The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-05-15
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ellis OF their husbands. sons and brothers. Il viii
be devoted without cease 70 the destruction OF
q militarism that degrades and shames woman.
kind. The German woman knows In her heart
that her men have IN countless instances BE-
come perverts. but she Is dumb because she IL
forbidden 20 speak. In Prussia no woman may
organize a union that has political aims; she
may not even join one.
II Is the purpose OF the dominant caste TO
keep woman in subsection. to restrict her &C
tivities to the kitchen. the cradle and the
church. to even deny her the mental and the
physical development that might tend to lead
her to revolt. Woman may find limited saliva
tion in the conduct OF a business. throughout
the German empire not far short OF a million
women conduct commercial enterprises OF one
kind or another. and collectively they strive
with some success to better the physical and
moral conditions under which their sisters live
No effort OF which they have yet been capable
has accomplished more than this that their
condition OF tutelage remains complete.
do not pretend 10 be satisfied with the posi-
ton OF women in England. far from Il; but here
as In the countries already enumerated II is
better far than in Germany. Women mould
public opinion to appreciable extent: they
are able to modify the life of their sex in many
important particulars. the best OF them exer-
else influence. and all are sufficiently
well treated to establish definite attitude OF
mind in men, We know that no British or
French troops would behave in Germany as Ger
mans behaved in Belgium; We know that the
honor OF honorable women and OF helpless
children would be safe in the keeping OF the
French and British officer. and that he would
not be called upon TO restrain his men from
acts of lust and savagery.
We know that there is a public opinion the
wide world over among free women ana
women struggling to be free that will not sub
NIT TO the domination Of any race that does
not hold woman in respect. II Is on this ac-
count. IN my opinion, that the unbridled ana
tolerated savagery Of the worst class Of Ger
man conscript in Belgium and France has cost
Germany more than the loss of half n dozen
pitched battles. Whatever the irritation
caused by the incidents Of the war. the allies
know that women the world ever are and Will
remain on their side. for the hegemOny OF
nation that treats women in peace with con-
tempt and in war with "frightfulness" cannot
be contemplated by our sex. We know that in
fighting for the cause OF the allies we are
lighting for the most downtrodden of the highly
civilized women In Europe. At present they
would resent our aid-they are patriotic
they have suffered terribly. and In the hour of
their trials they mourn and forgive those VINO
treated them i'll.
Later on. when peace returns, when tho
world is purged OF violence and its wounds
begin their slow and painful process OF heal
ing the German women will recognize that we
have been fighting for a larger cause than our
own: that helped 10 force the doors that
have remained barred long and to break
the chains that bound the women OF a great
but erring nation. Only the ultimate triumph
OF the allies can free the women OF Germany.
and In time they will realize the truth
The views OF the wisest men are narrow.
and few among them will realize or admit evca
now the truth that woman Is now n factor I'm
the worlds affairs. When this war is over we
shall tell In uncertain words what IS in our
hearts. At present we must needs be silent,
II those dreamers OF world empire had but re-
membered that women, too, have minds and
are learning 10 use them the story OF the great
world tragedy, even II Il had TO be set down.
would have been widely different I'm many Of
its Incidents.
II was Germany's fatal mistake that not
content with dominating its own womankind
anu suppressinR them whenever and whichever
possible. IL believed that the rest OF the world
was equally Indifferent % the treatment of its
mothers, wives and daughters.
Every known outrage has raised fresh fight.
ers. has strengthened the allies with the sure
force Of moral sympathy and announcement
has thinned the ranks OF those whose Eympa-
thies we're with country whose marvellous
progress provides so much material for ad.
miratiOn. Who can measure the responsibility
or those guides and teachers who taught the