Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1915-09-16
Prior McNabb, Q. ?.
On Woman 5 Rights
Justice or Expediency.

The question of the parliamentary
vote may not be put in this way. To
refuse the vote to women is a matter
either of pure justice or of mere ex.
pediency.
If it is a matter of justice, that is,
if women have no right to the vote,
why do not men prove that no such
right exists? And how can they at
once disprove women's right and
prove their own? This argument is
so strong that few anti-suffragists
claim to refuse the vote on grounds
of justice.
They rest their refusal on ground
worn of expediency. But it may be
asked, ION what grounds does this
plea of expediency rest? And why
should men rather than women be the
final judges of this expediency?" Elk
pediency is personal matter which
all have right to solve for them
selves. Thus when the claims of JUS
tice are satisfied in the paying of a
mans debts, no one but the man him
self has the right to dictate the man
ner of spending his remaining wealth.
Personally, cannot see beyond the
fact that very many women want the
vote, just as men want to drink
champagne, smoke cigars, play bill
lizards, or join political club. Any of
these things may or may not be expe-'
dent. But it is clear that men want
them; and that ends the matter. The
twentieth century is very like to suf-
fer from the inordinate desire that
some classes have to force certain
practices on other classes, on the plea
that it is for their good. The war
has given these busybodies the oppor-
tunity for enforcing their own particu-
lar opinions about alcoholic drinks.
But the men that detest this interior
ence would do we'll to examine
whether their own refusal of the vote
to women is not part of the same
thirst for righteousness force of
law.
Pictures are sometimes painted of
the awful state Of things that would
follow woman suffrage. Whatever that
state might be, it could not be worse
than what we are undergoing at pres
ent. We men have had a pretty free
hand in Europe for three hundred
years. Look at it now! Our handi-
work is but sorry argument for re-
fusing place in politics to women.
If domestic economy, the historic
sphere of women, was in the same
plight as political economy, we men
would insist on our sex being cooks
and housekeepers.
Need of Women in Social Works.
Any experienced social worker
would readily admit that in almost
every department of social work there
is room and need for women.
AS priest, whose duty it is to de-
fend the reed and the Decalogue,
confess that the need for more women
in certain professions seems almost a
natter of ethical duty. For long
time / have felt that the increasing
claims of medical supervision demand
an increased number of women doc
tors from the point of view of sexual
delicacy. We are all bemoaning the
decay of reserve and the publicity OF
llicentiousness. Lewdness has left the
trenches and is fighting in the open,
| / sometimes ask my self If the un.
sensitiveness we all deplore is moi
4 largely due to the lack of women doc
tors. In olden days when doctors
lwere scarce and fees were high q
medical examination was a luxury
which most people could afford only
Ionce in life, at or about the hour Of
death. But nowadays medical exami
nations are almost of daily occur
|lrence. Gentle girls who intend to en-
| ter official positions under govern
ment or in large business firms mus
produce medical certifcates-that is
must undergo medical examination. ]
cannot say how many medical exami
nations must precede q girls final &C
|lceptance as certidcated teacher. Nov
all these examinations could be quit
efficiently and much more delicatel!
carried out by women DOCTORS Ma
lit not be questioned whether on
young women in high schools are sui
fciently shown in how many way
they could protect their own sex b
taking up the career Of doctor.
what is said Of doctors may Be sal
Of other professions. WOmsR lawyer
and paEliptsEs haVa benoRa I pETlu
ned.