The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-12-08
Voice of the People
Give the Women q Chance.

To the Editor of The Times Dispatch.
Sir.-In responding TO the oppor-
tunity offered the Richmond women 10
express their views as TO the rate OF
Claude Allen. one could but be struck
with the large number who put con
vention aside and came with one &C
cord TO plead for mercy in dealing
with this young man Not ma ny
women stop TO wonder what people VII.
say when il comes to matter of lie
or death. Why must they walt for
such extremes before realizing their
responsibilities
Where this one life uly be sacri-
need on account of our environment.
thousands of our women are Literally
dying every year Are women to SIT
idlv in a home and say. they have
nothing 10 do with things Outside "i
that nome? When nearly two hundred
kris persisted in a fire trap IN New
York. and the Mayor was appealed
to about similar conditions eis@W mere
ne said he did not have time 70 bother
with such things. Six hundred tLou-
sand people die every year In the
United states of preventaDle diseases
= large per cent of this numbe. g
made up of babies under one year or
age. Thousands suffer and die from
drugs sold under the law.
Thousands more OF our best young
men are kept in readiness 10 oe sho;
II case of some foolish war II Is nor
hard TO get d woman TO plead ioF
auather woman's son The mothers
know wha; IL cost TO give those boy
lite and 10 bring them into the woTio-
\ mothers heart needs must acne Tor
this woman OF sorrow who mas
probably done her best under existing
circumstances
II seems unfair to Kill the BOYS
without even giving their mothers q
CHARGE to make the world better Tor
them to live in. II women are necde"
in times of death and distress, misht
they not tighten the road all alons me
way!
Fifty years ago there was not a
woman's club in existence. To-Day
Their. are more than S.0") OF
them. with the result that. in SPITE
OF the cry against them. they have
done such splendid work that X :
now used as an argument aga INST
giving women the ballot. because. lCr-
eooth. she is smart enough TO do an
she chooses without further help- y"
one can deny the help 10 humanity
Of the 5000 women physicians 3,vvv
LAWYERS and 5000 preachers, none OF
which we had sixty years ago. MUST
the old longer continue to be into'cr =
ant OF the new here In virginia. or ~
she going to 20 down in history
as among the first few states
who gave her women the oppo--
tuuitv 10 assume their share OF re-
sponsibility In protecting her nom
and children as against weeping over
the wrecks when 1t is too late? 1t i
undcnlabie that those who thrive on
vice and corruption are the most &c
lively opposed 10 a womans voioe N
government
Good men cannot afiord 70 scol y
the helo OF their mothers until thel
40. in some dark pit of life. and mus'
have the sympathy they kno" "heTe
TO get. . =.
virginia needs the help OF women N
making laws. all OF which are prim-
arlv designed 20 protect the nome
The- are asking for chance Tor con
strucfive service.
FOR tho sake OF this nome J. .
s.,be- with a multitude Of others. ask
,hat this boys lifc be spared ana
,bat women be given the power -
bxia conditions other than ~ srp,ei-
Ing 20 "hy.tericsl sentiment
LUCY c. FLANAGAN.
Richmond. Va