Evening journal., 1915-02-25
American Woman TO Be Equal
Must Give Up Special Privileges
lFrom the New York TImes.l

The suffragists contention that
"man-made" laws deprive them of
rights which they can only obtain
through the ballot is not borne out
by facts, according to Everett =.
Wheeler and Henry W. Hayden, law
yers, of this city. who yesterday anal
yzed the laws of the State to show
that New York women have. in real
ity, more to lose than gain in attain
ing true political equality Neither
Mr. Wheeler nor Mr.. Hayden was able
TO put his finger on a single law
which Disseminated against women.
Both. on the other hand. cited numer-
Gus instances where the "man-made'
laws confer upon women exemptions
and privileges not enjoyed by men.
Briefly, a woman is favored under
the law in the following ways:
She is exempt from military SER
vice.
She is exempt from jury duty
a married woman is not obliged 70
contribute toward the support Of the
family.
She may work and earn money ano
do with il as she pleases.
She may own real and personal
property, and may sell or dispose of
il as she pleases without her hus-
bands consent The husband cannot
dispose of his real estate without his
wife's consent.
She is not obliged TO pay her hus-
bands bills, even though they are for
family expenses. The husband must
pay her bills.
If through his fault she obtains a
divorce, the husband must pay ali
mony. But if through her fault he
obtains a divorce she pays nothing.
She may be worth millions and cut
him off without a cent in her viii.
He cannot cut off her dover right.
II he dies intestate leaving chill
dren. they receive two-thirds and the
widow one-third of his personal estate
besides her dover right" of one
third of his real estate. If she dies
leaving children, the husband is en-
titled TO one-third of her personal es-
tate. but nothing else.
If q owns the home in which they
live. &c cannot sell or mortgage il
without the signature of the Wife. II
she owns It, she may do with IL as
she pleases.
If the husband fails TO support her
he may be arrested and prosecuted
criminally. No matter how wealthy
she is. or how sick or poor he is. The
wife cannot be compelled TO support
him.
When a girl is married under is
the man may be punished as an alb
ductor If the parents consent was
not obtained But there is no punish.
ment for the girl no matter how
young the man may be-
Factory owners may not put wo-
men TO work in their shops before
a. m. or keep them there after 9 p
m, nor may they force women tC
work more than 54 hours or six days
week There is no such law fol
men employees
"lf tho suffragists really wan
equality" remarked Mr. Hayden
these laws proferring women mus
be repealed TO obtain It."
Il was pointed out by Mr. Wheele
that the suifragists claim they woul'
gladly serve on iuries in return 70
the vote.
"But what" he asked, "do the.
! suggest when II comes TO military ser
vice? That is something they Ger
tainly can't do. have heard il sal
that women will work as nurses o
that they can raise the next genera
tion of soldiers in return for tn
ballot But they are quite free L
do both things now without the bal
lot and they are doing them"
Mr.. Wheeler also thought it wa
inconsistent to demand equality
and not call for the repeal of tn
laws which plainly give women tn
preference in many matters now.
men and women we're to be place
on an equal footing in all things. h
| argued, It would be necessary for tn
latter TO surrender the privilege
which they enjoy conclusively unde