New-York tribune., 1917-11-03
Why Not Women in Office?
They Have Ability and Honesty and
UnselGshness Equal to Men
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune
/ Sir: Recently many letters have appeared
/ in the daily press from women urging the de-
/ feat of the woman suffrage amendment. In
not one of these letters was able to discover
after careful reading, any plausible reason for
the opposition. Most of the reasons advanced
are so childish and so much at variance with
the real status of woman today that it would
be a waste of valuable space to quote them.
One woman, however, brings forth an in
genious reason for her opposition.
Anna Katharine Green, in THE Times OF
October so, begins her letter with: .'No man
should vote for equal suffrage who is not
willing to see half the seat: in our Legislature
occupied by women" Why not? Women
have proved just as capable as men and GER
tanly more earnest and sincere in deciding
important economic and social questions. Why
not political? Women in the Legislature will
not be swayed as men are, by personal gain
or interest. They will not represent corpo-
rate interests or protect such interests in
the hope or under promise of future gain.
Women have always proved more earnest,
more wholehearted and By far less selfish
than men in carrying out any mission in
trusted 10 them. When voting upon a state
or national issue women are not likely to be
Influenced by the sordid, material interests
that influence men, their incentive is apt to
be the larger interest Of the state or nation.
Il is strange, indeed, that il is woman,
more so than man, who is trying 10 shut the
door of progress in the face or her sister.
What is it, spite or narrow -mindedness?
Not so many years ago all professional
colleges were closed TO woman. Yet women
have forged ahead in every profession. More,
they have held their own with any Of the
men and have been credit to the profession
of their choice.
Woman to-day has taken her place beside
man in every walk OF life, in every industry,
in every occupation, both professional and
lay, and TO her credit, be it said, has made
these occupations cleaner, more honorable
and better. Why not give her chance in
our body polite? God knows it needs such
influences.
With her characteristic singleness of pur-
pose woman will get what she goes after.
Why then deny her right which is hers by
nature and in all fairness?
Next Tuesday We, sons Of women. brothers
and husbands Of women will be called upon
TO decide whether our mothers, sisters and
wives shall have voice in the making of the
laws which we must all obey alike.
The lowest and most useless male in the
social economic scale has the right TO vote.
Why not those who gave Us birth, who have
raised US, nourished us. suffered and sacri.
feed fer us, yes, and died for us those who
have taught Us and inculcated in US those
ideals and principles which make US worthy
to enjoy those very privileges which we deny
to them?
The other day held the following conyer-
sation with my bootblack:
-Pasquale, are you citizen?
A.-Ne.? Sure me citizen.
Q.-Who are you going to vote for?
A.Mc don't know yet.
BE sure 10 vote FOR the suffrage amend
ment.'
Me vote sufrra? Sure, me vote for suffra:
be good fella.'
And this man is voter, laymaker.
SAMUEL 4. LEVIN, NJ. D..
Brooklyn, Nov. I. 1917.