Evening Star Newspaper, October 4, 1931, Page 83

If Women Will Re- fuse to Sacrifice Their Sons, Hus- bands and Sweet- hearts to the God of War and Lend Their Influence to Disarmament and World Peace, They Can Be All-Pozwer- ful in the Outlazw- ing of Armed Con- Sflict. | BY BETTY ROSS. ¥ ' OTTAWA, CANADA. HE future of our civ tion, the l / destiny of the wcrld, rests with the women of today. It is for them to say whether the world shall be a chalice of peace or a shattered, broken relic of wars. When the womanhood of the world had resolved to end war, warfare will be abolished. For their influence on the men who shape, direct and control the policies of nations will outlaw war as a factor in determining differences between nations just as physical violence no longer determines disputes betw2en citizens. “It is up to the modern woman to remold the hero of the hour. The man of peace, who has given up his sword for a plawshare, must be held out as an ideal” A statesman was speaking, the Right Hon. Richard Bedford Bennett, prime minister of Canada, K. C, P. C, LLD,, as we sat in his private office in East Block, Parliament Build- ing, in Ottawa, Canada’s capital city. Each carefully chosen word, each well-cast sentence was a reminder of his distinguished career as a privy councilor, a replica of the eloquence that stirred the House of Commons, an echo of the force that had moved Great Britain’s recent fmperial conference in London, where Bennett had represented Canada. IIDUT why do you specifically call peace woman’s problem?” I asked. “Because they are more numerous in the world than men,” came the answer, “and be- cause thelr influence is greater in the home, in social life and in institutions of learning. Their work is laid out for them now because mankind, for the last decade and a half, has been thinking in terms cf peacs,” continued the prime minister reflectively. “Disarmament is the practical manifestation of the peace spirit. If the nations of the world are sincere in their protestations of devction to its cause, its women should carry on a vast educational campaign, making the will to peace the world’s pre- dominant national tendency.” The prime minister halted a moment, evi- @ently from his habit in the House of Commons, where he had just finished a spirited debate on his 1931 budget proposals, of giving the op- position, the Liberals, a chance to answer him. Even they admire his terse, concise speeches, a contrast to the three and four hour discussions of his Liberal predecessor in office, the Right Hon. Mackenzie King. A close-up of “R. B.,” as his constituents fondly call him, reveals him as outstanding as an individual as he is a statesman. The chimes that sound from the clock tower of Parliament Buildings seem to tell of his story-book rise from a family of Nova Scotia shipbuilders to prime minister of the Dominion. Like his mother, he was a school teacher at 17. He stddied law at night, became & lawyer and headed west to Calgary. His election there to the Legislature of the Northwest Territories proved the turning point of his career, which now touches the heights, for he is privy coun- cilor, past president of the Canadian Bar Asso- ciation, millionaire, minister of finance. Last year’s election made him the first Conservative prime minister to hold office in Canada in 10 years. _ Yet with all the glory of his coffice and his personal achievements, R. B. Bennett is man- only by the simplicity and humility that test of greatness. He works hard, an acid lives simply and is not incrusted by pomp and circumstance, preferring to be known solely as friend to man. not forgotten. te book, and he is a strict Sabbatarian, rarely missing & Sunday in church. His Sunday school teachings The Bible remains his favo- tled are ) are i THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, OCTOBER 4, 1931 - CANADA'S PREMIER HAS PLAN TO END WAR ' HEN he carefully replaced his pincenez I felt it my clue to continue. “Doesn’t woman inherently play the role of peacemak- er?” I asked, picking up the threads of our discussion. Emphaticzally the premier shook his head. “No. And it will require concentrated effort to put herself on the noncombatant side. Looking back through the ages, one sees that women have always sacrificed husbands, sons, brothers, and fathers to the heroism and resignation of their exalted war spirit. That was because the ancient civilizations magnified the virtues cf courage, patience and physical endurance. Women of those days bestowed their favors upon the men -who possessed these virtues. Hence the influence of women was ever on the side of war and contest and struggle. By mag- nifying the virtuss that made heroes, they min- imized, therefcre, the achievements of peace. Modern woman's task is to remold the hero of the hour, so that he will stand out as the man of peace, not war—the man who has given up his sword for a plowshare.” When I commented on the recent remark made by Lerd Allenby, England’s greatest liv- ing fleld marshal and conqueror of Jerusalem, that “another war would wipe out all civiliza- tion,” the prime minister nodded. “Exactly my opinion,” he declared. “Science has made it apparent to all that modern war is savagery, pure and simple. Wholesale de- struction of people by gas, high explosives and the conquest of the air makes it certain that the next great war means practically the de- struction of our modern civilization. That is why woman’'s work is urgent. She cannot begin too soon.” The Right