Americanisation of Woman.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXII, Issue II, 9 January 1904, Page 62

Americanisation of Woman.

Under the title of “The deleterious effect of Americanisation of woman.’' the “Nineteenth Century” devotes an article by H. B. Marriott Watson to the consideration of a singular feature of social life in the United States. “We have,” says the writer, “many opportunities of studying the American woman, for she has undertaken to annex as much of Europe as is practicable, and has succeeded very fairly. A

little time back some enthusiastic journal in New York was at the pains to compile a list of American women who had married not Europeans merely, but Europeans with titles. In the height of the London season this year a great charity ball was given, at which it was calculated that over 4000 people wenpresent. In an account of this in one of the papers that cater for those who hanker af*er knowledge of smart society, there were 13 names mentioned, of which 10 were American. The American woman is claimed by her admirers as being independent. But she is more than that: she is anarchical. Mrs Van Vorst discovers her factory girls to be cold and lacking in sentiment, just as Mrs George West discovers her wealthy young compatriots to be. Mrs Van Vorst declares that she never heard of a baby in Perry, the factory town in which she worked. She says ‘the American woman is restless, dissatisfied. Society. whether among the highest or lowest classes, has drawn her towards a destiny that is not moral. The factories are full of old maids, the colleges are full of old maids, the ballrooms in the worldly centres are full of old maids. For natural obligations are substituted the fictitious duties of clubs, meetings, committees, organisations, professions. a thousand unwomanly- occupations.’ It would seem that while the American man unnaturally devotes all his days to moneymaking. the American woman as unnaturally devotes her days to pleasure. The defects of American civilisation, which is the purest and most significant exponent of commercialism, are such as derogate from the virility of man and the fecundity of women.”