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The extent to which Butler's hypothesis must be reckoned with may be gauged by an article on the Mnemic Theory in the October, 1923, issue of Scientia. In that paper the author traces the history of the theory, dwelling at some length on Butler's contribution to the hypothesis and concluding with a summary which, excepting for the style, reads like a page from Life and Habit. About the same time Rignano's La Memoria Biologica was reviewed in Science Progress, and within recent months both it and Semon's book have been translated into English. Finally the conclusions of recent investigators, especially the Austrian Kammerer, which have been accepted by some of the leading English scientists, prove how clear-sighted was Butler's intuitive and reasoned championship of Lamarck.

WHY WOMEN FAIL IN BUSINESS

BY MARGERY SWETT MANSFIELD

THESE are sad days for the Feminist. And since it is a sadness that follows in the wake of victory, sadder are to follow. An active minority has pushed open political and vocational doors, because it knew this to be the wish of the great mass of American women; even though a wish unformulated beyond vague restlessness and discontent with pecuniary limitations.

Consequently, though the doors are open, only a few women are ready to go through them to the mahogany desks and the swivel chairs on the other side. The public, at least the feminine public, expected to see a great rush for these. It had every right to expect great things of woman, for she had been given most flattering publicity. On every isolated case of feminine success the spot light was thrown.

The difficulty in the situation is that the assumption of equal ability between the sexes played so large a part in stimulating the movement for equal opportunities. It would have been safer, perhaps, to have found a more deeply philosophic, or even a religious, justification-the right of even a poor thing to be as good and do as well as it can, unhandicapped by its betters. Had we taken this humble and tentative attitude, and succeeded with it, —which is unlikely, considering American psychology, we might now be pleasantly surprised at women, instead of disappointed. As it is, a reaction has set in. Is there a newspaper in the country, or a magazine addressed to both male and female readwhich has not enumerated women's business sins-from pow dering her nose instead of working, to letting herself become too much of a drudge? And the farther the fight for equal rights is pushed, the fewer the excuses to be made for this new businessmiscreant, woman.

ers,

But this is good. It may help women strain a little nearer perfection. At any rate it clears the atmosphere. Now any

woman can admit a conviction which loyalty has hitherto compelled her to keep secret-that women are not, at present, conspicuously successful in business.

This is an entirely different matter, however, from implying that a fair test has been made, and the last word said. The inevitable growth of woman may yet tip the scales, where now she is found wanting.

The limitations of business women are usually attributed to her physical and mental characteristics. The former can be dismissed with the remark that it is not the higher, but the lower, grades of employment that are physically taxing. The life of a business executive is certainly less arduous, physically, than that of a housewife. Invalids of either sex have no place in business, but a woman who is not an invalid and yet cannot find a business that can be adjusted to her strength, probably would not be successful if she had a man's strength. Her failure is not physical.

Woman's mental characteristics must be taken more seriously. But minds are things that can be worked with; faults, if known and not admired, can be corrected. Data obtained in classroom and psychological laboratory have been for several years consistently inconclusive. As far as accurate knowledge goes we know little about the "feminine mind" and little about the "masculine mind". Nearly everyone will admit, however, that women have faults that handicap them in business. Men, too, have faults, and we think of these as characteristically masculine; but men who are successful in business have either corrected these or directed them into channels that cannot damage business. Such a making over of a personality is hard, uncongenial work, and to do it one must have a conception of success big enough to make selfdiscipline worth while.

In woman's conception of success lies the secret of her failure. She measures success not in terms of thousands and millions, but in terms of independence, plus clothes. To reach so easy a goal it is not necessary to plan far into the future, nor to correct usiness faults to the extent that a man must to reach his higher oal.

Man may preen himself that ambition is in itself superiority.
But where do we get our conception of success? From every one

who gives us praise or blame. We desire to compare favorably with others in our own group, and to do as well as is expected of Economic necessity and the scorn or respect of others are the spurs of ambition.

us.

These spurs are applied very lightly to women. Would a small town man be considered "clever" by his friends if he could make a little pin money? Is he "so successful" when he dresses well, supports himself, but cannot afford to marry unless his helpmeet aids with the household expenses? A woman may press farther than this along the road to success, but it is entirely to her credit if she does. She knows she does not have to. Earn as little as she will, she can impress her female friends with her prosperity. Men she cannot fool, but as a rule she is not anxious to impress them in that particular direction. She must have other than business assets to command their attention.

Indeed, to many women, success is even less than independence; it is merely the demonstration of the ability to be independent. They will hold jobs just long enough to prove they can make a success of them.

It is often argued that women have dependents to support just as men have. But rarely is a woman expected to earn as much as a man because of such dependents. She is merely expected to exercise greater self-denial. It seems that a good daughter needs only to do poorly what a good son, or a good husband, must do well.

Because women are expected to earn so little, they predominate in art, music, literature, and in social and educational work-vocations many men cannot afford to enter. Women are given more credit for talent and altruism than they deserve. Yet even in these comparatively unmercenary fields woman is handicapped by her low ambition, her willingness to make a bare living—a barer one than a man could survive on-providing her work is congenial and brings her a certain prestige. The persistent way in which women have unconsciously invaded the easier types of intellectual work-by undercutting men-should cause a general agitation, among men, for equal pay. Women now hold practically all subordinate editorial positions on magazines and in publishing houses, and have almost a monopoly on part-time work.

It is infinitely harder for the young male intellectual to find a means of subsistence, with leisure, than it is for his sister. The employer does not want him, does not advertise for him, because he is ashamed to offer a man so little.

But these conditions cannot persist forever. Even in a half century woman has progressed in her financial expectations. Standards of grooming and dressing are higher than formerly. Women are as fond of luxury and largesse as men are. for investment follows as a logical means to these ends.

Desire

In the mean while the example of the relatively few successful business women inspires others to be like them. There is also emerging a new and important type of business woman-the daughter, sister, wife, of the well-to-do business man. She may

not stay in business as long as her necessity-driven sister, but she has a distinct contribution to make: she thinks in larger sums of money. She has perspective, her attainments must not be too laughably small.

Woman's ambition too often lacks concreteness necessary for success. This is because she has not had the advantage of much conversation about finances. Her ignorance extends to nearly every field of human activity not strictly feminine. She uses yeast, and cannot tell how it is made; she wears artificial pearls, and does not know from where they come. She is the most amazingly uninformed creature alive. But it is not her fault. From her babyhood there has been a loving conspiracy to limit her experience.

Somehow a girl's courage, initiative, and general information do not receive attention. Her companions are often arbitrarily limited, her reading not directed along informational lines. She is, increasingly, sent to college; but, without undervaluing what colleges do give, it is fair to say that they are about perfect at excluding first-hand experience and general information. And then there is conventionality, the fear of the unknown, exerting a strong influence during youth. As a woman approaches middle age there is little to prevent her seizing the advantages granted her brother at six-the right to talk to whom she will, and ask what she will-but by that time she may have lost the habit of the inquiring mind.

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