Hon. Mr. Bennett spoke whole- souledly, with that passionate sincerity that had made him stand out as one of the most famous lawyers in Canada. A serious, impres- sive figure, in his conservatively cut dark blue suit, wing collar and bow tie, he seems well cast by nature for his role on the bridge of Canada’s ship of state. He is more than six feet tall, well knit and portly. A ruddy com- plexion, an erect, patrician bearing and clear- "’ gazing gray eyes belie his 61 years of age. His dignity is reserved but arresting. Austerity lies in his shaggy gray eyebrows and the scholar is revealed in the expanse of deep fore- head left uncovered by his fine, graying hair. Determination is written in the firm set of his mouth. In little crinkles about his eyes and in corners of his mouth lie indications of his keen sense of humor. The calm serenity of him somehow stamps him as one who, in getting wisdom, has also acquired understanding. " OW can women actually take part in the work for peace?” he was asked. “The League of Nations is presenting them with opportunities,” he replied, “to promote the cause of disarmament by circulating peti- tions to be signed by women in every part of our Dominion. Women active in social, politi- cal, religious and economic organizations are all in a position to render similar service.” \ “But we can't all be clubwomen of prom- inence,” I pointed out. “How can the average woman do her share?” “By the influence of her own life. Let her teach in her home the real value of the victories of peace, as compared with those of war,” came the response. “In this way she can create that public opinion which alone will secure the will for peace.” “Is’woman'’s influence needed in other world problems?” was the next query. He nodded. “We need ‘them in all social problems. Their actual help is yet to come with their experience. We cannot expect women, who so recently received the vote, to compete in a fleld with men, who have had centuries of preparation for publc life. urally women, not having had the advantage of early franchise, are slow in assuming the new responsibilities of world politics. Men, for corresponding reasons, are slow to intrust these offices to them, forgetting that they themselves required many generations to reach their pres- ent posts. Nevertheless, women can help ma- terially.” “In which respect?” “R. B.” smiled. “That reminds me of the man who was asked how he became a great lawyer. His reply was: ‘By being one.’ How can woman expand her influence? By being influential. The result is a slow and gradual development of her powers.” “Does this power lie mainly in the hands of women experienced by careers outside the home?” I\ |O,” he replied, without hesitating a mo- ment, “nowhere can woman exercise a more powerful influence than in her own home. Here, after all, she is ruler. I would never advise wives to become wage-earners unless by necessity, because women who work outside the home often pay too much. Men and women Nat- of tomorrow cannot afford such a price. One cannot do two things well. Medical men tell us the physical strain of daily toil militates against a woman's sound and vigorous descend- ants. The tasks of homemaker and wage- earner do not go hand-in-hand.” “Woman is rapidly making her mark in busi- ness,” I commentead. Premier Bennett waved me away with a dra- matic gesture reminiscent of his days as a famous lawyer charging the jury, exclaiming: “That is because many women, for various rea- sons, have undertaken business careers and have been successful. But I dare say that same energy, ability and devotion in a home would bring her greater happiness and make an even greater contribution to the happiness of the nation. “Because the home is the basis of all en- during civilization,” he exclaimed, “anything that lessens its sanctity or influence in the the employment of women,” fully emphasizing each word, “and if holding public office are in any sense to diminish the home and make it a less dominant factor, that country, and indirectly the world at large, is the poorer.” “Yet women are encouraged to play an im- portant part in Canada’s politics,” said I, re- minding him of the 53 per cent feminine wvot- their woman delegates to the League of Na- place in politics. And it is gratifying to _that Canadian women in public office made home their first obligation. Our Wilson, in the Senate, is & fine example, because she has eight children. sions of their children. “And now,” he said, in conclusion, “mothers have one more important lesson to instill within every child’s heart and mind—the will to " peace.’ “Will this message come first from the mothers of English-speaking nations?” I wone dered. “It will not be limited to the women of one country or two, but of all countries,” pointed out the premier. “Once they appreciate and understand the magnitude of this problem and that they control the destiny of the world, they will go at it with the the same courage, detere mination and vigor that have made them mothers of the race. . “I feel that this great nation of the west,” he reflected, “this new democracy may well be looked to by the women of the older world for guidance and leadership. The Kellogg pact is already a landmark of the onward march of civilization. Now the women of America, of the United States and Canada, can act as the torch-bearers of our newer and finer civiliza~ tion, teaching the world that: “‘Peace hath her victories S No less renowned than war,’” 5 wi - (Copyright, 1931.) S 3