The Burlington Hawk-Eye from Burlington, Iowa • Page 12

VJff MA MEN Losing Out to WOMEN mans Kowad Bercovici ill tfonrad Bercovici, writer of gypsy tales after living among Rumanian tribes, says the modern women are erecting barriers that augur dark davs ahead for the males PROUD Male," Deserted by "Miss Independence" With Proved Ability "to Go It Alone" in World of Affairs, Suffers Lack of Creative Genius Due to "Fadeout" of Clinging-Vine "Girl of My Dreams" Inspiration As Told to Lillian G. Genn rOMEN long have been known to get what they wanted with their weapon cf charm. In the days when It was de- whether women were people and they possessed no rights whatever, they could coax and flatter and gain their ends through the door of man's vanity. They knew his weakest points and made the most of them, But now that woman Is revealing men- tai ability equal to man's and her field of action Is widening, there are many who say that her increasing power, added to her ability to charm, will make her a dangerous rival In business and world affairs. What mere man could survive shrewdness that Is veiled by feminine charm? Even in former times such women were able to rule Kings and dominate the country, as witness Madame de Pompadour, Cleopatra and Du Barry.

But no longer is a rarity to find women who comblue physical charms with brains. There are great many of i.hem. and as one sees their numbers Increasing, one may well ask: What future has man? T7-ONRAD BERCOVICI, the well-known author, agrees that the arsenal of which the modern women is erecting augurs dark days ahead for the male. Judging from present a sreat sex struggle looms in the future, the outcome of which he would not hazard 10 guess. Bcrcovicl is a short, stocky man, dark- complexioned, with glowing black eyes and long black hair.

His appearance makes one recall that he spent his youth roaming with gypsy musicians through the land of Rumania, where he was born. The years that he lived with them gave him the rich material that was to make him prominent as a writer of gypsy tales. He has also written modern novels, biographies and stories of political life, the best known of which Is "That Royal Lover." expose of the reigning family of Rumania. As a sociological student, he Is particularly Interested in the modern woman's skirmish with man for power. He thinks that while women have had years of practice in making the most of their charms and have made a fine art of pleasing the opposite sex.

nevertheless it Is not because of this ability that they are becoming dangerous. "The women of great, charm who became important figures in history," he said, "used that gift unscrupulously. They didn't care how they obtained power, whether it was by fair means or foul. "The modern woman, though, as she advances in the world, uses less and less of her charm. She has made herself attractive and alluring, but she does not sell herself on these points.

She rather tries to emulate man and copy his direct and impersonal method of aggression. "But If women did go so far as to exert their charm in bustneaa affairs, men certainly would not hesitate to bring In the element of sex, too. When they want, they can also get their way by charm. But I must admit," smiled Bercovici, "that It Is the women who are more capable In that direction. They have had greater practice.

women are not relying on their charm to get what they want. They are learning more and more a degree of with which the woman of other days was unconcerned. Furthermore, they are show- Ing a fearlessness and a courage that did not belong to the feminine sex In the past, except in They have less sentimental and more hardheaded. It Is tills, added to their growing desire for power, that is making them dangerous. "American men are unable to do anything about It, because, in their chivalry, they have given woman an exalted place In this country.

Her position has grown so strong that the men can only helplessly stand on the sidelines and watch her turn every law to her advantage. "What makee It more difficult is the fact that the women band together whenever they want to gain some right. When women wanted prohibition they organized into a great group and by the force of their numbers they had the law passed. One can hardly Imagine men banding together to get their rights. If they would, they could very easily defeat prohibition, "But ths history of men Is such that they cannot organize as women can.

Men have always fought and killed one another. They do not look upon each other as an Integral part of the male sex. Because of this great disparity between them, they take up arms against each other without any hesitation or qualms, "Women have not been enemies to one another. They have been under definite necessities and inferiorities and they have grouped together for strength. Today they are using this force to erect a matriarchy.

For ages they have been thirsty for power, and now they are making up for lost time. The first wines of success have gone to their heads and they are insatiable Ln their desire for still more power. "Where they are headed for, no one knows. But this fact is true: If they gain full power, It will be as bad as when they did not have any. When one, sex has power and the other has none, civilization suffers.

"The woman of the future will be an unfortunate human being. She will find that out when she has to compete with other women in her efforts to rule. She gets along far better when she competes Ji 'I) iff with men; first, became her charms are of some value to them, and then because men are will- Ing to give up a good deal for their romantic conception of woman. Even today they refuse to see the truth where woman Is concerned. "To take a small example, a woman will object to a man's club.

She will make a fuss about It until he Etops going to it. But the man not object to her club. Ho knows that If he he will be involved In a terrible rumpus So he humors her and lets the matter go. Alone With His Dreams! TESS sentimental, more hard-headed and J-J with a growing desire for power, woman is becoming a serious problem for "the man I left behind me," argues Konrad Bercovici. American men are unable to do anything about it because in their chivalry they have given women an exalted position.

He is the sentimentalist, still clinging to his cherished dreams of dependent women. Unable as yet to adapt themselves to vast changes, men are becoming neurotic, depressed, and their hostility toward the opposite sex grows stronger. How can they care for those who are usurping their places? They feel humiliated. Pride in their maleness is disappearing. What will happen Eventually men will be forced to start a movement for their rights, or women will revert to the home and the dependent role.

