The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-07-16
AriStOCruCy
of Wealth
Holds SzUuy
BY MARTHA LEE


More than a century ago, our an
cestors fought it out so that we
would have freedom and independ-
ence, and among other things (al-
though it is not mentioned often)
an equality the like of which never
had been heard Of.
1t wasn't so long after that that
several European nations decided
the feudal system was as outmoded
as powdered wigs, and had little
fight among themselves that gained
them partial equality.
The idea in the United States has
been to give every child, starting at
the cradle, an equal chance to learn
and make something of himself.
Any mother could hope her young
son some day might be President.
Or a famous lawyer. Or a road
gang boss or whatever else she as
pired to for him.
In the old country, up until that
time, it always had been believed
that if boys father was lord, he
also would be lord. If his father
was keeper of the keys, a farmer, a
butler, the boy also would be one.
That all changed. 1t was one Of
the theories Of our country to estab-
fish basis of accepting every one
as Icing equal to every one else.
There was to be no ariStocracy.
Couldn't Expect 1t
AS it turned out, there could not
help but be aristocracy of birth. A
Cabot, even in the early days, could
not be expected to hob-nob with a
Smith just over from England, and
speaking decided Cockney, even in
this land Of freedom and equality.
There always has been an aristoc-
racy made up of those whose anceS-
tors came over in the Mayhower. 1t
is still supposed to be a special sign
of something or other if man can
say his great-great-great grand
uncle made the crossing in the May
flower.
The great sturdy, heady aristoc-
racy is that of money. Instead of
saying What family does he belong
to? Who are his people?" 1890
mamas are very apt to ask how
much money he has, what clubs he
belongs to, and if his name is in
Bradstreet.
The rich have built up an aristoc-
racy of their own. In some cases,
they have ample reason to be con-
sidered the cream of the land. They
are intelligent above the ordinary
They have refinement and taste
above the average. But it all boils
down to the fact that these things
are overlooked and their claim to
aristocratic standing depends upon
their bank books.
Take this for instance:
Dear Miss Lee-My daughter, who al
ways has been a coed girl and as sweet
a girl as you would hope to know, eloped
with wealthy boy and married him. His
parents say she is beneath his class and
never can make him happy, that he is
superior to her in every way, that the
marriage is bound to be a failure and
that it would be better for them to break
it up now than later.
Seem Perfectly Happy
They seem perfectly happy. My daugh-
ter has not had as good an education, but
she is bright and willing to learn. The
boy has been to college several years and
he isn't any brighter than she. He's trav-
eled more. but my daughter can talk about
places, too, because she's read lot. The
boy has had more social advantages, but
my daughter always is ladylike and re-
fined.
Do you think the marriage will fail?
His parents are trying to work on her by
telling her she will ruin his life, that his
kind of people never will have anything
to do with him any more.
A MOTHER.
1t sounds very much to me as
though your daughter had stepped
down out of her class to marry the
boy. She sounds more innately in
telligent and better sort all around
than the boy.
1t does not follow that just be-
cause the parents have money
enough to send their children to all
the higher institutions of learning in
the land that they will come out in
telligent children. Nor will all the
money they spend training them
socially make them ladies and gen.
tlemen.
The boy and his family both
sound very mediocre. think if
the girl were mine, I would insist
that the marriage be dissolved be-
cause she was too superior to them.