Norwich bulletin., 1913-04-11
SUFFRAGE TEA AT
 HOME OF MRS. AUSTIN Mrs. Carlos Stoddard Spoke at Bril- liant Social Gathering.

The suffrage tea given by Mrs. Will lis Austin of Washington street on Thursday afternoon for the benefit of the Norwich Equal Franchise league event. Mrs. Austin's spacious drawing room was taxed to it's full capacity with the large attendance-nearly one hundred guests. Among them were several of the workers who are con- ducting the suffrage campaign in the city
 Mrs. Austin cordially invited every one to enroll themselves on the suf- frage side. either by simply signing belief in it, committing them to no Ob ligation, or by joining the league. She then introduced Mrs. Carlos Stoddard of New Haven, who gave an eloquent and convincing address upon the suf- frage question.
 topic Mrs. Stoddard chose for her sub- ject She said that to lead a life of any value one ought to have some definite purpose in life. What, then, is a woman's place in the world? What is the work cut out for her to do? In order to be fully satisfied and at peace with herself, she wants to know what the right purpose and place for her is.
 What is Woman's Job?
 To find the fundamental purpose. of anything we find out what it can do. What has nature fitted women to do? Above all she has fitted them to be mothers. The children of the race are given her her job. She is the mak- CT of home life. Her task is to devel- op the child physically, mentally and morally. Also and in connection with this she is to do whatever her brain enable her to do.
 Not to Hide Her Talent.
 She is not to be like the man in the parable who had the one talent and hid it in napkin. Women are so afraid that they will lose their one talent-tl1eir feminity-that they do not properly use any talent they may have. But taking motherhood as her fundamental duty, suppose a mother sends a nurse to look out for her child at play in a park. The nurse comes police would not let it play ir the park and she did not follow it outside.
 Follow the Child.
 That is the position of many women today The child has gone from the home into tho world and the mother will not follow. A great economic change has taken place and laws con- troI the womans home life. In early times home meant the house.
 Scant Common Sense in Discussion.
 Less common sense is used in the discussion of this subject than of any other. How many who object to Vot ing know just what d vote is It is an expression of opinion on the fitness of another person to make and enforce our laws. Is 1t fundamentally wrong to have an opinion. or is there any woman incapable of having opinion or of expressing it? An opinion is an absolutely seXless question. Nor are all the bills before the lawmakers con- cerned with masculine activities. Many are women's bills. And whose opinion is worth more, husbands or wife's, on purely feminine matters? Which knows more about working hours for young girls or what to do with cadet ere atures? They are her daughters in the mass, and it is her duty to look out for them. Young boys are sent out into the world at 14 years, but adult women think it no place for them. Not if the salt has lost it's saVor or their wom- anhood is only veneer If they are true to the core, they gain by fighting battles with their children.
 Justice and Right.
 Aside from this there is the sense of justice and right. There is the devel- opment which comes from using the ballot.
 Objections Answered.
 It is a pesimistic view to want to keep the women at home in order to hide their evil ways. Send them out in the open to stop their lying and make them keep their word They can politics if they use the they do on every day business. They may not understand monetary dues- tions. Get advice on those. Many men do not know everything about politics. either. One argument given is that suffrage would break up the home. If it were true that difference of opinion does that.there would be no home in America today. Another is that it would increase the ignorant vote. Twice many women as men receive college deucationS. and there are twelve times as many American born as there are foreign born wom-r en.
 After Mrs. Stoddard's address after noon tea was served by the hostess. Mrs J. Eldred Brown and Mrs. Henry A. Tirreu presided at the tea table, and Miss Faith Leavens served ices. There was also a cake and candy table in charge of Miss Ada l.. Richards.