The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1914-10-30
SUFFRAGE IS
GREAT SUCCESS
IN NORWAY:
WOMEN TAKE ACTIVE PART IN
THAT PROGRESSIVE
COUNTRY.
Suffrage Is Bound Up
With Country's History
NORWEGIAN STATESMEN ARE A
UNIT IN PRAIsINe EFFECTIVE.
NESS OF SUFFRAGE.

Do you know why they smile when
they are told that suffrage means "the
destruction of the home," the putting
of women in government and all of the
rest Of the stock arguments that have
been used against suffrage for years?
There is one reason for it all, and
that ia, in their own progressive coun.
try of Norway, women have voted for
years, they have used the vote, it is a
success, and the statesmen of Norway
over their own signatures praise the
day when women were given the right
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 one and demanded that they
have a government Of their own But
the peace-loving people decided to 90
without q war and a union was made
with Sweden, with one king but sepa.
rate constitutions. Then In 1905 the
people thought they wanted q king of
their own and the government by Swe-
den was dissolved. But Sweden said:
"This 10 the work of a few, the people
do not want to change" Thus, in or
der to show to Sweden that che people
of Norway all wanted q 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
d{I Tho 9th o,.~h $hnv l1nnuy thAv
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 Is. do the,men az sthe
election returns show. The first result
of the vote is that women have taken
up their home duties with greater re-
spect and responsibility. They have
stopped the death of sc many babes as
a result of their vote. In Norway, .
working mother is aided by the govern.
ment until she can leave her baby and
go into the factory again. They have
established schools for the training of
the future housekeeper, kitchen
schools they are 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 on 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 ONE 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 we?" 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 agitattAg, 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-
bands come home early and we all do
things together In the evening. Men
and women In Norway are much more
companionable, 1t seems, than In the
United States Sometimes l long for
the excitement and stimulus Of Amer
lea, but we certainly accomplish Q
In Norway"
The following are the opinions Of
some Of the most prominent men of
Norway on the question Of woman suf-
ttrage:
January 18th, 1s13.-From the very
beginning. the women used their vote
In very considerable number and there
are already two directions In which its
influence can be traced. The franchise
has, done much to widen woman's:h ori.
ton and has further. by the very fact
Of it's existence. had q good effect up
on the attitude Of our parliament on
several occasions. q. Hagerup Bull
fudge Of the supreme court, member
Of parliament and chairman Of the
Conservative party insthe storthing).".
Slemdal. January A4th, 1913.-I am
convinced that woman's suffrage in
Norway has already had q good influ.
ence on the municipal and political de-
velopment Of our community. and / am
assured that the suffrage will help TO
bring about better social conditions
and better laws for our country. Chr.
n. Knudsen (member of parliament
and leader Of the Labor party in the
Itorthing)."