The Washington herald., 1916-06-04
Humanity for Humanity.
By ELLIS MEREDITH.

Did you see that story about the Iowa
man who went TO the chief of police for
a permit to kill his baby girl? Seems she
didn't have any mouth and was other
wise abnormal and he'd read about the
Chicago doctor who let a baby die Did
you read IT," asked the Man.
Yes, I read it," said the Woman brief
ly.
Pretty howdy-do we're coming to-" he
continued. Here's two mothers willing
their own flesh and blood should"
should be spared years of torment"
said the Woman sharply. And I haven t
heard that the fathers objected. Why
should We deny the same pity we give
to animals to suffering humanity"
Because it is humanity" said the Man
dosgedly. Are you going to treat a
child the same as you would a dog?"
I'm not certain, but | seem to have
a memory floating about in my brain
spaces" said the Woman. "of an argu-
ment we once had about the women who
take to toy terriers and spaniels and
French poOdles, and If l remember cor
rectly you spoke somewhat harshly of
the affection lavished on the various
'dorglums. Why not turn It about now,
and reason the same way? II one OF
these same much-debated pets should de-
velop an incura Bile disease, the more his
she would give him release from his life
OF pain Either of these women would
probably have given her own life with
out hesitation II by doing so she could
have made her child whole When no
sacrifice and no skill could accomplish
that. why punish the parents. the help
less little creatures and society by pro-
longing mere physical existence?"
We cannot afford to take the risk Of
setting DTpCndRnf Ii
answered the Man. Who is going to
say when life should be spared and when
it should not? Such course would
open the way for all sorts Of abuses"
Il know said the Woman. but think
how those mothers must feel. Have you
ever seen any of the terrible children to
be found in Homes for Mental Detectives
or Incurables? And no matter what the
circumstances, the mother generally
blames herself After one such ex-
perienCe the average woman would COM
nit suicide rather than bear another
child"
81 cant help feeling that you are
wrong" said the Man slowly. With
all this sacrifice Of life on the other
side. seems to me, we ought to go slow
in taking life"
The Woman flung out her hands with
A kind Of despairing gesture. DO you
think men and women will ever under
stand each other" she said. "I some
times think We are like those savage
tribes where the men and women speak
a different language. We take the same
premeses and arrive at such different con-
Clusions. You are willing to march the
flower Of the nations to certain death.
and then wax squeamish over shortening
a life as devoid Of intelligence as-but no,
a jellyfsh is a mental giant by COM
parison."
Hold on" said the Man Il didn't
start this war. you know
NO, but some other man did: no
women were consulted Don't you see?
This is the dreadful thing about our
civilization. All the laws dealing with
life and death and their conditions are
made by a few people who don't even
claim to understand how half the people
feel about them. and when some woman.
crazed with grief, asks that the frayed
thread of a misera Bile existence be broken
she is met with wholesale cOndemna ton"
I'm not condemning her." said the
Man. but I can't made it seem right to
blot out a human soul"
His soul to Him who gave it rose. "
quoted the Woman quickly. Many times
I have felt when I saw the faces Of con-
genital idiots that our Creator had been
too merCiful to condemn any soul to in
habit such a body. but even If human
soul were imprisoned there. I'd still be
in favor of sending it back to its maker"
DO YOU think most women feel as
you do?" asked the Man.
Il don't know; many Of them do" said
the Woman. What I'm saying is that
they ought to have chance to speak for
themselves"
Meaning Votes for Women " said
the Man disgustedly.
Yes" answered the Woman. Just
that"