Norwich bulletin., 1916-02-02
SPEAKS ON WHAT WOMEN WANT
Mrs. Fsrbes-ebeftsen Hale Tells Norwich Audience It H Equality of Opportunity Thinks Women Have Earned the Right te -sufragists Looking to the Future and Antie te the Past, She Says

An audience Of nearly three hundred men and women heard the stirring address en what Wefnan want. dc. liveFed by Mrs. Beatrice Forbes. Robertson Haie,. formerly an actress 'teraatioHel fame, in the town hall on Tuesday evening. under the auspices of the Norwich Equal Franchise league. The gathering waH called to order Q few minutes after o'clock by Mrs. Norwich Equal Franchise league, and after welcoming the large nrfn1er present, Mrs, Norton introduced Mrs. Hale, whose topic was, "What Women Want"
 h graphic and convincing language Mrs, Hale told of the origin of the wornan's movement century ago and traced the movement step by step, right up to the present time. AL though Mrs. Hale's address consumed nearly an hour and half, her views were presented in such interesting and attention of everyone in the hall from the very start.
 From 100 Years Back.
 am going to begin at the beginning of woman suffrage. said Mrs. Hale, and go back a hundred years. When we look at woman suffrage we mustn't { loot at it as an isolated phenomenon, she continued. We must understand that woman suffrage is only part of the woman's movement as a whole and the wonIan's movement is democracy.
 What do we mean by equality? Don't we mean equality of opportunity There isn't place in the world where there is equality of oportunity. but here in this country we do believe in it. Men ought to be the last to oppose the woman's movement, because the women are only following the lead that men gave them.
 The reason men in Revolutionary times valued freedom so highly was because they had to work for it. It has taken women 100 years to lift them selvce to a position where they can say they have earned their share ot democracy. Women were practically in the position of Serfs a hundred years ago. A hundred years ago prac- tically all women were married by the age of 21. Why was this? Because there weren't enough women to gc round, there never is in a new coun- try, therefore they married young be- cause they were sought after. The second reason why women married young was because it paid a man tc have a woman in the house. Because all women were economic assets in the life of the community.
 From the earliest cave days until man invented machinery, men were for the fight and the chase. Women were the first manufacturers and the first agriculturalists. One hundred years ago when you were talking ot | adult women you were talking o1 married women. What was the sta tus of the married woman of that time according to custom and law?
 What She Didn't Own.
 First of all, she didn't own her per- son. Her husband was her owner. Sec ondly, she didn't own her children The father was the one legal guardian Thirdly, she didn't own her heritages Her husband was the owner of her es- tates and money and could collect he1 rents. Fourthly, she didn't own hel wages, and savings. These were the property. of her husband. Finally she couldn't enter into business, because her signature was not worth the pa- per 1t was written upon unless it was | endorsed by her owner, her husband | However. she had one advantage. She | was not supposed to be familiar with | the law. Her husband was liable fol
 arrest and fine for her misdeeds. AS