New-York tribune., 1920-06-07
Mrs. Gait Tells
How War Aided
Suffrage Cause
America Only Nation to Re.
pudiate Constitution and
Humiliate Women by De-
nying Vote, She Declares
Much Work To Be Done, She
Says. in Nations Where
Democracy Is Strongest

GENEVA, June 6 (By The Associated
Press).-The eighth congress of the
International Woman Suffrage Alliance
was opened this morning with SER
mon delivered in Geneva Cathedral by
Miss Maud Royden, up to short time
ago pastor of the City Temple in Lon
don Miss Royden's frail figure in
black seemed almost lost in the great
pulpit from which Calvin and Knox
preached. The Cathedral was crowded.
A touch of color was lent by ten Indian
women delegates in their costumes of
many hues.
Miss Royden, who spoke in French
and English, exhorted the women Of
the world to foster fraternity among
mankind and aid the work of humanity
In rebuilding the ruin caused by the
war.
The first official meeting of the con-
gress was held tonight in Communal
Hall. The principal speaker was Mrs.
Carrie Chapman Gait, president of the
alliance. Mrs. Gait said, in part:
"For the suffragists of the world a
few facts stand forth with great clarity.
The first and greatest is that the
political liberation of women was
tossed up out of the war chaos like an
isolated mouieain when the world was
in the making. War. the untoubted
old subsection of women the world
around; war, the combined enemy of
their emancipation, war has rendered
to the women of many lands their
political freedom! Strange, bewilder-
Ing fact!
1.-THE Latin and Oriental countries
still hold out, but that will not be for
long. Rumania, the first Latin coun-
try to extend the vote to women, has
already led the way; the others will
follow. / believe no country in Eu-
rope except Turkey now is without
woman suffrage association. Women
will soon vote wherever men do. Yet
while all these barriers are swept aside
IN many lands and men and women en-
franchised, the task is not yet COM
plete in the countries where women
have labored hardest and where the
principle of democracy has longest
been unchailenged.
Germany Outstrips Other Nations
There must be millions of women in
Europe who never hoped for political
liberty and who are now dazed by its
sudden coming. The women Of Nor
way. Denmark and Iceland have long
been enfranchised, but Germany has
outstripped all other nations in the
recognition of the principle of equality,
with 1877 women serving on city coun-
els and thirty-seven as members of
the national parliament. The presi-
dent of the German National Suffrage
Association comes to this congress as
member of the City Council of Dres-
den.
1T is not for me to interpret the
sentiments of the women of other lands.
but with authority may say that there
are millions of suffragists in the United
States who have been fairly stupefed
With astonishment at these almost un-
accountable events. As all the world
knows, the United States of America
has been dedicated from the first to the
principle of self-government. No other
nation has made the same pronounce
Mcnts.
mo other country has repudiated its
constitution, principles and history in
Its denial Of votes to it's women, and
that Is why the extension of suffrage
to the women of all Europe has so
humlllated the women of the United
States. Women of the United States
are not less glad that women of other
lands have won the vote, but they feel
that they have been betrayed by their
own nation.
Men Exceedingly Emotional
ut was in the United States that the
nsst woman suffrage convention was
held and the first organized woman
su'rags movement in the world begun.
That was seventy-two years ago. Had
men been reasonable or logical, they
would At once have responded to the
appeal Of 184S with the consistent
answer. Since we are a government
Of the people, and women are people,
they must be included in all govern
mental functions But the men are
neither reasonable nor logical; men are
exeesd'ng.y emotional and sentimental.
Ine race is too near its cave days to
be otherwise.
SO liberal has the United States been
IN the matter Of man suffrage that
Fifteen OF the forty-eight states once
allowed men to vote who were not yet
citizens and several still do; and seem
% see nothing inconsistent in permit
ing an illiterate non-taxpaying alien
to vote, while denying that privilege
70 American born, intelligent taxpay-
ing women.
Il has been q familiar sight on cleo
ton days when a question OF woman
suffrage has been pending to see re-
Aned ladies', college graduates and
women Of Importance standing 100 feet
rom the polling place making their ap-
peal 70 voters, while men unable to
speak English, the language Of the
ballot, unable TO read in any language,
uncouth and unframed, marched past
sasrn TO cast their votes against their
enfranchisement.
United League Urged
incredible, you say. It Is; astound-
ing and unbelievable. 1t staggers and
saumfounds one. Should you ask, why
- u, ! answer, there are excuses but
20 defense.' The great. bare, bald fact
- tnsre. For seventy years, in land
shefein no man ever made sacrifice
.of vote, women have given their all
gain 1t, and their country has not
sss proclaimed their task completed
IL It not clear that the time has
CUSTOMS FIFTY YEARS AGO
Who among Us would say to-day, ~