Life — February 13, 1913 — page 9: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

criticism of certain details of General Pershing’s order about the flag. That is all right. It is the province of the Army and N Journal to de- fend the army, and all of its works that are defensible. They seldom need it. Even this order of General Persh- ing’s is defensible. But to us it did not seem in all particulars expedient. The flag is immensely popular. To defend it is so popular that defenders are apt to rush in when it doesn’t need any defense. Persons avid of popularity are tempted to exploit it. Theatre managers contrive scenes in which the flag shall be rushed across the stage and the audience stirred to emotion and applause. So sometimes it seems a duty to wade in and try to defend the flag from its defenders. We observe that while we have be incurring reprobation for depre- cating over-zeal in flag defense, As- semblyman Peacock of Burlington in New Jersey has introduced a bill into the New Jersey Legislature providing to have an’ American flag in every "LIFE: room of each public school in the State, and requiring all the pupils to salute it every day, under penalty of being barred from school if they re- fuse. Now, then, dear readers, how do you all feel about that? Do you want these flag exercises enforced with a club, or do you think they will go more prosperously, and better fulfill the aim intended, without compulsion? UR respected neighbor, Printers’ Ink, enquires very impressively orn one of its advertising pages, whether we would vote for a hand- some young feminist, Miss Inez Mil- holland, whose likeness it gives us a confidential peep at. Vote for her? Surely! We would vote for her for wife of one; for mother of at least six; for school com- FORECAST FOR ST. STORMY: WARMER IN VALENTINE'S DAY IMMEDIATE VICINITY Note—Immediate Vicinity is indicated by X New Arrivals: axpb THEY TOLD US THIS WAS A VERY QUIET, RETIRED, HOME- LIKE rLace! missioner if she knows enough; for factory inspector if she will how; for teacher of the kindergarden if she will learn how; for almost any office she is qualified to fill. But we infer from the context that the question is whether we would vote for this young person for President of the United States. No, Printers’ Ink, not on your life. It wouldn't be suitable. It would in- volve more chances than that exacting office should be exposed to. Suppose that after we had elected her, a spin- ster, on—say—the Bull Moose ticket, she should take a notion to get mar- ried (out of the party, of course), and raise an immediate family of children bern in the White House. Where would we be? Could we complain? No, it would be against nature to com- plain, and complaints would be mighty unpopular. But think of combining the exacting duties of President with a series of new babies! That is the sort of trouble we would be liable to get into with a young woman President, especially if she was an attractive young woman. <A queen, with a life term, right take a consort, raise a family, and get along with the cares of State. But a term as Presi- dent is too short for so much combi- nation. You see, Printers’ Ink, being an at- tractive young woman, like your friend in that picture, is almost a whole job in itself, and ought not to be too much mixed up with any other job that has. exacting duties. learn comicbooks.com