Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-09-23
SHOOTING AND VOTING.

It was n Texas woman writing to
her favorite paper who suggested that
those who avoided going to war
should be deprived OF the right to
vote. or course there Is little chance
of the suggestion being taken up, but
ment is interesting 20 say the least.
The argument Is, that as favorite
argument of people opposed to women
suffrage is that women should not be
allowed to vote because they cannot
bear arms. therefore those men who
shun their duty of bearing arms when
called upon for that service are
equally unfit to be voters. 1t follows,
OF course, that IL one side of the argu-
ment is just, the other is also. II the
inability to make soldiers is good
reason for keeping the ballot from
the women folks, ii is an equally good
reason for DISTINGUISHING those male
beings who are moving heaven and
earth TO keep from being drafted into
Uncle Sans army. And as for the
women being unable to fight for their
country. that idea has been exploded
by the death battalion" OF Russia,
composed of girls who cut off their
hair and donned uniforms and who
the German invader. Besides that.
numerous women have tried in one
way or another TO break into the
American army. and those who did
not try to be soldiers have amply
proven their zeal for the country by
invaluable services in other lines. SO
that old argument is exploded for
good and all.
We do not say that women should
vote-tho no doubt they will be voters
In practically all the states before
many years. Neither do we say that
women should fight in the ranks, tho
many have done 80 and Will find ways
yet to do 30. But what we do say Is
that no citizen of the United States
has any right to be Il Stacker. The
measure OF his service for the country
should be the limit OF his ability and
the character Of his service should
be measured by his qualifications
There may be some excuse-tho II IN
a poor one-for citizen to be a
Stacker in his church and his COM
munity. He becomes simply a Mega
tive factor in either organization and.
while he does no good. may do little
harm. But there is no excuse for him
to be Stacker TO his government.
which is protecting his family and
business and offering him the safe
advantage OF all the opportunities of
life. Besides, his standing is not in
this sense negative-he becomes a
positive harm and menace to the
government to which he owes all his
chances. No one has . right to enjoy
community and national benefits with
out rendering community and national
service in Yturn.
We have enjoyed the benefits of a
free government for so many years
that we have come to regard its pro-
lection as n matter of course. Many
lof us even grumble at the payment Of
taxes sufficient to keep the machinery
OF government in motion. rs tho this
were money paid out without any sub
stantial return. We have forgotten
that our forefathcrs fought and paid
TO acquire the liberty which we now
lenjoy and that time and again that
liberty will require protection from
assailants. We have come to feel that
the government owes us this protec-
ton as an obligation, rather than a
beneficepce. That is one reason why
so many have sought to avoid taking
up arms when the very foundations
loo our liberty were In peril II there