The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1917-07-19
Need or REAL DEMOCRACY
Women Leaders in Fight for the Ballot
Are Among First to Aid in Work That
Must Be Done to Aid the Nation
During the War.

The following open letter regarding
the Importance of the consideration OF
suffrage even in war time, has been is
sued by Mrs Theodore W. Youmans,
president of the Wisconsin Woman s.
Suffrage Association, and will be found
of unusual interest both to suffragists
and ants"
Woman suffragists are leading in pa
triotic work in Wisconsin and every
other state in the union. AT the same
time woman suffragists are asking the
people to consider the great question
fundamental to this war, the question
of democracy.
1T seems to us that those people who
say that propaganda for woman suf-
frage should cease at this time have no
real grasp of the situation. They must
think of the enfranchisement of WON
en- as kind of philanthropy, not
worthy of attention when serious bust
ness is at hand, and they must think of
the vote as something possibly desir-
lance.
We sufragists take an entirely diff
ferent view. We are trying to secure
enfranchisement in order that we may
have real democracy in this country,
We believe in democracy with all our
souls. I suppose there is no body Of
people in the country to whom democ
racy is such passion as it is to US.
Woman snffragists are public spirit
ed women who see that the welfare of
the state is vital to the welfare of ev-
cry individual and every family. 1t is
inevitable that when the state is in
trouble they should give every assist
ance within their power. 1t is directly
in line with their principles that they
should do it, and they are doing it
strongly and efficiently.
So far as [ know the National Am
erican Woman Suffrage Association
was the first woman IS organization in
the country to offer its services to the
government. At conference held in
Washington in February, when war
was only black cloud impending, ac-
ton was taken making this offer to
the government, and adopting a plan
of service for women which has now,
perhaps unconsciously, been generally
adopted as the basis of woman S war
work throughout the country. On the
very day that. war was declared, the
Wisconsin Woman s Suffrage Associa-
ton offered its services to the state,
and formally adopted the plan of SER
vice of the national body.
When the woman s auxiliary to the
National Council of Defense was ap-
pointed it was perfectly natural that
those trained in women suffrage work
should have a large place in this COM
mittee. We have many able women in
many fine organizations, but none Of
them travel such an uphill road as the
suffragists, and consequently none 9TH
ers have such training in initiative.
.resourcefulness and general efficiency.
1t was not an accident that DR.. Shaw
and Mrs. Gait were selected among
leaders for the greatest task that the
women of this country have ever had
to assume.
War invades every household 1t
takes fathers and sons and husbands
and brothers. It raises the cost of food
and of everything else. It means suf-
fering, loss, privation to women as well
as men. It means the changing of
lives, SO that nothing will hereafter be
as it was before.
Is there any person SO dull, SO blind,
as to deny that war is woman Is bust
ness as well as man IS BUSINESS Is
there anyone to deny that her coun-
try IS business is her. businessg
To knit scarves and make paiamas
is easy work. To make one pound of
butter serve where two pounds were
formerly used is more difficult. We
ask that women shall not only serve in
every possible practical way, but that
they, as well as men, shall consider
fundamental questions which the tiraes
press upon them.
What does democracy mean?
If governments derive their lust
powers from the consent of the gov
erned, what about denying a voice IN
government to one-half the human
race2 Is it, or is it not right that those
who bear full share of the brunt of
the war should have a voice in eondi-