The Washington herald., 1913-03-01
BITTER ATTACK
ON SUFFRAGISTS
Mrs. John Martin, Of New
York, Speaker at Mass
Meeting Of "Antis.
THEATER IS CROWDED
Movement Is Distemper Of Moment,
and Is Sign Of Decay"
Says Speaker.

Decrying the equal suffrage move
ment as a dtstemper of the moment,
branding 1t a sure sign OF decay. a
cause prosecuted by restless. nerve
tormented women to create for them
selves a false independence, to repudi-
ate their natural functions and to jus
tify their exploitation by industry. Mrs.
John Martin wife Of the commissioner
of education of New York State. made
searching and scathing review Of the
votes for women" arguments in her ad-
dress at a mass meeting at the Belasco
Theater yesterday afternoon.
Mrs. Arthur NJ. Dodge. president or
the National Association Opposed to
Woman Suffrage. presided. Represen-
tatives from sixteen States. among
them the mother and sister OF the
noted suffragist "hiker." Gen" Rosalie
Jones, were among the audience. Mrs.
Elihu Root and Mrs. Wickersham. wife
of the Attorney General. also were
present.
Women are trying TO sell their
birthrights for a mess of politics. said
Mrs. Martin. The materialism of our
time has exploited woman's labor in
industry, has forced her out of her
home IN competition with men. which
is the greatest wrong that has ever
been perpetrated upon her. This has
created race of nervous, restless
women. who believe equal suffrage is
progress, who crave something, and
think IT Is the ballot.
The smirk OF independence of the un-
married. childless woman. unsexed by in
dustry, is an evil portent to the race.
The superior woman's chance OF marry
ing Is becoming less The man who hears
that the woman's life is an end in itself
begins TO think that his life is likewise
He takes his marriage VOWS lighter. for
they have lost their meaning. What
reason is there. he feels. to take care
of and shelter this new female creature
who is his equal? He feels that his
right to live an independent. individual
life is as good the woman's. and he
abandons her with a light heart which
will be lighter still when she is en-
franchised.
Some Of the Results.
"OnIy occasional women Of inflrm intel
lect will marry in the future. Divorce
will come easier. The hest types Of the
race will die out, as the individualistic
woman will find herself. as man will
concede best suited by lives of celibacy.
THE love Of women and children for
each other is being rendcd by these mod
ern women. The separation Of these two
primeval lovers is the most disastrous d.
vurce ever granted or applied for.
Parental responsibility is dying out.
Its place IS being taken by the state
The mother of little Willie wants to bal
lot that her boy may he brought up to he
n good man. Little Willie is not to he
taught to avoid becoming a drunkard or
a gambler by his mother in the nome
NJ. : he wants to get the ballot and re-
move these things from little Willic's $
reach He is not to he taught 10 walk
safely through streets lined with houses
Of i'll fame. but his mother Is to get a
vote and regulate these poor wretches
somehow. The woman individualist tn"
suffragists. accepts nurse-madc. street
made children in place OF the old home
made kind.
When society takes the women ln'o
hire. il buys more than her labor power.
Il huys the best of the unborn race So
ciety mortgages its future by paying high
Il riIs MnnlEl