Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-11-25

a NEWSPAPER writer was pass
IN ing through Toronto at the
~ crucial moment of the passage
q q Of the act making military
service compulsory in Canada. To learn
how the women of that country were
taking the matter, a call was made
upon one of the leaders in canada's
woman movements. The Canadian
women felt acutely the stigma that
would have rested upon them II con-
scription had failed. They hold in
tense admiration for the qualities of
leadership and accomplishment of the
women of the United States. and the
war has awakened them to the neces-
sity of following In this country's foot
steps.
The woman visited was Mrs. Jessie
Campbell MacIver, and she was one Oh
the five women who were invited to at
tend the recent war convention at OF
tawa and discuss with the premier the
question of the federal vote for Cana
dian women. Mrs. MacIver is in touch
with every leading woman's organlza-
ton In Canada. being editor OF the
woman's Century, the official organ OF
the National Council Of Women, ana
officially representing number OF
other Canadian organizations of wom-
en-, including the Daughters of the En-
pire. National Federation of Suffrage
Societies, Woman's Canadian Club. W.
c. T. U. and Housewives League.
Mrs. MacIver, who was born in Scot
land and came from that highland
country Of the Campbells of Argyle.
where the men and women will do and
dare anything for the land they love,
Ia a woman of spirit, and her reply to
the question regarding CONSUMPTION
was emphatic. ..M
1--WE trembled for a time when the
bill threatened to hang In the balance,
she said. 'In Quebec there were a mil
lion anti-conscriptionists. and IN the
own part, IL the bill had not gone
through I should have shmaken the ouss
of Canada from my shoes ana gone
over to join your glorious oand OF
not have stood the dishonor and dis
LOYALTY of my countrymen mad there
been any other outcome to the Dill
But right triumphed. and the act IL
doing its part for justice.
IN any case. however, l have no
words to express my admiration Tor
your women, who are doing so splendid
ly for their nation the work OF TO-DAY.
Their gift of organization. their accom-
pnshment simply make us gasp. They
are marvellous. At any great convention
Of women the woman from the Onlteo
States rises victorious over all her
sisters. She has thorough knowledge
of the cause she represents she Is up
to-date in procedure, and she mas tram
ed herself to deliver her message with
convincing strength, clarity and poise
and delivery which Is the result of
careful study and training for her role.
1t is delight to hear any OF your puplic
women speak, and we Canadians yield
willing tribute to their superiority.
However, the war is changing all
that Our people are being reborn
through this war, and we are coming
into our own. Heretofore we Canadian
women have lacked leaders. but leaders
are now coming forward and their sis
tiers are now learning to talk up. We.
like you, are fighting for true democ-
President Wilson is the greatest man
of the day
Asked about her attendance at the
war convention at Ottawa. Mrs. Mac
liver replied:
ut was in early August There were
ten men and five women in what we
called our win the war deputation'
The premier gave US an hour and we
discussed the vote from every point.
Premier Borden wanted a war measure
only at this time. and three weeks after
our visit bill was framed which gives
the vote to wives. mothers and sisters
of men overseas. When the war is over
we feel that the full federal franchise
will be granted to the women of Canada.
"Our boys as well as we are being
reborn" continued Mrs. MacIver. She
has two sons in the imperial army over
seas. and one serving at home. and she
1~kk $~NV ne -
the front. He is Ian Campbell MacIver.
and this is what he wrote:
DO our ministers and leaders of the
nation realize that after the war they
will have to deal with men who have
seen behind the veil, and whose eyes
are no longer blind to lffe's greatest
and best principles? The old order of
things changes, and those at home must
be prepared to sweep aside those 'papier
mache' conventions and narrow doc
trines that for SO long have hidden
and distorted the value of men and
women"
My son is only one among many young