The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1917-08-25

INDIANAPOLIS Ind Aug rs
There is no doubt that all great
catastrophes like war deepen the
sense OF human equality in mems
souls" said Mrs. Carrie Chapman Gait,
president Of the National American
Woman Suffrage association. speaking
on the subject. Votes and Patriotism"
last night at a conference Of the In
diana Woman's Franchise League. in
session here.
war opens a new chapter n human
values lit is the story Europe has
been reading Tor three years Men
have become significant women have
become significant strangely 50 at
first like visiting at Martians- But
when women began 10 stand in the
places where men had stood. govern
ments for the hrst time recognized
them as part Of the state.
Suffrage in Great Britain was in
evitable when men saw women as q
state asset The understanding
significance OF the English SURFACE
situation lies in the admission Of
thinking men. men Of international
distinction. that they have had to
capitulate TO the utter reasonableness
81 womens demand for the vote
prejudice and tradition are break
inr down everywhere before the on
slaughts Of reason. In Russia, Mexico.
Canada France and England women
have proved that their service to the
state is essential Argument against
their complete enfranchisement now
sounds churlish And men today are
in a mood Of gratitude and apprecia-
ton. and not disposed to be churlish
"A new democracy in Russia ac-
cepted women as voters on the same
basis as men and without any resist
ance. because women and men had
worked side By side TO make the
democracy possible. Women were all
ready a part Of the new state as the
new state began.
Municipal suffrage will soon come
to france 1t will be an outcome Of
the war. but it Will not be because
Of the war French women have
worked for their vote long and earn
estly Italian statesmen are catching
step and are also advocating woman
suffrage Out Of Hungary. Rumania.
Austria and Germany come rumors OF
like movements. Serbia was well along
the road towards womens freedom
before the war broke out.
rive provinces OF Canada have
gwen new measures OF freedom to
women within little more than
year. and eignt Of the United States
have followed suit since January. 1917.
Men have not deliberately shut the
door on women. They have been
serenely sure they didn't need women
in public life until Of late Now they
are getting strangely humble.
Always before this electoral
changes have meant extension OF the
franchise to new groups Of voters.
Loosely speaking. it has meant simply
more voters Votes for women is
movement concerned far less with
numbers than with inner meanings
It means informing the whole field OF
public life with the woman spirit. If
it means anything at all. 1t is this
that the war has made evident in
Europe and viii make evident in
edge must enter into food conserva-
ton if IL is to be an effective con-
servatfon. The nurses own experience
must be requisitioned to make the
Red Cross do its best. The under
standing women have must be taken
into account TO keep the camp zone
clean. for this is problem that
touches men and women both. The
mothers voice is above all the one
which will be wanted for deliberations
sbout an increased birth rate to make