The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-10

Dear Miss Dix-I want to ask you three questions. Can a husband com pei his wife not to use rouge and powder, which he hates?
 Sescond-Can husband prevent his wife from going three times week to a moving picture show when he has forbidden her to go at all?
 Third-How can a husband stop his wife from nagging him about giving her fine clothes, which he cannot give her as he only earns $35 a week? RUDOLPH.
 Answer-There is no way you can make your wife obey you, Rudolph, except by moral suasion. If she will not do what you want her to do be- cause she loves you, and wants to please you, you can't make her do it by force.
 Perhaps you are wrong in your point of view, anyway. It seems to me that man whose wife has not no worse faults than using rouge and going to the movies has drawn capital prize in the matrimonial lottery. Maybe the reason that your wife uses rougse is because she wants to enhance her good looks, and make herself more attractive in your eyes.
 Do you know the old story about the man who, when his wife came down stairs with a lovely hand made complexion, said: Madam, go up stairs and wash that rouge off your face" The obedient wife did so, and returned. The husband gave one look at her and then said: Madam go upstairs and put on twice as much rouge as you had on before" There's a nice moral in that story, Rudolph. Think 1t over.
 As for your wife going to the movies three times a week, that is
 
 the world is more entertaining, more amiable, and more agreeable to live with, who goes to the movies, and the theatre, and gets some outside diversion, than is the one who stays put in the house. and who gets dull and stupid and nervous from lack Of contact with the outside world.
 To keep your wife from nagging you about the things you can't give her, you have only to make up for the things she lacks with love and tenderness. Make her know that you would give her the whole world if you could, and that it gPieves and hurts you because you can't, and she will be satisfied. It is because they think that their husbands don't notice their sacrifices, and don't care whether they have things or not, that makes nine women out of ten dissatisfied
 It, is easy enough to manage a wife, Rudolph, if you go about it Automatically. But you can't drive 'em, and you can't make one obey you unless she wants to.
 DOROTHY DIX.
 Dear Miss Dix-My husband is a business man. His whole mind and heart are centered on his work. He never seems to enjoy home, wife, or babies-never wants to go to church, club, theatre, movies. or take any recreation at all. l am just as good to him as I know how to be, and he is just as good to his family, only he seems to have no interest in us. Is there anything I can do about it. for l would love to have a husband instead of cash register? WIFE.
 Answer-I suppose a woman who has no more deadly rival than a husbands business ought to consider herself fortunate for she at least, will not be called upon to endure a scandal and have her children taken from her. Bus that is small comfort to the wife who loves her man, and who wants his companion ship. and to have somebody to play about with.
 And there is no real help for the obsessed by his business to the ex- clusion of his family comes to be nothing but gambler absorbed by the gamblers passion. He is sitting in at the biggest game in the world,