The Dickinson press., 1914-10-10

udy WHICH, WOAuo0 W0E0 given Lu0 ClSut
to help the men in government as they
help them in the daily affairs of life.
1t was in 1914 when Denmark was
obliged to cede the kingdom of Norway
to Sweden. But the people of Norway
rose as n and demanded that they
have a government Of their own. But
the peace-loving people decided to ga
without a war and a union was made
with Sweden, with one king but sepa.
rate constitutions. Then in 1905 the
people thought they wanted a king Of
their W and the government by Swe.
den was dissolved. But Sweden said:
"This is the work of a few, the people
do not want to change" Thus, in or
der to show to Sweden that the people
of Norway all wanted a separate gov
eminent the men called an election
and they went to the polls while the
church bells were ringing and voted
for the freedom of Norway. At that
moment the women rose to the great
occasion and. they too held an election
of their own and voted for freedom as
did the men although they knew they
risked a war. This act so inspired the
men of Norway that they said, why
not let the women vote at all cleo
tions," and SO the first act of free
Norway was to honor the women.
And they use the vote In almost the
same proportion as do the men as the
election returns show. The first result
of the vote is that women have taken
up their home duties with greater res
spect and responsibility. They have
stopped the death of so many babes as
q result of their vote. In Norway, a
working mother is aided by the govern
ment until she a. leave her baby and
go into the factory again. They have
established schools for the training of
the future housekeeper, kitchen
schools they r called, and they are
supported by the state. The marriage
laws are just and the people are hap
py. Bjornstjerne Bjornson, the great
writer of Norway, is enthusiastic over
what woman has done in his country,
and Fru Ella Anker has written a little
book of the progress of her country.
One of the fine things she says is:
1.-THE right to vote is based on the need
for it. Government in this way does
not only rest on the consent Of the
governed but OF the cooperation of the
governed"
An American woman. who married a
Norwegian. came home to visit recent
ly. After living in Christiania a couple
of years she was much struck by the
fact that American women and men
had. their good times separately. Her
friends were impressed by the amount
of leisure she said that she had for
study, and were amazed when she said
she did a great deal of fine sewing and
embroidery. "How is it," they asked.
"that although the women vote in Nor
way you seem much more domestic
than WEI" The former American an.
swered, well, you see, we don't have
to spend our day-times in club meet
ings. suffrage work. and all kinds Of
social uplift. When we want anything
done, we have the power to do it d.
rectly through our government. That
is much quicker than agitating, and
we get results too. Then we don't
have to take our social pleasures in
the day time. We seldom hear of a
woman's lunch or tea. And afternoon
card parties are unknown. Our hus.
OdAN6 VO0AO AOA4O Gully 014u We OIL w
things together in the evening. Men
and women in Norway are much more
companionable, it seems, than in the
United States Sometimes I long for
the excitement and stimulus of Amer
lea, but we certainly accomplish more
In Norway"
The following are. the opinions of
some of the most prominent men of
Norway on the question Of woman SUI
frage:
January 18th, 1913.-From the very
beginning. the women used their vote
In very considerable number and there
are already two directions in which it's
influence can be traced. The franchise
has done much to widen woman's hori.
zon and has further. by the very fact
Of it's existence, had a good effect up
on the attitude OF our parliament on
several occasions. G. Hagerup Bull
(judge Of the supreme court, member
of parliament and lairman of the
Conservative party IN the storthing)."
Slemdal, January 14th, 1877 am
that woman's suffrage in
Norway has already had a good infu-
ence on the municipal and political de-
velopment of community, and I am
assured that the suffrage will help to
bring about better social conditions
and better laws for our country. Chr.
II. Knudsen (member Of parliament
and leader of the Labor party In the
Bt0rthing)."