The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-05-18
|SAYS VOTE Will
Bring new eden
Woman Tells Industrial Board
Suffrage Will Cure All
Ills Of Society.
BARROW FLAYS COURTS
Labor Attorney Asserts Laws Are
Not Equally Admin
istered.
BARROW FLAYS COURTS

Woman's suffrage as a panacea for
social and industrial unrest was pro-
posed to the Commission on Industrial
Relations yesterday by Mrs. Crystal
Eastman Benedict, of New York, who
told the commission that she was an
industrial investigator. writer and law
yer. She spoke for the Congressional
Union, one of the national suffrage
organizations.
III you ask me to suggest what your
commission should recommend as a
remedy for social unrest" said Mrs.
Benedict at the conclusion of her tes-
timony, 81 would say urge the imme-
date adoption of the woman's suf-
frage amendment to the Federal Con-
stitution. And 1 would say to you
don't wait until you make your final
report before you make that recon-
mendation-make il now. I urge this
because we feel that the question of
woman's suffrage is one that should
not be cluttering up twentieth century
affairs 1t belongs back in the eight
zenith century"
1t was suggested to Mrs. Benedict that
the commission, created by Congress,
must make its report and recommended
tions to Congress, which will not be in
session until next December.
Says Wilson Can DO 1t.
Don't wait for Congress- she ex-
claimed. Make your recommendation
to President Wilson. He's the one who
can get that constitutional amendment
adopted. He can do it,
Why" she said, I've have instances
of 81. 400 women clerks who are instruct
ing 81, 500 men clerks.
Mrs. Benedict referred to the big gar
ment makers strike in New York a few
years ago when 5000 women paraded
to city hall to urge the cause OF the
strikers on the then Mayor Mcclellan.
They were ignored-turned down." she
said. IF they had been voters they
would have been accorded a most re-
spectful hearing. for 5000 voters can
always command hearing"
Clarence s. Darrow, the Chicago at
torney who has been prominently identi-
fled with court proceedings involving Ia
Dor leaders and the cause of unions for
quarter of a century. notably in the
Debs case. the Meyer Haywood case at
Boise City, and the Mcnamara case at
Los Angeles, was another witness before
the commission yesterday. He said that
unquestionably the laws are not equally
administered between the rich and the
poor.
Debs Got six Months in Jail.
conviction was the first under the Sher-
man act and he got six months in jail.
\ few years later the Standard Oil Com
paiy was convicted under the Sherman
law and 1t got six months also-six
months in which to revise its charter
and methods of doing business. These
are the things that the laboring man re-
members and resents."
a little later he said: Federal Judges
are appointed for life or good behavior.
They always behave. and they never die!'
Mr.. barrow denounced the kidnapping
Of the McNamaras from Indianapolis and
the transporting of them to Los Angeles
for trial, and declared that 1t was clearly
Illegal The men could not have been
extradited for crime admittedly COM
mitted when they were not in the State:
and. moreover, if put to trial they were
entitled to a trial in their own homes.
Mover. Haywood. and Pettibone were
from Colorado and taken to
Idaho for trial in just as outrageous man
ner he said. The Supreme Court of the
United States decided that the authori-
ties had no right to kidnap them" he
said" but that decision did the men no
good. They We're already in Idaho and
were kept there"
Mr.. barrow will continue on the stand
today John .. Rockefeller, jr., has
been suBpoenaed for today's hearing. but
It is doubtful if the commission will
reach him during the day.