On this Day in History

[El Presidente]

On This Day in History: August 11

Where There’s Smoke, There’s Ire

by Vernon Parker ([email protected]), published online 08-11-2010

http://www.brooklyneagle.com/categories/ca...23&id=37339

There was a time before the flapper age of the roaring ’20s that no woman other than an “out-and-out hussy” would dare smoke a cigarette or cigar. No doubt a few very daring gals might have tried a puff in total privacy just to see what it was like. And there was the Mammy Yokum type down in the hill country that puffed on a corn cob pipe and no thought was given to condemning her for it. Then came the 1920s when “flappers” not only puffed cigarettes but drank in speakeasies.

In the August 11, 1907 Brooklyn Daily Eagle, columnist Julius Chambers may have stepped on some toes, both male and female, with his comments on smoking in those days.

The following is verbatim what Julius had to say about smoking in 1907:

“As a smoker of long standing and confirmed habits, I am ready to admit that much of the criticism against smoking in public is justified. I do not single out the pale-cheeked boy, who inhales his cigarette smoke and then blows it out through his nostrils. He is a disgusting spectacle, anywhere. But I refer to the men of apparent respectability who carry lighted cigars into crowded subway cars, or, because they want to appear English, burn tobacco in old pipes on the open cars. A rotten pipe is the filthiest thing in the world. “To smoke a cigar in the street, when walking with a lady, is an act of utter disrespect. The fact that Englishmen carry briarwood pipes between their teeth, in daylight, when walking with ladies, does not mitigate the offense. A true gentleman would no more think of smoking on the street with his wife, or any other lady, than he would of picking his teeth at a dinner table.

“Understand me, I believe that in the privacy of a man’s own house, he should smoke in any room except his wife’s bedroom. Of course, if the wife owns the house, or he otherwise be a pensioner upon her bounty, the conditions may be altered. He may find it more convenient to smoke in the cellar, billiard-room or stable. A wife is entitled to opinions — unless, as often happens, the husband has given the domicile to his spouse.

“In such cases, it isn’t the part of wisdom or common sense for the wife to constantly remind her companion of the fact.

“Just a word on the other side. Will somebody only tell me why women crowd the last four seats in the open cars, mercifully reserved for smokers, when, oftener than otherwise, plenty of room exists at the front of the cars? Again and again do all smokers suffer from this unnecessary deprivation? When a man has worked all day in an office, the enjoyment of a cigar on his homeward way is much appreciated. “Do the women think of this? Or, do they care? Candor compels me to say that I believe a negative reply to the latter query states the truth!

“Mankind endures many hardships for the solace that tobacco gives, but there isn’t any reason why women should be annoyed by smokers, any more than that a man should be compelled to grease his nose with tallow or rub rice powder upon his cheeks. A decent consideration of the members of the two sexes, one for the other, would simplify social problems very much. There isn’t any reason why a wife should be called into a room to see her husband smoke. With as much propriety might the wife insist that her husband be present every time shampooer “blondines” her hair or a dermatologist pulls stray hairs from her chin. “And yet, the wife of a Philadelphia friend of mine left him because he ‘always went to his library after dinner to smoke.’ One cannot tell how to please some women.”

— Compiled by V. Parker

[Leopolis Semper Fidelis]

Great article...those were the days!

[soltino]

Candor compels me to say that I believe a negative reply to the latter query states the truth

Fantastic turn of phrase, love it!

[OZCUBAN]

Oh yesteryear

[dicko]

It seems women used to whinge just as much back then too

[anacostiakat]

That last paragraph is great.

[MIKA27]

What they forgot to insert was the image of the woman complaining, "ball breaking" and the husband raising his "pimp hand" and giving her a back hander!

[Warren]

The more things change the more they stay the same.

[CBL]

Love it! Wonderfully written and as stated above, things have hardly changed Only now EVERYONE is nagging about smoking in public, men and women alike

[samb]

The more things change the more they stay the same.

Yep.

[CanuckSARTech]

WHAT????!?!?!!?! SHE'S SUPPOSED TO HAVE A 2ND BEDROOM!?!?!!

Yeah, sure. That will happen as soon as I get a billiards room, a stable, AND a smoking room.

[jawofboston]

I consider one of the great blessings in my life to be that my wife does not complain about my cigar smoking.

[mazolaman]

I consider one of the great blessings in my life to be that my wife does not complain about my cigar smoking.

lucky you,god knows mine does!(obviously,I don't take a blind bit of notice,and this tends to infuriate her further )

Great artice.

It made me think back to before smokers were hated,where you could smoke everywhere,upstairs on busses,on trains etc.

Pubs arent the same!

[rdb6]

Twenty years ago I would smoke cigars with the Prez of the company in his office. Today you get arrested. I too am lucky, I smoke in the house. My wife ******* and moans sometimes but I do it anyway. I'm married 37 years so I guess it's not that bad for her.