The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-02-14
WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE
SPEAKER LAST NIGHT URGED
THE NECESSITY OF GRANT
ING FRANCHISE.

The movement for women's suf-
frage in South Dakota will not be al
lowed to interfere with a single stitch
of knitting, or with the making of a
single biscuit, or interfere in the
least with the war. Instead of being
a distraction from the one great pur-
pose of the people a: this time it is
designed to assist in the solution OF
the problems perplexing us is the
announcement of Mrs. Mcmahon. of
the National Woman's Suffrage asso-
citation, speaking at the training
school auditorium to the Civic and
Child Walfare league last night. AS
in the case of other countries, our
men will have gone off to war, leav-
ing the m at home to fight the
industrial battles, Mrs. Mcmahon
said, and they must also be in a po-
sition to raise their voices in the gov
eminent of this country. 1t is not
handing them a compliment; it is the
assumption of a duty, the speaker al
so said. 1t is the place of the women
to help.
In opening her address Mrs. Nc
Mahon, who was one of the lobby at
Washington for some time, working
in an effort to have the suffrage bill
introduced, said. With our yes so
close to the one absorbing topic of
the time, we are apt to lose u sense
of perspective and proportion. The
prosecution of the campaign, begin
ming now and to end on November
IL, should not be obscured by our
nearness to the one great idea. They
should be carried along together, SUI
frage considered as a means toward
accomplishing both the finish of the
great conflict, and also a measure OF
preservation and advance when the
conflict is ended. England has
granted women the ballot. Canada
also. In France they already have
the right to vote on municipal af-
fairs, and the chamber of deputies
has promised further consideration,
! The question is before the chamber
of deputies with a good chance OF be-
ing granted. Denmark has had WON
en- voting since 1915, and the king OF
Belgium expressed his desire to be
the first president of the republic OF
Belgium at the hands of m
The speaker argued that while
women have in isolated cases gone
into trenches to fight, there are 9th
er places where they can be as effec-
tive as in the trenches with a gun
AT the beginning of the war, it was
said in England that of the 10 per
sons necessary to keep a soldier IL
the field, two of them were women
THE ratio of women to men engaged
In the war industries there since hal
gradually risen, until now it is sait
that of the 10 necessary to maintain
one soldier, eight of them are nov
women.
The legislature OF South Dakot'
has referred the question OF amend
ment. They would have action OF
this deferred If it were possible, du'
to the distractions of the war time
; But as the legislature does not NEE
this year, this will be impossible, tn
| campaign will be prosecuted with al
' possible vigor-but not a bothersom
or intrusive vigor.
The work of this county will be di
:. vided up among several committees
u the central committee being Mis-
{ Alice Lorraine Daily, Mrs. R. S. West
y ably and Mrs. s. It. May. Mrs. Nc
Mahon will give her time to the caus
between now and the close of tn
campaign, and they have every cars
S TO believe they will windy workin
-
y Wizard