He would rather do that, If It she happens to care more. So she prefers to continue along the path women have always followed and to rule men indirectly." Bercovici was asked whether the fact that American life is more emotional ter go. He would an in anv other country-is not also at- makes her happy, than argue about it. attitude la typical of the American because he has a more romantic conception of woman than the European. He is, indeed, the most romantic person nn pa'rth It may be that, because the 0, 8 all women, he therefore has to extend himself.

"This statement may surprise many. But I believe that if the American woman had a romantic conception of life, she would not go into business so readily. She would sacrifice to stay at home and play essentially a womanly role. "You could not get the European woman to go into an office. She would never be her with qualities which she does not possess.

The European man cherishes no such illusions about woman. Ha believes that she has faults and them as a natural part of her. "The reason why the idea has become prevalent that the European man Is more romantic Is because his technique In love la better. He studies lovemaklng and becomes facile in the phraseology of love. He can make the graceful gesture and say the right thing at the proper moment.

But this Is merely an outward display of love. He looks upon It as an obligation on his part to court woman with some attention and care. But not for a moment does he feel deeply romantic about her, "The American not only doesn't give any thought to the technique of love, but he is more restrained with his emotions. It may be an inheritance of Puritanism. At any rate, he is unable to express himself freely or "to let his emotions have Man modeU his sculptured Bgureg and paintings from ideal as he sees her, but in reality woman has stepped from that ideal into the business and professional worldi would not.

when abroad, take the lovemaking of the European so seriously." Mr. Bercovici further brought out fa the discussion that as the American woman makes a greater departure from her feminine role, she loses In emotional control over the man. She cannot inspire him, and he, In consequence. losing in "For that reason," he observed, "I cannot see where the world Is gaining from woman's emancipation. While woman not yet fully begun to feel the results ol changing her role, it has already had a decided effect upon the men.

They not been able to adapt themselves to vast change that has taken place in generation. They suffer Inwardly as never before. They are neurotic, depressed, and their hostility toward the opposite sex grows stronger. How can they care for those who have usurped their places? man feels humiliated and incomplete. His pride In his maleness, which Is so essential for him.

Is disappearing. trlbuted to the influence of women. "No," he replied. "To my mind, It Is the intensely romantic nature of Ameri- can men that makes the country strongly full play. You would not, for example, emotional They are like children, for- see two American men, when meeting on the street, ardently embrace each other would not of some kind.

YOU can see it way they play the game of business. They build structures fifty and a hundred stories high. And then they go on to build them higher and higher. They are always tearing down and building up new places. "The ease with which the American men make great fortunes, lose them and then make them again; the whole lack economic stability In the country, is as European men do.

You even see a man embrace his wife in public, They would meet or take leave of each other almost as two strangers. But the European expresses his emotion quite freely in public. "This restraint has made the American awkward and clumsy In demonstrating his love. The fact that he has been taught to hide his emotions and to treat love as a secretive affair has hardened to go into an U1 maolot the men's romantic natures. If a love as a secretive affair has hardened Cpi' htt sh ana made hlm rele and thought, ol him or to, family grieve abomIt of hi, lift.

would be uppermost in her mind. Right from childhood she is taught that her mission in life Is the family, and to deviate from it Is not only unwomanly but means unhappiness for her. "The European woman, unlike American, realizes that if she should take the advantages of the men, she would inevitably lose other advantages for which In America he feels a hero about It and sets about to make another fortune. "He is more sentimental than the European. He takes a love affair very much to heart, and when he loses out in it he is exceedingly unhappy.

It Is he who has beautiful and glowing illusions of his beloved, and no one can tell him that she is other than perfect. He endows gate love to a back place In his life. "The American woman, therefore, starving for this display of affection, has accused the American man of not being romantic. His silent, worshipful love may be genuine, but she would exchange it any time for the concrete, substantial lovemaklng of the European. I am certain that if she were accustomed to some demonstration from her own men, she work woman may do in the world.

It will be to bear children and to rear them during 1 their early years. She Is thus virtually compelled by nature to cling to many of her old privileges while she holds on to the advantages of the modern woman. She cannot bo the true equal of man because of her biological differences. "Consequently, while the woman continues to clamor for rights, the man continues to endure many of the disadvantages of his predecessors and docs not have any of their joys. He cannot even be the master of his house.

He Is being reduced to a kind of beneficent parasitism. "What will happen? The struggle between the sexes may be Intensified until men, In sheer desperation, may start a movement for their rights, as women did under the patriarchal system. Or It may be possible that, after woman has tasted full power and realizes that she cannot or must not use It, she will relinquish it and there will be a swinging back of pendulum. "There will be no happiness In until woman makes up her mind to content with the performance of her womanly duties. This does not mean that she need be a gloried servant.

She forever freed from the shackles that deprived her of rights as a human being. "Men and women must work together, each in his or her sphere, for which nature has equipped them. And the greater knowledge and opportunities that are theirs should be used for a fuller and deeper comradeship between them." Covvriohl leu Pullto Waltz Bring Back More Lovable Women! Oscar Straus, noted composer, says waltz will restore woman to her sphere that men adore. Read his story in The Hawk-Eye ounday..