New Britain herald., 1918-10-02
COMMUNICATED.
45 Francis St.
 Sept. 30, 1918.

To the Editor of The Herald:
 I have just been reading the ad- dress of President Wilson asking for the passage of the Woman Suffrage bill as a war measure by the U. S. Senate. It has moved me profound ly. It appears to me that he has never spoken words of greater mo- ment or voiced the greatest moral is- sue of our time more clearly As an almost lifelong suffragist I hope most earnestly that these solemn words will not fall upon unheeding ears.
 The president has seen this issue plainly and has stated it in no un- certain terms. It is for those to whom it is addressed to heed it and act upon it without reservation or hesitation.
 Again and again in talking suffrage l have been met with the statement that it is not war issue that the time is not now but some far distant day in the uncertain future when it should be considered and acted upon. Of course, we, who, being suffragists, realize the fallacy of this statement revert to the experience of the wo- men of our country in our Civil war when they were told that suffrage was not an issue, and yielding to pressure, they gave up their suffrage work and devoted themselves heart and soul to what the men called war work" If they were good children their lords and masters told them at that time, when the war was over they might look for their reward. When that war was over, they sought, not their reward, but asked for their inalienable right, only to be contemptuously denied.
 Elizabeth Cady Stanton said at that time:
 ''The lessons of the war were not lost on the women of this nation. Through varied forms of suffering and humiliation, they learned that they had an equal interest with men in the administration of the govern ment When, in the en- franchisement of the black men, they saw another ignorant class of voters placed above their heads and beheld the dangers of a distinctively male government forever involving the na- tions of the earth in war and vio- lence; and demanded for the protec- tiOn of themselves and children, that wOman's voice should be heard and her opinions on public affairs ex- pressed by the ballot. they were cooly told that the black man had earned the right to vote, that he had fought and bled and died for his country"
 The world is today involved in war,-war brought on by "distinc- lively male" government. and wo- man, who had no part in bringing it about, is asked to help toward the winning of it as she was never asked before, and is suffering because of it as she has never suffered before. Wo- men are giving of their best all over the world. Mothers are yielding up their sons other women who are not mothers are giving their time, their strength, their utmost effort. 1t Is a day of service and sacrifice, as the president says, and for the women in as great measure as for the men. It seems, to me, that the service and sacrifice demanded of them are even greater, in proportion to their strength, than that demanded of men.
 The greatest statesman in England, the leader who guides the destinies of his country not long ago stated that without the women of his na- ton the war had long ago been lost. That statement stands true for the women of all the Allied nations. The war is lost without them. They are fighting everywhere, as surely and as steadily as the soldier On the firing line, so-called. For the firing line is not only along the battlefront in France but it is wherever brave hearts are beating and busy hands are toiling.
 President Wilson has brought out the vital point when he says that the tasks of the women lie at the very heart of the war and speaks or "how much stronger that heart will beat if suffrage is granted to them
 It is even so, without suffrage women are not partners ana CO., workers with the men, but servants and working tools. The intelligent thinking women of this country reel this lleenly and resent it deeply. They realize that their government has no place for women save as Subordln- ates and implements Of drudgery. The men alone know the Joy of ere ative work, of organization, ot dolnS things that count. WOman's voice IS not heard in counsel-she has no real share. because of that, in guid- ing the issues of the day.
 It is passing strange that in an so- called "enlightened" country an so- called "Hberal' and progressive country,-it is passing strange, l say that our president has needed to speak such words of warning and of appeal If we were as liberal and if we were as enlightened as we have boasted it would not have been needed We should long ago have discerned this truth and our women would have been enfranchised. It appears to me that we have been blind, like moles in the darkness of our own concelt and prejudice, and that very many or