New-York tribune., 1914-07-06
MILITANCY AND SEX
A Reader Says That There Are Mill.
tants in All Camps and Glasses.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: In Mrs. Alice y. Georges letter
OF July the old insinuation Of mill
fancy against su.fragists rears its
shamed head.
Now, we American women are not
afraid of that bogie word, nor of its
twin sister, "fcminism." Both mill
fancy and feminism are tempers-
mental and the outcome of conditions;
militancy. certainly, is not confined TO
sex. as any intelligent person knows.
As a speaker, indoors and out, !
wish TO bear my testimony that the
only "militancy" / have ever encoun-
tered from my hearers came from
"antis.' Well dressed and intelligent
looking men and women have more
than once expressed themselves in
loud, strident tones, using insulting
epithets and the infamous Wash
ington parade-a middle-aged gentle
man p spat upon me as proof OF his
disapprobation OF my behavior. Sure
ly, not even conservative "antl" could
place that man among the suffrage peo-
pie. He was neither drunk nor insane
he was simply anti!
In Brooklyn, where live. a young
anti-suffragist is SO belligerent AZ
times that her appearance at a meet
ing is the cause always of a defensive
attitude of mind among sutfragists.
But to come 10 Mrs. Georges finite
charge. She knows, and we all know,
that the women who visited President
Wilson the other day on perfectly le-
gitimate business were not militsnts
in any sense Of the word. The "hiss-
ing" is a mooted question. but there is
this TO say: Had that delegation been
men instead OF women and Mr.. Wilson
had given them sample Of his school
master manners the men would have
had a ballot later on with which 10
reply. 4 woman. deprived of the right
ful weapon with which 10 resent III
treatment, must express her opinion IN
some manner. That is thing men
and women accustomed 20 take what
ever men dole out to them are long
in learning. To be fair and honest
and for heavens sake let us all be
that. neither men nor women are
really antagonistic to militancy, pure
md simple-they are opposed to wom'
en- militants.
Why do the "antis" not say so and
have done with il? Or, 10 be exact.
why do they not say they are opposed
to sufragist militants, since they can
overlook their own?
think the time has come when hon-
est. sane people | include women
among people should state facts and
hold 10 them.
Men have been militant" always;
most of the freedom and wellbeing the
"antIs" and We enjoy were wrung from
oppression by "militants" the state 10
which Mrs. George hourishes was er'
tremcly militant a: one time, and me
afternoon tea which the lady and her
friends enjoy should remind her Of
this now and then.
In England to-day the women who
arc waging a war that proclaims IL bet
ter 10 sacrifice property in order 70
save life (instead OF vice versa were
"militantly" used by men long before
they determined on their present
course rather than TO sink back into
the degradation men were willing 70
have them endure.
II militancy Is wrong. Mrs. George
then let US assail Il sexless militsncy'
II milltarcy is ever justihablc. lc, w
be courageous enough, humanity juH
enough. TO place the credit, or dis
credit. where il belongs.
When the anti-sufrags,S come carr
didly out and say what they, as inte!l,
gent men and women mean. they VIII
find that their opinions are more -,
spected than they are now. aud VIII
have sineerer and more wholeScme
note. HARRIET 7. C0MSroCk.,
ai5 East 18th St. New York, July
1914.