Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-08-31
G,,sSlas''2 GSsHlas Ssstsfdsy axsaz 133O8
Woman OFcers Next.

The ratification Of the Equal Suffrage
Amendment has opened-or will open
the door. Of the Delaware courts TO women
lawyers. and we may see the temples OF
Justice swarming with fair Portias in few
wears. The fair sex has hitherto been
barred from practice in the courts OF this
State on the ground that they were not
cItizeEs.
WHY not women lawyers? We have
women doctors, and they are quite the
equal in skill and in scientific equipmentof
men Of the profession. They have, how
ever. been under the handicaf of belief
that being women. they therefore are
hardly equal in fitness TO their male fellow
doctors. And, too, we may have women
officials. woman judge or chief justice, or
we may have woman in the mayors
office; they are eligible also for service on
the police force. Who knows but some
aspiring woman may seek election to the
United States Senate or to the House OF
Representatives. or what could be more
likely than we shall have woman govern
the possibilities Of things to come almost
daae one.
To whatever Office woman may be
elected don't let her election feminine the
title Of her post. For instance, if she
should be elected az head of the state
she would be governor, not governor
ces. nor would she be a sheriffess nor
Judges, just ~ in later day usage the
woman physician 10 a doctor, not
doctorcse AZ she used TO be designated IN
the days when women were almost un-
known 10 the professions; her title then
WAS changed TO fit the sex Of the holder
Probsbly-indeed, it is quite likely
women will bring higher degree OF at
tainments and greater mental capacity
into public life than is TO be found In any
list of men politicians Of today. IL they
will bring real brains and open minds,
instead of mental equipment doped by
partisanship they will be doing much IN
return for the vote We shall not expect
these new voters, should they be elected TO
Congress, to follow the precedent OF
"Miss Congressman" Rankin of Montana.
the first of her sex in Congress, 10 burst
into tears and food the chamber with her
weeping eyes should they be called to vote
on going to war to punish the Hun for his
assault upon the world.
How many women will prefer career
at the bar or in politics, or in Office to
that Of the peaceful guidance and direc-
tion Of the home is q question that no one
can even guess intelligently about. Doubt
less these women who today declare
they viii not cast ballot will find that
under the new conditions. with q more
than doubled electorate, they viii discern
voting TO be a duty not to be turned from
nor rejected for vital issue will always
be before the voters. even though often
obscured by partisanship, to keep out the
unfit seekers for Office.
Also. the suggestion Of women lawyers
leads To the probability Of Negro lawyers
Heretofore the bar of Delaware, even
under the long regime Of the Republican
party in this State. has been closed TO
Negro applicants, notwithstanding Ne
Rroes have been citizens for more than half |
q century. This invidious discrimination |
can be safely followed in Delaware.
where Negroes solidly vote the Republican |
ticket right along no matter what con-
tumely may be visited upon them. But |
with women admitted TO the bar, 1T |
might be more difficult to brutally slam |
the door in the faces Of intelligent and |
qualified Negro applicants.