Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-07-17
WOMEN DEMAND A SQUARE DEAL
But 1t Is Denied Them Under the Law 81 States of the Union
in Which the Mother Has No Right to Her Child
Where Women Vote Abroad.
By WARREN GRAHAM PARTRIDGE

A RE we men giving the women a square
"A deal? Is 1t fair play to deny our wives
sisters and daughters their inherent rights
of equal suffrage? Our country gave enamel
patton to the millions of the South in slav-
cry; and the ballot was given to ignorant
males of that race. Do we men think it is a
square deal to deny the ballot to our wives
and daughters?
Listen to a few facts, for will not weary
you with theories.
This case happened in one of our States in
this goth century: A Chinaman married a
good and respectable Irishwoman. When
their first baby was only days old the
father took that little infant from it's fond
and weeping mother and gave 1t to his
brother to be taken to China and brought up
in that country. The broken-hearted mother
asked the Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Children to come to her help and
to appeal to the courts in her behalf.
The Child Is the Fathers
And did the courts give this American
mother justice, and the right to bring UP her
own infant?
No.
The Judge quickly decided that the Chi
nese husband here in the United States was
within his rights According to the laws of
that State the husband was the sole legal
owner of the baby, and he had the sole legal
right to say what should be done with that
infant.
That mothers tears and entreaties had no
influence; and that mother, who bore that
child in travail and pain, had no right what
ever before the law.
And that case might happen today in 81 out
of the 4s States in our land of freedom. For
more than so years the suffragists of this
country have been endeavoring to secure JUS
tice for the mother, through legislation which
would make the father and mother joint
guardians of their children by law. Nature
and common sense would declare that this
was only fair and just.
But so far only 16 States and the District
of Columbia have obtained the equal guar
dianship law. In 1902 Massachusetts got this
just law, after the women of Massachusetts,
had agitated the question for So years. And
yet some men and women often exclaim:
''Women's rights! Why women have all
the rights they want"
This is not true
American women have not yet been eman-
cipated in the majority of the States. 1t
took over so years for the women of Massa-
chusetts TO get a square deal In regard to
the laws on inheritance. And in that State
1t was not until 1902 that the laws of in
heritance between husband and wife were
made equal. Do you happen to know how
those laws now stand in your State? You
and I would better look into these matters;
for in many of the States the wife has not a
square deal in the laws OF inheritance be-
tween husband and wife.
Equal Suffrage Is Only Fair Play
1t is a fact that many Of our laws do not
give women a square deal. Such laws GENE
down from ignorant civilization OF the
long ago, when women were not considered
the equals OF the lords OF creation This is
the reason that so many fair-mlnded men
favor woman suffrage. Do not think that
the men who favor equal suffrage between
the sexes are sentimental and romantic. and
take this stand because OF ehivalry for the
fair sex. Tens of thousands OF hard-headed
business men. professional men and horny
handed workingmen take this stand simply
as an act of justice and fair play.
For this reason there is an international
ana a National Mems League for Woman
Suffrage; and there are also. In many Ioeali-
ties, local mems leagues working TO secure /
this freedom for women.
The question OF votes for women Il buIk
Ing large in the attention OF the whole world
Woman suffrage societies exist In g7
countries. and these organizations ara com.
posed OF the representative men ana women
Of these different countries And in the
United States there are more than 1000
woman suffrage organizations.
And let as men not fancy that only a few
women IN each locality want votes for
women. The fact Is that the number ~
women who are asking for woman suffraga
in the United States is q vast army. lsrrsr
than the number OF men who have ever DE-
manded anything for the male sex h tba
history OF our country
Il Is q fact that in one year q state Lag
islatures entertained woman suffrage naas-
eres. ana 4 Of the state legislature 49,
IN favor e tbs legislation.
L & g fact that i states "a oas rsss.