The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-08-12
Frederic Haskin's> Letter


Washington, D. c., Aug. Ia
| plea for some amateur statesmen at
the disarmament conference, as
, we'll as the diplomats. militarists,
government officials, and other pro-
fessionals, is being made by the
Women's Committee for World Dis
armament.
So far, the war and peace confer
ences have been made up almost
entirely of the usual type OF govern
ment representatives. Armed with
top hats and diplomatic express
sions, they gather to solve the in
ternatfonaI tangIes, and they leave
the table with the tangles rearrang-
ed into new knots, but with their
dignity still intact
There must be some men expert
enced in diplomatic procedure at
the disarmament conference, of
course. But it is being urged that
delegates be also appointed to rep
resent the people who are most vi
tally concerned in disarmament
business, labor, the farmers, and
the women of the country.
To impress upon the administra-
ton the desirability OF appointing
these delegates for the people,
women all over the country are
writing to their representatives and
senators, to Secretary of State
Hughes, and to the president. These
officials they say, being partly de-
pendent on women'S votes for their
positions, owe careful considera-
ton to their requests.
Especially are the women inter
ested in woman delegate. Presi-
dent Harding has alrady been ap-
preached regarding this by news
correspondents, who asked the 9TH
er day if there would be room at
the conference for a woman. Mr.
Harding answered that there would
undoubtedly be room, but that as
yet he had not had an opportunity
to consider the matter. Regarding
this as hopeful sign, the women's
disarmament committee expects to
arrange delegation to put the
proposition before the president in
the near future.
Jane Adams Suggested.
When Miss Emma Void, chair
man of the committee, was asked
v hat woman it favored as a suitable
delegate, she answered that there
are so many women who are COM !.
petent to discuss ornaments and
peace problems that no particular .
candidate would be suggested Miss |
Void mentioned, however. as a few
possibilities, Jane Adams, who has
sat at international conferences be-
lore and is known as a strong i'd
7ocate of peace measures; Julia
Lathrop, head of the children's bu-
-eau; Rose Schneiderman. who ran
Tor congress last November; Ida
Clyde Clarke; and Mrs. Carrie
Chapman Gait.
The National Woman's party.
which is backing the woman dele
'ate idea, is not supporting any one
candidate either. According to
Hiss Alice Paul, the Woman's party
,annot take sides-on the question of
disarmament because it has one big /
program before ito put women
IN an equal status with men in gov
rnment, and before the law. II
From this standpoint alone" I
aid Miss Paul, 1.-The party is inter- {
sted in, the disarmament confer,
nee, though undoubtedly many {
nembers of the party, as individu-
Is, hold strong views on the sub i
ect of disarmament Ii
The Woman's, party holds that t
Fomen should be equally consid- S
red with men in making this de- s
iSion, and meeting will be held I
n Aug. II at our Watch Tower in {
Washington, at which a committee ]
n the disarmament conference will s
e appointed. After that, pressure t
ill be brought to bear upon the i
administration, so that at least one I
oman may be on the commission i
} discuss disarmament" ii