Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1919-10-03


The services Of women during this
supreme crisis of the worlds history
have been of the most signal useful
ness and distinction. The war could
not have been fought without them.
IL is high time that some part of our
debt of gratitude to them should be
acknowledged and pad, and the only
acknowledgment they ask is admis-
fuse itf
This recent upheavel thru which the
world has just passed has been a
struggle for the supremacy between
two forms of government, the Auto
cratic striving to dom nate over the
Democratic and in this present period
of re-adjustment we find that the
Ideals and Conceptions of human
rights are back of the soc al condi-
tons existing. All existing forms of
government are undergoing trying
period OF reconstruction and among
these problems looms prominently
womans place in the industries and
her social and political status. The
me has come when woman's pro-
blems as a ctizen and her education
towards this end are recognized. The
cry Of the hour is to meet the crisis
to study and discuss the elements
involved in order to successfully rope
with the rapidly chang ng situation.
Along with this reawakening of demo-
craey comos a general awakening to
the fact that women are a vital part
OF il and must be included n all its
fundamental considerations of social
adjustment. How are women to pre-
pare themselves for this new order
Women every where are interested
i'm the problems which the war has
wrought. They rhlAed with wonder
ful enthusiasm to the work of Red
Cross in all its avenues for work,
with equal zeal and intelligence they
have assumed the difficult problems
relative to food eonservat on, they
steppe dbravely nto places left va
cant by their fathers. husbands, bro
theirs and above all else they gave as
mothers the most precious gift hu-
manity can offer, their sons to battle
and die II need be for the cause of
right and justice.
Somehow out Of all these experience
es must come some light to point the
way for preparation for better citi-
zenships If peace is really to become
a Permanent condit on, we must find
a way to manage our national affairs
so that humanity and justice must
stand above ALL other considerat on
We must insist, however upon one
thing, that the perpet'ation Of our
ideals Of lfe and lil.erty must come
through our schools and that equal
opportunities must be found il at all
thru a higher more universal educa-
ton than we have yet known.
It follows then that history ought
to be rewritten, heretofore men have
figured prom nently is il to be won
dered at that with such one sided
teaching woman's place in the recog-
nized social order has been consider
ed of secondary importance. We must
educate our boys differently, teach
them the pla e women deserve to oc-
cupy IN our nations development. We
need also an education for our girls
which shall give them a fuller con-
ception Of womans place in the home
and community.
In the historical development Of
the social and political relationship
of the sexes thru the records of civ
ilization, we find the first social unit
to appear was the family and the
headship Of this unit was first vested
in the mother. At a later stage of
development appeared the father
right in family control. Out of family
developed tribe or clan with is par
ticular ruler. Later clans found i'll
expeditions to unite for protection
and then appeared the state with some
one individual vested with rights of
governing. There finally emerged
certain elements involved in the idea
Of a state, rights of individual pro-
perty and the rights growing out of
relationships between various states.
Citizenship has thus different mean
ings at different periods and in differ
ent countries.
Woman was one of the earliest
burden bearers Of the race, it early
became woman's part to secure food
for the family, she participated in all
the activities necessary in the manag-I
ment Of the social unit. In Egypt
we find her first acting her part as
n true citizen. There she was actually
concerned in all affairs of the day
except in war. She took part freely
IN all public concerns engaging inI
commerce in her own right and made
contracts for her own benefit. Al
gradual decline on the independence
granted women took place in the
time Of the Roman Empire due prin-
cipally TO two forces (1) barbar cI
customs Of Western Europe, especi-
ally with reference to marriage GUS
toms, (2) development Of asceticism
among Christians. The latter par
ticuIarly Influencing womans future
status thru the false nations about
sex, with promises of special rewards
for those who practiced celibacy and
II became a powerful factor in degra-
gat'on of women and the present day
still witnesses the struggle of woman
to regain her lost ground.
The significance of the statement
of Aristotle may be considered, name
ly, "But the full and complete de-
fnition of a citizen is confined to those
who participate in the governing
power, either by themselv Is or the
representatives"
The withholding from women the
ballot affects not only their property
rights. womans status in marriage
and the family her educational rights,
her business rights and sometimes
even pFOttCblOH VI utT pcIbOH lEOul
injury. But a change is taking place,
the different governments are making
concessions in womans favor to a
varying extent even England and
Canada have opened the doors to
womans rightful position in govern
mental circles. In the u. s. we are
on the verge of full political equality
and what use are we going to make
of the opportunity. Efficient use Of
the ballot means organization in ad-
vance and continued educational work
with the eligible voter. The reports
coming from the states now giving
women the ballot seem to be to her
credit and where sufficient time has
elapsed for organization numerous
important reforms have been noted
as q result.
In order to get at the heart of the
situation we shall refer to some
statistics. Following table gives per
cents of males and females engaged