The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-05-07
Urges Parents to Save Sys- tematically for Child's
 Future

| flummeries that she will not even remember is saved for her, it, will mean that she will be able to go to college if she wants an education. It will mean that she will be able to un. dertake some little enterprise of het own if she wants to go into busl- ness It will mean that she will have little independent income of' her own if she marries. If her parents die and she is left alone in the world, 1t will mean that she will not ba homeless, and shelterless, and ex. posed to the temptations of those poor unfortunates who are driven into selling their souls to keep their bodies alive.
 Why, if the money that children waste in pennies and nickels was saved for them, every one of them would have stake in life when 1t was twentyone years old.
 It is curious how little responsible ity parents seem to feel about pro- viding for their children's future, and especially about providing for their girls. Yet a woman without some money is the most pinful and helpless creature on earth, and how any father and mother can calmly contemplate this fate for their own daughters passes comprehension. VI touTSe, tHe parents SalNe tnelT consciences by thinking that their girls will marry, and that their hus- bands will provide for them. which may or may not happen ia these days when wedding bells do not invariably ring for every girl and W:en hus- bands are as likely as not to be broken reeds on which to lean.
 But even when girl does marry. it is handicap to her to go empty handed to her husband l have never known woman who was entirely dependent upon her husband. no mat ter how generous and open handed he was, who did not feel that there was something degrading, something that hurt her pride, in the fact that she had nothing of her own. Nor can one wonder at this point of view
 Financial independence is the very back bone of self-respect. The wo- man with money in the bank can de- mand decent treatment from her hus- band, while the woman without a penny of her own is forced to put up with whatever treatment is ac- corded her.
 Of course, a man of the highest type, a man who is noble and chival- rous. will not. be influenced in his attitude to hS wife by few dol
 
 the general run of husbands have the same awe and respect for their wives money as they have for all other money. The hand that holds the pocketbook rules the roost the world over, and the woman who has . financial stake in the domestic firm has much more voice in deciding things than has the woman who has only a working interest in 1t.
 We Americans smile very scorn- fully when we are told that in con- tinental Europe that no girl can get husband unless she has 8 dowry. We say, thank goodness we don't have to give a chrOmo with our daughters to get them married; men are glad though to get them as they are without any bonus thrown in.
 The theory that girls face is her fortune is pretty and poetical fancy. but unfortunately it is not always the one that is legal tender for rent, and food. and raiment. And. alas, the great majority of women would not assess at two cents on the dollar II you computed their riches by theii looks.
 Therefore, unless parents are very certain that they have bestowed upon their girl baby a face that launches a thousand ships. and catches mil lionaire. they are in duty bound to provide her with little start Tn life DOROTHY DIX.