Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-04-13

Meanwhile it is fortunate that the problem is
at least faced and discussed. Men no longer turn
away their faces pretend ignorance when the
most frightful crime against wOmanhOOd is
mentioned
Fortunately, as in all other things, we can see
progress bad as things are now.
We do not live at least as they did in Greece,
when woman Of evil life was hOnOred, when
she was made openly the companion of the most
intelligent men, and when the mothers were
looked upon with contempt, as mere animals.
We have escaped from the glOrifcatiOn OF
vice" and we have moved it at least from the
highest public places to the gutter the dive, the
hidden, secret place.
No man blasts any longer of his immortality.
No country is openly governed by an evil
woman. ruling weak monarch.
Conditions are better than they have been.
The picture on this page shows Frenchman's
idea of the fight against vice, represented by the
woman sitting upon the lions back. In vain
religion and law attack that stone foundation.
Or, if they overthrow it, it will be set up again
elsewhere.
Fortunately. we know that whoever says that
anything good is impossible says what is not
true.
better day IS coming. Horrible treatment
of women by vicious men WILL end. If we
cannot to-day or tomorrow, or within this or
the next century. make all men what they should
be and give to all women the opportunity that
they should have, we can at least, by facing con-
ditous and attacking that which is evil, do our
share to make the world and the men in it
better
First and most important of ALL since every
thing in this world that men do is a question of
government. WOMEN SHOULD HAVE THEIR
SHARE AND THEIR RIGHTS IN THE WORK
OF GOVERNMENT.
Who but women can understand the problem
of the brutality of men?
What a horrible farce it is to say that women
should be protected, to plan for organized battle
against the worst enemies of women, and to al
low WOMEN no voice in the making of laws!
Woman represents the moral side, THE
GOOD SIDE, of the human race. And it is no
wonder that men, with their laws and their GUS
toms and their vices, are as bad as they are.
since thew have forbidden the better half of
the human race to share in the governing of
the race.
To give women their share in Government
first the vote then a share in public duties, and
the greatest influence on public men, will be
the first great step in world wide crusade
against vice.
Second, poverty must be diminished. Not the
poverty that holds out its hand and begs for
bread. but the poverty that is able to live I'M
married. and feels unable to live married.
The man who fights against vice or breaches
against vice, and who does not fight or preach
AGAINST small wages, small salaries, and high
cost of living is a fool or a hypOcrite, or a COM
bination of the two.
Enable men to marry young, and women to
marry young. and encourage them to marry.
Make il unnecessary for women to work for
starvation wages, BY PAYING EACH YOUNG
MAN ENOUGH TO SUPPORT A WIFE. Then
YOU will do great deal to eliminate vice-mOre
than you can do by many Investigations and
resolutions and sermons.
But above and beyond all, men must be
EDUCATED and that is a slow process.
The mothers must educate the sons, and to
educate their sons the mothers themselves must
have education and the responsibility that will
come with real citizenship.
II is a long fight of centuries, against vice
that stretches behind US, and a long fight
stretches ahead of us.
But at least we can punish the man, instead
of merely furnishing the woman as we have
done hitherto.
We can realize that woman is ALWAYS THE
VICTIM. and find and punish the criminal
And we can feel and show sympathy for the
miserable creature who was stoned by the mob
and forgiven by the Divine soul who said to her
GO and sin more.
He knew what the lawmakers of to-day should
know: he knew what every woman knows, that
the sin was not with that miserable woman,
whom the men would have stoned to death,
but with the men themselves.