Republican farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1810-1920, 1918-05-24
KATHERINE LUDINCTON, SUFFRAGIST
TAKES EXCEPTION TO BRANDECEE'S
OPPOSITION TO WOMAN SUFFRAGE

The position of women, the whole
range of their interests. is being more
profoundly affected by this war than
any event since the industrial revo-
luton of the 18th and early 10 CEN
turtles. The momentous decisions be-
ing made daily by governments are
radically altering the world in which
their children are to live. England
and Canada have realized this and
have given their women the same
right of self determination that they
have promised to the down trodden
nations of Europe. France and Italy
are well on the way toward emanci-
pating their women. The overwhelm-
ing trend of public opinion, the out
spoken statements of our president,
and of leaders such as Roosevelt,
William Hays of the Republican Ma
tional Committee and Vance McCor-
mick of the Democratic National
Committee and countless others, is all
in this direction; but Senator Brande-
gee can still talk of women beating
around about saving democracy by
forcing their way into caucuses and
conventions" These caucuses and
conventions nominate the men who
and yet we are to have nothing to do
with their proceedings The success
full conduct of the war, the welfare of
the men of our families at the front,
is in their hands, but we are to keep
quiet and pick lint.
Next fall the elections will turn on
the supreme issue on loyalty, but Con-
necticut women along with the women
of other non-sufcage states are to
leave the choice of the new, Sena-
tors, members of Congress, Cover
nors, ETC., entirely to the men left at
home by the war We are sending
hundreds of thousands of loyal vot-
ers out of the country, and it looks
now as if they might thus be auto
matically disfranchised. Among those
left at home are all the unfit, the
slackers, and the dangerously largo
number of alien enemies, who are
still voters, (seven states give the vote
to Foreigners on their first papers
and before they are eligible to the
draft. They are to decide these
elections while the soldiers and their
wives, mothers and sisters have not
one word to: say. Canadian soldiers
found this intolerable and their wom-
en- were enfranchised to represent
them. Is America to be the only
country except Germany that does not
trust her women? We are told by
Mr.. Brandegee, in unison with the
kaiser, that our concern is with cook
fng. clothing and children"-are we
to be allowed no part in the protection
of these homes and children against
enemies without and spies within?
Even the New York State anti-suf-
fragists have recognized the power
Iessness of the old indirect influ-
ence of women, and in their recent
statement have announced that they
will quite rightly Use their votes to
fight sedition and pro-Germanism.
But Mr.. Brandegee would tell. them
to "go home and pick 1inti'
Connecticut moves slowly, but it
has a noble past and its record in
this war has been more than credit
able. Will it rest contented to have
the country take our senior Senator
as representing Connecticut's attitude
toward women2 The Republican par
ty has been good friend to Suffrage
and has given it very large major
ity in Congress-Mr. Brandegee does
not even represent his party.
KATHERINE LUDINGTON, =
President, Connecticut Woman Suf-
frage Association.