The San Francisco call and post. [volume], December 18, 1913, Image 4

About The San Francisco call and post. [volume] (San Francisco, Calif.) 1913-1929

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EDITORIAL PAGE
The San Francisco Call and Post
F. W. KELLOGG, President and Publisher
JOHN D. SPRECKELS, Vice President and Treasurer
The Girls in the Shops Are
Tired Already
W2l You Not Try to Finish Your Christmas Buying Now
Rather Than Make Conditions Worse?
Christmas is just one week distant, five shopping days.
Is your shopping all done?
It is too late now to advise you to "do your Christmas shop
ping early."
Only, don't do k late.
At this time of the year keepers of stores can not avoid hard
ships that weigh heavily upon their employes. Unfortunately, the
heartless Indifference of the public increases the hardships un
necessarily.
Thousands of girls and young women are already tired, worn
out in mind and in nerves, by the strain of the holiday season's
work.
WiH not the readers of this newspaper set a good example
and do NOW the shopping that has been postponed ? Don't wait
tiß next week.
Remember, that if you do not want to pay for what you buy
now, you can make a deposit, always, and leave the order to de
liver the goods when payment is made; but, better still, arrange to
boy and to pay at once.
Realize that it is your duty to shop IN THE MORNING.
Women especially can do this if they will.
In the morning, at a reasonable hour, they can go to the stores
and leave the stores and avoid the rush hour on the street cars.
They can trade in stores that are not crowded, and deal with
clerks, men and women, that are not exhausted, as at the end of a
long day of hard work, standing on their feet.
Unfortunately, everybody says "shop early," and there is
really very little improvement from year to year. This is because
each one *iinJra "MY PARTICULAR SHOPPING WILL
MAKE NO DIFFERENCE—THERE IS SO LITTLE OF IT."
But the readers of this newspaper alone—all will buy some
thing. And while each individually is not the problem, all together
ARE.
Already the girls are tired, the patience and energy of the men
in the delivery departments of the big stores are almost exhausted.
Do what yon can to make Christmas cheerful, or at least bear
able for those who wait upon you—from the man who manages a
big business to the smallest employe in the basement.
AND DO YOUR BUYING NOW.
Judge Graham Has a Closed
Divorce Season
Contributes to Christmas Good Will by Refusing to Grant
Decrees Until After the Holidays
"No more divorces until after Christmas in cases where chil
dren are concerned," says Superior Judge Thomas F. Graham.
Judge Graham has a different technique in handling the
divorce problem than most judges have.
The customary procedure in a divorce case is for a lawyer to
present the complaint, say to the judge, "Sign here, please, your
honor," and walk from the court with the fee and the first install
ment of alimony. Judge Graham prefers to find out for himself
whether or not the hearts that want to beat as two should be given
the legal opportunity. Knowing something of human nature, know
ing that many divorces are caused by the interference of friends
or relatives, the reconciling jurist begins an independent investi
gation into the cause of the trouble and often finds that there is
no trouble at all.
Annually at Christmas time he established a period of family
peace which must not be shattered by divorce.
In the old days, when war Was more of a commonplace be
tween nations, the season of Advent, or the four weeks before
Christmas, was set apart as a time during which there should be
no declaration of hostility. Judge Graham has applied the old
international rule to domestic matters.
A Christmas season can not be particularly felicitous in a
family which is diyided by impending divorce; but it is just as
well to delay the flood of bitterness that would break forth with
the trial ot a divorce action. While the feeling of estrangement
between a mother and father bent on divorce can not be smoothed
over by a postponement of the tria"., the acute expression of the
family feeling can be smothered and fresh violence will not be
kindled if the family troubles do not come to an issue in court.
Judge Graham's ruling may not result in bringing fathers and
mothers together at the Christmas tree, but it should stifle much
incrimination and bitterness.
Does the Pawn Broker Claim All
Stolen Goods
Public Policy Demands That Robbers' Loot Be Returned
Without Cost to Rightful Owner
Through an action in replevin the victim of a robbery in San
Francisco has called to the attention of the public a curious form
of extortion which pawn brokers have exercised. This man had
property valued at $1,182 stolen from his room. The property was
subsequently located in a pawn shop. The pawn broker demanded
payment of $375 before he would return the foods to their rightful
owner.
Why a man should be penalized $375 because he had his prop
erty stolen from him and Was able to locate it is not apparent.
Granted that the pawn broker advanced $375 on the articles.
