Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-04
SUFFRAGISTS
w AGE DUEL
WITH ANTS
House Committee Is Jury
Before Which Charges
Are Made and Answered !;
Both Sides Claim Wilson's
Sympathy. A

PACIFIST TENDENCY
DENIED WITH WARMTH
Washington, D. c. Jan. 3.-The first
of series of hearings on the woman
suffrage constitutional amendment to
be conducted by the house suffrage
committee was begun today with the
session given over to the presentation
OF the suffragists' case by women rep
resenting the National American Wo-
man Suffrage association.
Mrs. Maud Wood Park, congress
sional chairman, was in charge OF the
hearing for the sutfragists.
REPLIES TO CRITICS.
Doctor Shaw, who also is chairman
of the woman's committee OF the coun-
Gil of national defense, denies the
charge that the suffrage movement is
''pro-German. socialistic and pacifist."
DR.. Shaw, leading the argument in
favor of the amendment, declared the
fight had simmered down to ques-
ton of whether the extension Of suf-
frage to a large number of inexper-
fenced women voters, naturally sympa-
thetic with human suffering. would
tend to weaken prosecution of the war
ALLEGE sociAtIsTic PACT.
The anti-suffragists set forth their
principal argument in prepared
statement by Mrs James w. Wads-
worth Jr., president of the National
Association Opposed to Woman Suf.
frage.
TSa, argument for the antis declared
That suffragists and socialists, seeking
20 destroy the right of each state to
settle the question by popular vote,
had resorted to "the lowest political
methods" 1t charged them with cir
culating canard that President VIII.
son had promised Alice Paul, leader OF
the white house pickets, that he would
secretly aid the amendment.
Such a statement, the argument
declared, was an insult to the presi-
dents character" and added that the
president had been the foremost
friend Of woman suffrage because OF
his well-known preference to have the
states settle the question for them
selves.
DENIES PAclFIsT LEANING.
'The charge that the majority of
women are pacifists in the sense in
which that word is used at the pres
ent time, is absolutely disproved. not
alone in the countries of our allies but
in our own country by the zeal with
which women have thrown them
selves into war service" said DIR.
Shaw. at is no over-statement to say
that where one man offered voluntari-
ly to enlist, ten women have offered
for active war work and that several
millions of women are today serving
their country with just as much zeal
in work as greatly needed as that in
the camps or in the trenches: while
thousands more are preparing them
selves for the service just as soon as
the country calls.
CITES CANADIAN VOTE.
"If we need more definite state
ment of this point, we need only to
turn to the last election in Canada
which hinged entirely upon conscrip-
ton and was carried in favor OF the
measure by the votes Of the Canadian
women When we find the services
of women recognized by the govern.
ments of Great Britain. France and
Canada and even by Australia" con-
cluded DR.. Shaw, "it is clear indi-
cation that the loyalty of American
women, measured by every emergen.
cy in our country's history, demands
that at this time the government shall
recognize the services Of its women" ;"
Mrs. Travis Whitney Of Brooklyn
analyzed the New York vote to an
swer Mrs. Wadsworth's contention
that suffrage was won in New York
by the votes of pacifists and social
lists.
DEMANDS FEDERAL ACTION.
Seven hundred thousand men in
New York state voted for woman
suffrage" said Mrs. Whitney, the
fact is that the socialist pro-suffrage
vote was swallowed whole by the to.
tai pro-suffrage vote"
Mra. Henry Ware Allen Of Wichita
Kan, told the members they had done
by federal action many things never
attempted before.
"You have federally conscripted the
sons OF the nation and that was
right" she said "You have federally
taxed the incomes of men and women
and again your action has been most
commendable Less than three weeks
ago you did your part toward over
coming one Of the greatest evils of
all times. the drink evil, and you did
1t as a nation. So why should you
hesitate to take federal action of the
next issue Of right and justice that is
coming up for your consideration?
Surely this is place where consist.
sNcy would be 4 Jewell"