WOMEN'S BRAVERY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20481, 5 February 1930, Page 17

WOMEN'S BRAVERY.

NOT UNNECESSARY RISKS. Men and women are tp-day equal in nearly everything; but there lies a great difference between them —women sec danger where men see but " adventure." This is only a general truth, of eourso, and it is easy to think of a number of exceptions, states a London writer. For instanc o » only* a few days ago an American woman claimed a new height record of 25,400 ft., attained in a small aeroplano, and the King's Cup race included three women. But exceptions seldom kill a general truth. A month ago boys in Ontario broke into the hangar of art aeroplane club. They selected a Gipsy Moth machine, and succeeded in sailing off into the air iu it. Their ride lasted only a few seconds, however, and they crashed on to the aorocluotno. Their hasty descent was duo to the astounding fact that their only knowledge of aviation was made up of what they had gathered from books. Now none of us who stay siifely on the ground can imagine ourselves deliberately jumping into trouble in that way. Yet, how few people gave a second thought to the incident.

They looked upon it as boing merely a youthful escapade, typical of boyhood. This is just the important point—that it was considered to be no more than a typical example of boyish rashness. Boys will do this sort of thing.

Try to imagine two girls in such a predicament instead and you will sec that it is boys at'd ( not girls who will always think out this petrifying sort of adventure. When one remembers the amount of publicity that was pi veil to Lady Heath when she made her wonderful height record of 23,000 ft., at Croydon last October, one realises that it was given to such a degreo because the kind of fearless resolution that carried her to that achievement is unusual in women.

It may be argued that the two pieces of news affected us so differently because Lady Jls<«th definitely achieved something, whiie the adventure" of tho boys merely ended in foolishness. But if that comparison is put aside for tho moment it will be found 'that the two impressions previously referred to still remain. We expect to "find an adventurous spirit in a man, but it astonishes us to /find it in a woman, although women are equally courageous, in their own feminine, but less spectacula', way. , Men have, of course, a good start at the very beginning. What could be more mis-

chiovous and irresponsible than the usual small hov'!

liven if his sister wore quite as bold as lie, it is improbable that slio would remain so. One notices that although thef usual kind of little gill will enjoy adventure in her own moderate and reasonable way. it seems to lose its chanu for her very soon after the first part of her very little girlhood passes. It is this change in women at a, very early age that makes them afterwards unwillnig to take, risks—tlioso pointless, unnecessary risk? that fiien so delight in taking. . 4 This attitude is nothing but a sense of caution, which experience teaches them as llmir lives expand. Tho explanation foi men's rashness is that they choose to take risks deliberately and unhesitatingly just for the fun of tho thing.

It is ft never dying youthfulness in men that keeps alive their .-njoyment for adventure. Women, as a whole, will seldom he rash, when they soo safety in tranquillity. They are old enough to know better!