Montana news. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-191?, 1908-05-14
Women Socialists
and Woman Suffrage
The Crying Need of the Socialist Move
ment Today Is Woman's
Influence.

| also an organizer for the woman suf-
frage movement at the same time that
Mrs. Hazlett was, and we are sure that
she will corroborate these assertions.
Working women are snubbed and dis.
eouraged from entering the organiza-
tion, OF if allowed to come in are toll
Grated only so long as they are docile,
and show zeal in carrying out the plans
Of their "betters"; largely on the
same principle as the "poor" are al
lowed to participate in the work Of the
churches. They can be jealous SO long
as they do what the big fellows want
them 10.
Great stress was laid on fine dress
ing, and the entire appeal was largely
in the nature Of propitiating the more
influential" classes. Moreover in.
stead Of recognizing an ally in the
socialist party with its outspoken dec
larations for universal suffrage, the
promoters of the suffrage movement
have been ashamed of the cooperation
of the socialists.
A few years ago at Wheeling, W.
Va, when the women there were arous-
ing considerable of an agitation on the
suffrage question they were attracted
by the vigor with which the socialists
gave them aid. Some Of the ladies Of
high social position even went so far
as to take some of the least disagree
able looking socialists to their homes.
One young man in speaking to the
writer said when they drove up to the
house the woman sort Of looked as
\ though she would like to ask him to
60 round to the back door, but she
braced up and took him in the front
way. But when the socialist speakers
came, although a number of these
danes adorned the front seat the first
night, the bill-of-fare was too siren.
uous and they were seen around the
socialist diggings no more.
Needs Working Glass Leaven.
1t is impossible for women Of the
working class and women Of the cap
italist class TO unite in a common
purpose on the suffrage question. The
reason to-day of the apathy in the
movement is because the "nice"
classes that are conducting the agita-
tion have become frightened as they
see whittier the empowering Of work
ing class women with the ballot is
drifting.
The woman suffrage movement in
America to-day is without vitality or
resource. Working, feebly,- as it does,
on it's old traditions, it is incapable Of
responding to the new demands that
circumstances make on It, and It has
found itself unable to form new ideals
of action.
trary, is taking a new and sudden
interest in woman suffrage. These
socialist women that are coming SO
| rapidly forward into our ranks seem 10
! emphasize by their very existence the
absurdity of their being nonentities in
deciding the affairs on which human
veal so much depends. They realize
as keenly also the humiliating help
lessness of their position, in a vigorous
political movement with no political
power, and hence we have this stir for
woman suffrage in the socialist ranks.
All the socialist papers are taking up
the question, and now we are con.
fronted by the question-what shall
socialist women do Z
Get 10 Work.
1t is the opinion Of the writer that
the really live, important, resultful
work along woman suffrage lines in
the future is coming through the social.