MRS HOLMAN ON AMERICAN WOMEN.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15478, 4 January 1916, Page 5

MRS HOLMAN ON AMERICAN WOMEN.

V Our visitor of a little while back, the wife of the Premier of New South Wales, has been over to America since and is now telling Sydneyites some of her experiences. "The women are fine—more, they are wonderful," she declares. "I never could find words to express how much I admire them. They have a splendid woman's movement, and an admirable organisation, and are putting up an astounding battle for the suffrage. President Wilson, whom I met on several occasions, and who impressed me as a fine man, with a strong, decided personality, takes a live interest in the suffrago question, and was keenly disappointed that the women did not get the vote on the last occasion." Mrs Holman was vastly amused that a trifling remark of hers concerning a I "sardine diet" for husbands should j have excited interest. She spoke 011 ! many occasions at women's meetings, ; and in impressing on the womenfolk i the importance of using the vote when it was attained said, "Vote on election day; let nothing prevent you. even i if you have to feed your husbands on I sardines." The remark was really occasioned by , the fact that Mrs Hoiman was most ! impressed with the idea that the attitude of American' women with regard to their men-folk was "Feed the I brute." Even a simple luncheon was lan affair of nine courscs, and to be j invited to dinner was somewhat of a : penance, sir.ee it was such an elaborate affair, and the hospitality was so over- | whelmingly lavish. Hence Mrs Holman thought that with regard to the vote the American man could best be brought to his senses through his stomach. When one remarked that the domestic problem must be solved in America, when such high living was an everyday occurrence, Mrs Holman remarked that Chinamen, niggers, Japanese, and Bohemians were lequisitioned for ordinary domestic work, but that in the lower and upper middle classes the women did all their own cooking, and "I am sure that is reason why ail the American women die she said emphatically. "Thev work much too hard." But in spite cf the American's penchant for high feeding, they do not go in for overmuch drinking. An occasional cocktail is the height of their dissipation. At all these lengthy luncheons and interminable dinners the beverage is iced water. It is drunk in season and out of season, everywhere and by everyone; in fact, one might call it the "national tipple." One can always tell an Australian or an Englishman in America, according to Mrs Ho l man, for as soon as he meets a frien • he invites him to partake of chair paene. Mrs Holman spoke at the great Cor gress of American women held at tb«Panama Exposition. Every.State i" America had its woman representative to speak, and it was considered a great honour to be Mrs Holman wa c psoecially invited to sp«ak on Australia at an afternoon Fession, .md in the svenine of the same dav Miss AfarErnret Anplin. the famous actress ?noke. Australians generally. siner ll.OV" lie«n COTTIOTvbnt *in tl-e world's lirrnUgTit lately, might b-» in to k"ow tbnt in New York *'hen Mrs Holman was shopping and

gave her address as Sydney, Australia, the assistants were invariably much impressed, sometimes horrified, and usually exclaimed, "Oh, just fancy having to go, back to Austria, with this awful war going on there." When Australia was explained to them they usually looked blank, shook their heads, and said, "Well, that's so funny we never heard of it!" '