Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-08-13

knots, but with their dignity still intact.
There must be some men experienced in dip
lomatic procedure at the disarmament confer
ence, of course. But it is being urged that dele
gates be also appointed to represent the people
who are most vitality concerned in disarmament
business, labor. the farmers, and the women
OF the country.
To impress upon the administration 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 Presi-
dent. These officials, they say. being partly
dependent on women's votes for their positions,
owe careful consideration to their requests.
Especially are the women interested in a
woman delegate. President Harding has already
been approached regarding this by news corre-
spondents, who asked the other day if there
would be room at the conference for a woman.
doubtedly be room, but that as yet he had not
had an opportunity to consider the matter.
Regarding this as a hopeful sign, the women's
disarmament committee expects to arrange a
delegation to put the proposition before the
President in the near future.
Jane Adams Suggested.
When Miss Emma Void. chairman Of the
committee, was asked what woman it favored
as a suitable delegate, she answered that there
are so many women who are competent to
discuss ornaments and peace problems that
no particular candidate would be suggested.
Miss Void mentioned, however, as a few pos
~sibilities, Jane Adams, who has sat at inter-
national conferences before and is known as a
strong advocate. of peace measures; Julia
Lathrop. head Of the Children's Bureaus; Rose
Schneiderman, who ran for congress last No
vember; Ida Clyde Clarke. and Mrs. Carrie
Chapman Gait.
The National Woman's Party, which is back
ing the woman delegate idea, is not supporting
any one candidate, either. According to Miss
Alice Paul, the Woman's Party cannot take
sides on the question of disarmament because
it has one big program before ito put women
on an equal status with men in government and
before the law.
the party is interested In the disarmament
conference. though undoubtedly many members
of the party, as individuals, hold strong views
on the subject of disarmament.
The Woman's Party holds that women should
be equally considered with men in making this
decision, and a meeting was held August IL
at our Watch Tower in Washington and a
committee on the disarmament conference ap-
pointed. After that, pressure will be orougnt
to bear upon the administration, so that at least
one woman may be on the commission to dis
cuss disarmament" |
Pitilcss Publicity Urged.
Delegates TO represent the people is one of
three aims for which the Women's Committee
for World Disarmament is working. The other
two are that there shall be full publicity re-
garding proceedings, and that side issues shall
not be allowed to distract the conference from
its purpose-to make some decision regarding
of ornaments.
The sentiment in favor of open diplomacy is
growing. People are beginning to demand that
officials of remem noe td th ins, she tga are fbe 9av Of tr rv
ing blindly to officialdom to do the right thlns
is about over.
'The disarmament conference should be a
public meeting" declared Miss Void. The
people should know what steps are taken as
the meetings proceed, so that criticism laVorapie
and unfavorable can be voiced by the people
before final steps are taken. Then, too, II there
is a failure to get results at the conference the
people would know who Is responsible"
The other point is that disarmament should
be the supreme question, and not forgotten In
discussions on what to do with zap and the
Philippines, where to put the surplus popula-
ton 70 Japan, and is the Monroe Doctrine too
antiquated for use. and other international sub
iects any one of which might be debated for
yithbut noticeable progress toward an
understanding. The women's disarmament COM,
mittee fears that ii preliminary conferences and
side questions are introduced at the meetings,
reduction of ornaments may be put off from
day to day, and possibly in the end postponed
ito some more suitable date
TO bring these three points to the attention
of women throughout the country, and then to
have them point out their wishes to their gov
eminent representatives, is keeping the dis
armament committee busy.
When the committee started, no other organ
ization could be found that would back SO
unpromising a cause as disarmament. Congress
was considering bigger army and navy plans
and sentiment seemed to be for protective
ornaments regardless OF the tax burden. Even
churches felrdisarmament hopeless at the time.
But the committee kept on writing letters
and making appeals, and in two months the
tide turned. No one will ever know how much
the women did to turn public opinion and official
interest towards disarmament. once 1t began
to be regarded as a possibility, organizations
everywhere have lent their support. Women's
organizations in thirty-seven states are working
for the three points.
The women's disarmament committee is not
continuing it's activities to this country, but is
writing to women's organizations in England,
France, Japan and Italy, regarding the three
points of paramount interest to them as well
as to women of America. There has not been
time for answers to these letters to come to
America.
1t is known already that women in these
countries are awake to the Importance of the
conference. To take one country, Japan, for
instance. there is a group of women similar to
the women's disarmament committee in this
country, called the Ladies Association for
Peace" That they have public sentiment with
them is indicated by the report of Ozaki, the
former minister of Justice. that of 100, 900 people
to whom he had spoken regarding disarmament,
per cent. were in favor of 1t.