calists. The sentimentality of men connives at this, and is thus
largely responsible for it. Before the average puella, apprenticed in
the kitchen, can pick up a fourth of the culinary subtleties that are
commonplace even to the chefs on dining cars, she has caught aman and
need concern herself about them no more, for he has to eat, in the last
analysis, whatever she sets before him, and his lack of intelligence
makes it easy for her to shut off his academic criticisms by bald
appeals to his emotions. By an easy process he finally attaches a
positive value to her indolence. It is a proof, he concludes, of her
fineness of soul. In the presence of her lofty incompetence he is
abashed.

But as women, gaining economic autonomy, meet men in progressively
bitterer competition, the rising masculine distrust and fear of them
will be reflected even in the enchanted domain of marriage, and the
husband, having yielded up most of his old rights, will begin to reveal
anew jealousy of those that remain, and particularly of the right to a
fair quid pro quo for his own docile industry. In brief, as women shake
off their ancient disabilities they will also shake off some of their
ancient immunities, and their doings will come to be regarded with a
soberer and more exigent scrutiny than now prevails. The extension of
the suffrage, I believe, will encourage this awakening; in wresting
it from the reluctant male the women of the western world have planted
dragons' teeth, the which will presently leap up and gnaw them. Now that
women have the political power to obtain their just rights, they
will begin to lose their old power to obtain special privileges by
sentimental appeals. Men, facing them squarely, will consider them
anew, not as romantic political and social invalids, to be coddled
and caressed, but as free competitors in a harsh world. When that
reconsideration gets under way there will be a general overhauling of
the relations between the sexes, and some of the fair ones, I suspect,
will begin to wonder why they didn't let well enough alone.

45. Effects of the War

The present series of wars, it seems likely, will continue for twenty or
thirty years, and perhaps longer. That the first clash was inconclusive
was shown brilliantly by the preposterous nature of the peace finally
reached--a peace so artificial and dishonest that the signing of it
was almost equivalent to anew declaration of war. At least three new
conte