The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-29
gHI7T7IE petition now being circu-

|661TiE petition now being oircu,
 sI lated, We, the undersigne
 women of Alabama petition the legislature of our state to ratify the federal suffrage amendment is merely a mearx 10 an end-to convince those who declare that women do not want suffrage, that they do; to refute any idea that if women had the vote they would not use it; on the other hand, women do not want to vote and if they mad it they would use it judicously and wisely.
 Mrs. w. D. Nesbitt, who has been ap- pointed one of the 50 captains in Biz mingham to obtain names for the peti- tion to be presented to the coming leg islature for the ratification of the fed eral suffrage amendment, spoke earnest ly and enthusiastically yesterday as she told me of the tremendous forces now being brought to bear on the suo- ject by the women all over the United States.
 Alabama has been apportioned 65, COG names to be affixed to the petition and of this number Birmingham must fur nish 40,000; the 50 chapters in Birmin2- ham must turn in 500 names each te their petition which is large order for any one woman to fill. but if each of the 50 captains work with the enthusiasm and general heart interest that chara c- terizes Mrs. Nesbitt's part in the en- deavor there Is little doubt as to the outcome of the campaign
 As to women wanting the vote, lt seems to me there could be no doubt on that point" Mrs. Nesbitt said, .and as to their wisdom in using it nothing more significant has been said or writ ten than the message by the British prime minister, Lloyd George, who, on August 2l, sent the following tribute to the woman's congress in Paris:
 " In the past have heard it said that women were unfit to vote because they would be weak when it came to under- standing the issues and bearing the strains of a great war My experience in South Wales last week is what has confirmed me in the belief that the wom- en there understand perfectly what is at stake in this war. I believe they rec ognize as clearly as any that there can be no peace, progress. or happiness in the world so long as the monster of militarism is able to stalk unbridled and unashamed among the weaker peoples ' To them this war is I crusade for righteousness and gentleness. and they do not mean to make peace until the al lies have made it impossible for an other carnival of violence to befall mau- kind. I am certain that this resolution of the women of South Wales is but typical of the spirit of the women of the rest of Great Britain.
 This war began in order that force and brutality might crush out freedom among men. It's authors cannot have foreseen that one of it's main effect. would be to give women commanding position and influence in the public af fairs of the world To their ennoblins influence we look not only for strengtt 1 to win the war but for inspiration dur l ing the great work of reconstruction ", i will have to undertake after victory j. 1 won,
 l ".The women who have been flockins | to France to work for the allies arr among the foremost leaders in this grea movement of regeneration. My messag I to their representatives gathered in Pari
 is this: well done Carry on Yoi | are helping to create new earth fo yourselves and your children 1 "I am anxious to bear testimony t l the tremendous part played by tn
 women of England in this vital epocl of human history" the premier wrote
 They have not only borne their bur l den of sorrow and separation with un 1 flinchng fortitude and patience. bu they have assumed an enormous shar l of the burdens necessary to the practi cal conduct of the war,
 ! eff 1t had not been for the splendi manner in which the women came fol l ward to work in the hospitals and nun | ton factories in administrative office of all kinds, and in war work benin the lines often in daily danger of thel lves Great Britain and. I believe, a the allies woud have been unable t withstand the enemy attacks of the las few months. For this service, to ou common cause humanity owes them UT bounded gratitude.
 l Previous to this, of course, Mrs. Nes bitt said, and the most vital reaso l why our legislature should ratify tn federal suffrage amendment, is Pres dent Wilson's attitude toward it.. H urges federal suffrage as a necessary wa measure and in a pamphlet written b David Francis the following correspond ence from the President is presented: l "President Wilson is a busy man an has a great many problems to decid every day-for a long time nothing ex cept matters vitally related to the CO., duct of the war have occupied his min, There is, therefore, much signficasc in the connection which President w, son openly declares that he sees bf tween the morale of the American pee pie, their sincere adherence to demo cratic principles and the passage by tn United States Senate of the feders amendment to enfranchise the women ( this country.