will be tfnged
in many hearts by disapproval She
is fine. strong character, but some
will say that she was selfish. some
that she was blind, and some that
her whole philosophy of life was
unsound. Apparently Mr.. Hutchin-
/ son would be of that number. He
leaves us in no doubt that il was
her neglect Of her children that
brought disgrace and misery upon
. h. 60