Tne pawn brokers are in a business Which makes thievery profit
able. The individual pawn broker is doubtless as honest as the
next man, but if it were riot for the pawn shops thieves would have
a difficult time in disposing of their loot. It is against public policy
to have larceny a simple, remunerative vocation. If pawn brokers
understood that they must restore all stolen property found in
their possession they Would be more cautious in their investments.
There is something to be said for the innocent purchaser of stolen
goods, but his rights are inferior to those of the original victim of
theft, for he has means of protecting himself against contraband
investments; he is under no compulsion to make dubious pur
chases, while the victim of robbery hasn't a chance to defend him
self or protect his property.
If pawn brokers knew that every stolen article found in their
possession would revert immediately and without parley to the
legal owner the brokers would be careful of the antecedents of
their pledges and thieves and robbers would find it difficult to turn
their booty into cash.
THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL AND POST
THE PRICE OF A GOOD CIGAR
At least no one has ever accused Santa Claus of riding a motorcycle.
« i •
The Pacific Union club is to plant trees around Its N6b hill clubhouse.
Fine exercise for the old gentlemen.
* » #
Senator Root says he is too old to be a candidate for president. H*
should have said, too old-fashioned.
* * * -
Bones of the tflyptodon, which flourished in Mexico 500.000 years ago,
have been taken to New York. Almost as extinct as Huerta.
* # *
The sidewalk of Powell street at Union square has been made narrow
to conform with the architectural style of the fashionable women who will
promenade there.
* * §
Mayor Harrison of Chicago has made a New Year resolution that
the lid will be on tight New Year eve. Well, you know whit happens
to New Year resolutions.
* * »
There is another report that Emperor Menelik is dead. Ai the
genial Abyssinian has been reported ten times previously to hare crossed
the Abyss, we'll delay our mourning until details come.
"ONLY A FEW OF US LEFT"
Evening Calls
We hope "Mona Lisa" is enjoying her vacation in Italy.
• * •
San Mateo county is going to advertise itself in fiction. That's the
trouble with too much boosting advertising as it is.
♦ * •
In buying a rebuilt auto Bilkins explained that as he had a second
handed watch he didn't see why he shouldn't have a second hand car.
* * *
The state railroad commission has decided that the Mother Lode
can pay less freight rates on its Railroad Load.
* * #
Winston Churchill, the British lord of the admiralty, is to spend hi*
Christmas vacation in Germany. Curious how some men have to mingle
business With pleasure.
• • «
It has been suggested that a white dove, symbolizing peace, be
released from the deck Of a dreadnought at its launching. Good idea;
give the bird at least one peek at the battleship.
• * »
The British empire is having trouble with it* dependencies that refuse
to accept Hindu immigrants. The king might hire Mr. Bryan, who had
California experience mth that aahjeaClo £x thing* up. for biro,
DECEMBER 18, 1913
Where Do the
Women of the
World Belong?
In a Happy Home, if They
Have One, Says Dorothy
Dix, but if Not, They
Certainly Belong Among
the Workers, Not the
Hangers-On — By AH
Means Send the Women
Back Where They Be
long.
DOROTHY DIX
AMANf was expressing great
satisfaction over the fact
that the new Pennsylvania
law limiting the hours a week
that a woman may be worked
has resulted in throwing thou
sands of women out of employ
ment.
His rejoicing was not ths re
stilt of any sympathy or com
passion for the poor industrial
Slaves that have been forced to
toil far beyond their strength.
Nor was it inspired by any
humanitarian sentiment toward
the weakly, neurotic children
that these exhausted mothers
would bring into the world.
He was one of the men—
happily few now—who hold the
ancient faith that women are a
species of animals.created solely
for the service and pleasure of
man; that they have no fights
in the world, not even the right
to make an honest living by
their own labor, artd that it is a
sacrilegious thing for them to
dare to compete in business
with men. Therefore, he was
delighted to hear of anything
that would cripple their earning
power.
"It serv«9 them right," he
exclaimed jubilantly; "a lot of
them have been sent back al
ready where they belong, and
a lot more will have to go, too.
I wish they would pass a law
that would send every woman in
the world back where she be
longs."
So say we all, brother. We
would all like to see a law
passed that would send every
woman in the world back where
she belongs.
In the Center of a Happy
Home Is Where Every
Woman Belongs
Before you could pass that
law, however, you would have
to pass another law that would
Usher in the millennium, and.
unfortunately, you can't create
the ideal conditions Of kingdom
come by enacting a statute.
The place where every woman
belongs is in the center of a
hippy hofHe. with plenty to eat
and plenty to wear, and a hus
band who loves her, and is good
to her, and faithful to her, and
with little children, amply fed
and clothed, playing in the sun
shine about her feet. That's
where every woman belongs.
