San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-08-23
By RUPERT HUGHES

cused of perfection. Even the most
ordinarily good womnn is ordinari-
ly revelted at an insinuation that
she might possibly be imperfect.
The result of this curious truth
is that women are given terrible
weapon which good women use for
bullying and bad women for black-
mail. The average man is, of course,
as good MS the average woman in
notwithstanding the word morals in
the sense to which it is generally
limited q read fhe other day that
certain murderer and thief was
forgiven because he was such a
moral mani. The average man is
by necessity as good as the average
woman, for 1t takes one of each
to be immoral.
1t used to be generally assumed
that a scandal ruined a woman,
though some of the most successful
and popular women in history had
enjoyed the most appalling reputa-
lions. That fallacy was finally
ridiculed to death by turning the
old phrase: The Woman Pays
and Pays-and Pays" into joke.
But while nearly all men like to
admit that they could be devils and
perhaps are devils, the most reck-
less of them hate TO be accused of
a definite misdeed. They will do
almost anything to escape public
accusation. If the vilest woman
threatens to accuse man of lead
ing her astray, he is apt to become
a hopeless coward and ripe subject
for blackmail.
MANN ACT VILE
It is probably fact that women
do as much leading astray as men
perhaps more--but since Adam told
the absolute truth about Eve name
ly that she tempted him, he won
such immortal contempt that no
man has ever gained anything by
telling what happened in such an
encounter. One senator many years
ago announced that woman de-
coyed him. as she undoubtedly did
but he was laughed out of public
life.
The alleged Mnocent, blind trust
fulncss of wodan has been fright
full weapon used with CHASTITY re.
S,Sults. 1t was finally given official
snNpction In the so-called Mann act,
VIII ch like most acts intended to
curb personal vices, has been used
almost exclusively for the yilcst
purposes and is made to order for
blakkmailers.
i think that this new equality Of
women in public life will gradually
put an end to the Ridiculous Mann
act, (which is really an insult to
the whole sex) and will cut down
the millions annually paid for
biackmail based on the theory that
a woman is a weak inferior, crea.
turp. helpless against the wiles OF
evil men. The reverse is more
nearly true.
Women themselves are imposed
upon by their own sex at times
though in general they nrc cynical
where other women arc concerned.
This is the story Of curious wo-
man who deceived many women,
and did her best to ruin the good
name Of many men as well as OF
her own mother-altogether a be-
wilderins little passenger In this
whirling sphere.
CLAIM PERSECUTION
Astrange letter came to me re-
Gently from a stranger about the
same stranger and stranger lady.
The personality exhibited in the
two letters was as remarkable rs
the sequel in the court room, and
the whole story is so typical of our
times, that it may be worth telling.
There may even be a moral in it,
though the only moral ! can ex-
tract from 1t at present is one OF
these:
Don't believe anything anybody
tells you about anything or anybody,
without investigating; and then
don't believe your own invcstiga.
TONS" or BE especially careful
about trusting in martyrs or people
who claim to be prosecuted"
Modern physicians are suspicious
Of persecution. The moment any
body tells me that he or she is being
prosecuted or conspired against, 1
begin to say "Aha, another pest
perhaps paranoiad."
For the mania of persecution is
one Of the unfniling symptoms of
paranoia. 1t is tragic and pitiful
beyond words, and the paranoiac
deserves infinite sympathy. But a
little sympathy should be saved for
the people the paranoiac persccntes.
This does not mean, of course,
that the world is not and has not
.lways been full of cruelty and in.
justice, and of actual persecution.
1t means only that a sharp line
should be drawn between real perse-
cution and feigned.