The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-01-27
PRESIDENT hlI
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much at heart--the right OF women
| to take their full share in the political
! life of the nations to which they be-
long.
That is niece ssarily a domestic
question for the several nations. A
conference of peace settling the rela :
tons of nations with each other would
he regarded as going very much out
side it's province IL it undertook to die
tate to the several states what their
internal policy should be. At the
same time. those considerations apply
IL 4 lz.>-ts - * .ss.sH4: ~,4i 4, E3i
~Sessii' t5ssye ,ds9sy ,ss,at ss.s Circumference
will take some action by way Of ex-
pressing its sentiments. at any rate.
with regard to the international
aspects at least, of labor, and should
hope that some occasion might be
offered for the case. not only of the
women OF France, but of their sisters
all over the world. to be presented to
the consideration of the conference.
The conference Ia turning out to be
a rather nnwieldy body, very large
body. representing great many ma
tons, large and small. old and new,
and the method of organizing It's work
successfully, / am afraid. will have to
be worked out stage by stage
Therefore. / have no confident pre-
dictions to make AS to the way IL can
take up questions of this sort. But
what / have most at heart is to take
advantage of this opportunity to ex-
press my admiration for the women of
France and my admiration for the
women OF all the nations that have
been engaged in this war.
Brave, True Women.
by the fortunes of this war the
chief burden has fallen upon the
women of France. and they have borne
1t with Il spirit and devotion which
has ommanded the admiration of the
world. / do not think that the people
- France fully realize, perhaps, the
ensity Of sympathy that other ma
ons have felt for 1hem.
They think of us. In America for
example. as "A long way off. and we
are, in space, but we are not in
thought. You must remember that
the United States is made up Of the
nations of Europe: that French sym
pathies run straight across the seas,
not merely by historic association,
but by blood connection and that
these nerves of sympathy are quick to
transmit the impulses of one nation
tn the other.
We have followed your suffering
with q feeling that we were witness
ing one of the most heroic. and may
l add at the same time satisfact tory
things in the world-satisfactory be-
cause 1t showed the strength of the
human spirit. the indomitable power
of women and men alike to sustain
any burden If the cause was great
enough.
In an ordinary war. there might
have been some shrinking, some sink
ing of effort, but this was not an or
binary war.
This was war not only to redeem
France from an enemy, but to redeem
the world from an enemy, and France
therefore and the women of France,
strained their heart to sustain the
world
Not In Vain.
II hope that the strain has not been
in vain. 1 know that 1t has not been
In vain.
This war has been popular and I'M
like other wars In that it seemed some
times as IL the chief strain was behind
! the lines and not at the lines.
| 1t took so many men to conduct
the war that the older men and the
women at home had to carry the ma.
uon. NOT only so, but the industries
OF the nation were almost as much &
cart OF the fighting as the things thai
took place at the fronts.
$50 1t is for that reason that.
have said to those with whom / am
at present associated that this must
be peoples peace, because this wa.
n peoples war.
/ THE people won this war, not the
governments, and the people mus
reap the benefits OF the war. AT every
turn we must see to 1t that it is no
an adjustment between government,
merely, but an arrangement for tbs
peace and security OF men and womer
everywhere.
The little obscure sufferings ant
the daily unknown privations. the un
spoken sufferings of the heart, ar.
the tragical things Of this war. The,
have been borne at home. and tn,
center Of the home is the woman.
MY heart goes out to you there
fore. ladies. In a very unusual degre,
and / welcome this opportunity {.
bring you this message not from my
self merely, but from the great peopl,
whom / represent
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