SITHE MICHIGAN DAILY MAGAZINE s ATn , MARCs 19, 122
and six preceding pages as well) des- coming to women. There Is another
scribes for his own notion of perfect extension of the text on the same
B ooks and A udiorS contentment, centering, of course, matter under the heading 'The Pro-
around a woman, but including also cess of Delusion." It is a subject on
such delightful accessories as a cock- which he feels strongly. Perhaps
"IN DEFENSE OF WOMEN" oBut in spite of the fact that women tail or two, a divan and an open fire. some synthetic compleion deceived
By H. I. .Mencken "will begin to lose their old power to The detail is interesting, surprisingly him once upon a time, and his critical
obtain special privileges by senti- mild,-and the finale is typically super- pride is still smarting. Trhe mere
(A Review by L. E. W.) mental appeals," they have not been lative: "I have been genuinely, com- fact that Rodin and many another art-
"In Defense of Women," (Knopf), is rendered harmless. "Their chief charm pletely and unregrettably happy." ist-also gentlemen with some ex-
a new edition of H..L. Mencken's ear- today," Mr. Mecken points out, "lies The sub-chapter in which this pass- perience in the study of the nude-
ier work of the same name which was precisely in the fact that they are age occurrs is called 'The Eternal flatly disagree with him evidently
published in 1918. This has been re- dangerous, that they threaten mascu- Romance." It is new in its entirety, carries no weight.
vised, and some interesting additions line liberty and autonomy, that their not'having appeared in the earlier Among the most absorbing chapters
sharp minds present a menace vastly edition. There are other additions, in the volume are the two entitled
have been made, including a lengthy greater than that of acts of God and several of them relative to the war. "Intermezzo on Monogamy" and "The
introducton. _ the public enemy-and they will be For instance, Mr. Mencken expands Lady of Joy." It does not seem aus-
The volume as a whole is shrewd, dangerous forever." his statement that "the humn body, picious to attempt to recapitulate
penetrating and sharply clever. In it On the next page of the same sub- except for a brief time in infancy, is here the content of those pages, but
Mr. Mencken displays unusual dex- chapter, the author, with an apology not a beautiful thing, but a hideous they merit careful reading. Mr.
terity. It is as if he had carefully for intruding his own personality, thing," and cites as evidence of the Mencken has cast a steady spot-light
taken into consideration the character (which has been entertainingly appar- defective design of the female body on the dark places of sentimental-
of his opponent and had exchanged ent on every one of the two hundred the fact that uniform proved unbe- ism.
his favorite meat-axe for a rapier. The 111t1i1tt1 i iltiitt ~l I tIit1111i1t1111!itiiitill{Iililllill11til~tlillf11ilEt61itB
touches of the weapon are hardly more
than merry teasing conducive to ex-
hilarating exercise, but now and then
the blade plunges in, is twisted and "Change amuses the mind,
pulled out again. "Touch6," cries Mi-C
lady. "My mistake," Mr. Mencken
apologizes, polishing his steel, and, Vet sC Cc ly prOfits." -GOethe.
bowing low to hide his grin of triumph, -sac l
he renders first aid with a brisk rub
of salt.
The duel is not a mere wrist-play.
There is much of deadly earnest in it. But Goethe lived over a century ago, and the world of today S
The title is perhaps the one true jest
in the book, and that has the cut of no longer merely amused by change, it lives on change. Even In
satire, for in truth it should read "In
Defense of " Bachelors." His back.: the matter of clothes, or perhaps we should say particularly n
against the wall of his freedom, the
doughty Mr. Mencken fights gaily and 2 the matter of clothes, is this twentieth century craving for change
gamely, with a keen persistence that
reveals of what tremendous import isin evidence. A mere man might say that these changes in wo-
the struggle. men's apparel still "amuse the mind," even as in Goethe's day.
The book is made up of five parts,
"The Feminine Mind," "The Wa Be- But let him not be too free with his smiles, nor arrogate superior-
tween the Sexes5 "Marriage," "Wo-
man Suffrage," and "The New Age." ity to himself, for men's fashions have been known to change.
Under the second heading of the first
division he says:
"Women, in truth, are not only in-
telligent, they have almost a monopoly Which leads us to remark that the changing season calls
of certain of the subtler and more
utile forms of intelligence. The thing for change in attire. Last week we called your attention to
itself, indeed, might be reasonably r
described as a special feminine char- Comns becausewe felt you should know of the very unusual
acter," and in "The War Between the
Sexes" he states: "The very fact that=assortmen we were showing.-This week will you pardon us for
marriages occur at all is a pgroof, w-seT ka
deed, that they (women). are more - emphasizing traps and Coats? More indispensable than ever
cool-headed than men, and more adept
in employing their intellectual re- this season-and more tempting. The Sport Coas are so "chic,
sources, for it is plainly to a man's in-
terest to avoid marriage as long as pardo our use of this overworked ward, but 9f coursewe like
possible, and as plainly to a woman's - paerds
interest to make .a favorable marriage to air our French, and really it expresses exactly what we want to
as soon as she can. The efforts of
the two sexes are thus directed, in one convey. And then the Wraps-with their enormous'sleeves,
of the capital concerns of life, to di-c Ath i u
ametrically antagonistic eds. Which their rich, soft materials, their luxurious fullness,-who would
side commonly prevails? I leave the
verdict to the jury. All normal men not want one, especially at the very reasonable prices - abou
fight the thing off; some men are su-
cessful for relatively long periods; a
few extraordinarily intelligent and - two-thirdsof those of last spring.
courageous men (or perhaps lucky
ones) escape altogether. But, taking-
one generation with another, as every?-
one }snows, the average man is duly SPORT COATS - $12. 0 TO $50.00
married and the average woman gets
a husband. ThegrtmSTREET COATS-$25.00 TO $50.00
ofwomen, in this clear-cut and endST E T C A S- 2 .0 O $5 .4=
less conflict, make manifest their sub-
stantial superiority to the great ma- RICH WRAPS - $39.50 TO $85.00
jority of men."
Mr. Mencken believes that women
were not anxious for the extension of
the ballot and, with the exception of
the professional suffragists, theyTP
gard it as of small value. "They= " (1 -'
want without going to the actual pollsMP
for it" In "The New Age," he con-
tinues, "In brief, as women shake off 118 MAIN STREET
their ancient disabilities they will also
shake off some of their ancient immu-
nities, and their doings will come to= The Shop of Saisfacton
be regarded with a soberer and more =
exigent scrutiny than now prevails." ;It i IlUsliili11iiIllt ll i ilpill tIIillllllilitillllllliIliiliiii lilltIHIililIit