Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-06
WHY WE PICKET"

To The Editor OF the EpcHin0 Ledger:
Sir--As members of the National Wom-
ans party will unquestonably continue 10
make their silent. though dramatic. appeal
Tor freedom by placing pickets in front OF
the White House, il may interest your
readers to know the logic that is behind this
determination. The following statement
from the Washington headquarters, called
why we picket" seems TO many of us
entirely convincing.
For nearly seventy years women have
worked for. enfranchisement They have
held enormous mass-meetings in large
cities. and have addressed tiny grouus in
the remoter towns they have held nnulner-
apie street meetings and many great pro-
cessions; they have rolled up huge petitions
TO Congress, aggregatng millions of names ::
they have sent to. the President deputation
after deputation of women representing
every walk Of life
The question of woman suffrage is prob
ably better known and more widely an
proved than any political question which
congress has acted favorably upon for the
last hVe years. Last January a deputation
OF women waited upon President, Wilson.
urging him to stop the waste of energy and
life that was being expended in the long
struggle to establish democracy for women
Ills reply was that women must concert
public opinion in favor of their freedom.
Since that date women have realized
'''~N 'hSs hecueu 10 make a more constant
direct and public appeal to the Presldant nc
mead OF the Government for Justice. Every
day since January 10, 1917, through the roId
or winter and the heat OF summer women
nave stood at the gates of the White House
holdihg IN their hands their suffrage ban
hers or purple, white and gold
For five months they were alIowed 10
stand there in peace. But last month the
District police began to arrest them 70,
holding the same banners in the same nlaca
Piease understand that there is no laIv
against holding banner at the gate Of tbe
White House. The charge brought by the
District police against the suffra gists is tho
technical charge Of 'obstructing traffic
Every one who has followed the b,s,or,
OF the suffrage activity at the canita,
knows that this charge is brought nv ths
pohce TO compel women to withdraw frnn,
the White House their demand for sufrraoa
The fact Is, that the appeal of women 70,
democracy at this time is highly embar.
| RAISING to the Government Politicians ar.
asking the people to sacrifice everythtns
| and everybody for democracy and mo ns
men and women are ready to sacriens
everything for democracy but they are MOI
willing to permit the Government 70 s,ana
the iIe-oiood OF the nation for democrac,
| somewhere in Europe while that same o.,
| ernment refuses to assist the peacaf,,, ",,
| orderly establishment Of democracv in @m, a,',
| own country. ''' ou'
| Women are not asking the Goyern,,sn,
| to do the impossible Congress couId aasii,
pass the sunrage amendment IL the Presi
| dent gave his support. More than hale ~,
Senators and nearly half the House are aI
ready pledged to our amendment. Mo-,
Senators and Representatives oppose suf
| frage only because the President on,osa,
! 1t. II the President should declare for ne
tionai Suffrage he could undoubtedly infu
ence enough votes to secure the passage n
the amendment through Congress ami ~,
victory for democracy could be accomnIishn'
without struggle or grief, without the ,os
OF snsle life, or any waste of nationa
| wealth.
But instead Of assisting women 70 ,,,,,
freedom, the Government is irving 10 w.. w..
timidate those who ask for freedom. An,
the women are determined to go on aslsin,
| for 1t, knowing well that the yery efsor. =
the Government to suppress them "a ~, 80
ing their message all the more clearly No. ~
whole people" " VI
CAROLINE KATZENsTEIr
PHILADELPHIA, September