The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-08-23

from them have We heard complaints
that they were not consulted When
laws are dlsobeyed in a complex civiliza-
ton. the mass of mankind must suffer.
And yet a few weeks ago, the president
of the National American Woman Suf-
frage Association told US in a suffragist
newspaper magazine section special.
North American, June II 1919. that To
day II is wrong for one human being to
be obeyed by another. 1t lis an absolute
sin"
Women would vote against war-of
course. Here's an instance. A woman
was enthusiastic enough &c hike" TO
Washington some time ago in order TO
let her vote against the invasion Of Tur-
key. However, her tsa-year-old son pa
rades the streets of a small town with
22-calibre rife, and shoots helpless birds
in the hedges at the peril OF passing pc
destriansi 1t Is cruel. is it not, that this
noble woman is deprived OF the ballot
that might enable her to keep the KRis-
er's legions out Of Belgium, when she
manifests no ability TO stifle the war
spirit in her own son? Her individual
ist'' little boy, who knows as much about
handling firearms rs 4 bird does about
bayonet exercise, goes forth with a rife
shooting soft-nosed bullets forbidden in
civilized warfare. carelessly loaded and
half-cocked, with its muzzle menacing
he may have the fOretaste of war. and
the Joy OF killing.
Can't BE Made to Wait.
Oh, no, he cannot be made TO wait un-
til he can join the boy scouts to know
about craftsmanship by shooting paper
targets on the range. In that case his
freedom would be interSered with; ca
pable instructors might even teach him
to obey, to be loyal to regard the safety.
rights. and feelings of others; which, Of
course, would ruin his precious ''individ-
ualIsm'' and give him the same respect
for authority that is drilled into the SOL
der and the policeman.
Every woman may vote against war II
she will, not with an impotent piece of
paper in a ballot box" but with a puts
SAINT part OF her heart, in her own
home. Every inspiration. every detail,
every surrender OF self and selfishness
to duty, loyalty, and charity is a real
menace to the continuance Of the ape
and tiger qualities in men that lead to
war.
And the present great campaign proves,
as well as 1t proves anything, that It
does not suffice for half, two-thirds, or
three-Quarters OF a world to be highly |
developed. law-abiding, and civilized. but
that all must be just. educated, and hon.
orable II we are to prevent war. be-
cause the fierce flame ignited by one an
archist's torch may require the pawn of
progress for a century before 1t is ex-
Just as one may shut down a factory |
by throwing a wrench in the machinery" |
as a sabotage pleader recently explained. |
so the machinery OF international peace /
may be rendered useless for years by one |
assassn's outrage.
And yet suffragists tell US that wom- |
ans work has gone out OF the home; !
that the factory. the salesroom. and the
school have taken the mothers place, |
that obedience has gone out OF fashion, |
that this is an age Of individual free
DOM
That is Just II. Some time ago, some |
one started a back TO the farm move
ment in order to get more men interested
in the vital products that are necessary
to keep humanity alive, while dreamers
are planning Utopias and the high cost
OF living is increasing. Before feminism
goes much farther, and necessity arises
for a back to the home" movement,
want to convince women
that the vital products represented in
the child crop. are worthy of personal
cultivation. Why increase the high cost
Of government by battles with the bal
lot. when what the country really needs
Is better children.
Votes and Wages.
But Of course, all women cannot be
nome-makers, any more than all men
can be farmers. The percentage is high
sr, as only one woman out OF nine, &C.
cording to the census, is painfully &C.
cupied outside the home.
But what of the women in industry, be
hey many or few? We are told by the
suffragists that they need the ballot to
protect them, and 10 secure higher
wages Is It a fact? Has the ballot
protected men in industry? Has political
raised mems wages?
Hear Samuel Gompers, in the July Fed
srationist, give US the substance of one
II his arguments with Morris Hillquit,
he Socialist leader, at a recent hearing
,efore the United States Commission on
Industrial Relations:
The experience of the men in our
movement" said Mr.. Gompers, has
ihpwn one fact standing out in bold re-
ief: That every movement Of working
men in which a system of government
~ power, force, or compulsion was ex-
.rcised aroused resentment reputation,
md dissolution, while on the contrary,
n effort which was controlled by exert
ng moral force upon the doings OF men {
md women has always exercised a bene- |
icial influence"
Since 1913 Socialists have tried to per- '
uade the workers of the world to cast '
heir lot with a political party which
ronises workingman's paradise II II I
cts in power. Yet the president of the {
american Federation Of Labor, and the
asst majority of organized and unor- v
-anized workers, are opposed TO the 6
heories and programs Of Socialism. I
Also since 1s4s, suffragists have to tried 1
D persuade women to cast their futures {
nth the lot Of "woman's party" which {