The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-06-13
DR. W. B. CRUMPTON l. GIVES REASONS FOR WOMAN SUFFRAGE
Venerable Head of Anti-Sa- loon League Says Women Have More Self-COntr0i
 In Crises Than Men


 equal suffrage amendment by the legis-
 lature in July, pr. w. B. Crumpton, sec
 retary emeritus of the Baptist mission | board and president of the Alabama Anti-Saloon league. and one of the best
 known men in Alabama, has made the following statement:
 On the ground of patriotism alone recognition with the men at the ballot
 box? On every battlefield in every train ing camp, at the risk of their lives often,
 did they not minister to the suffering
 and dying? In the awful flu epidemic,
 more dangerous and destructive than at
 the battle front, were they not on the
 tented field, in the city infirmaries, in the
 rural homes to nurse back to life precious lives? What would we have done with out them? is the query of every doctor. At the canteens along the railroads, women, young and old, did their work They kept the campfires burning day and night to minister to the hungry boys in travel So faithful and self ?sacrific- ing were they that many have asked:
 
 them?' Are we not all certain that with out their aim the many successful drives which astonished the world and terrified l the enemy would have failed?
 PATRIOTIC DEEDS For which of their many patriotic deeds will the Alabama solons punish them by refusing the ballot to women? A,ot& thing to the state? The women are in the majority in every one of them. Could the churches and Sunday schools exist without them? Who are the teachers Of our children? More than 75 per cent of | the teachers in Alabama schools are women and they are the poorest paid servants of the people excepting the preachers. Who fills our criminal courts and our prisons? Not the women, but the lordly men who have the exclusive right to rule everything but themselves. Ask any superintendent of an asylum and he will tell you that the women pa- tients are in the majority there And why? Not because of their lack of men tality; rather because of the everlaSt- | ing grind in the attempt of women to be home builders" Men insist that they should be that and nothing else. Most of the unfortunate women in asylumS | are from the country where they cook and wash for large families. In addition | they ofter take part in the work of the field With no newspapers, no book, and no time to read think, is 1t surprising | that they come to such melancholy
 nd?
 1 HUSBANDS AND SONS | Tn the meantime their husbands and 1 sons are meeting their neighbors daily l discussing questions of the day, attend ing conventions, etc The husband may not be exacting and cruel in his de-
 mands; he is doing as his fathers did before him. He is looking at it from | what he calls "a business point of view. l Many women own property, and man | age it, well-ofttimes far better than | their husbands, now deceased. With all her property, her good management, 1 her prompt payment of taxes and obedi- | ence to law. she has no right to vote even for a constable to protect her; or | a school board, who will appoint the | teachers of her children. Men of the | Alabama legislature, elected by your constituents to make laws for all the people, are you treating the women right?
 Tt may be said: Many women do not | want the ballot Is that not because they are not seking the responsibility that | comes with the exercise of the ballot? Is I 1 women may be entrusted with the ballot? l Does one say, Women are too emo I tional and sentimental?' Enter any oper- ating room in any hospital and mark the stern, hard-faced surgeon. See how con- | fdently he depends upon the trained | women helpers in the delicate matters l of the operating rom. Women have more self-control and meet with more sue | cess and crises than men do This is | a well-known fact.
 ONE SIN CHARGED | "There is one sin that the opposition can consistently charge against women | They have been the bravest defenders of | the home and state against the monster l enemy alcohol But for them the prohi- bition drive would have failed. l am | wondering whether some of the legisla-
 ture who will oppose the equal suffrage amendment have not, down in their hearts, secret wish that the saloon | may some day return. We'll do they
 know that the saloons may some day re-
 turn. Well do they know that the return
 of the saloon is impossible if the ballot l be given to women.
 Lastly, brother Alabamian, let's re- 1 move the stigma on the name of our 1 women in having them classed with idiots l and criminals, as being ineligible for | service at the polls. Think of it! From | idiots those convicted of crime, and | women, the ballot is withheld. Shame n>u x~ sv.