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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (May 23, 1915)
The Omaha Sunday Bee. Magazine Page "'" " 1 . II I I'll J m III Bill I 1 1 LUil I II II H IIW WIlllliMI " mM i I m i il STJ ' t . i ' i ;' "infV Aire TO The Maharanee of Kapurthala, ' the Spanish Beauty Who U the Favorite Wife of the Maharajah and, - Although a Practical Polygamist, Attacks the Remedy Proposed by English Women. (A, ' J7ie Embarrassing Problem of the Widows and Old Maids and Its Extraordinary Suggested Remedy Discussed by the Favorite Wife (Formerly the Famous Spanish Beauty Senorita Delgadd) of the Maharajah of Kapurthala Who Has Four Wives and Numerous Concubines THE embarrassing situation !a which the women of England, France, Germany and Austria will ' find themselves after the war through the destruction of so many men Is being , widely commented upon abroad. In Eng . land there are many who believe that polygamy should be legitimatized at least for a period long enough to restore . the balance of the sexes. . Among those who advocate this is Mrs. Frances Burke-Hardt, a very well known English writer, who, among others, has , spread her views widely In the English . press. One of the articles embodying her theories Is printed on this page. By a curious chance, the Maharanee of Kapurthala, with her husband, is now in New York. The Maharanee was Sen orita Delgado, who became the favorite noble family, who became the favorite of the Maharajah's four wives and his numerous concubines. She gave up her own religion for that of her husband and has for a number of years been a practical polygamlst. Her Interesting discussion of the "remedy" suggested by Mrs. Burke-Hardt and others and her conclusions regarding it are printed here. This is the first and only statement which the Maharanee has made in this country. It is significant that, although living happily, as she says, in a state of polygamy, she sets her face squarely against the ideas set forth by the English women who, while practical monoga mists, dvocate polygamy. Li ( X5 ) I . ; ' ... ., ..' . .. ( 19 M X - t sj k m I - TV ... . -a mr m . . -3W im- "A Law Permitting Polygamy the Solution' By Mrs. Francis Burke-Hardt, The Weil-Known English Writer. TO my way of thinking there is but one solution, unless, of course, na . ture steps In and male children predominate; and even then the problem would have to be shelved until matters levelled themselves up as a matter of time. I would suggest that a law be passed by which a man may be permitted to possess one, two or three legal wives, as the case may be, provided he can guarantee to the authorities he is in a position to support them decently and properly and in keeping with his posi tion. A tew years ago I was permitted the privilege of being a guest In an Eastern harem, and during my stay, In which I talked and associated with a fair num ber of women, I formed several opinions which have firmly convinced me that in spite of our boasted progress the eolu- . tion to a worldwide problem was at any rate in part expressed here. 1 would tell you that life in an Eastern harem Is by no means in keeping with the popular Idea of such a place. It is totally different from the place we read about In novels or see upon the stage. ' Far from It. It is a place where one finds many lessons which it would do us wom en good to take to heart and act upon. The happiest and most restful and con tented faces I ever saw in my life were in the harem, and among women possess ing many qualities we Western women would do well to emulate. Nature Invented or evolved woman for a definite and special purpose; but civili sation steps In and decrees otherwise. Nature's object is, therefore, frustrated. The consequence of the present day mud dle as regards the sex question Is a vast army of women who with a stately air of decorum and discontent fill the pen sions in overpowering numbers, who live lives without aim or object, who cuddle and kiss dogs Instead of babies, who hoard up much of the wealth of this country, whose mental and physical energies die for want of proper expres sion, whose bitterness of soul Is a dis grace to womanhood and a poor compli ment to an almighty power who sent them into the world with a definite and sacred mission to carry out. All this will have to be changed. Woman will have to be transplanted lnio a new order of things. No longer will it be necessary for her to stand In the market plate and shout her grievance? while she turns an anxious face toward the world. After this war Is over woman Is com ing Into her own. And the vote is not going to do it. That Idea is dead long ince. No, woman Is going