Evening star., 1931-06-21

men,"
hinders his acceptance of the modern idea
Of sex equality.
''The test determining whether or not q man
is modern in his attitude toward women Is
his belief or lack of belief in complete sex
equality And the one thing which more than
any other prevents his belief in complete sex
equality is the survival of the notion that
women are property. Incredible it may
appear the women-as property idea survives
today in the minds of many men,
These men would probably not admit it.
and may not be conscious of 1t, but their
posseSsive tendency is only too apparent in
many ways. Under the guise of courtesy the
man insists on doing for his woman many
things which she would much prefer to do for
herself. Politely he smooths her path for her
and incidentally chooses which path she shall
take. without dreaming of consulting her.
He is very chivalrous in rescuing her from
danger, but what seems to him to be danger
for her may seem to her to be her opportunity
for freedom and progress He assduously pro-
tects her, but his arm which shields her is
frequently, from her point of view, barrier
to the fuller life she longs for. He thinks he
is helping her and is surprised at her protest
that he is really hinderng her. What he regards
as chivalry she knows well is relic of his
property complex.
y n
only when he recognizes the complete
sex equality of women and recognizes his wife
person and not as his property Probably
the property idea will survive for many years.
"A modern woman afford husband il
she can find really modern one, one who will
regard her as his equal, person in her own
right, to be respected rather than protected, and
to be co-operated with rather than dominated.
All their relations will be mutually arranged;
every decision will be based on equal considera-
tion for the rights of both parties. All vestiges
of the ancient 'clinging vine and sturdy oak
idea will be banished from their relations with
each other.
Can a modern woman afford a husband IL
he is not modern husband? Are there any
exceptions to the rule We have just set up?
May she not be wise in taking chance that
she can modernize him?
'She probably will take such chance if she
really loves him, and if she does really love him
there is a chance that she may be able to make
a modern man out of hm-provided, of course,
that he really loves her. Each case must be
decided on its own merits and no hard and fast
rule can be laid down.
uCHE should be forewarned, however, that
- remaking unmodern husband has the
same difficulties as, or greater ones than the
traditional task of marrying drunkard to re-
form him. 1t will take infinite patience, for
MS attltuoe toward women Is probably the
result of influences which surrounded him in
infancy and which have during all his life
tended to deepen the impression that women
are to be taken care of, rather than respected
as persons with their own individualites
along with the chivalry-complex this young
man will probably have idea that wife is
supposed to attend to her husbands clothing,
to lay out clean shirt for him each morning
ind see that collar and cuff buttons are in
serted, to send his linen to the laundry, to have
his slippers and dressing gown ready for him at
night-in short to act as his valet.
"He may not go so far as to expect as the
men Of some countries Still do, that she will
blacken and polish his shoes, but he will be apt
to grumble If he cannot find his toilet access
Continued on Fourteenth Page