University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1913-04-17
WE HAVE "MILITANTS," TOO
Girls Are Wearing Suffrage Buttons, But
They're Hidden Under Coat Lapels
Some Views Pro and Con.

They are wearing them already
the little yellow buttons with the
words Votes for Women" in black
letters. Under the lapel of the girls
coats is the place to look for them, for
even the "militants," as the active
nine of the University women's Equal
Suffrage Association are called, have
not put them on the outside yet. The
wearing of these buttons is final proof
the girls say, that University women
are not Indifferent to the cause of suf-
| frage.
II was through a charge of indiffer-
ence that this association was started.
Shortly before Christmas this year, a
discussion about the Indifference of the
women here to suffrage arose in a
University class. Two men in the
class as joke put up a sign the next
day inviting the girls to a meet at a
certain place to organize an equal
suffrage club. About thirty girls came
to this meeting. and finding no one
had called it, appointed a leader and
organized. Not until afterward did
they learn of the joke However, even
before this. a few girls interested in
suffrage had been soliciting names
for a club.
Not all girls who belong to the as
sociatiOn have decided in favor of suff-
rage. The object of the club is To
study the suffrage question and the
significance of the movement
Il do not belong to the club because !
am for suffrage" said one girl. II
Joined in order to understand it SO
could decide one way or the other.
The only reason should want the bal
lot would be because l was convinced
l could use it intelligently to bring
about some legislation that men sim
ply will not pay any attention to. I'm
interested because it is a problem be-
fore women of today"
Many Are Interested.
Although only about thirty girls in
school belong to the association, there
are many others who are interested in
suffrage. Estimates from a large num-
ber of boarding houses indicate that
more than one-third of the girls in
school are in favor of suffrage. Some
what less than One-third are opposed
to it, and the others are Indifferent
or undecided. Little active spirit is
shown on either side, although argu-
ments at the dinner tables sometimes
become exciting. Several girls who ,
are engaged have declared themselves ,
secretly in favor of woman suffrage 6
but say they cannot come out openly ,
,n account of their sweethearts' oppo- 6
'ition.
why do l want the vote?" said ,
member of the association in reply to ,
IN anti-suffragist's question. What a 6
question! l want it for the same rea- ,
ION man wants it. He would think ,
'uch a question absurd"
Il want the vote because it will af- -,
ect my home" said the girl who was r
aking home economics. They used
o tell us wOman's sphere was in the {;
lone. but they forgot that the home /,
'xtends to all the world. that it touch
IS everything that concerns a woman's .
hildren.'
Il don't believe suffrage will cure q
III evils" said another. but 1 don't .
hink woman can rear her children y
ntelligently without some control ;
ver the conditions menacing her
ome. Men attack these problems
rom commercial standpoint, while |