Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1915-06-17

became SuMfag1Sl aIteI -YA9AsAn5-4
the East End of London under the
auspices of the Salvation Army for
the purposes of relief especially
for women and children.
/ was struck by the fact that all
that we could do was no more than
relief for the immediate want. with
mo guarantee that the want would not
recur in the future. a
Such philanthropic efforts seemed
to me futile-like pouring water into
a tub with hole in it, and continuing
to pour in spite of the waste, without
stopping up the hole.
/ decided that the hole in our social
fabric must be mended, but did not
Isee how to mend it. I realized that
Fit was an impertinence to be giving
women soup and coal when those Wo-
men were working twelve hours day
and more sewing covers on tennis
balls for Il believe) two farthings "a
Ecent and half dozen, and work
ing sufficiently hard themselves to
pay for soup, coal and other necessi-
ties-if properly paid.
But did not see what to do to get
them properly paid. After while
found out that woman's labor was
cheap labor. Still, could not under
stand why, since it seemed to me that
these women worked just as hard and
just as long as did the men for the
support Of their children.
One day l was taken to suffrage
meeting one of the early one-room
meetings of the Woman's, Social and
Political union-and the light broke.
/ realized that the degraded political
tstatus of woman affected her status in
Eother departments economic, indus
trial, social. I saw that only by re-
moving her political disability would
Iher disabilities in these other depart
lments be removed; no subject class
has ever been other than despised.
/ understood that the only people who
could protect and advance the inter
ests of women, who could promote
their wages and their welfare and
prevent their exploitation, were those
who were most deeply concerned-the
women themselves.
Therefore became suffragist-
believing that the way to right the
wrongs Of civilization and to strike a
blow at poverty was by means of con-
lcerted and intelligent political action
and the making of sound laws.
In my own case, as a practicing at
Itorneyy find that the idea of inferior
lily which has always been associated
4 WIN TIne idea or woman because OF
Iher inferior status is very palpable
land direct hindrance to the successful
practice Of law. Time and merit alone
will overcome that hindrance.
But while that attitude toward wo-
linen and women's work exists people
with serious business in hand invaria-
bly, hesitate to entrust it to woman.
whom tradition and training have
taught them to believe is Inadequate
flor the serious business Of life. And
this attitude Of disinclination is found
Just as often among women as among
linen.
A woman lawyer has far more diff
culties to overcome in the building up
Of practice than has a man In heI
position.
Judges, for example, very seldom
appoint women as referees or receiN
Iers-valuable and much sought after
positions by all attorneys. These ap
Ipointments go to men-men are use
lful political assets women are neg
I1igible as such. t
The traditional attitude towards
woman in law or politics is one which
her status under the common law best
illustrates and explains. That status,
to be sure, has been modified by mod
ern statutes, but many of its features
still persist. 5
In the eyes of the common law the
woman was not responsible human
being at all. She was property and
was treated and legislated for as such
For example, Napoleon said, when
asked whether he would not grant1to
the mother some legal rights over Eher
child: do the apples on my apple
free belong to me or to the tree ?" The
meaning IS humiliatingly clear. Wo-
man is the property Of man just as the
lapple tree is his property; and the
fruit Of the woman is mans to do with
las he pleases, Just as the fruit of the
tree George Eliot.
Such an estimate Of womanhood
naturally carried with 1t legal restricr
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