Evening star., 1933-04-22

publlcistS are perpetually telling
l. us that morality is decaying in
this postwar depression age;
which. of course, only means that
morals are changing.
One fundamental thing that Is hap
pening is that young men are taking
the position in the family economy
which young women formerly occupied
That is to say, they are growing up
with the feeling that they will prob
ably not find jobs, while their sisters
are growing up with reasonable hope
that they will find them.
Thirty years ago the leisured young
woman was still not phenomenon,
but a part of the natural order Of ex-
istence, so she had good conscience
about it. She learned bit of cooking
and a bit of needlework, and for the
rest her business was to look decorative
and eventually catch husband.
Today the young men are in this
position. Most of them have bad
conscience about it, and many feel re-
sentiment against their womenfolk. But
those who have the intelligence to
worry things out for themselves are be-
ginning to see that there Is something
radically wrong with system which
can only survive through replacing
males by females in industry; still, 1t
was the old men who made the system,
so why should they worry? ConSe-
quently the resentment Is shifting to
the old men, who naturally can't see
that it is their fault.
The change from patriarchal to a
matriarchal society ought to be COM
plete in another generation. If things
go on as they are going at present.
lt,H rfy0
woman's morality instead of mans
morality. There will be more neu-
rasthenia amongst men than women.
and it will be men instead Of women
who will make the fortunes of aspiring
manufacturers. Men, being the pur-
suers, will dress beautifully instead OF
horribly.
OF course, none of these things may
come to pass, because women may
claim and get equal wages with men,
when it will no longer be- worth while
to employ them in place OF men; or
society may disappear altogether through
too many women being withdrawn from
their job of maternity.
X X
London Writer Misses
Baked Potatoes.
Morning Post, London.-A corre-
spondent writes to ask what has be-
come of the baked potato merchant,
whose barrow used to be, on Winter
evenings, so familiar feature OF the
London street scene. 1t is an interest
ing question for those whose memories
90 back to the pre-war era. and VINO
are now reminded of something lost
and gone, whose passing they had per-
haps failed to notice.
What influence has thus made the
baked potato man one with uneven
and Tyre? Is 1t an economic inruo
ence or q change of taste or habit!
As the price Of potatoes has not risen,
the latter is the likelier explanation; ;
and it is impossible not to hazard the
conjecture that the laws and regula-
tions which discourage the Londoner
from stopping out late and making q
night Of it." unwittingly dealt a feion
blow to the retailer of baked potatoes
Because the strayed reveler was more
than all others the patron OF this now
expired trade. It was, in days that now
seem far of, "the done thing" for bright
Young things as, with reluctant feet
they made their way home, to stop al
a baked potato barrow and taste OF the
merchants wares-pepper and salt
being provided without extra charge
On a very cold night, too, nothing was
more comforting than to clutch baked
potato in the overcoat pocket. those
days, indeed, were bright, but we have
lost their light All the comfort we have
is to believe that for what we have sur
rendered we have acquired something as
good as was the baked potato, all hot
at the street corner.
\ + r
Steady Climb Declares