New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1918-09-30

been for the services of the WOMEN
services rendered in every sphere
not merely in the fields OF efforts
in which we have been accustomed to
see them work, but wherever men
have worked and upon the very skirts
and edges of the battle itself. We
shall not only be distrusted but shall
deserve to be distrusted If we do not
enfranchise them with the fullest pos.
sible enfranchisement, as 1T is now
certain that the other great free ma
tons will enfraEchise them. We cannot
isolate our Thought and action in such
a matter from the thought of the rest
of the world. We must either con"
firm or deliberately reject what they
propose and resign the leadership OF
liberal minds to others.
1.-THE women of America are too
noble and too intelligent and too de-
voted to be slackers whether you give
or withhold this thing that is mere
Justice; but | know the magic it Will
work in their thoughts and spirits II
yOu give it to them. 1 propose it as
l would propose to admit soldiers to
the suffrage, the men lighting in the
field for our liberties and the liberties
of the world, were they excluded. The
tasks of the women lie at the very
heart of the war and I know how
much stronger that heart will beat If
you do this just thing and SOW our
women that you trust them as much
you in fact OF necessity depend upon
them.
"Have l said that the passage of
this amendment is a vitality necessary
war measure, and do yoaf need further
proof? Do you stand in need of the
trust or our own women? Is that
trust an asset. or is it not?
an aset or it is not? -
At tell you plain1y. as. the COM
hander-in-c chief of ofr afniiies.and of
the gallant men in. our fleets, as the
present spokesman of this people in
our dealings With the men and wo
men throughout the world who now
are our partners, as the responsible
head of a great government which
stands and is questioned day by day
as to it's purposes, it's principles, it's
hopes, whether they be serviceab1e to
men egerywhere or only to itself, and
Who~must himself answer these ques-
uonlngs, or~be ashamed as the
guide and director- of forces caught in
the grip of war ard~~hy the same
spiritual resource this great Iation'
possesses I tell you plainly that
this measure which I urge upori~s4ror
is vital to the winning of the War
and to the energies alike of prepara-
ton and of battle. a.... +
"And not to the winning of the
war only. 1t is vital to the right sol
ution Of the great problems which we
soft hmm cd toll
when the war is over We shall need
then in our vision of affairs, as we
have never needed them before, the
sympathy and insight and clear moral
instinct of the women of the world.
| The problems of that time will strike
| to the roots of many things that we
have not hitherto questioned and [,
for one, believe that our safety in
| those questioning days, as well as our
comprehension of matters that touch
society to the quick will depend upon
| the direct and authoritative partici-
| patton Of women in our counse1s. We
| shall need their moral sense to pre-
serve what is right and fine and wor"
| thy in our system Of life as we'll as to
| discover just what it is that ought to
| be purified and reformed. Without
| their counselings, we shall be only
| half wise.
! THAT is my case. This is my APP
| peal. Many may deny its validity, it
| they choose, but no one can brush
| aside or answer the arguments upon
which it is based. The executive
| tasks of this war rest upon me.
| ask that you Tighten them and place
in my hands instruments, spiritual in
| strume nts which I do not now possess,
| which / sorely need, and which
have daily to apologize for not being
! able to employ"