The Washington herald., 1912-04-21
LOYEAND MARRIAGE
WILL STAND TEST
It Takes More Than Suffrage to
Alienate Sexes.
d FRANCEs sHAFFER.


In this question Of woman suffrage,
which is gradually reaching point
where we must take issue, one way or
the other. it seems one Of the ldlest
things to interject talk Of love and mar
riags, and to intimate that the quality
of wifehood and motherhood, woman
hood itself, will grow tarnished, as the
question grows apace.
The love between man ana woman In
the great primal lure of humanity, q
lure Of higher origin and longer growth
than that leading toward any man-made.
desperately sought principle of the uni
verse. And men have fought long and
bitterly for religious and political inde-
pendence, for the right Of self-govern-
ment. and all other human rights.
But the instinct and the right to love
and marry are God-implanted. Since the
beginning Of time, the two halves Of hu-
msnity, men and women, have linked
their lives and their fates together, in
the name OF love, before which every
other consideration fades away.
And so long as the world stands. so
long men will reach the heights Of love
and so long women win go with them to
the very pinnacle. They will marry,
make homes, where, all being well, hap
plness will reign without jar caused by
the question Of their walking together in
ali the ways Of life. .a.
A Force of Nature.
Races may clash, classes may divide,
and man may be pitted against man; but
all the while there will be nothing vital
pulling at the attraction Of man for wom-
an and woman for man. The force came
by way OF nature, and nature does not
lightly yield her own. even in the face
OF what We are pleased to call woman's
struggle for representation.
And for all time, whether woman suf-
frage as a universal institution, comes
or goes, wifehood and motherhood will
remain the true woman's ideal of the
life most worth while. But with that
statement, the last word has not been
said until one has added that the true
woman must be left cutie free to work
out her own ideal Of wifehood and moth
eThood.
Possibly it may not impress all alike,
but to some Of US it seems that talk
Of love, marriage, and the home ought
to be left out of an issue involving
human rights and duties.
For time, which has a way Of proving
all things, has brought out exquisite
types of womanhood, wifehood, mother
hood; women who have pledged their
love and given their hearts to husbands
and have made motherhood almost a
sacrament, yet have earnestly believed
that the world would quicker and better
come into its own, from every stand
point, if it was the united viewpoint Of
men and women that controlled and
brought about our ways OF living our
government, and all. If one cares to
look back TO the pioneers in the move
ment there are sweet-faced. pure-mind-
ed, and great-hearted women by the
scores who pleaded and prayed for
woman suffrage. meanwhile making
hnfwa karaw
uge, and their children an ornament to
the world.
Homes Remain True.
And If one would look at living types
the suffrage ranks are full of them.
in practically every corner Of the world.
For love, marriage, and homes that are
worthy the name remain true under
tests that count, and it takes more than
suffrage to send men and women adrift
in different boats.
They say-some folk do-that women
2 have work a-plenty in the home; that
II they conscientiousIy and faithfully
fulfill every obligation Of wifehood and
motherhood they have well met and per
formed their quota of work and that
the attempt to reach out for new obli-
cations and duties, possibly new rights,
viii, if successful, wrest from men their
.rightful share in the apportIonment OF
things.
But it must be remembered that II /
needs mans help in the homeSto bring
It up to its Gest possibilities II the
wife and mother must 20 on in her
home work without the father-infuence.
the father-presence, and the father-Iove.
the home has lost vital link, and uIn-
less he was worthless in the beginning.
his influence and his love Of no avail.
the home is not the same.
For in family made up of man. worn-
an and a group of boys and girls. father |
love and father-care are needed along
with mother-love and mother-care.
should Have Hand in Politics. !
And in the great world outside?
If We can honestly say that man has
made the best of his chance at govern
ment and has given us the purest.
sweetest kind of environment IN which
to- live, the best working conditions.
then women may justly say II is well to
remain in the home, men and women
together. leaving the outside world as |
it is.
But if we think there are problems
yet unanswered, If we believe there are
seme things that need woman's view
point, and If we think the world setting /
would be benefited for all If men and
women worked together there, as in the
home
Then it is time to try a union of
forces, combined viewpoints, united Ia
bors. For 1t is men and women together
who make up our world.
They love, marry and make homes to-
gether; why not love, marry and make
the world together?
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