Arizona sentinel and Yuma weekly examiner., 1915-05-13
THERE'S HOME SWEET HOME IN
 LOVE EQUALITY AND FREEDOM

In Oriental countries and in parts of Europe, and even in some states of America, where women are still re- garded as chattels, there is a noticeable moving away from this condition of wom- ankind; for'instance:
 The first breach of prom ise suit has been won in Jap an. Miss Hede Nowaza, so the story goes, has been awarded. $10,0OO from MT. Sozahira Vanaka. This is a large sum in the Flowery Isles.
 Here in America there is talk of abolishing the breach of promise suit, but in Japan, women are barely emerging from the condition of chat tels in the personal ownership of men. A girl is the property of her father until she marries, then of her husband until she dies. She has practically no rights of her own, either economic or personal. It's not so long since our women were in the same stage of progress. In many states this condi- ton still holds legally, though public opinion may have advanced somewhat beyond it. In this stage, man has no responsibilities toward a woman. He may love her and leave her. She has no economic redress.
 The legal right of woman 10 sue and recover damages for breach of promise means that woman has arriv- ed at point in financial dependence upon man where he is made responsi- ole for her by the state. If a man, by deceiving a woman by promise of marriage, holding her off, taking her time and attention, injures her pros poets in the matrimonial market he can be made to pay for the injury.
 The fact, therefore, that Miss Hede Nozawa has been able to win her suit in the highest court of Japan means that she has taken forward step for the freedom of all Japanese women.
 She has set a precedent which will make it less easy in future for Japan csc girls to be deceived and deserted.
 The breach of promise idea is based on the theory of women's dependence upon man. This. theory regards mar riage as sale in which a woman turns herself over to the ownership of her husband.
 But marriage should come about through equality of opportunity and free gift of love, and slowly but surely 1 we are working away; from this theo- ry of sale. Here and there men ano women who are interested in the fu- tare of women as people, who want to | see them recognized as half humanity | Holding equal rights and responsibili | oies with men, want women to be if | independent of men. They 1 6ant to. see each wife economically | free of her husband, every woman ear ming her own living and paid in per son for her work, at the work she | .oves best and does best, whether that | be running typewriter or taking | care of her own babies. When these people-who are growing more nu i merous every day-are able to realize yheir dream, then the breach of prom ise suit privilege may safely be with drawn
 . Women then will not marry for homes, for support, for any economic reason. Being free, a woman will l never need sell herself. She will give l IS free gift her love, her joyful, loyal | companionship, not walking behind l her husband- in chains either of gold 1 or of law, but hand n hand in that 1 beautiful and. lasting comradeshi1 which can only be secured through owe, equality and freedom.
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