DANGER OF STRAIN TO WOMEN 123 



doorsteps, waving flags and shouting at other people's 

 meetings, and struggling in the arms of policemen, 

 seems to be inconsistent with a development in the 

 direction which has hitherto been popular and success- 

 ful in the progress of man from savagery to decency. 

 It is difficult to suppose that men will really be so 

 blind to the facts of the real importance and true value 

 of women as to allow this movement to succeed whilst 

 they look on with vague incredulity as to its being any- 

 thing more than a huge joke. . 



There is, too, finally, one serious warning to be 

 derived from the ascertained facts of human physiology 

 and psychology. The immutable task, the sacred 

 destiny, of women is to become the mothers of new 

 generations. Nothing which is likely to interfere with 

 or lessen the respect and veneration due to women in 

 view of this tremendous natural determination of their 

 instincts and aspirations should be lightly sanctioned 

 by men so long as they have the power of deciding the 

 matter. There is good and sufficient ground for fearing 

 that the new status of women which would be esta- 

 blished by their entry on an equal footing with man 

 into the arena of political struggle and public life, 

 would injuriously affect in a majority or large minority 

 of cases that mode of life and economy of strength 

 which is necessary for those who must give so much to 

 the great and exacting demands of maternity. The 

 gratification of the whim of a few earnest but in- 

 judicious women would be an altogether insufficient 

 justification for the injury of the " physique" of women 

 in general by the strain of public competition with 

 men, and for the widespread development in women of 

 an increased habit of self-assertion and self-sufficiency 

 habits which must make them unwilling to accept 

 their natural duties as wives and mothers and must 

 make men equally unwilling to promote them to these 

 honours and privileges. 



