The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-10-10

a business man judges an
applicant for a position by
his record. On that theory ! went to
gs2 See experience Of men who are
leaders in the Held of social legislation.
They have worked with women In
campaigns and know their work on
the practical side.
The consensus of opinion was that
where 40 laws touch social welfare
womcn are already n force.
81 don't Expect any immediate mil
lennium On these matters through suf-
frage." said Edward T.. Moree. who does
the Legislative work for the New York
State Charities Aid Association. but |
do expect to see social legislation for
warded more rapidly than NOW. You
know what Mrs. Rorer says. that she
loves us men tremendously. but that
we have one Shortcomings. We can't
have babies. There's something to II,
you know. AZ the world stands nov
men arm the money and women bring
Mp the children.
"Isn't It reasonable to then,
that women are likely to have more
imagination about legislation to secure
h''"''' I"'t w NN"i
water. good drainage. sanitary tere-
ments. clean streets and alleys. parks.
Fairgrounds. Juvenile courts. fire pre-
vention. garments made under sani-
tary conditions. and health measures
generally? All these laws havc to do
with their job Of bringing up healthy.
normal children. just as the laws about
interest. railroad rates and rebates
have IN immediate bearing upon their
husbands businesses.
"Without the vote women's political
value IL that of the professional agita-
tor. And ! don't mean that in any
derOgatory sense: quite the opposite.
Teachers, preachers. Presidents OF the
United States. peace advocates. poll
ticians and legislators are professional
agitators. Their business Is influence
1ng public opinion. The way men fail
to realize the power of women's clubs
to bring out the full force of public
opinion often surprises me.
For instance. when the Binghamton
Civic Club passed a resolution in favor
Of a county tuberculosis hospital the
BOARD Of supervisors were not affected
by that. Their first thought probably
WdF, WIFI VI II. MOI one or EN- can
vote But If they had been wise they
would have thought. They're going to
talk. They're going tn get headlines
IN the papers because many of them
are wives of prominent men and prop
erty holders. and marT of them are
property holders themselves
But the board did it's thinking
afterward. when the women had
brought into being "A whole hospital
with which to fight the white plague.
The town had a tuberculosis COM
m'ttee tina wasn't functioning. Il
Just slept on and on. for the simple
reason that tuberculosis was not the
main interest Of any of its members.
In despair the club appointed a small
committee pledged to work first. last
and always for a county hospital until
they got it. The city campaign they
instituted was Of the practica. kind
funds first. And they got them by the
sale of Red Cross seals. Then they
set a visiting nurse 10 work to locate
the t~uberculos cases of the city.
Mrs. George Hall, who was chair
man of the visiting nurses commit
tee, haunted the county supervisors
whenever they were in session. Every
time she came she told them Of four
or five more cases that she herself
had seen within the last two.or three
DAYS. II did more than all the Stats
tics to stir up the supervisors. When
people draw such pictures Of human
suffering and despair right IN your
town a your wall seems at
night To- I've papercd with them you
soon take some action. That Vas The
way with The supervisors. They soon
voted for A hospital. These officials
were really good men. not hard and
bad hs they had seemed, II was
simply that their lmaginationS had
not been touched. They lived in a
world of business values. the women
In one of human values"
Where do we make political mis-
takes" asked.
well. just there. il You don't mind
my saying So Mr.. Morce replied. 1T
takes many OF the women TWO or three
years to learn that public officials are
usually trying To do their duty.
Women So often think that If John
Brown is an alderman he must ho
dishonest. And their convictions are
30 perfectly apparent to John
Brown, and that is not the way 10
secure his cooperation.
women can no more get the good
will of o~tflcehoiders by implying they
are crooked han a teacher can win
her pupils by such methods. Sugar
always did catch more flies thar
vinegar. ! have in mind a certain
women's club in an upstate town
which So a|ntagOniZed the Mayor, the
Board Of Aldermen and the Board of
Health that whenever the women's
club wanted anything all these gentle
men promptly sat back on their
launches and refused to budgr. The
indorscmcnt Of the women's cub was
a fatal b light - have fall on ones pet
measure, That is, ho vever. an ex-
IRENE case.
There j. one kind Of official YOU
have To- refuse to work with. and that
Is the man who viii lic. H. will do
your cause more harm than good. But
] 90 think women often make the mis-
take of confusing "A mans personal life
with his official llf". suppose you are
diaries the enforcement of which will
mean saving the lives of thousands of
babies. Suppose you have to deal with
q city official Of whose persona, HE
You do not approve, He's there IN
office. You have t. face a practical
issue. You've got II deal with him IL
you got anywhere, Beside the import
nnna of thn rngastIra g1aNtp, ,na'.