Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-09-03
While Men Fight, Women
Occupy Foremost Places
in Daily Life of the
Communities.
HY MAX NoRDAI.

re" persons are at present inclined
TO inquire after the fate OF the ideas
which used to exercise the minds be-
fore the outbreak of the worlds catas-
trophe. Those that have preserved
sufficient cquanimity for sucn pursuits
note, mostly not without some jeering,
that the war has killed the woman's
rights movement in Europe.
The fact is. one scarcely hears any
thing about it now. It's periodical con-
crosses are Interrupted. Its noisy
oDenair, or closed hall, meetings do
not take place. Most of its press
organs have ceased to appear. It's con-
troVersial literature is at rest It's
champions are silent. The English
suffragettes have inwrapt their banner.
Their leader. Mrs. Panklurst. no longer
sends forth her partisans to smash shop
window panes with hammer to cut
pictores in public galleries. to disturb
royal receptions. to annoy Cabinet min
listers in their own homes and TO set
sports pavilions OH fire. She Has taken
the field with part of her modified
troops TO aid as a sister OF charity the
defenders Of her country, while another
portion Of them renders sterling SER
vice in the ammunition factories. so
feminism is really. for the time being.
ousted from public discussion Only
this is not because it is dead il is be
cause it no longer needs TO get ex-
cited. to force its voice and to gesticu-
late. To speak of it's death would he
just as exact as TO talk Of the death
OF the caterpillar from which the but
terny has gone forth.
Femnism has quietly reached it's aim
OH n1, .
the men fight. the women have oc-
cupied the foremost place in the life
of the community behind the fighting
line, and it is unanimously admitted
that it is due to them. They, boar
couraEeously snd resolutely their share
in the burden of the war Not AS
combatants in arms. it is true. Pen
thesileian characters have happily be
come scarce. This time we hear little
of Amazons who disguise themselves
as men to take part i'm the campaign
in the capacity of soldiers. To rejoice
i'm boodshcd is not the craving OF
woman. She eXecrates war, not only
because She trembles for the life OF
her dear ones, but out of her funda-
mental female instinct, which tends t.
creation. TO building, to rearing to
gathering. to preserving, and to which
all wanton and wicked destruction
odious and intolerable. The species OF
the Naikyries is extinct. II has left
no offspring. Nowadays woman feels
1t AS her calling not to fan the war
flame but to eXunguish it. They were
women. in neutral countries. 1t is true
who exerted themselves last year to
bring about a peace congress liz Den
mark. Holland or Switzerland. and il
was not their fault that the endeavor
failed. 1t was n woman. the Hungar-
IAN Miss Rosa Schwimmer, who In
spired the well-intentioned. if some
what bland. American millionaire, Mr.
Ford. with the idea of his not-very-
happy peace crusade 20 Europe. Pres
emily there is circulated among the
women of France an appeal asking h
deeply moving terms that stop shoul
he put to the bloodshcd. The document
has already received thousands of sig
natures from those French women
whose ardent patriotism and moral
valor has ever been rightly considered
as exemplary.
NEW RESPONSIBILITIES
ARE BORNE BY WOMEN
Women OF every category operate
"llllnEly anu ouCccSSluiy III the cor
porate task Of the community. In the
working and earning classes, woman
tolls, as she was accustomed in peace
time only more zealously. longer.
harder She hears new responsibilities
and discharges functions which she
was spared in the ordinary course
She governs her domestic affairs full
fills the duties OF the family head. be-
-.
bodily well-beng of the children.
keeps up. according to her traditional
task. the sacred hearth-fire Of her
home. But ut the same time. she
manages also the business. the work.