Evening star., 1937-01-26

~ EAR MISS DIX: Something
that you said in an article
not long ago about how
- ignorant most women are OF
financial matters set me thinking
Of the number Of women know who
have been left comfortable estates
by their husband and who, with
pitifully few exceptions, have lost
them not only through sharks, but
also through well-meaning but badly
informed friends who gave them bum
tips. Then I remembered that I also
had inherited property which had
turned over to my husband to manage
and about which knew nothing, and
began to think what would become
Of me If he should die.
So 7 asked my husband if he would
give me a course in the principles
of sound investing. He was surprised
and amused, but when he saw was
serious he agreed, and now We take
one hour and a half regularly one
night q week and let no engage
ments interfere with the lessons. I
am not the type and never can be
to turn into a financial wizard, but
I am learning about the different
types of securities and the merits
of each kind, and about diversif1ca-
tions and how much risk one is JUS
tiflable in taking. I am even learning
to read financial statement so that
can at least tell whether company
is in a strong or week position. And
so I would not be perfectly helpless
II I was suddenly called upon to
manage my estate.
k**
THE by-products Of this are also
worth cousidering-they are the
pleasure it is giving my husband. Now
he can show me his business statement
with pride, and whereas formerly I
would murmur vaguely, "How NICE"
now can discuss it with something
approaching understanding. For my
self, I am getting a real interest in
things which formerly seemed dull
and boring and a realization that good
business management requires plenty
of shrewd judgment, and that there is
q dash Of adventure and excitement in
these things.
Our lessons are conducted like q
class room course. I take notes and
am quizzed each time on what has
gone before. As I said. I will never
be a Hetty Green, but this course of
study under my husband has drawn
us closer together, given us a new mu-
tual interest and is fitting me to be
better able to look out for my children
If ! should ever need to.
MRS. A. Nc. l.
kkk 4
A NSWER.-I commend this highly
intelligent and interesting letter
not only to every married woman VINO
reads this column but also, more par
ticularly, to her husband. As I have
said time and again, there Is no other
one thing so strange as that the great
majority Of American men spend their
lives toiling to make the money to
keep their wives and daughters safe
and comfortable when they are no
longer alive to support them, yet these
same devoted husbands and fathers
make no effort whatever to teach these
women how to take care Of the money
they leave them when they die.
Every man knows that it is even
harder to keep money than 1t Is to
make 1t, and they know that every
woman who has any money Is the
foreordained prey Of every crook and
CRATER who hears about it. They
know that the grave will not have
closed upon them before all the high
powered statesmen, all the peddlers Of
blue-sky stock, everybody with an
itching palm and 20 per cent divi-
dend scheme, will be hot on the tran
of their Insurance. money. and that