at least as
much to learn as men. The possession of the vote is not going to
transform women. Changes that matter are never so simple as that.
Women estimating their future powers tend to become presumptuous. One
is reminded sometimes of the people Nietzsche describes as "those who
'briefly deal' with all the real problems of life." It frequently
appears as if the modern woman expects to hold tight to her old
privileges as the protected child, as well as to gain her new rights
as the human woman. In a word, to stay on her pedestal when it is
convenient, and to climb down whenever she wants to. This cannot be.
And the grasping of both sides of the situation leads to what is worse
than all else--strife between women and men. Just in measure as the
sexes fall away from love and understanding of each other, do they
fall away from life into the mere futility of personal ends. It is to
_go on with man_, and not to _get from man_, that is the goal of
Woman's Freedom. There are other conditions of change that women have
to be ready to meet. This must be. For however much some may sigh for
the ease and the ignorant repose of the passing generation, we cannot
go back. It is as impossible to live behind one's generation as before
it. We have to live our lives in the pulse of the new knowledge, the
new fears, the new increasing responsibilities. Women must train
themselves to keep pace with men. There is a price to be paid for free
womanhood. Are women ready and willing to pay it? If so, they must
cease to profit and live by their sex. _They must come out and be
common women among common men._ This, as I believe, is a better
solution than to bring men up to women's level. For, as I have said
before, I doubt, and still doubt, if women are really better than men.

If the constructive synthetic purpose of life, which I have tried to
make the ruling idea of my book, is that all growth is a succession of
upward development through the action of love between the two sexes,
then not only must woman in her individual capacity--physically as
wife and mother, and mentally as home-builder and teacher--contribute
to the further progress of life by a nobler use of her sex; but the
collective work of women in their social and political activities must
all be set towards the same purpose. It is in this light, the welfare
of the lives of the future and the building up of a finer race--that
the individual and collective conduct of women must be jud