to be the means of her own salvation, aided and supported by her proper and natural partner man! Under the new dispensation all will la different. Nature will be paramount la everything. Civilization will look after itself. There is no doubt that we are overcivilized. As the Irishman said: "We must go back a bit; but that'll mean we're going forward." The -Beautiful Maharanee in the Fashionable Dresa of the "Polygamy is More Tragic Than War" By the Maharanee of Kapurthala. WHO is this woman wno says inings so absurd? Mrs. Burke Ilardt? Mrs. Broken Heart, she should be called. For that is what it Is she stands for, a sys tem which will break the hearts of wom en and the minds of men. I no know speak. I'olygamy is im possible among European women. They will not have It. Tragedies more terri ble than the war, crimen more awful than that of Medea, who killed ber own chil dren to avenge her wrongs upon their father Jason, would be enacted were the ' overnments of Europe to attempt to re- populate the stricken continent by this means. Again I ask who Is this woman who ad vocates anything so monstrous? She says she knows something of the harems of the East. Doubtless she thinks she does, but the harems do not give up their dark secrets to prying Westerners. Al ways the impenetrable veil Is between them. How foolish to scrape the surface of things and announce what you 'deem a great truth! I should smile, should snap my fingers at the absurd English woman were not the theme she treats so great and terri ble. War and polygamy are both horri ble, both desolating. At fifteen I wedded the Maharajah of Kapurthala. My father, who was a Marquis of Spain, had lost bis fortune. Because I could dance I went upon the Stage of the Royal Theatre of Madrid. I remained on the stage but four weeks. The Maharajah had come to spaln to at tend the wedding of King Alfonso. He came to the theatre. He met me. We fell In love. We married. He was honest with me. I knew I was marrying a man already several timeti wived. But I was young. I loved him, aa I have said. I accepted the condi tions. Having accepted them I have made the most and best of them. But the system is wrong. I have lived thus for nine years. I have a little son. Git. Polygamy Is dying as bad things die by the weight of its own iniquity. There are not more than three harems in alt India. There are men who have more taan one wife, many men. But they make no at tempt to keep the women under the same roof. Even In India that would be Im possible. The women would revolt. When a man has more than one wife Topyrlg-ht, 1915, by tha Htur Company, 1 V V the wives know little cf each other. They do not vlall. They may meet ss chance acquaintances do at the great Hindoo ceremonials, the religious fetes. Ihey are presented to each other. They smile. They chat about Impersonal things. That Is all. They are ships that pass in the crowd. Jealousy? Amoag the native women? Yes, I doubt not there is, but it never reaches the Medean point, the point of tragedy, for as I said, they rarely meet, and when they do it is by accident at somo great function. They do not speak1 of each other. They do not hear of each other. Around the different establlbh nients of the East Indian polygamlst Is wrapped the impenetrable veil of silence, th silence that tends to fcinotber a fact. I live, in the principality of Kapurthala, the life of a European woman. I wear European dress. I keep my European manners and customs. I associate with Great lirltaln Right Reaarved. 6ne of the Royal Elephant of Kapurthala oh Which the Maharanee , Ridas. The Maharajah la Seated Within lU Gorgeous "Howdah." , 1 ' European women. I know tome of the native woman. I visit them and talk , with them when I must. But wq have , nothing la common, save children. They talk of nothing but their homes and children. They know nothing else. Their minds are dwarfed. They are of the mental stature of a little child. The life there U so different from that of the women of Europe and America that the difference la Incomprehensible. To un derstand you must live there, have seen day after day, and wearily tried to talk with, the stunted creatures. Then you would know that I cannot be Jealous of on of them. Could you be jealous of a dog? Polygamy la Impossible In Europe for two reasons. Europe Is a Christian land. It would never embrace Mohamedanlsm, which permits polygamy. The spirit of the old martyrs would rise In them. At tempt to Introduce Mahomedanism Into Europe and a war more terrible than that which la now rending it would follow. A war yet more devastating, for It would be a war of extermination. It la for another reason not to be for one moment seriously