Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-06-26

crisis In these countries, as we'll as in
the rest Of Europe, depends largely on
the use enfranchised women make Of
their newly gained power.
q women's Stand Is Important
In the great struggle that is con-
vulsing Europe it Is Of supreme impor-
fauce to know on which side of the
barricades the millions of newly en-
franchised women are standing. oman
suffrage has always been championed by
international socialism. 1t is clear that
socialists expected that its realization
would reinforce radicalism. tortunaIely,
Il seems that this expectation was put
another of the many psychological bIun-
ders which reveal the essentially Leu
ton mentality of socialism. -,
.'The vast majority of women VIII
vote against the radicals. declared
Mrs. Gait. ''but they won't stand Tor
yeaction. believe that woman suf-
frage will exert stabilizing influence
on the political crisis through wnlch
the world Is at present passing ana
help to neutralize the destructive con-
fiict between the two extremes OF reac-
tion and radicalism. Woman is sta.
h;liz,ng factor in politics. Her chief
concern will always be to protect her
home and her children. She naturally
shrinks from revolutionary or radlcal
Adventures which are menace to them.
VIII Counteract Civil Strife
.The extension of woman suffrage
wilI reinforce neither radical nor reac-
tionary influences. 1t tends to coun,
teract every kind of violence and civil
strife, When women enjoy equal po :
litical rights with men all over the world
the ideal of perpetual peace represented
by the League of Nations VIII be hmm
itely nearer realization.
'iWomen dread war and will always
strive to prevent it because it imperils
their supreme interests, and for the
same reason they fear revolution and
will never sanction policies or support
parties which promote it. In either
case women risk losing all, while many
men have everything to gain.
"The present radical movement that
"a n radiating from Russia, with its doc
trine of violence, of political strikes
paralyzing economic life, is not calcu
lated to appeal to women voters, who
feel its effects more directly and con
tinuslly than men, The women OF
Europe, after passing through all the
horrors Of war, and in many cases of
Red or reactionary terror, constitute an
element of political law and order, un-
der whose influence reconstruction and
the ultimate triumph of democracy in
the shattered old world seem assured. "
Gsneva Optimism Reflected
This optimism and confidence in
woman's political sanity reflects the
spirit that animated all the proceedings
Of the Geneva suffrage congress. and it
was shared by all the delegates from all
parts of the world that attended it.
1t is devoutly TO be hoped that events
will confirm it. Many prophets of evil
are at present predicting n supreme
struggle between reaction and radical
ISM involving a menace to civilization
greater even than the barely surmounted
perils of war, in the old world and the
new.
1t is undpniable that the general ten
dency of political developments today
is the re- enforcement Of both radical
and reactionary extremism at the cost
of constructive moderation. Middle
parties are everywhere losing ground,
and many European republics are sway
ing diZZily between mOnarChism and
bolshevism. The wOmen's vote is large
enough TO counter balance this loss
and to save the moderate parties Of
democratic progress, which otherwise
seem doomed, and without whose co
operation there Is no hope of salvation
for Europe.
German Women Freed
The magnitude # woman 5 victory in
Germany, once the stronghold Of male
autocracy, was one Of the most strik-
ing features of the Geneva suffrage
congress. However unsatisfactory the
course Of the German revolution may
have been in other respects, it has GER
tainly freed German women from dras-
tic slavery which William Of HOhpnzol- o
lern sought TO impose upon them when
he voiced his famous alltoratiyr re .
mark limitirg woman's sphere of ac-
ton to "Kirche, Kuerhc, Kinder
the church, the children and the kitchen.
Nor is there any reason to fear that
woman suffrage is not secure in Ger
many, although the vanQuishcd empire
Is still overshadOwed by the menace OF
monarchist restoration.
1T Is possible that reaction and even
monarchism may once more triumph In
Germany, but even tho Prussian iupkprs
would never dare to attempt to deprive
women of the vote the German dele
gates to the Geneva congress empha
tically assured the American women
who questioned them regarding this
possibility. The German women will
keep the political equality they have
won. All the German parties have
grown reCOnCilcd TO woman suffrage
even those which opposed it most bit
terly in the past. Many of the liber
ties which the German people wrestet
from its military masters during tn,
revolution may be swept away by tn,
ominously swelling tide of reaction, bu'
woman suffrage will remain. This ad,
vance, at least, is definite and NJ
camonilage destined to deceive tn,
world.
League Of Nations Wanted
Another striking impression gained il
the course of the suffrage congress i
that the vast majority of women al
over the world want league of ma
tions. Among the many delegates witt
whom j talked l heard no dissentinI
voice, though many frank criticism
Of the leagues form. A league of ma
tions really inSuring world peace un
doubtedly fulhlls an ideal common 4
women Of all countries. This Is fact
Il seems TO me, which politicians eau NJ
longer afford 10 ignore, even in coun
tries where the political equality o
women Is not yet completely established
IL was ma evident here In Geneva