Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-04-04
MISS TAFT SEES
REV0LU LUTON IN
WOMEN s VOTES
Suffrage viii Bring Into
Politics a Fresh Point of
View, Fresh Interests,
Fresh Gifts, She Says.
10Y MORNING IoopsAL sp>e,.r ssAsro wrssl

Nv ASNkiN0 JOURNAL ~FiAt 'HAshp HlNkl
New York, April "A new
idealism, a new sympathy which
may cause revolutions in the socia
and political structure of he coun-
try, will he brought into politics by
women voters. according to Miss
Helen Taft. acting president OF
Bryn Mawr college. in statement
on the eve of he expected victory
Men have been too much bound
by traditional objections, and tradi-
tional difficulties, says Miss Taft
Women will bring into politics a
fresh point of view, fresh Interests
and, in many lines, fresh gifts They
have better knowledge than the
men on many OF the problems
which are going to come up with
in the next few years in the increas-
ing paternalism of the govern
ment."
But before women can apply this
they must inform and educate
themselves to overcome the handi-
cap which generations of subordi-
nation to mans leadership has bred
in them, she believes. Ii is SEX
matter only so far as it concerns
women's limited physical endur-
ance, and Miss Taft feels that every
other present limitation of women
can be overcome by education and
practical experience. As a woman
dealing with administrative prob
lens, Miss Taft says she has her
self experienced the tendency to be
TOO theoretical and too little practi-
cal, and believes il to be almost a
universal trait of women at present.
Until women have been taught
to stand on their own feet, to
value their own achievement for
what it is worth, TO feel the re-
sponsibility a man feels of making
good and working out her own
l don't think that wom-
en- will ever be politically effective,
This is fundamental, D." she said.
But there are other needs in
the education of women, in their
training at present, which are
perhaps more Immediately neces
sary in order to rcake them an
electorate. Women have
been too little inclined 10 be log
ical, too little inclined to be ac-
curate, too little inclined to be
"Logis has never been demand
ed of women as sex, although
the great women Lead
ars and the women who are deal
ing with affairs soon find the need
Of logic and develop it. Women
must be taught to think clearly
md straight. 1t is not one bit
harder to teach this to women
han it is to men, The fact that
hey have succeeded in being good
wives and mothers without it has
allowed the quality to atrophy in
| great many of us. But it is
Jnly a question of interesting
women everywhere in the political
problems with which they have f!
o deal, in giving them good lead
,rship, in making our campaigns
honest intellectually, to develop q |
political sense in women which |
will be at least equal to that of
men.
Clear, straight thinking can
never be as common as it ought |
o be in either sex, but that |
women will show exactly as much |
If it in the affairs in which they |
ire really interested and have !
aiken the trouble to inform them |
selves, there. can be no doubt /
whatever.
AT present the women voters
the country do need |
more than the men do,
The problems are new to them
hey have not grown up with the |
with the political life
If the country, the political per-
have in many cases in
crested them little. Everything
depends on women taking their |
new responsibilities seriously AMI
being at trouble to inform them
selves and to educate themselves.
Il said that women are too
theoretical, too little practical. |
,an feel this in myself and notice |
t in almost all my friends. Where
rs a man to whom you PROFOUND Il
beautiful dream of new heaven
md a new earth--be he lawyer Of
loctor or business man--can prick |
he bubble by pointing out object
ons which he III his experience |
With the way the world runs can |
eel pretty confident would hold. !
think most women on committees |
nave felt themselves at disad-
yantage when it came to any prac-
ical questions of how things |
should be put through, what steps !,
hould be taken first, and what /
he probabilities were of success. |
have been rather surprised to see |
low women of such superior in
ellectual ability will turn to the
men on the committee with conf
lence in their superior practical
Judgment.
These differences can only be
'vercome gradually. They are the
esult of the still comparativeIy
heltered life which women lead
md the little contact they have
lad with the workings of a compli-
ated modern machine. But
Ion't wish it to be thought from
III that / have said up to the pres
mt that ! consider the sole end Of
now that they have the vote
hould be to approximate them /
elves as nearly as possible to men.
There is not any other sex with
which we could compare ourselves
nd we can reckon up our own
weaknesses best by comparing
hem with the strong points in
men.
but I believe that the enfran-
hised women of the country are
Ding to do far more than merely
Increase the vote and approximately
themselves to the male standard,
Il have spoken of women's un7
and rather deplored
hat it should sometimes lead them
o. such excuses, but | have no
oubt at all that the feminine quail
ty of thinking for others and their
insight into the feelings of others
which have been trained in them
$ going to be of the greatest serv-
ce in raising and purifying politi-
al motives.