considered. That Is that the women of Europe are too en lightened to accept it. There is a phrase we often encounter and at which we smile. It is "The war of the sexes." There Is no war between the sexes. There are misunderstandings, differences, needs of adjustment, of look ing at life through each other's glasses, of standing as it were in the same place to view the problems of the world. But there would be a war of the sexes should a male government enact laws seeking to establish polygamy. There would be murder. Individual and wholesale. It would turn women into furies. Polygamy Is an evli to men. It Is an evil to women. It Is an evil to children. It is bad for men because it c&usfs them to worry. When there is dlssentlon in his home a man is distracted. His effi ciency in the world of business is di minished. Polygamy is bad for women because it causes heartaches and heart burnings. It creates a spirit Of rebel lion, for a women, no matter bow unin telligent, knows that it Is wrong. It is bad for the children because they have a sense of not belonging anywhere. You have had in your own country polygamy. I have beard of the ridiculous practices In a place you call Utah. I know also that the polygamy Itself you first regarded as a fire and tried to stamp It out. Then you learned that It is a cancer and you must cut it out. That is a universal truth. I know quite well that your mind will ask: "Why does the European woman rebel against another wife, when she sub mils to a rival?" I answer: First be cause a rival is as a rule a transitory evil. She la a trouble that visits the home and departs. But a wife would be au awful fixture. At any rate the European wife does not without a protest submit to the existence of her husband's rival. Hers Is the outward patience of the per sons suffering from disease The custom of having a rival is a social disease. There Is ever In the heart of the sufferer the hope of a cure. Second, because romantic love Is a tran sient thing. A wife, especially if she have children, comes to desire most the The Maharajah of Kapurthala, the Royal Polygamist, Whoa Favorite Wife Does Not Selier in Polygamy power that belongs to her station. - The rival is denied these, and ' because she Is denied them the European wife at least enjoys the luxury of despising her. Polygamy will die because it Is wrong It Is contrary to the high Ideals of the heart. Talk not to me of nature. We are prone to give to every Impulse In us ths name of nature. Humanity evolves and each state Is better than the last. In ths sense In which you say polygamy Is na tural, murder is natural. In moments oi anger we have the impulse to kill. But who that is sane would Justify murderi It is natural that anger should rage lo our hearts when we have been baffled of some desire, yet anger, we know, makes most of the miseries of life. We are out of a state of polygamy and al ready it is regarded as a stain upon civil ization. The war babies? No, no, no. I would not grant polygamy even to remedy than great evil. Some crack-brained persons advise the forcing the soldier fathers, even though already married, to legiti matize their offspring by marriage. I don't believe that will be looked upon a a solution of the problem. With 20.000 war babies on Its hands 1 do not wonder that England Is puzzled as to Its duty. It is a difficult question. But let the mothers settle 1U It Is an individual problem. It the mother loves the child and wants to keep it allow her to do so. Let England give charity bazaars to aid her to keep It. It the mother Is without any natural love tor it, or ability to care for It, let It be cared for by the asylums for orphans. I thinlr too much Is being said about these war babies at any rate. Many such Children are being born every year, perhaps a nearly equal number, and there is no pub licity about it. The problem will be In dividually solved. Each problem has aa individual solution. But polygamy needed to repopulate Europe? Atrocious idea! There have been other wars as terrible and no such hideous device followed. Mrs. Burke Hardt again I ask yon Is she says there are characteristics of the women of the Eastern harems which women or the Western world would do well to emulate. I grant you one. Like all peoples of the East they think In vast numbers of y'ars. They reckon by aeons. Their clvtlizstlon in old an l calm. Their history extends into the dim beginning of the world. That causes them to look 'ar into the past and fai- lato ihs future. They leam lo wait. They have. infinite power to Mil jure. They are Klf'ei with a great patience. But patlvnce is. at overrated quality. Especially It It be pa tience lu the face of a great wrona-