Women -- Suffrage -- History; Women -- Suffrage -- United States -- History; Women's rights -- History; Women's rights -- United States -- History
One of the strongest and truest criticisms brought against our
American leisure class is that they are absolutely devoid of a
proper appreciation of what is conveyed in the expression,
"Noblesse Oblige." In no country in the world are there so many
young women of education, wealth and leisure, free as the winds
of heaven to do as they wish. In no country are there more
interesting problems to be solved and one would think such work
would appeal to this very class, especially as most of them are
the daughters of men who by their large constructive minds have
created conditions and opportunities and developed them into the
great industries for which America is justly famous; and it would
seem by the law of cross inheritance that these daughters would
inherit some of the great creative ability of their fathers and
fairly burn to apply their leisure and education to working out
the social problems which are besetting more and more this great
country. But unfortunately, with a few exceptions, they rest
contented with playing the Lady Bountiful and their only
appreciation of the spirit of Noblesse Oblige has been the old,
aristocratic idea of charity....
Think what it would mean to bring their trained minds and great
wealth and leisure to the study of the economic conditions which
are represented in the underpaid services and long hours of their
less fortunate sisters in the mills and factories throughout this
broad land! Think what it would mean if from the protection with
which their wealth and position surround them they took their
stand on the great question of the dual code of morality! Think
what it would mean to the little children being stunted mentally
and physically in our mills and factories, if these thousands of
young women, many of them enjoying the wealth made out of these
little human souls, refused to wear or buy anything made under
any but decent living conditions! Think what it would mean if
they decided that every child should have a seat in school, that
every neighborhood should have a play-ground and a public bath!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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