The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-02-11
By EMILE COTE

Copyright. 1923, United States, Great Britain, Canada and South America by North American Newspaper Alliance and
 New York World (Press Publishing
 Company for The Herald. All rights reserved. Unlicensed reproduction
 in full or in part expressly prohibited)
 One of the apparent if not real paradoxes of America is the pre- -emi- hence of feminine influence in a country which seem so essentially man made There is undoubtedly an explanation of this. but I cannot pre- tend to fathom it in the space of a few short weeks. That woman is su- preme here. however, is impressed upon all. suppose who come to the United States from abroad.
 do not mean to say that American women take a more active part in business or industry than her sisters in France or England; women have invaded all domains in France for merly held to be the closed preserves of man. Moreover. no Frenchman will deny that the feminine element wields power that is seldom chal- lenged in his country.
 But it is less perceptible than in America One feels that women rule over here. Not politically-at least not directly-and even in the sphere of trade and industry I think the French woman plays a more impor- tant part than the American woman.
 Accept Her Sway
 But in everything else woman ap- pears to lay down the law in Amer lea and the husband-'lord and mas ter' only i'll his office and club brother and often the father, too, are content to obey and accept her sway An American said to me the other day: "Women run our homes and many things besides.
 "In the house she is boss. For in- stance, I would never think of talk ing a friend home to lunch or dinner without getting my wife's approval first" He added that he was quite happy and that everything worked smoothly. I do not doubt it.
 Of course, am not citing this as an example of abnormal wifely au- thority. 1t is merely one among hun dreds of remarks l have heard men make in regard to other spheres where women reign supreme. Amer ican women are, l firmly believe worthy of the power they hold; and in general they appear to exercise it with advantage to all concerned. often wonder If I have met the typi- cal American women.
 I shall certainly carry with me vivid impressions of creatures of rare charm and wisdom. Physically, the American woman as l see her is one of the handsomest and perhaps one of the most fascinating types l have ever studied. She is visibly healthy and has mental and moral boise Probably one meets greater pro- portion of pretty faces and figures in the streets of New York and other cities of America than in any other country, although I think that per feet beauty may be commoner in Lon don and Paris.
 Intellectually the average American woman seems to me to be of a SUI perior order. She is a good conver- sationalist, with a sparkle peculiar to herself Often she rises to real bril- liancy, despite a tendency to use slang at inappropriate moments.
 Women Never Dull
 think I have mentioned in a previous article that I consider Americans to be the best takers 1T the world. American women show remarkable versatility, and they arr never dull. Morally they are re sourceful. self-reliant and indepen' dent-qualites which should mak' them ideal companions and pals for their husbands and brothers and children.
 I say should" because I am moi sure that they are always such com panions. I am not sure that there Is not little selfishness and tempera mental coldness in the American woman which makes her prone t' lose too early after marriage mucl of the interest of her husband and his pursuits which are essential tG the harmony of welded life. Ant that may be one of the reasons ol the growing number of divorces.
 On the other hand, as I have peer privileged to observe, in many homes over here, American women are de- voted to their children and will make any sacrifice for their general welt fare end education. Yet. they dt not allow their life to absorb all theil time and attention as too many French women are apt to do. They are eager to keep abreast of develop ments in art. letters and science, al- though, strangely enough, l have no noticed much feminine interest 1T politics. notwithstanding that Ameri- can women occupy government ad- ministrative posts which are still closed to women in France.
 Real Pleasure to Meet
 They are usually exceedingly well read and it is always real pleasure to talk with them. But are they not inclined to be tyrannical. And extravagant? l suppose there is