The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1918-02-02
WHAT OTHER il II: PAPERS |:| SAY

Z
WOMAN SUFFRAGE AND PRIvI-
LEGE.
The Public: Those who opposed
the adoption Of the resolution submit
ting the woman suffrage amendment
may offer explanations, but they can
not argue away the fact that denial of
suffrage is denial of democracy. And
because it is denial of democracy
there is no force to the plea that SUI
frage is a matter which should be left
to the states. While a wrong under
standing of states rights accounts for
some opposition, it does not account
for the greater part. Far more may
be explained as pure toryism. There
are opponents in the United States.
both in and out Of congress, who feel
as Earl Curzon expressed himself in
the English house of lords. In oppos-
ing the bill 70 grant women parlia-
mentary suffrage he warned his aris-
tocrat1c colleagues that wherever
women have been granted the vote a
stimulus has always been given to
Socialism" TO statesmen of the Cur
zon stripe Socialism" means any step
toward social justice: He fears lest
suffrage deprive privilege holders of
the power to appropriate what others
earn. That fear is not confined to
titled aristocrats Equally frank as
sertions have been uttered by anti-suf-
fragists in this country. The more
truth there is in their statements, the
more reason there is for those to re-
joice at the approaching victory who
would have the world made better.
The backbone Of the opposition to
woman suffrage is privilege. Women
should bear that in mind in the fight
still to be made in the senate and the
state legislatures. And privilege should
be given cause to regret the suffrage
victory when won.
THE PRESIDENTS BIG JOB.
Milwaukee Daily News: The big
gest job in the world today is being
president of the United States. It
probably is the biggest job this world
has even seen. And it may be that
the world will never again see it's like.
With our president today rests more
power, greater authority, larger i'm
portance than has ever been given one
man. His task is stupendous, the re-
suits OF his decisions world covering
and reaching far beyond his genera
ton.
1t has come that in this restricted
republic it's leader is holding the des-
tiny of the world in his hand. He is
not onlyf the commander of the re->
public's forces but indirectly the COM
| 10of H0vs ne h4 IN.
power this nation has accumulated it
has become very largely, even quite
conclusively, the controller Of the food,
the money, the arms, the munitions,
the transportation Of the world. It is
the axis OF the universe, and he is the
arbiter of it's destinies.
This nation is feeding the world It
is supplying in very large degree the
money, the fuel, the materials needed
by the fighting countries and by many
of the neutral lands. BY the law Of
our land the disposition of money and
food is with the president. Therefore
with him Is the power Of life and
| death, or victory or defeat. Be the
forms what they may, the results lie
with him and the other nations know
it.
It is his to dictate the terms Of
peace and to say when the demands
are satisfied. When he speaks the
other fighting allies will listen. They
may buster a little, make speeches
and put on a bold front but they will
do it consistent with his terms and
drop into full agreement. Just as
Lloyd Georges peace terms came
mr. 0ofie 13Vr wit
in general agreed with them.
From fighting viewpoint this coun-
| try is scarcely in the war. But from
it's ability to say and be heard, to give
and to dictate the terms of the gift,
We are in it all the way up and back
again. We hold the power and Europe
| knows it to a man, not even the CEN
| trail powers for a moment doubling
| that in the end this nation is the ruler
and the dictator 1t is SO through the
I power of our factories and our fields
| the power of our armies is not yet felt.
| In this great contingency the presi-
I dent has been made director OF the
| nation and that has come to mean di-
rector of the world. This sounds
strong but it is true down to the final
! letter
! REMOVE PRIVILEGES!
Columbus Labor News: Organized
| labor knows there is better way. It
| is fast coming to a realtza ton that
the only hope for the workers is to
| remove the underlying causes Of low
wages and unemployment. And the
greatest of these is the privilege of
T owning land or other natural resources
! and using the mere fact of ownership
| as means Of extorting tribute. Never
7 will the world be in such need OF the
| products of labor as after the war.
I Food, clothing. better and more
houses, will be sorely needed. And
they will not be forthcoming because
the bankers and landowners will find
it more profitable to hold the natural
resources, and the plants which de.
pend upon these resources for raw
materials idle and out Of use, until
they can be sure Of big profits over