Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-15
SWOMANS CENTGJRY?'
CIVIC CONDITIONS
GALL FOR REDRESS
Madam Severance Sounds Slogan in Cause of Bet
ter Civic Housekeeping, Advocates Cleveland
Plan," and Protests Against $25,OOO APP
preparation for Entertaining Fleet,
While Hungry Are Unted

votes of women. Such is the logic OF
prejudiced minds!
What Women Can Do
One part of what they have already
| done--or are doing-is indicated by
their Civic league, their Civic commit
| tees, in clubs, their current events,
their study circles and mothers clubs
| and congresses where careful and
thorough discussion of the needs of the
community has been followed by action
| upon them under wise leadership. This
action in regard to the vexed problem
of liquor selling would seem to be to
urge the closing of the saloon as legal
| ly "a nuisance" What else can be
! ranked with 1t as such? Not only in
it's results morally and murderously
upon society, the home and the state
but as being the worst menace to pure
! ly business interests" Why should
some men think to regulate" "super-
wise" and restrain 1t, as they do not
attempt to do those lesser crimes of
which it is the parent-arson, burglary
ETC.? Why, indeed, put sanction of
church, law, city, state and nation
upon it by giving it license to do its
deadly deeds? Licensing "a school of
vice." Of destruction of life and all
that is best in life. The abating of
this evil as "a nuisance will appeal to
many who shrink from prohibition out
right, and be thus more quickly done.
| Our intelligent and earnest women
can also be active and already are so
on behalf of anti-tuberculosis, which is
so easily prevented by the generally
disregarded ventilation by night as
thoroughly as by day of our homes,
and of our public halls and churches,
where 1t is more vitally needed because
of the poisoned air from the mass of
lungs there gathered. They are also
aiding In dispelling the ignorant "dread
of draughts." which are not deadly"
nor indeed distressing except to those
who have weakened the skin and made
1t thus susceptible to what would 9TH
erwise be the most helpful and welcome
Of tonics.
These earnest women are also max.
ing active protest against the disfigur-
ing and needless billboards of the
streets of some of our residence Sec
tions. Another point of protest might
well be raised here-the special privilege
thus granted to those whose trade is
already large enough to bear this ex-
pense against those who need this
help but cannot afford this means
of getting it,
This same class of women is now al
work in endeavoring to prevent the
destruction of children--our future citi-
and other industries and of our women
in the sweat shops, canning, laundry and
other work. under most deadly con-
ditions, and are feeling for those" in
the bonds of our most unwise methods
of punishment" instead of the wiser
methods of prevention" One woman
of our city is leading the way of win
ming the worst army of boys to a bet
ter life by mother love, in real home,
and not a rigid and formal institution,
where 'dont's" and needless regnla
tions prevail and impel the young crea-
lures to strive to escape them. In
this boys home" on East Eighteenth
street, Mrs. l.. NJ Vance is the real
mother to her boys" who are from
those of the juvenile court. tutored in
crime by their jail experiences, and
the incorrigibes from Whittier. These
instinctively call her mother and
willingly yield to her appeals. Here
women with motherly hearts should
lend their aid, with service and with
funds, and also to Rev. Dana Bartlett,
In his heroic struggle to house, feed
and save the needy multitudes of his
district. where abound such throngs of
men. willing and eager to work.
A City Problem
Just now there is proposed in our
city a plan which should meet the in
stant protest of church, business men,
careful officials, and every humane
man and woman of our community
the plan of spending $4,000 for the
feeding of the fleet soon to reach us
men who have been feasting on their
long and mainly idle voyage days in
true Delmonico style, as the editor
of the Monrovia News argues in his
able protest. Is not this plan an amaz-
ing step, in the face of present condi-
tions, not only of our own suffering
people-a suffering which no private
effort can avail against-but of a treas
ury which is claimed to be insufficient
for our school buildings, teachers SAL
aries, and other vital needs.
Is not, then, the plea for "housekeep-
ers" in our civic affairs fully justified?
Women of years and careful experience,
who have learned to prevent waste, to
neglect no weaker members of their
families on behalf of others. the able
ana stronger; to settle difficulties in
the home by wise counsel and forbear-
ance and not by force, by blows and
threats; mothers who would not culti-
vate the military spirit by drill in our
schools. by sending the young of our
schools to the sight of battleships,
armed for the destruction of their
brothers" of foreign lands, but teach
them, by the late example of our Civil
war; that American citizens should be,
and have been, patriotic enough to rise
to the defense of native land, or prin-
cip!e, as volunteers, when the crisis
calls. And that love and justice are
the true conquerors of men and of ma
tions.