Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-11-24
THE TRIUMPH OF EQUALITY

THE TRIUMPH OF EQUALITY
THE reat wome..'s movement took the
world by storm in the years before
the war. 1t shook us out OF our old
selves and made us look around and study
the world anew. 1t had little to do with
the mere getting of votes Votes are at
best a tardy confirmation of social
changes that have taken place in the
hearts of men years before election.
The revolt of the women was as much
. revolt against women as against men.
1t said to the young women of the eighties
and nneties of the last century: Abandon
dollhood for womanhood earn your own
money. marry when and whom you want
and demand the right to teach your chill
dren or have them taught the truth as
you see it.
Women accomplished a thousand re-
forms before most of us knew there was
such a thing as a woman's movement
stirring. They won everything they
went after They were at the heart of
the revolutionary movement in Russia.
They struck telling blows at gluttony and
waste in food and drink. They reformed
their own clothes. scrapping the trivial
fashions of mid-Victorianism along with
the mincng manners and slushy senti.
mentalties of slave.market days. When
they had won everything else they natu-
rally asked for the vote. And then the
old fogies of the world woke up and said
"A dangerous new movement is starting
Sluggards. you were awake only in time
to see the ending of the movement and
the triumph of equality.
The women's movement was the back.
thought they had made usefu' tool OF
manhood suffrage by which they could
cheat men into keeping themselves down
forever, democracy fired from the second
barrel of it's shotgun For woman is
the natural foe of oppression. Every
oppressor shelters "a rebel in his house,
hold-his wife. A man may become hard |
ened to the condition of the poor and
sick, but not his wife and daughters. |
To say the women's movement is d-
vorced from social and industrial justice |
Is as foolish as to speak of a living body |
divorced from blood.
To teach refinement of feeling is the !
mission of women in their awakening.
The clearing away Of our slum and
sweatshop swamps. a check upon the
foul talk and manners of camps and all
women, these and u thousand other re-
inning influences are "woman's sphere"
This persistent refinement appears wher-
ever woman suffrage is in action or is
discussed. The Pennsylvania Suffrage
Association has just given evidence Of
this fact In condemning the White House
pickets, who, of course. represent not
one-tenth of 1 per cent of women: who
indeed, represent no one but themselves
But the argument of Anna Howard Shaw
In this case rests upon refinement as
much as upon expediency. How would
you or like to have a crowd of women
in front of our homes calling US
she asks.
1t is not enough to have refinement in
our own homes. Nonpolitical woman
could be trusted to keep her own home
circle attuned to the message of good
books and music. could inspire the giving
II the aims that are given in secret and
the many subtle kindnesses which radiate
beyond family to its friends. But what
can we not hope for when these good
deeds are allowed to spread out into
The larger family Of the community, and
thence are reflected throughout the
State and nation! To expect only politi.
al reforms through women's votes is
almost to insult the movement and the
meaning of q woman. To give woman
Is simply to recognize the
act that the average modern community
has been made safely civilized place.
But We need the votes of women to
kssp the world civilized.
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