The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-05-01
Scenes Famous Writer Saw on
the Battlefields Convinced
Him-Women Forced To
Bear Both the Sorrow and
the Economic Burden.

Irwin $. Cobb plunged into the Euro
pean imbroglio passive" suffragist.
He emerged an active" one. The
sight OF women suffering. as he passed
through the war-ridden countries, eff
fected the transformation.
Il saw them standing before the
bulletin boards" said the war CORE
spondent recently, watching as the
list Of the names OF the dead was
pasted up. saw them read. cry out
once. and go away weeping.
Il saw widows with little children.
the cities. and sought the cemeteries.
The men they mourned were not
buried there. Perhaps they lay in
rough trenches, far away on battle
fields already old. But these weeping
women went TO the cemeteries with
their memories.
81 saw women in rude hospitals at
the front. They performed the most
repulsive tasks in the most heroic man
ner.
Then realized that the burden Of
war lies with the women. Not the
burden OF sorrow alone. but the econ
Omic burden which remains with them
long after a war has passed. | real
lied that In countries that have rep
resentative governments, the women
should have a voice in choosing those
men who decide IL there is TO be war"
Long ere the European war jolted
Mr. Cobb into active support OF WON
an suffrage. he confessed, he had given
thought 10 the matter For humorous
through his pen Is when he Wills IL so,
he thinks seriously upon such matters.
and expresses himself frankly and d.
recly.
"a Passive suffraaist.-
II used to say I could see no real
reason why women should have the
vote" continued the writer. AT the
same time ] admitted that I could see
no real reason against their having the
vote II they want II. In a word. / was
a passive suffragist.
but all that In changed now. I do
see reasons why women should vote.
and very good reasons. The ballot
should be given them in common Jus.
tice. We men should not want 20 feel
that our mothers. our wives and our
sisters are without sufficient intelli-
More than that. the vote will read.
Just the economic standing % women
10 accord with the existing social
order. LEGISLATORS will hesitate 20
make laws which are unjust 10 women.
when fhpy know women have the same
power az tho polls az men. Conditions
will be- ro changed that a woman no
longer will work for. let ua say. Is
cents an hour. while tho man who is
working beside her. doing tho aame
This old song about woman's place
being In The home will not pass ne an
argument against suffrage Woman
place would be IN the home attn n
men provided every woman with a
home But there are p 600 600 women
Who have no men 20 provide homes FOR
them. and who arc earning their own
living In This country TODAY How are
thny 'o stay Dbl The home when men
have not provided homes FOR them :
WOman'q place has ceased 10 be 90 tho
home. under modern conditions"
Confidence In Women Voters.
Mr Cobb hqa confidence ln women
AZ voter Tho cafaHfropheg which
some predict viii grow out - opening
fhe polls fO women. trouble him not M
alI lf was with calm Assurance that
no declared hir belief that ultimately
women probably will make better vOt
ers than men
Women cannot make n worse mesu
I N voting fhan men have" no aald
Ihoy VIII make mistakes nf FIRST
That ie 20 be expected " win NOT boz
floIr fault bur me fault ~ tho men
h0 have withheld from Thorn what
they should have bad before this Hui
eventually fhov win get fhrir bear
Ings. and will uao tho ballot 90 better
fHeCf than men have urrd g.
Whatever fhr outcome. Dr. will ~
hf'ffr f0 have intelligent women vOf.
I Inf han Tho IIlIfrrtfre Hud inrpmro
.rn'H who have now Tho riFhf f0 vote
hn, fH9e they nrn men We mood fo
iIFhfrn up 10 ono 'uI ~ tho voting
lIfs'ign flI broaden out 4f the Other
We should take from Pho ignorant
NNffi.nHf and unfit mon who rr..ara
y. fhti rFIf ~ HrTr1ro which fher
/ ~ n". know bow fo use We should
CIV" io thg thousand. ~ fnfouIron'
/ women ~ fhe rluHfr. tho rIghf ~ suf
f-ggo which should Ln ffafr.
L''h mIuN nf fNe WAY CORE