TOPICS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 16, 19 January 1924, Page 15

TOPICS OF THE DAY

(By "M.H.C.")

■ Dean ■ Inge has recently pronounced quite kindly, if rather \ . amusingly, on the greater-.intelligence oi) women, manifested lately, so far as his observation is concerned. He writes thus; "It is impossible to dispute the 'increase of knowledge and intelligence among women..lt teems to me that-the level1 o{ conversa-. tioh in London society, 'or'- in such portions of it as I frequent, has' been stead-, ily rising. Forty years ago there were' come women as brilliant as an^who adorn the drawing-room of to-day; but there were also a great many whose crass' and unashamed ignorance made it difficult to talk |to them on any .iihte'resting subject.- The war, or the vote, or the women's colleges, have altered all that,; and a dull dinner party has become the ; exception." This' is all very' gratifying, but forty years ago women were afraid of being considered brainy. Tli.e clever girl was taught "to hide her lightufider:'; a bushel" for fear that her brains mili tated against ncr matrimonial prospects; also few men allowed themselves to talk on-the -"really interesting I subjects" mentioned by the Dean, to women. The language of flattery and, hyperbole was used, and women were Vup--posed to simper and preen themselves with joy that their personal appearance, or perchance their skill in household accomplishments, were approved 'by one of the "lords of creation.'-' Women have .sufficient encouragement to be-, clever nowadays; and while there are remaining aj number of the ancient regime, which! prides itself on not knowing anything' that goes on in the world outside its.own four walls, the trend is,! an the Dean, says, to brains and the exercise thereof. Here are some interesting quotations given -in an English paper -from the recent constitutions of a number of countries which had re-organised them since 1919. The Czecho-Slovakians have written into their new constitution the following'—"Privileges due to sex, birth, or occupation shall not be recognised.'' In Daritzig the clause reads: "All citi- • zens shall be equal before,the law. No legislation which provides for exceptions shall be admissible. Perssns of, both sexes shall have 'the same rights and' duties." Austria says:" All Austrian, citizens are equal before the law. Privileges based upon 'birth, sex, rank, class, or religious belief are abolished." A number of other nations' in Europe .have made the same declarations, and it will be most interesting to see tiie results within the next year or two Xne older civilisations are .beginning to wake. ; up7tojfthe' facf.:that a' great'many abuses have obtained through tiation., fdr-ahy of,the. causes' mentioned, and they are prepared to make a fresh beginning on ah even'basis.:- It is dim-; jcult t 0 see any direction; in iyhich: women will lose "anything, while they are due- to gain a great1 deal. The fact that they have been" protected from beinghe hie for their own. debts, when married and the onus placed on their hus- ., baiids,,,is ..a- doubtfujt-.provisiory as' if is" . .calculated, to encourage the-, selfish - and improvident, the extravagant and vain,' by., protecting them from the consequences of their own actions, while giv-" ipg 'unmented, ■suffering and' inconvenience to some men. On the other hand, the world of women has been* held from occupying, high/ or well-paid pdsition™ *M I' 6 t ? r°per share °f the- guardianship of their own children, and from rights m marriage, and eubjected to a number of other serious disabilities, It is to be hoped that the new regime will be properly, carried out, and not only hi the. directions where extra burdens wall come on. the women, while the carrying : out, of the favourable) clauses will be evaded-a thing no<T un-! n£n WD tf- t t cx Perience °f English wo-i men after the carrying o f L the Sex-Dis-quahfication (Removal)-Act in Great watched ,Thewhole thing should be watcned by women with intense'interess. ;

,■;/.-, -It. seems- as though the person :who . wrote with such fiery indignation against :TT ,ri Pr7'f i? at women mi S rants from •. England to New Zealand who ,came out Practically free of expenseto themselves; '■ r,^'f' lbe re luir^ to undertake : not to marry for the space of one year, : had a singular lack. of common-sense mere js a general cry-out throughout , the^ world against the terrible conse- ; quences of thoughtless and ill-consiS , manages The s e cuence £ their attendant ....suffering to infants ? ™, and husba^l^are Wk, o^^" ■■ m^X THe Pense of 'he ill • ported CO mes upon th c sen- ■! slbi e IJ and•■prwderit.,-' The sufferfn" is ;! "ntold and .4l ? o'the,.damage.tomoraSty ' •• Therefore if, Jt : is" required that young ... womep r.hall^su P posing that the/ent e ? woul^ not -be ■immediately on arrival- ; with thetß.employers, it is only a iust ■ and reasonable provision. Many a man „ and;,woman, would have broken off an 'Wf I*' had + , they h3d oPPO-tunity ' ?Jiu °W tho otller Per6°n better • •' epentan3; **"£ * fetime in • «^ss tfon hf!i ' Budden personal-attrac-tion, based on a pretty face or a smart appearance fades when faced wfth bad .^Tsuffl- ?^- ted habits> wPPO«i^ Sid^if^LT^ru-

- .^ em.! ntl°n,by cable of the approach ■of the Women's Freedom Leagui to the British authorities in regard to the fact that there are no women's names in the ™*T,°,- wY?ar ?° nOurs » «°^ewhat pthetic. i; Women have always worked ,in the socia tfforts both hard and unselfishly, but they, did not expect any public recognition of this work, and did not. get any.. The value .of such decorations is a disputed point/with many on w J£ t OSB who saythat they worth but httla But1 it ie now being . een that what is worth' while in them if the fact that they bring a power with 'I 61?, undoubted, and which would help along many a good cause if the women who work well and truly were .considered worthy of honour. The weak ?I'ot.m.so many of these' bestowals is wiat^. they-.come to :figure-lieads and- not to the people who have "borne the burden and heat of the day."

Mrs. Rischbieth, J.P., Western AusIS, maklni 5 special inquiries into. Children s Court administration, and is to sit on the Bench at Caxton HalJ at the invitation of Mr. Cecil Chapman London, Magistrate.