Pall Mall & Globe

25 Tudor Street, E.C.4

5 JUN 192

from issue dated

# WHAT IS WRONG WITH MODERN LIFE?

By Marjorie Bowen.

At the present moment half the world appears to be employed in trying to amuse and distract the other half; and the more frantic the attempts of the entertainers, the more lavish their display, the more ingenious their devices, the more florid their parade, so the more bored become the audiences that must every day be more cunningly wooed, more skilfully flattered, more deftly lured and persuaded.

And the same audiences are mostly composed of women.

Every means of occupying the time that life offers is now open to women; there is no art, craft, profession, employment, they may not follow, there is no country to which they may not travel, there is no adornment, ornament, or costume they may not find occasion to wear, and never has every kind of amusement been so universal, so cheap, so easy to come by.

Why, then, are so many women bored? Why this restless complaint of staleness, of sameness, of monotony, this horror of the least loneliness or solitude, this endless searching for the crowd, the sensation, the novelty, the excitement?

From whence come these "nerves" that have to be soothed with perpetual cigarettes and stimulated by perpetual cocktails and whiskies and sodas?

The excitement and the discontent are like the excitement and discontent of children let loose into a Christmas bazaar who have eaten all the sweets and fingered all the toys and pulled all the flowers to pieces and now feel sick and tired.

## The Same Everywhere.

Everywhere restless women, escaping from Europe to meet boredom in Asia, Africa, America, snatching at all the sights of the world, tired of sea and land, faded equally at any spot on the globe where you may chance to meet them.

The clever women gather together in clubs and circles and societies, those who do not call themselves clever dance and show; they all take their meals in public as often as possible, and avoid the domestic

notly Resident.
ties, spend as much as they can possi-
bly afford, and sometimes more, on
clothes and beauty culture; the great
number who work spend their leisure
in indulging, with reading, cinema,
theatre, dances, dress, restlessness,
and boredom.

The woman who cannot be classified thus is no longer the average woman; every class is affected; even those whose means allow them little choice rebel passionately against any environment or employment that spells "dullness"; hard uncongenial work for a large portion of the day that leaves the evenings free for "enjoyment" (by no means for rest) is preferred to quiet, light, and pleasant work that offers no such scope; even the women who are most restricted by means or circumstance copy eagerly the dress, amusements, and occupations that used to be the sole privilege of ease and wealth.

It is too late to blame the war;
even such an upheaval as that cannot
unsettle people indefinitely; nor can
it be said to be the preponderance of
women over men, for a great number
of these restless women are married,
and many more could be if they
wished, and even those who, quite
definitely and frankly, are out on an
adventure, that is a quest for matri-
mony, continue the adventure when
the quest is achieved.

People who are happy do not require amusing, neither are they restless; to these fortunate ones the daily round does really supply an infinite variety, nor do they crave for excitement, or sensation, or any form of "dope" from cigarettes to films and novels; but these people are in the minority. Why, then, are there so many who must be more or less unhappy?

Beauty parlours, extravagant fashions, fantastic clothes, endless facile amusements, and distractions were not invented for contented women: boredom, nervous tension, and strain in too many faces undo the work of massage, cream, and powder, and it is becoming rare to find the jolly happiness that does not care a rap if wrinkles and grey hairs come, that smiles at stoutness, and a red face, and is contemptuous of the bleached, nervous prettiness of the jerky creature with a cigarette between the "lip sticked," lips that are always curled to say: "What an awful bore—"

What is there about modern life
that should be so tedious?

What is this microbe of weariness
that seems to invade work and play
alike?

It is a big problem.

Sunday Graphic

200 Gray's Inn Road, W.C.1.

from issue dated................................. 8.0 SEP 1928.................................... 192

WHAT POLITICS MEAN TO THE WOMEN OF TO-DAY

UNTIL quite lately the majority of women have been inclined to look upon politics as apart from life, just as many people look upon history as apart from life—academic affairs both, shut away in the covers of books, or the concern of a given set of people.

It is much easier, especially if your own life runs fairly smoothly, so to relegate the government of the country to politicians and not even trouble to record your vote than it is to grasp the state of politics and your own responsibility therein.

In a democracy like England, where the people do, as nearly as possible, govern themselves, it is difficult to see how anyone can, with a quiet conscience, evade this responsibility; a very large number of young women have recently been given the vote, and the position of most women, young and old, is now generally such as to give all members of the sex a direct interest in politics, which, are not, when it comes to facts, either a dull mystery or a complicated game for men, but something which affects much that a woman holds highly interesting, from her work, or her children, to her dustbin.

## Women's Limitations

Statecraft in the widest sense, though of vital importance to humanity, is not likely, I believe, to come the way of any but the few women, and then only through the sufferance of the men, who are far better fitted for women for great responsibilities, great designs and ambitions, and who realise this, and are not likely to relinquish much of their authority and dominion to women.

For it must always be remembered that whatever power women possess they owe mainly to the justice of men; women could, being physically weaker, obtain nothing by force; what they have obtained has been through the fairmindedness of the men, also, in a smaller degree, because of economic conditions; through force of numbers and earning power the women have had to be reckoned with.

