Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-08-22
WIVES SHOULD WORK
SAYS "SUFF" LEADER
Carrie Chapman Gait Would
Have the Husbands Go TO
War at Once.

81 am in favor of the government
refusing ,y,mptlon on the ground Of
dependent wife TO every married
man. II that wife is able-bodied. with
out children and able 10 support her
felf"
with that ringing declaration Mrs.
Carrie Chapman Gait, leader Of Amer
ican suflragIsts ana of forward look
ing patriotic American women, goes
one step further than Provost Mar
char General Crpwder. who has just
suggested that wives who worked be-
fore their marriage should 20 back
u the office or the factory ana SET
their husbands free for the front In
several cases New York exemption
boards have set up this ruling ana
refused exemption 20 men claiming H.
Mrs Gait BE- the president Of the
National American Woman SuifraR
association. with a membership Of
more than two million American
women and ] asked her 20 discuss
the problem. because ] know that she
typifies all that BE- sanest and most
constructive 10 American suffragism
and fom.uisn. She Us one Of the mem
beTs Of the women's committee Of the
Council Of National Defense, and was
one OF the first two women appointed
Liberty loan.
No Room for Woman Slackcrs.
There is no more room I'm America
for the Stacker woman than there is
for the Stacker man" she declared
When the nations need grows dire
enough. neither the nation nor it's
women waste any time on such qut,-
tons As woman's privilege Of sup
port. The man power Of the country
moves 10 the front and the woman
power Of the country closes up back
OF the man, pressing thru all lines
Of industry, trade and TRANSPORTATION
nearer and nearer to the trenches. un-
III the women are on the firing line
itself as they are In Russia today.
MARY Smith is the wife of John,
10 whom she has been married Il
months. There Is no baby, no pros
pect OF one. BEFORE Mary's marriage
she earned 81 700 year She mar
have lost temporarily "A little Of her
skill and some OF her business ,oh-
ucctious But assuming that she can
get "A job should she take IL and per-
NIT John to be drafted Most as
suredly she should
Even If she did not work before
she was married, she has her clearly
defined DUTY II is to prepare her
self for earning a living. Shc may 10
present moment for her support. hut
there Is no reason why she should
remain in that position Let her
learn 10 do something well enough to
be paid a living wage for IT, Then.
when the next draft occurs, she need
not hold John back from serving his
country.
Mother Doing Duty Already.
"The mother with small children
is different. Such woman make
"A definite economic contribution "a
her country. even tho 1t has not been
recognized generally as such.
But no woman today is justifie'
in being supported in idleness by any
man. II Fhe be "A hotel dweller, child
less and doing nothing In the way o.
economic contribution. not onll
should she not keep any man from
going 20 the front upon the eXcus'
that she is dependent upon his fo
support. but she should herself b'
drafted into some sort of active worl
for the good Of the country.
There are going TO be many jobs
In industry which must be performei
by our women. one million or NOR
men cannot be taken out Of the work
ing world without leaving large gap
to be filled. There will he busines
and industrial opportunities 10
there will be other positions wnicl
cannot bc filled unless women VIII,
have never worked before resolve q
buckle down and do their share"
"Thut ig another reason why phSsi
cally fit, childless young wives hav
ho right 90 ask the government TO le
their men stay at home and toni -
that the women may take their ease
The situation in this country Is an
alogous TO that obtaining dlrectl
after the civil war. At that time tn
secretary Of state had to ask women
mothers, Wiycs md daughters, {,
enter the ciyil service. because thcr
simply were not enough men 10 &
around Women today are about I,
bc asked 10 perform other new du
ties, because there will not be mel
enough.
Modern Contention Justified.
THE situation simply emphasize
orc Of the strongest contentious %
the tEotWl modern woman: Iha
every girl should be taught Some jol
60 that she may become economical.
Independent II circumstances deuan,
f. We have urged this training 70
all daughters, in order that they ma
bC fitted 10 meet individual cnSe'
Now. In the crisis Of the nation, train
ivr gtrIg FOR esIf- -guurprt ig soon :