New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-18
The Burden Of the Ballot
Anti-Sufragists Object to Proposal
Thus to Reward Patriotism
To the Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: With our women working for the
American Red Cross, the National League for
Woman's Service, the Navy League, the Ma
tional Security League, the Surgical Dress
ings Committees, the National Special AID
.he Needlework Guilds, the Home Garden
Societies, the Day Nurseries, the Home Find
ing Societies, the Federations of Women and
the Congress of Mothers, TO say nothing o.
the churches, schools. religious and educa-
tional organizations; with the average adult
woman married and the mother of three chill
dren and doing her own homework for a
family Of FIVE in nine homes in every ten
with war demanding from women new duties
and more training, there are still some men
and a few women who offer TO reward
women for all this service by giving them
the ballot
This proposition has been made repeatedly
by every male advocate Of woman suffrage
who has recently voiced his opinion IN the
press. Not only ant-suftragists, put as
women familiar with the work Of our sex, we
strongly protest against this erroneous idea
that women wish the vote as form OF pay
nent or reward for services rendered "a
,rio+ic women want no reward. And the
ballot Is not reward, but a burden. Wom-
ans service to the state, as to the family Is
unbought. unselish, unconditional and uhre-
hitting. The political payment proposed Is
an insult TO wOman's patriotism as a price
and an insult to her intelligence as IRE
ward" The state can no more reward us
,yoren with the vote than a man can COM
rensate his wife or mother by forcing add
tional work and worry upon her when she 10
already overburdened with duties she can
rot shirk
Woman's work is important It must be
done. The state cannot survive without H.
and men cannot do it. Women are Wiling
TO take mems places in industry. Ihey glad-
" accent all additional work necessary 20
win the war But OF all times, at this PERIOD
of national crisis. with extra duties imposed
by war, the vast majority of women most
need and desire exemption from political
cornnetition with men or with other women.
To force women into partisan politics IS
20 divert women from non-partisan service.
II means an increase of women's duties. or
an increase in the number Of suffrage slack
ersr or "stay-at-home" voters. As the worst
menace 20 democracy in a military sense Is
the "slacker." who fails 20 enlist when the
enemies Of his country are attacking II, so
the worst enemy Of democracy in political
sense Is the suffrage Stacker" who fails to
vote while the opponents Of good and strong
government are electing incompetent or IN
iquitous officials.
The volunteer" system Of suffrage pro-
posed BY those who say that "wonen VIII not
have to vote unless they want 70" is as dan
gerous and inefficient as the volunteer sys-
tom % military service. With woman SUI
f-age. women must vote or become suffrage
"slsckers" Is It just or fair to force women
into 4 po.ition where they must neglect their
du,ie, as women or their duties as voters
How does any one dare propose this as
reward" for woman's service?
Woman suffrage, a serious hazard 20 the
success of good government at any time.
cannot logically be advocated as reward
for the few when it is burden to the many
and a menace TO the state. We protest
against the placing Of political price on
woman's patriotism as one OF the most dan
gerous end thoughtless arguments ever ad-
yanced in favor OF woman suffrage.
MRS. ARTHUR NJ. DODGE.
President. National Association Opposed TO
Woman Suffrage.
ALICE HILL CHITTENDEN.
President New York State Association OPP
posed 70 Woman Suffrage.
Nav York, April Is, 1917.