The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-30
MISS GORDON TALKS
 ON SUFFRAGISM
Large Crowd of Men and
 WOmen Present
PROTECTION OF CHILD
Declares Women Want Vote in Order to Get Proper Guardianship Over Her Children-Mrs.
 Murdoch Speaks

MuT0oCH DptdhS
 Miss Jean Gordon, ex-president of the New Era Political Equality league of New Orleans spoke to a representative audi ence of Birmingham men and women that comfortably filled the main auditorium of the Advent parish house last night The address, "The Needs for Equa Suffrage; Basic Reasons" was given un- der the auspices of the Birmingham Equal Suffrage association as the occasion of their first evening meeting and the attendance was gratifying to the off clals and members of the local organiza- ton.
 A coterie of girls and young matrons acted as ushers, introducing a feature of the northern and eastern meetings, and the "votes for women' buttSns were much in evidence, both among the fem mine and masculine portions of the gath ering. A color note was effected with vases of spring blossoms and the pro- gramme consisting of only two speakers, Mrs. w. L. Murdoch and Miss Gordon, was sufficiently long to be instructive and interesting, but brief enough to per init of an early dismissal.
 Mrs. Solon Jacobs, the president Of the Birmingham Equal Suffrage association, presided over the assembly and presented Miss Gordon, who is now factory inspec- tor of the state of Louisiana, and en route to her home from a session of the national child labor committee, held at Louisville, Ky, last week.
 Miss Gordon said in part as follows Tn New Orleans there are more women taxpayers on property holdings than men, and yet the men control the ballots. Thus we see that the argument that taxation should have representation is not ap- piled in nor-suffrage states and the very principle of the foundation of America is repudiated. In due order women should be held legally responsible for their msdemeanors in violation of law and be punished sn accordance with the crime committed. It Is not just that woman should be treated leniently in court trials any more than it is right that she should be deprived of the right to make the laws whereby she is to be punished and governed.
 Need of Suffrage
 "One of the greatest needs for the equal ballot, in my opinion, is because the work that woman is mostly interested in cannot be brought 10 pass without the ballot. Another need is the passage of better child labor faws which could be easier done with the women having a share in the legal bower of the state. For instance, in Alabama the office or factory inspector should be established and filled as the first step towards the enforcement of your statutes regulating child labor, There is no bill in Louisiana to protect the lives of children, but the oysters and shrimps have law Tor their safeguarding until they have reached the age of maturity.
 s"The vote carried by women, should they be enfranchlsed, would be one of the most powerful factors In the fight against liquor and gambling houses I believe in fighting those forces that fight us and for this req son the saloon man and saloon owner would meet with disaster should the mothers have the right to vote as they would cause bills to be passed putting such people under strict regulation oi out of business. A Louisiana legisla- tor, whom we regarded as being Ia NOTdDle to our GduScb toio llie Nii"N 'i U ism himself and as he was saloon owner he declined to vote for us 1T certain election.
 "A need of importance in the mind of every mother who is striving fol political equality is the passage oi statutes that will give her equa guardianship over her children wltl her husband. The United States has only 13 states that have these laws and six of those are the equal suf- frage states which went on record soor after enfranchising their women a' making the mother co-partner in the legal disposition of her children. The value of the mothers love was dem onstrated during the Colorado election when Judge Lindsey of the juvenile court was placed upon both tickets because the women said they would not vote unless his name was put there They did not care whether he was republican. democgat, socialist ol populist for they realized that he haC done more than any other man to rais' the standard of juvenile court to it. highest plane, so they wanted him tt stay in office and keep on doing hi service for the people.
 Mans Argument
 "The men tell us that any one wh' votes should be willing to serve il the war Well, you can just tell then that the men in the navy and arm. don't vote and those who do vote home wouldn't go to war so the mei who do the fighting don't control pol itics ard the men who go in for bal loting wouldn't, as a rule, go to war Another thing that l think women votes would stop Is this reckless, eX travagant expenditure of the nationa resources on preparations for war Two thirds of the national budget is eX pended for battleships that will sooi be cast aside or in keeping up nav. and army that never has anything t do while there is only one-third [, spend on our judiciary, educational an' other lines supported by the govern ment.
 "The men say that if we get vote we will spend the remainder of ou lives in casting little ballots in pollin.