Imperial Valley press., 1913-10-16

FOR SALE-No. water stock. W.
NJ. TURNER, Box 16, Seeley. x1o5
which women earn enough to buy
motor cars, and that is the abomin-
able trade of ministering to the vici
Gus pleasures of rich men.
My part in the movement has cost
me a considerable portion of my. in
come, because l had to surrender
very important part of my income in
order to be free to do what / con-
sidered was my duty in this move
ment. 1t is hardly fitting for counsel
to bring suggestions of this kind into
so serious matter.
Now | want to address myself to
my defense. l pleaded not guilty be-
cause in the indictment l am described
as having "wickedly and maliciously
melted women to do certain acts"
am not a wicked nor a malicious per-
son, neither are any of the women
who responded, if they did yield to my
incitement.
1t is a very serious thing, my lord,
when a large number of people, re
spectacle people, ordinary people, peo-
pie Of upright lives, come to hold the
law in contempt, come to seriously
make up their minds that they are
justified in breaking the law. The
whole of good governments rests upon
acceptance Of the law, upon respect
Of the law, and l say to you seriously,
my lord and gentlemen of the jury,
that women of intelligence, women Of
training, women of upright life, have
for many years ceased to respect the
laws of this country.
In the witness box there stood yes
terday a little girl II years, intelli-
gent, the kind of child who would Ger
tainly to women aTfeal very closely
as needing protection against all
kinds Of difficulties; immature, not fit
to face life on her own account. Yet
by the laws of this country-and
find no man either in parliament or
out anxious to alter that law-that
little girl is marriageable, considered
old enough to be the mother of chill
dren, considered fit to accept respon-
sibility And to women that is a
wrong so intolerable, so dreadful, that
we feel ourselves justified in using
very strong measures indeed in order
to get power to alter that law.
may be sent, if you find me guilty,
to a very long term of penal servi-
tude. / believe the maximum punish
ment would be a sentence of IA years
penal serviture. That is the kind of
law that is framed to deal with per-
sons who are found guilty of injury to
property. Women are revolted when
they compare that law with the law
which makes the maximum punish
ment for certain injuries to the moral
and physical well-being of little girl
two years Imprisonment. We think
that there is no crime greater than
the corruption Of the physical life and
the moral life of little girl; and or
whole training as women has made
US feel like that. We have ben taught
that our moral integrity and our phys
ical integrity we must hold dearer
than all else in life, and yet we find
when men made laws to deal with of
fenses against children the maximum
DcIdiLy - wv sC0io iliiPI l9O4iIICiIN'
Then ! want to refer TO a law which
every mother in the country feels
ought to be altered. | am mother If
children myself. / have been fortn-
nate because my husband never in
voked the power Of the law against
me or attempted 10 interfere with me
in my relationship with my children,
but it is possible under the law made
by men for a mother to be deeply
wounded in her tenderest feelings to-
wards her children, because married
mothers by the law Of this country
are not constituted equal legal guar
dianG Of their children with their faith
ers.
Women for many years, my lord,
have been trying to get equal uower
of guardianship with the fathers over
the children, and we know that the
vote is needed 10 get that equal legal
power.
Then there is the law Of divorce.
The law Of divorce in this country
is the most scandalous in Europe. Its
inequalities are intolerable to women.
Talk about revolution and rebellion
Why, / tell you, gentlemen, that that
law in itself, once women are convinc-
ed that revolution Is necessary to alt