The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-11

work and realized that you are grap- bling with conditions affecting the status of the working girl and of chil- dren with the same strength and the
 same earnestness that We have in the
 north. l know that l have come back among sympathetic friends, friends with a kinship of interest and a fel- lowship of the mind. You have the same feeling here that we have in my home section, and 1 feel that the social de- velopment of your community will keep apace with it's commercial develop ment."
 Mrs James Lees Laidlaw was the next speaker, and the warmth of her
 words of appreciation for the hospi
 tality which has been extended in Bir- mingham to the national officers was one might almost say, quite southern
 in its effusiveness She said, after re
 ferring to the veritable burst of sun shine, even to the wealth of the be-
 loved suffrage yellow, Never have seen more happiness, just plain human happiness, than I have found here among you. l can see now why you are rendering that splendid social ser
 vice which Miss Addams mentioned
 But if your children's hospital your day nursery and your other beautiful charities are close to your hearts; 1T you do desire better commonwealth. l if you really care for these things the one legitimate, logical, effective way to express yourselves, no matter what may be your chosen duty, is through the ballot. You are still academic until your bill is passed. Until that comes your efforts can but be theoretical. Try and see it that way"
 Mrs. Dennett Speaks A favorite among the speakers was Mrs. Mary Ware Dennett, who was greet ed with prolonged applause.
 "There are seven stages, said Mrs Dennett, through which people go be- fore becoming converts to the cause. First they say it is impossible; 1t never can happen, never will Second, they Say,
 even if we could get the vote it would spoil women, take them out of their prop CT sphere, wreck the home. Third they say, supposing it didn't hurt women it
 would do them no good.
 Then they say, Women wouldn't vote. IL would be no use to give them the
 ballot, they wouldn't use it. Fifth, they say they suppose it is coming-sometme sixth, they say, there aren't any real reasons why women shouldn't vote, but they just don't like the idea. Seventh,
 they say they were suffragists all the timei"
 Mrs Dennett says that the incest thing
 about equal suffrage, to her mind, is
 that it is developing a new kind of man.
 There used to be the chivalrous sort of
 man who said. "Well, if they want it.
 give it to them; they ask for it so prct-
 tily Women should have anything they
 want" In other words, according to
 Mrs Dennett these men took the indul-
 gent position of the person giving a cooky
 to a pretty baby who cries for 1t. Now,
 she says, their attitude has quite changed, and for this the mems league of sui
 fragists. as headed by MT. Ladlaw, is hot f11nt the matter is their concern; they recog
 nize an identity of interest and look upon
 the feminine ballot as something both men and women need and want.
 Mrs. Caroline Ruutz-Rees spoke of the juvenile league of suffragiSts, pointing out the excellence of the plan of teaching to the coming generation the need for the ballot Mrs. Stanley Mccormick, who followed her, gave a breezy and yet eN- ceedingly instructive talk. She spoke of the need for the ballot in ways not yet brought out We do not she said, 'eX-
 pect the ballot to make heaven on earth; we do expect it to give us the power to demand quick action.' and here she cited a number of instances in illus tration one the case of Aunt Mary" in California. and the difference between her use of the voting power and of her for mer indirect influence' giving eloquent proof Of her point. Mrs. McCormicks reference to the anti-suffragists argu- ments brought forth appreciative ap- plause She said: "One anti will say that woman cannot be made to go to the polls even if she has a vote. and another says. If you give her the vote she will give her whole time to politics, one says it
 will simply double the vote. for women will vote their susbands do; another says her vote will merely Xiii; some mans vote. One says she win be antagon;stic to mems political interests, and sex
 War will result; another says women