Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1922-01-25
EXIT MOTHERHOOD
ny Frederic J. Haskin

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New York, Jan. 25.---A California;
professor Of zoology has recently
aroused considerable Indignation
among New YORK feminlsts by writ
ing 81 book in which he declares that
the new woman Is n traitor to her
race because she refuses 70 marry and
have children. The blame for this be
places largely upon college education
which, he asserts, tends to develop the
feminine mentality and inspire 1t with
the ambition to haye-not babies-but
n career"
Professor Holmes--for that In the
name OF the brave Rentieman--has
developed his theme In most discreet
land dispassIonafe manner. II is obvious
that he is entirely sympathetic to-
ward the new woman's aims and de-
sircs, and Is merely interested in set
ting forth their biological significance.
Nevertheless. the new women do not
like It. Nearly every day, one OF their
resentful number bursts forth In the
readers columns" of the daily press
with a stern rebuke for the professor,
and a defense OF the feminists noble
character. The college girls seem 70
feel particularly insulted. and are TAX
ing great pains to explain In elaborate
detail Just why they do not marry. II
is not, In their judgment, because o.
their own liberal education, but the
lack of II in most men.
The reasons for this widespread
spinsterhood among intelligent, we'll
educated females are doubtless many
and varied, but Professor Holmes !:
chiefly concerned with its effect upoS
the race. His greatest alarm Is ovel
the fact that women Of the lower class
es continue TO produce husky Offspring
at a mid-Victorian rate. while thos'
, OF superior stock are limiting theil
families to one or two, or declining
to go in for motherhood at all.
College Women Stay Single.
1T may be said that about so pc
cent Of college women remain un
married" he writes in his recent book
at is apparently true that women o
superior intellect and force OF char
. Iacter are those who, whether coileg
e women or not, are pretty apt to b
e selected for spinsterhood. They ar
e more likely TO win positions which per
3 NIT them to enjoy the comforts an
: many Injuries OF life; they develo
other interests which often detrac
i from the appeal of matrimony. I
J. some cases they lose a certain fen
e mime charm, a misfortune that arous
g es a deep-seated, instructive recon
g the opposite sex. There can be T
II doubt that the race is losing a va
e wealth Of material for motherhood I
n the best and most efficient type Mar
n Of the women who are nowadays mo
al prone TO sacrifice motherhood to
rs career are Just the ones upon who
I'd the obligation Of motherhood shou
10 rest with the greatest weight. II ma
d. be seriously doubted II the grown
"A Independence Of women, despite
n many advantages, is an unmix
blessing. Thus far it has worked
,e deteriorate the race in the interes
r. of social advancement, a process viii
A. Is bound TO be disastrous in the lol
70 run"
D. Yet Professor Holmes evident
tn thinks that the new woman's treac
D. cry to the race Is more involunta
than II IS deliberate. She Is, he show
T. largely a victim Of her own envtro
II, ment; merely the product Of an indu
n. trial age which is devoted to the a
A cunulation and guarding OF property
he not children. AS many other sruder
of Of the problem have pointed Of
women are simply being absorbed
in industry as everything else IS bel
IS? absorbed by industry. which Is II
c. huge sponge that win some day q
ON sorb the race itself.
IA Every year, an Increasing nuInl
of young women enter sedentary
on equations in business offices and She
w. which, Professor Holmes thinks. &C
wn tribute 10 their physical debility a
on multiply the hardships of chfldbir
There is no doubt. he says, that :"
conditions OF present-day civilizat
have in the last few generations 81
ously weakened the physique OF
modern civilized woman" For
the thing, both her willingness and abb
by TO nurse her children has decrea
Z. very conslderably-an unquestiol
the disadvantage 10 her offspring, as
e. has been found, according TO a medi
Dts. authority quoted by Holmes, {
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