THE AMERICAN WOMAN AGAIN.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 423, 4 February 1909, Page 3

THE AMERICAN WOMAN AGAIN.

f The American woman has recently been coming .in for a great amount of criticism at the hands of visitors to America or even of her own countrymen,, and it-is evident that she sits on a tottering throne. The latest criticism of her comes from tho wellknown writer Mary Heaton Vorse, who says it is a "national delusion" to think that women in America hold a 'superior position to that of any other woman in tho world. She admits that they are undoubtedly' the "most' indulged and petted women in tho world) 1, but as for real respect Bhe thinks that the downtrodden German hausfrau gets more. , "The German husband may ,se3m ,to us unchiyalrous in the minor details of life. He may talk with brutal disparagement about the female-'brain, 'but when he goes out to amuse himself it doesn't occur to him to go alono. He takes' with him his wife and his children. That pathotic person whose husband neglects her ior the society of men, N for whom our tears flow so' often in this country, is not found in Germany." The reason assigned is that by her.skilful household management the hausfrau'has become'a source of wealth to tho country. The part which women play in the national life is what makes them pre-eminenj; or relatively unimportant, Bays tho article. "Tho amount , of small courtesy shown them really doesn't make much difference. Show me a country . where its women add to the .country's wealth by participating in the business of that country or by their "thrift, and I will show you a country where the economic position of women is a higher,one.". In France, where the_ woman is her husband's ■ comrade and business , partner,*'she has the most power. "As a contrast to this, the American man stands alone. The women folk of his family' do not help him.' As far as his business goes, it's quite immaterial to him whether . ho has a wife or whether ho has not. Our men may talk as much us they like about the uplifting influence of a' noble woman, and of tho-tangible support that the thought of her nobility gives them. It does not alter the fact that the average American man transacts all the business of his life without ever dreaming of turning to-hh life's partnor for any counsel in the matter—and generally without her even- having any knowledge of the business in hand." . '

There is comradeship between young girls and men, Mis. Vorse finds, but it ceases just at the time when the latter began the real business of life For this state of affairs she thinks the women aro to blajne. "When a man rfirat TnaVncs- lfis hid' instinct to take his wife into partnership with him. It s natural for a man to want to talk about that which takes up most of tho hours he is awako to the person he cares for most m the woild ", But tho wife checks these advances according to her nature and disposition Either she will slip hor arm through JTohns and/say coaxingly: 'Don't Jets talk .about horrid business, dear; let's talk about something nice You ought to rest when jou get home ' Or less agreeable and more honest, she may admit frankly that business bores her."

So the man actually comes to think that he ought to leave his business cares at the office. He sits "bored and silent in his own home, whilo his wifo complains that he is so absorbed in business that he has no interest lett for anything else." "I do not for a momont mean," the article concludes, "to bring the influence of w , oma J} "i her household down to a matter of dollars and cents, but it-is not probable that the 'spiritual bond between man and Woman was ever less because thev were helpful partners to each other in the affairs of everyday life."