New-York tribune., 1921-01-23
New ork Women Demand the Right to Sit on Juries:
Legislature Is To Be Asked to Amend the Present q
Judges Would Bar
Them F rom Grim
inal Cases


must be a resident of the county.
not less than twenty-one nor more
than seventy. He must own prop
erty of the value of $3.50, or his wife
must. He must not be infirm and
must be intelligent. of good character
and be able to read and write rna
English language understandings
IF it be argued that a woman
should have the right to trial bv
jury upon which women may BIZ
drawn, why should not a man over
seventy who could not read or write.
or who did not have $3.50 to his name.
be accorded the right to declare that
jury possessing the things that he
lacked were not his equals-not his
peers?
There is no room for doubt that
some women would make better
Jurors than some men. But that OBJ
servation is not complimentary to
women, nor does it qualify them for
service.
Heart Rules Woman
Back of the whole question Of
women Jurors, women voters. women
legislators and women generally in
public life looms forth one great and
indisputable fact, and that is that
woman approaches the problems Of
life with her heart and not with her
head. The history Of mankind gives
testimony to that truth. It has been
SO held by sages and by saints, and
IS known and accepted .by every
youth who has wooed a maid.
Legislation that is just and benefi-
cent may give to woman rights and
privileges that have heretofore been
denied her, but no written statute
can transform what nature has wise
~ ordained. Woman will continue
to be creature of of infinite variety
Her delicate reserve will always be
the very breath of moral life and
the basis Of her Incompatible charm.
80 long as she is woman her emo
tional strain will dominate her ra.
tlonal processes, and she will con-
tlnue to be the inspiration of ro-
nance, poetry and art as long az
civilization will endure"
Women to Convict Women
Sheriff David H. Knott. whose
duty it is to summon juries, is, on
the other hand, very strongly in
favor Of this plan. 1t is necessary
to have women jurors to convic.
women accused Of some crimes. he
asserts, and continues:
Il could cite many examples where
women accused Of crime are allowed
to go free because the attorney for
the defendant will play on the SYM
pathy of the men jurors. A year
and a half ago in the criminal
branch woman was accused OF
certain crime before Judge Weeks.
We were all absolutely positive that
she should have been found guilty
and sent up for five years. She was
tried twice before mems jury, the
first time ending in a disagreement
and the second time pronounced not
guilty. A women's jury would prob
ably have found her guilty. Woman
to-day can commit murder and it is
almost impossible for the District
Attorney to convict her because Of
her sex. Look over the famous cases
OF women accused Of crimes. in civil
actions. Women to-day are in busi-
ness and in most all walks of life.
They need protection, justice and the
absolute disregard of sympathy SO
that the case can be tried strictly q,
its merits.
"Another reason. Women want
equal rights with men. Now that
they have the vote, they should also
have equal privileges and responsi-
hili+jes in all branches of govern
mcnt
commissioners of jurors and
sheriffs should be allowed to excuse
from jury duty all those women who
cannot afford the time to attend-as.
for instance, mothers of children
who need a mothers care, and nurses
on duty, and in all other vocations
where loss of money, prestige, etc.,
would endanger livelihood.
Jury service is one of the moss,
important parts Of our government.
and should be considered not only a
privilege but an honor.
Women would be able to find ou,
when woman defendant should re
ceive sympathy. and they could more
intelligently understand the reason
why a woman defendant committed
crime
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