Evening star., 1925-07-18


old man"
Well, that was that.
Onward pushed the policewoman
toward Seventh street, and thence
south toward the Avenue. A number
of men, old and young. looked at her
intently, but got not smile and made
no further advances. Between T. and
D a middle-aged man with whiskers
got interested to the point Of giving
chase. He passed her and halted to
let her go by. AS she walked past he
lifted HIS hat as though to speak, but.
getting no response, turned the ees-
ture into casual head-scratching
motion.
Autoist Gets Under Way.
About the same time a young man
In an expensive touring car parked
at the curb started his motor and
cruised along beside the lone woman.
The street was virtually deserted. He
footed his horn once or twice, but the
woman was oblivious of the fact.
The touring car continued on to c
street, turned the corner and pulled
up at the curb between Seventh and
Eighth streets.
AS the girl approached, looking in
the store windows with intense in
terest, the driver sounded his signal
moved his car ahead and rounded
the corner of Eighth street just in
time to cause the policewoman TO
halt to let him pass. He smiled and
nodded his head at her, the while
footing his horn, but received no sign
of recognition. He gave it up as a
bad job.
At the corner of Ninth street and
Pennsylvania avenue stood a group
of typical corner loafers. They all
commented among themselves about
the woman as she turned up Ninth
street and the biggest one of the
group, with a wink to his companion.
started after her. He hurried ahead
and stopped at the next corner to
lean laZily against an iron post. AS
the stroller came opposite him he
lifted his hat slightly and smilingly
inquired: "Out for a walk?"
She did not appear to hear him
and walked on. The heavy one re-
a while, then shook his head and
returned to his friends.
Man Narrowly Escapes.
Il would have taken him in if he
had spoken again." the policewoman
confided later IT believe in giving
men the benefit of the doubt. Maybe
he was talking to some one else. But
If, after my rebuff, he had come for
ward again and repeated his question,
l would have felt it my duty to arrest
him. That would have constituted
annoyance in every sense of the word,
| and women should not be made to suf
fer annoyance of that kind on Wash
ington's streets"
AS F street was reached again a
shower fell, and the policewoman was
I forced to take shelter in a store en-
trance. No man moleSted her there
The rain over, she retraced F street
| again. By this time the automobile
| fiirts were out in full force, footing at
| strange girls alone, but not going any
further than that If the girls paid no
attention. footing is no crime, 1t was
| pointed out. Three drivers footed at
| the policewoman between Thirteenth
and Fourteenth streets, but she con-
| tinued on, unmindful.
Thinks Strolling Safe.
II contend that the woman who, for
one reason or another, wishes to stroll
F street or Ninth street or the Avenue
alone at night may do so in absolute
safety, If she doesn't encourage the
| attentions of strange men," the police
woman declared after her rounds.
THE mere fact that men may look
at her closely and may manifest their
interest in her TO the extent of follow
| ing her, and perhaps attempting to
speak, does not amount to an insult.
The woman should feel gratiied that
she is attractive enough to interest
men. Pity those who fail to attract
men! OF course, If a man persists in
| his attentions when he knows they
are not wanted, 1t Is high time he was
hailed into court and fined. He is a
public nuisance.
II believe there are very few men
in Washington who will deliberately
force their attentions on strange
/ women.
| "All in all, I think Washington Is
as safe for women as any other city
in the country"