## Only a Pretty Trifle?

Catering for woman, her clothes, her home, her amusements, her tastes, has proved one of the most profitable of masculine occupations, and has changed art and social life. It is amusing to see (as one sometimes does) grave and elderly men in serious conjugate over some expensive, futile trifle which is destined to catch feminine fancy and perhaps make their own fortunes; the suspicion may have arisen that what is termed so hideously "the flapper vote" has been offered in the same spirit—as a pretty novelty, which will please the women and profit the men!

It is certainly doubtful if the girl of to-day (or any other day), whether she be earning her own living or not, can take a really keen interest in politics without losing much of her attraction and much of her pleasure. Youth should be enthusiastic and take a deal for granted, be idealistic and believe that the best is true. Politics seem to be party affairs which tend to all manner of stupid intolerances, spites, quarrels, hypocrisies and follies, which are even more unbecoming to women than to men.

Public life suits few women and no girls, for they are altogether too delightful to be wasted on committees, organisations, cruises or causes of any kind whatever, and have, if they are as fortunate as they deserve to be, far too many delightful occupations to bother their heads about such affairs. The only genuine justification a girl has for a deep interest in politics is when a likely politician of the opposite sex is concerned; then she will make the most

## Not a Dull Mystery or a Complicated Game for Men—But Do Be Careful

By MARJORIE BOWEN, Author of "Sundry Great Gentlemen"

loyal and suitable of campaigners and allies. What of the deep fundamentals underlying all the froth and fume of party politics, the lures offered by different factions, the specious arguments of professional speakers and pamphleteers with their denunciations and promises? Women, young and old, may consider that they, at

least, should keep clear—headed about these things—understand what they are and realise how they may be best protected if in existence, and achieved if non-existent.

Women (and many men), perhaps, are too often ignorant of our constitution, of the laws under which we live and how these may be modified or abolished.

A parliamentary procedure is very slow and tedious, but it is the sole means of changing the Legislature and has recently

brought about some most important changes, fresh in the memory of all, the result, very largely, of the pressure of public opinion; other equally important changes are fore shadowed—abolition of capital punishment and divorce reform among them.

These and many other improvements are certain to come, only the apathy of the electorate has delayed them so long; public pressure can accomplish anything. The people are the Government.

But women may justly ask how, by voting for that man or woman, they can influence Parliament when their member will be merely a segment of a complicated party machine.

## Factions Not Permanent

Yet, even here, it must be remembered that party government can be practically broken up if many independent members are returned and rival factions almost balance each other. The best of governments becomes lax if sure of too large a majority, the best of oppositions emitted if in too small a minority; an almost equal representation of all schools of thought and the final power in the hands of the stable moderates (traditionalists if you will) appears, the ideal form of government.

To attain an ideal, as far as we can hope, women with little leisure for politics would be well advised to play for safety, to avoid the crank, the idealist, the enthusiast. These women, noble in themselves, have always come to grief in practical affairs—"Trust in the Lord but keep your powder dry."

Women's emotions are easily played upon; when the horrors of war are dilated on by some ardent sentimentalist, they are easily swayed to consider disarmament the only possible touchstone of civilisation and to quote "Peace hath her victories."

Yes, but also her defeats and horrors, her victians, and her nightmares, not recurrent like those of war, but always with us; it is best to keep one's head cool and one's heart quiet over these great questions. Noisy patriotism is hateful, but a strong sense of nationality; a pride in one's country and her traditions, are strong and worthy emotions;

a nation may be defended without being truculent, and until we pull down the edifice of a thousand years' slow growth be sure we have something better ready to take its place.

To many women things may seem very bad as they are, but to not a few will it seem that they are much better than they might be; as good, perhaps, as can be expected of the labour of mere human beings. Women should cherish their heritage, and where large matters of Imperial

policy are concerned vote solid for the party pledged to maintain what the word "Imperialism" has lately come to mean to all of us—here, moderation and steadiness are the desirable qualities in our statesmen. "He who sits in the middle of the boat keeps it from upsetting."

Nothing is more obvious than "the falsehood of extremes." Domestic affairs, still

the direct interest of most women and very much their peculiar province, are often dealt with locally and do not touch the question of the Parliamentary vote; but there are some matters which cannot be thus dealt with and if there are any such that a woman notices, even if she is not personally or directly concerned, she will be less than just if she does not bring them before her Parliamentary representative.

The housing question is one of the most vital of the moment and eminently a woman's affair as it affects the health and lives of children; much indeed has been done here and largely by women; the subject bristles with difficulties; it is one, however, on which women should never cease to insist whenever possible.

It is all to the good that women are not so keenly excited about party politics as men (at election time) and, therefore, are less likely to be misled by wild inducements or wordy pleas by agitators or self-seekers, by all the glossy arguments set out to catch votes.

## Not Done by Sensation

What is nearest the heart of all women, the peace, comfort and safety of the country, the relief of poverty, of unemployment, the care of children and old people, the protection of the home and the enlargement of good opportunity for the next generation, cannot be accomplished by sensational means.

