The Washington herald., 1914-12-06
Ants Champions of WET" Ticket
IDA Hustled HARPER MRS: DoDGE's CHARGE
Peace From Women Is Due President

heads to liquor dealers long statehhs"'
beginning:
Owing to the Endorsement by various
political parties and other strong organ
izations, woman suffrage carried in this
State on November 3, and we now nnd
the trade in a dangerous position. IL
points out that their most bitter hght
IL ahead and that the suffrage organiza-
ton will begin with county option.
THE legislature will meet in January,
II says, and they have a number OF oills
to introduce, the most dangerous OF
which is one to prevent the sale OF liquor
containing more than or 10 per cent OF
alcohol. Big business interests being
large employers of labor and behind this
bill. basing their attitude solely on the
industrial benefits to be derived by elm
inati ng whisky and allowing the use OF
only beer and light wines" What are
Industrial benefits compared to the prof
its OF the whisky trade? But the bill
can be defeated" the letter says. If
you will send SO to show that you are
with US in our fight for existence"
Employers Behind Suffrage.
Montana suffragists seem to have their
work cut out for them. The most en-
couraging feature OF their campaign was
the assistance il received from large en-
ployers OF labor. who in other States have
used their influence against amendments
for woman suffrage. 1t IL a pity they
could not have taken this favorable stand
in Nebraska. where, according TO testi-
mony. the liquor interests. the vice in
terests. and the corporations were lined
up IN opposition
Because Of the growing numbers OF idle
men since the outbreak OF the war, and
the necessity for keeping London in
state of semi-darkness at night. Parlia-
ment found 1t necessary to close the pub
lie houses or saloons at 10 o'clock. There
has been. Notwithstanding this regula-
tion. a terrible increase OF drunkenness
among women. partly from being thrown
out OF employment and partly from grief
and misery because the men Of the family
have gone to war The authorities
evolved the remarkable scheme Of not al
lowing any women TO be served with
drinks before II 30 o'clock in the morn
ing, possibly through a process Of reas-
oning that they might at least wash their
children and their breakfast dishes-if
they had any breakfast-before becom-
ing intoxicated.
Nobody will presume TO analyze the
working OF Englishmen's brains in their
attitude toward women. A large delega-
tion led by the Duchess Of Marlborough.
and including the heads OF nearly all the
national associations Of women. called on
the home secretary and urged that the
government not subject women to any
greater restrictions than men. hut would
close the public houses to both until noon.
Press Criticism Unjust.
Probably all OF these women were ad-
voCates of suffrage. but Il happened that
no suffrage organization was officially
represented Nevertheless the American
newspapers are crediting the sufrragists
with the entire movement. as is the cus-
tom nowadays. and critiCisinE them be-
cause they want the saloons open to
women!
There was a similar situation in Colo
RADIO not long ago From the point Of
abstract justice there should not be one
law for women and another for men.
even in regard tot he saloon. but suffra-
Cists can afford to waive the disCrimina-
ton and welcome even an unjust law
which will protect women from it, evil
influence il the authorities do not wish
to extend this protection also to their
own sex.
The lieutenant governor Of Illinois has
issued a call to Gr0 deleEa -es from suf-
fraGe. civic and social organizations OF
women to meet in Chicago under official
sanction OF the State to formulate laws
to be embodied in the report of its well
fare commission. Odd. isn't II. that such
action was not taken while Illinois woni-
en- were governing legislation through
their powerful indirect influence?