Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-12-16

Washington, Dec. 15,--Tbe search
light is being turned. perhaps more |
thoroughly than ever before, on the !
laws which affect women The Ma |
tionsl Womon's Party s going sys
tcmatically from state 20 ctate max
ing surveys Of these laws. Then, when
legislatures inquire innocfntIy in what
way women are bound unfairly by
their Statutes. the feminists are
ready with a report showing concise
~ the states legal attitude toward
women.
Florida, Mississippi. Louisiana. and
Alabama are the four states which
so far have been studied. These states
were taken fret because the state
legislatures were To meet there. Nov
the woman's party workers are 20
ing on TO collect evidence on nine
more states where the legislatures
convene early in the coming year.
Ills IL a part OF tho campaign 10
get each state to pass a blanket bill
removing all legal disabilities Of wom-
IN. Wisconsin Ia. 50 far. the only state
to adopt such measure.
Last spring. in nine weeks cam
paign, Wisconsin put through BIZ
which gave the women Of the state
the same rights and privileges before
the law as the men hold. The bill in
structed the courts to take the words
ne. his. him, and similar words fndica-
ting the masculine gender in the state
+ laws to include also the feminine
equivalents. One exception TO this was
provided: the laws are not 10 be SO
read where the construction would
deny to females the special pro
lection and privileges which they now
enjoy TO- The general welfare" This
refers, in part. TO the laws protecting
women In industry.
Wisconsin made this sy,e4r,sng
change without much ado. But when
me proposal came to the four south
ern legislatures that met little later.
1t was given chilling reception.
Louisiana, Il r. true, did take action
10 the extent OF repeating nine specific
determinations against women. AS
one result all political and civil Offices
IN the state are now open to women
Another reform achieved by Louisiana
compeis husband TO obtain consent
of his wife before he can sell OF
mortgage the home. The rest Of thu
family property remains under contro
: of the husband as before. But the wif,
, is assured that the roof over her heat
: will not be sold without any referenc,
TO her wishes or interests.
Louisiana agreed to nine changes
! but the radical idea Of absolute leea
.. equality for women was turned dow,
) Iat.y. The other three state leeisla
= lures to which the measure was sub
! united also rejected II. And vet. tn
{ teminists point out. these states. pro
4 gressive in many ways are far benin.
Z some other states in their legal treat
: nent Of women
a Marriage In Mississippi.
The surveys Of the state laws show
ed many cases where the old comn,o
: law holds. For instance. a wife i
!. Mississippi was refused the right Z
] sue for damages for the alienation
her husbands affections. The Laws q
$ the state give the husband contre
OF the wne's personal property. an
the court held that in these circuno
= stances II the wife won the s1iit III
0 erFing husband would b ,nefit hv
as ne could appropriate the money.
8 IN this state, which is not the mos
e backward Of the 4S, a woman nracti
caiiy leases herself out 10 her husban
l Tor life. In return for her service
o sne receives her board and keen Pr
u sne cannot require her husband ,
II pay her anything. She has no rigt
. 10 any part Of the family income an
a she has no interest in her husband
= property unless he dies and leaves +,
~ Thus. when a woman was 1niurs
= by fall on an exposed gas pine. n
!, VIE received damages for her person
- al injury, but the husband was allow.
- by the court to collect The anaou,
- awarded as the loss Of her ssrvie,
- in the home.
n. According TO report from Florid
IN the women of that state are under II
Z. domination of the old English comrns
a law TO greater extent than perhal
m any other state in the union. Accor
ing TO the common law a marri,
I'd woman could make no contract
ar any kind This, the report show
s. is true in Florida today with a fe
re exceptions. Unless her husband n
L been pronounced insane and has be,
~ insane for a year. a married WON:
in may not rent. mortgage or sell ev,
property given or willed TO her wit
Z. out his consent. If the husband is
he criminal ne still has this control oy
n his wife's property.
Z