Those who expect a millennium are forgetting that the times and the peoples of to-day are as good and as fortunate as they ever were; the fact that our lamentations as to our shortcomings prove we have reached a fairly high point of civilisation.

It is hardly necessary to hope that women will use their power in the widest sense, and that no echoes of feminism will influence their decision, for one hopes also that every woman now recognises that we are human beings first and male and female second, and that "sex war" is as foolish as a right hand fighting a left.

Articles on this subject by other well-known women will follow.

(Copyright in U.S.A. and all countries.)

Miss Marjorie Bowen

THE JOY OF SHOCKING.

By

MARJORIE BOWEN.

THERE have always been people whose chief occupation and delight in life has been to "outrage the conventions"—in other words, to flout the accepted morals and manners of their moment—and it is amusing to note how a disregard of tradition and custom is accepted as great cleverness, courage, and originality.

Paradox is so easy and never fails of effect. To be married in a black dress or to attend a funeral in a scarlet one, to paint a hideous negroid ape and label it Venus, to call a poem "Springtime" which deals with the quarrels of idiots in a workhouse, to paint your face green and stand on your head—these are certain ways of attracting not only attention but admiration and that shocked indignation which is the spiritual food of the sensation-monger.

## The Modern Way.

To-morrow's fashion in clothes, or "make-up," the skirt a little shorter, the heels a little higher, the manner a little more insolent —where would be the fun of any of it if someone was not shocked?

Plays are advertised because they have "shocked" the town or the Censor, books because they are "daring." The inference is that people will flock to be "shocked" and rush for the book that is going to "dare" them.

And when "shocking" is overworked another word is employed which is fast becoming to have the same meaning — "modern"; it is assumed that the more "down to the minute" a person or a thing is the more hope there is that they or it will shock somewhere.

Flippancy, cynicism, "freedom" pleasure-seeking, doing what you fondly hope your grandmother

would have disapproved of—all this is modern; being a law unto yourself is being "modern to your finger-tips," and so on; it is the old game of épater le bourgeois, and more and more pursue it with zest and delight, so many more and more that the bourgeois are in danger of becoming extinct; and when everyone is eagerly modern who will there be to be shocked?

Already much that would have roused thrills of horror yesterday

which "the pageant insects of a glittering hour" are hastening.

Without an audience where is the fun (or the profit) of walking the tight-rope?

What shall it avail you to behave like a lunatic and call it genius or "modernity" if everyone else is doing the same? With the loss of the "old-fashioned" people—the butt of the moderns—where are the spectators of antics that merely bore fellow-performers?

Think of the delight of the airy and sprightly ladies to whom publicity is as the air they breathe

is not even tilting at windmills but at empty air? All relish would go out of that exciting cry, the "revolt of youth," if age were in revolt also; if everyone were capering in one gay anarchy it would be smart and "modern" to knit, grow cabbages, or contemplate the stars.

## Our Delusion.

Every age has cherished the dear delusion that it possesses a dashing and defiant modernity, a delusion fostered by the recurring laments of relays of sages bitterly decrying the decay and folly, vice, and giddiness of their times; never yet has there been a period that has failed of censors to consider it "the worst yet," to the vast gratification of those providing the spectacle that shocks the prude and the Puritan.

We are not, of course, modern because we are shocking, nor old-fashioned because we are shocked, but all exactly of our own times; each of us a type as old as the hills, coloured by the fashions of our particular moment.

The wonder is that we still are ingenuous enough to retain this delusion of modernity and simple enough to be shocked by behaviour that must have been stale to Noah—very stale, as apparently he was the only one not to indulge in it; hence the Flood.

## Growing Less Simple.

There are signs that we shall not much longer be so ingenuous or simple—a pity, for when a wide sense of humour, a universal tolerance teaches us all that—

*Virtue now is neither more nor less*
*And vice is only varied in its dress,*
*Believe it, men have ever been the same*

*And Ovid's golden age is but a name—*

when, in fine, we can neither shock nor be shocked a great deal of excitement will have gone out of life, and the unregarded rakes will sigh for the extinct Puritan.

JEANNE DE CASALIS and PAUL CAVANAGH in a scene from "POTIPHAR'S WIFE," the play which gave London a mild shock.

is regarded with indifference today. Defiance of conventions is not so amusing when these same conventions are generally disregarded. The relish goes out of the daring dress when others as daring are sold by the hundred thousand.

The shocking book or play has not such an easy triumph when it has to compete with dozens of others equally bold. Even a general licence of morals has not quite the same attraction when there is no one left to preach and groan about the decay of the age, the triumph of vice, and the doom to

when some clergyman (perhaps a bishop!) really comes into the arena to tell them their skirts are too short, their homes neglected, their babies minus!

Consider the rich opportunity to tell the good man of his stuffiness, his out-of-dateness, to refer piquantly to the dark ages that ended about twenty years ago but which great event he, poor fool, never noticed.

What could be duller than to be ignored when one is out to challenge the besotted prejudices of centuries, to discover that one