The Washington herald., 1914-07-26

TO BETTER DAYS
Young Woman, Just Out Of
College, Tells Why She
Aids the Cause"
BALLOT ONLY SOLUTION
Miss Hanzsche Says 1t Is Most Ef-
feetive Way to Tackle Modern
Problems.
Ry MISS f. b. HANzsoHE,

|
One OF he leaders in the Congressional
Union remarked to me the other nigh;
that we are getting suffrage workers at a
younger age every year. As ! thought
| over the recruits who have allied them
selves with the work Of the union very
recently. her statement was truly borne
out by the facts in the case. Why is IL
that young women who have just grad
uated from college decide to ally them
selves for time in this political aspect
| Of social work?
They do it because. having been edu-
Gated. their perspective broadened, their
interest aroused by causes in economics
and a study OF present-day problems,
they feel the responsibility Of living UP
to the fullest opportunities for service
their age can ofier. But there are two
questions which might arise here-hrst.
why not take up them some one Of the
popular forms Of social service, such
as settlement work. and II for a reason
suffrage is preferred. why not work for
its advancement in your own State
rather than nationally. l am asked do
you. a Southerner. believe IN the Bris-
tow-Monden amendment
why She Chose IL.
have chosen the suffrage work
rather than any other to begin my
post-college experience because I be-
lieve in efficiency. irst and always. and
the ballot appears to me TO be the most
effective way Of dealing with modern
problems. No man would care TO eX-
change his direct influence for the in
direct influence OF a woman. would he?
And the working man says. is any one
better protected than he who can pro-
teCt himself? So because there must be
laws to stiffen sentiment and make
possible the expression OF good pur-
poses. l believe that the women of my
country can more quickly and more
permanently carry out their work for
the betterment Of working conditions.
for the relief of children employed in
canneries and mills when they can vote.
have been through shacks where can
merry workers have been housed, and
the memory OF the experience is hard
TO efface.
l do not believe in demanding the
vote for the ability to use the ballot
well in itself makes its own demand.
which society must recognize. II is a
waste for the United States to leave
unutilized the forces OF one-half OF its
normal electorate on any other grounds
than incompetency. The work OF our
women in the Red Cross. in the nu-
nicipality. and the home. proves to my
satisfaction their ability as citizens.
More Effective and Quicker.
But why do believe in the Federal
amendment? For the same reason.
10 is more effective and quicker. It
places the question squarely before the
legislatures. A Federal amendment
means that the next legislature must
vote upon il. To ratify It only a ma
jority vote need be secured. whereas an
to a State constitution must |
have in some States a two-thirds ma
jority and in others three-fourths, and |
in both a referendum to the people This |
situation. TO woman who has seen even |
two struggles with legislature to get It |
to pass an amendment to the State con-
stituion which must then go 10 the people |
for decision, is a -forcible, practical argu- !
ment.
And. finally. the objections to 1t seem
easily surmountable when one thinks |
them through. There probably are a few |
who honestly believe |
States rights is a valid excuse for their
opposition to the Bristow-Mondell amend |
ment With most feel it to be a subter- !
fuge. They believe that they will be en- |
barrassed by having to go on record on |
the question OF woman suffrage. II they |
vote against it they turn the women in |
their district against them: II they vote 1
IN favor of 1t, they will be voting against |
the policy Of their President and against |
OL many
II you doubt this observation, Just in
.erview a half dozen Congressman.
Why should the question as to whether
L is expedient that women vote be affect
ID by State boundaries? Truth on the
northern side OF the Maryland-PennsyI-
rania side of the State line must be truth
IN the southern side, must 1t not?
Why state Lines
The present Congress and the President
did not consider State lines when they
decided to frame up a banking and cur
rency bill and decided to divide up the
into great business districts. Or
should the trusts, which are creatures Of
the States and Incorporated by them and
owing their existence to the sovereignty
Of the States, be left exclusively to the
States for their regulation and eontrolfl