The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, July 8, 1918, Page 17

Every Call, Whether in Field, Factory or Workshop, Has Been Met—Equal Suffrage Comes as a Recognition of Their Heroism -~ BY MARIAN LE SUEUR p ¢ whole country has admired the spirit and the capacity and the vision of the wom- en of the United States.” These are the words of the president of the United States speaking of women and the war. He says: “They have not only done what they have been asked to do but they have shown a power to organize for doing things of their own initiative.” This is true of the women of the United States, and it is true of the women of the warring countries closer to the real scene of the war than are we. The women of France, of England, of Italy, of Russia and especially of war-torn Belgium, Po- land and Servia, have shared the bur- den of the war. In Russia women have done actual fighting in the trenches. Inez Haynes Irwin, wife of the famous war correspondent, Will Irwin, is just back from the war zone and tells a thrilling story of the work women are doing to win the war. “While the women of France and England and Italy have not done any actual fighting in the trenches,” says Mrs. Irwin, “they have done work back of the lines that "has released men for the front, and furnished them the munitions and equipment with which to fight. \ FIRST IT WAS NURSING “When the German army crossed Belgium.and their gray hordes pressed down on Paris, the men of France rushed to arms to protect France. And immediately the women of France found their work for ‘La Belle Patrie.’ For at once thousands of wounded be- gan pouring into Paris. The regular nursing force and hospitals could not care for the army of wounded. So private homes were converted into hospitals and women from every class volunteered as nurses. Then came the army of refugees from stricken Bel- gium and northern France. Women and children, utterly destitute, poured into Paris by the thousands. °~ Work was found for those who could work. The children and those who could not work were cared for. “Then came the problem of the un- tain the civilian population and keep the fighting forces supplied. In the provinces the women are doing the work on the farms with the help of the old men and the boys too young for the army. Women are-doing the work in the munition factories and in other industries. “The same thing is true in Italy and in England. Women everywhere are doing the work we are accustomed to consider man’s work. Women driving motor busses, women conductors, women farmers, women loading the ships. Manufacturers of machinery are being instructed to make the ma- chinery of lighter weight for it must be run by women. NOW WORK BEHIND THE LINES “Women are being used for every possible sort of work behind the lines which will release a man for the front. England has recently issued an order that 80,000 women a month shall be in readiness to be sent to Franee for work behind the lines.” “So,” -says Mrs. Irwin, “women are giving their all in the fight for democ- racy and they are asking—mow will you give us democracy? England has her THE WAR WORK OF ENGLISH WOMEN el dernourished and tubercular war victims, those who clung to their ‘homes to the very last, hiding in cellars, living on whatever the ravages of . war left them until they were mere wrecks of human be- ings, nerve-racked, starved “and diseased; i ; “And these burdens fell mainly on, the women, for every able-bodied man ‘was fighting. Nor was this all. : The men 'who had manned - the industries were at the front and : _'only women were left to bear the . . burden that must:be done 1o main- Grooming horses isn’t the pleasantest task in the 'world, but the women of England never hesitate. Each does what she is best fitted for, not what she would prefer. the factories, another type, sturdy and tireless, is guaranteeing the nation’s food supply. Throughout the land one sees them pitching hay, loading straw, clearing wooded land go that crops may be planted, driving tractors and plowing. overseer some man who has been wounded and is ‘I no longer capable of hard labor. | tries, which have been drained of their men, much of the heavy work may have to be peformed by women. While one type of woman works in Often they have as In the old coun- A g stopped in the midst of war to give her women the right to vote, as a war measure. The women of the United States are asking for this right also as a war measure and as a measure of justice. You would not think of sending your men into the trenches without a-gun. That is the weapon with which they are to fight: Will you send us women into the battle of industry without a weapon with which to fight for our protection? You men have struggled for the ballot as the ‘weapon with which to make your fight ° for justice and right. Will you not give the same weapon to your women who are fighting side by side with you for democracy?” For more than 70 years the women of ‘the United States have struggled for the right of suffrage. They have carried on an incessant campaign of -education. They have petitioned and lobbied. They have pleaded and de- manded. But always there has been some excuse. During the Civil war when women asked for the right to vote, the men said: “Don’t raise this issue now. - Devote yourself to the winning of the war and when the war is over, we will give you the ballot.” But politicians forget their promises —and history repeats itself. After more than 60 years of struggle since the Civil war the women were told the same thing when this war came. But the women didn’t forget—and they continued to raise the issue as a war measure, WHAT WOMEN HAVE EARNED By their fight they had sécured full suffrage in 12 states and partial suf- frage in several more, but the more militant of the women insisted that full suffrage should be given to all women by an amendment.to the Con- stitution of the United States. So they formed the National Woman's party devoted exclusively to the pass- age of the federal amendment. : Many representatives of both t old parties, among them President Wilson, insisted that suffrage was a matter for each state to decide and hence opposed the passage of a fed- eral amendment. But the women worked on. They lobbied and peti- tioned, held meetings in every part of the country, passed resolutions and bent eyery effort to educate and arouse public opinion. They sent many deputations to in- terview the president and finally one " day he told them that he could do nothing for them, “that they must go out and concert public opinion.” ' They remembered all the work which had been carried on for over 70 years for this purpose and they wondered what they could do that they had not done. THROUGH ONE ; p HOUSE OF CONGRESS Then some one suggested .that the only thing left to do was to stand at the White House gates with their message. ; The eyes of the nation and of the world were upon Washington and the president. Women at the gates of the White House would call the attention of the world to the de- mands of the American women for democracy. 3 But they did what the president ad- - vised them to do, they “concerted pub- . lic opinion.” It bore fruit when the federal suffrage amendment came up for consideration in congress. .’[anu- .ary 10, 1918, an amendment giving full suffrage to all American citizens regardless of sex passed the lower house of congress.. i3 : It has not yet been voted upon in the senate, but the women feel t}onfi- dent of its passage. Then it will be ratified by the various state legisla- tures and women in the United States will enjoy the democracy which has been given since the war began to the women of Enéland and Russia. - How Women Are Helping Win the War L 1 { |1 P TS T