It is a disgrace to civilization,
and an outrage on posterity,
when women are forced to feed
the race as well as to bear it;
that young girls exhaust every
ounce of their vitality in store
or factory before ever they come
to the great work of mother
hood, and that married women
are compelled to give their
strength to performing the work
they are hired to do instead of
giving it to their children.
Certainly every woman be
longs In a home where she is
cherished and cared for. No one
will dispute that. Neither will
any one dispute the fact that
ninety-nine and nine-tenths of
the women who are out of their
homes are out because they have
no homes to be in. If there are
any women so madly industrious
that they have left a luxurious
home and a generous father or
husband for the pleasure of
standing all day behind the
counter, or pounding a type
writer, or speeding up a machne
in a factory, all I can Say is that
1 hare never met one. All the
working women that I. know
work for bread, not for fun.
Every woman belongs in a
sheltered home. But suppose
she hasn't got the home, where
doe* she belong then*
Where does the old maid be
Curious Facts
Perhaps the only word that Is the
same in. an ianieuafrea is the "HAllo , "
in response to the telephone call.
Wherever there Is a telephone line
the word is lh use, and means just
what it does In Eng.'sh.
Romance lies hehlnd a legacy of
186,000 left Mm*. Sarah Bernhardt by
Hiss Scorer, a St. Johns Wood lady,
for years the testatrix had cherished
Ufiuftual admiration for the great
actress. Every Friday she would for*
ward her a bouquet of Maimatson car
.ftatlona, no matter where She was ap
long, for instance? The last |
census report showed there were j
seventeen million unmarried •
men in the United States. That j
means a corresponding numbef
of old maids, since no woman
can make a man marry here un
less he wants to. Are these j
women to become parasites on \
other people, or are they to b* ■
self-supporting? Is it an old
maid's place to settle herself, j
down on some family that j
doesn't want her, or to hustle
out and get a job of her own?
Which way will the woman L*
happiest and most useful to so*
ciety? I think she belongs
among the workers, and n*t '
among the hangers-on, don't \
you? !
Where Do a Houseful of j
Able Bodied Girls
Belong? ]
Sot every man is eminently ]
successful in business. Many »
men toil honestly and faithfully j
all their lives and never sutceed j
in making more than a bare liv- ;
ing. Suppose such a man | has J
grown old and feeble and he has \
a houseful of able* bodied daugh- •
etrs.
Where do these young women )
belong? Isn't the place where )
they belong some place where j
they can make a good living for |
themselves and help their par
ents, instead of working their
poor old father to death to try
to feed and clothe them?
In a family where there are j
healthy, intelligent girls, are ' t
they where" they belong when j
fhey hang like a millstone around j
a brother's neck, keeping him
from marriage and establishing
a home of his own because he
has to support them? Or are ,
they where they belong when
they devote their energies t©
work instead of playing golf, and
leave their brother free to live
his life unburdened by his
female relatives? It is often
said that th£ reason that men
can't marry nowadays is becau.-e
of the competition in business
with women. The reverse of
this is true, for every sister who
goes out to earn her own living
leaves her brother free to marry
some other Woman.
Where does a woman belong
if her husband is invalided, or if
he dies, leaving her with little
children and not a dollar to sup
port them on? Doesn't she
long out in the working world
then, where she can earn the
money to support those de
pendent upon her? Surely she |
is in her appointed place doing '•
whatever work comes to her
Band, and the pity of it is that !
the place is often so hard and '
its wages so poor.
Wherever There Is Need, |
Want, Sickness, You i
Will Find a Woman |
"Send the women back ta
where they belong." They go
there, brother. Wherever there is
fieed and want; wherever there
Is sickness and suffering; wher
ever there are infirm old people
to be cared for, or helpless
little chldren to be fed and
clothed, there rs where a woman \
belongs, and there you will find I
her. |
To begrudge a woman the j
right to earn an honest living j
for herself and those dependent I
on her is the quintessence of I
human meanness. That any '
man could do it passes compre
hension. A billion souls the size
of his Could exist on the point
of a cambric needle—and not be
in telephoning distance of each
other.
peering, while on the rare occasions
upon which she was privileged to take
tea with Mme. Bernhardt ahe would
ddn a costume of virginal white,
though every other day In the year
black Would be the rule.
The butchers of Berlin have a curl,
•us way of Informing their customers
of the days on which fresh sausages
are made, by placing a chair, covered
with a large, clean apron at the aide
of the shop door.
The female brain commences to de
cline In weight after the age of 30;
the male not till ten yaara later.