The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-20
Equal Suffrage News And
Other Feminine Interests
Mrs Hundley Talks of Her Visit to Pel City-Mss Adams
Complimented in Musical Journa-Socal Incidents of
Quiet season-Mss Mary Lou Cobbs Informal Tea
Society at Highland Lake-Personals
BY MYRTLE MILES

The argument upheld by Mrs. Oscar r.
Hundley Monday evening in Pell City was
successful Mrs. Hundley, 1t will be re-
membered, was asked to supply the place
of Mr. McLane Titon in a debate before
the Monday Evening club. The subject of
the debate was Resolved. that women
should be given the ballot First on the
affirmative was Mrs Hundley, who, like
the other speakers, consumed % minutes
in her initial argument. She was followed
by Mr. NJ NJ. Smith, an attorney Of
Pell City, on the negative. Mr.. Smith,
in turn was followed by Prof. W. o.
smith, principal of the Pell City high
school, who upheld the affirmative, and
the last speaker on the negative side was
Mr.. A. f. Ledyard, secretary of the Pell
city Manufacturing company. The judges
were Dr. e. c. Harris, Mr.. j. M Gar
rett and Mr. Lewis NJ. Spradley. The
debate closed with five minutes given to
Mrs Hundley for rebuttal.
When asked yesterday as to the meet
Ing in Pell city, Mrs. Hudley expressed
herself as gratified both with the attend
ance-about 200 people-and the courteous
attention and appreciation of the audi
ence. As to the points made by the mega
tive she said: "One of their chief points
was the fact that women cannot fight;
that in time of war they would be in
capable, hence they should not be given
the franchise. answered this with the
statement that neither can all men who
vote bear arms; that it is ridiculous 10
assume that inability to go to war would
also make one unable to cast vote.
said, too that an Alabama war hero OF
the first magnitude was Emma Samson,
and that no hero on the battlefield per-
formed more courageous service than the
woman who gave a son to her country,
nurtured him and then offered him upon
her eountrys altar of patriotism; VINO
then during his absence at the front,
made the crops that were to help the ma
ton live. | further stated that physical
disability for enduring the hardships nf
battle is not confined merely to women, al
statistics prove comparatively few men
fit for active service after 40 years OF
age At the beginning of the Civil war,
l told them out of 1000 lawyers, $50 were
unfit for military service. Out of 1000
physicians examined $50 were unfit. Out
of 1000 journalists 7i0 were unfit; out OF
1000 preachers, $50 were unfit. So that
could not be made point against Civ
ins woman the ballot"
that other stock argument against equal
suffrage?" Mrs. Hundley was asked
zone of the points was that women
would have to do jury duty" she replied,
land I said that not all men do jury
duty; lawyers are exempt and members
of some other professions as we'll. II
there were any reasons why women
should seek to avoid this duty (Which |
doubt she would be chosen in such cases
as that in which jury of women re-
Gently served in Illinois, where before
Jury of women a woman was tried;
and after being out 30 minutes rendered
their verdict.
MY opponents said that Alabama does
not need the vote" she continued, land
] said that for the sake of argument,
grant that ALBANIA does not need it.
Still she should try to obtain it because
of the 100000 women in industry who
do need it, She should obtain it for the
good that might be accomplished through
her voice in the legislature; for so long
as the women of Alabama withhold their
support from the cause of equal suf-
frage, so long will they make harder the
battle of life for that great army Of
brave soldiers-the women bread winners
of the country. But 1 then emphatically
stated that the women of Alabama 10
need the ballot; they. need it for ameliorat-
ing child labor conditions and school fa-
cilities"
Wasn't there some talk too, of wan
ing chivalry'?" / asked Mrs. Hundley,
and, of course, there was. There al
ways is when this big feminine move
ment is mentioned.
Il told them that a chivalry which
placed women on a PEDESTAL sounded
very well until one recalled that her
companions on this pedestal are children,
idiots, aliens and criminals; that | ques-
tion all chivalry which keeps women in
such company and win personally be
glad to be out of it,"
The Womans Journal and Suffrage
News of current issue notices the recent
correspondence between the president Of
the local suffrage association and Con-
gressman TIeflin thus:
Congressman Hefin of Alabama was
lately invited by the Birmingham Equal
Suffrage association to debate the ques-
ton with one of its members He replied
that he would not debate unless they
would get another Alabama congressman
TO discuss the subject with him. The
president. Mrs. Oscar r. Hundley, wrote
I'm answer: 1.-The Birmingham Equal Suf-
frage association is not partisan polit-
ical body. but is an organization which
holds as sacred the principle of human
right, and it was with view of having
this principle discussed upon its merits
alone. and not with the intention of put
ting one congressman against anotheri