The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1913-04-10
VOICE OF
-mA THE -
p e O PL e
FROM A SUFFRAGE STANDPOINT.

East Chicago. Ind. April g.
To Editor TINES
The definition of "a live issue" 1 take
to be "A movement generally a re-
form movement) which because of the
demand of papers constituency is
{given constant and prominent attention
In its columns" Corollary: Votes for
Women is "a live issue" in our section.
And "A Mother who has evidently
given little thought beyond her own
desires is thanking President Wilson
with tears in her eyes for refusing off
| he has done SOD to assist the six million
working women in the United States
to better condition. There are many
thousands of mothers who are compell-
ed to enter the Industrial world in order
| to maintain observation-disclosures, wom-
en- whose husbands have fallen down
on their job and deserted the family.
women whose husbands are habitual
drunkards or who for other reasons
refuse to support wife and children.
These women are our sisters, whether
we Will no; and are we to leave them
to struggle under man made laws?
| Enactments affecting the welfare of
women and children have received
little or no attention from our legisla-
tors heretofore. In one respect alone.
allow me to quote:
I THE enfranchisement of women has
resulted in every case in a lowering of
the rate of infant mortality. The inn
provement in this respect has been far
greater in countries where women vote.
as for example, Australia, where the rate
! has been lowered from III per 1000 to
lT7 per 1000. than in the states and
countries where women have strenu-
lously exerted indirect influence in ia
vor of the babies. In every one of the
suffrage states laws have been passed
for the protection of infant life and
for the better care of the children
Which takes the more time. the more
strength. the more of life itself-tc
tend the sicl<ly infant and see it slowly
wasting away. or once a year to put q
bit of paper in ballot box on the wa,
to market and therefore 70 vote for anc
secure pure food and clean water fol-
. the healthy and happy Children
Miss Porritt. from whom l quote. ha:
made particular study of this phas
of the suffrage question.
He laughs best who laughs last
Congress, and not the President
should be the prime mover in bringin:
forth a federal constitutional amend
ment for woman suffrage; and the new
5 Suffrage committee in congress is Sena
. tor Thomas. a former governor of Colo
, RADIO, whom l have the honor of know
ing personally, who has on many oc
: casions come from Colorado to New
York to speak in favor of woman. suff
lrage. The committee of which Senate
Thomas is chairman has been increase
TO include nine members. and IL is ex
g pected that before another year he
V passed Notwithstanding the tears o
anti suffragists. who are in most case
egoists, a federal amendment provid
ling for the vote of all citizens of tn
United States of 81 years and over, 70
! president and vice president. will b
: recommended to Congress. Women ar
Icitizens; we claim to have democrati
government: should any class of citi
zens in a democracy be prohibited fror
:, voting?
KATHARINE SANTI,
D President Equal Franchise League.