The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-12-18
By HUGH ". ROBERTS Washington Bureau, The Age Herald.
 BOO DuxidSafA Ruflsktnw w

OOO Davidson Building
 Washington, December 17.-(Spe- cial )-The national woman's party has examined the laws of Alabama Mississippi. Louisiana and Florida and found them "barbaric" In their re- lationship to women
 The examination was made by Mrs Burnita shelton Matthews. native of Mississippi, now practicing law in Washington.
 An analysis of the legislation in the states shows grave injustices suf- fered by women who come into con 1 tact with some of our leftover bar barrie laws" said Mrs Matthews.
 Here's Her Summary
 Summarizing the laws of the four states the report says:
 Tn all four states a husband owns his wifes services, in all four states the authority of the husband as the head of the family Is absolute, wheth- CT or not he supports it; in all four states the father controls the children, can put them to work when he pleases, control their education and every detail of their upbringing, and alone enjoy their earnings In all four i states the husband has the entire choice of domicile.
 III lil tS Ol liiS HUT SNdJeS. lOulS- ! iana, Alabama and Florida, married women do not have equal property rights: in the same three states they do not have equal rights to contract or to do business; in two states. Mis- sissippi and Alabama, divorce laws discriminate against women: in Ala bama and Florida inheritance laws discriminate against women. Florida, Alabama and Mississippi deny wom- en the right to serve on juries. Their right in Louisiana is limited. In Florida and Alabama women are eX- cluded from some public offices"
 Awful Mississippi Laws In Mississippi the report says, one of the effects of marriage is that the woman practically leases herself out for life for board and keep" for the services of women and minor chill dren belong entirely to the husband. l For instance, a Mississippi court de- cision states that if d wife devotes | her labor to the cultivation of crops on her husbands farm she is simply producing property for him subject ! to the attack of his creditors and to any disposition of it by hih that he i wishes to make.
 i The authority of the husband as ! head of the family is absolute. He may, for instance, exclude any per son from his house for any or no reason, even his wifes relatives and friends, even if the wife owns the home or pays the rent. case is cited of man who refused to let his wife see her own child by former marriage at their home and was upheld by the court
 The father Is the legal guardian l,f Ix..r ( ff,,.a iFan with control over their services and earnings The mother is the guard ian of her illegitimate children.
 Women are not eligible to jury service.
 Prostitutes are classed as vag- rants and punished as such. The men involved are not liable to prosecution.
 A married woman's domicile must be that of her husband.
 Grounds for divorce are not equal.
 sdn Worse in Alabama
 In Alabama no married woman may administer an estate without the consent of her husband. She may not become surety for her hus- hand nor may she alienate or mortgage her property without her husmand's consent, unless he is a criminal. insane or has deserted her,
 The husband is entitled to his wife's services to the extent that she still is. in this respect, to quote a court decision, merely ser want" A wife is not authorized, ac- cording to 1914 decision, to un- dertake work outside the home which would interfere with her domestic duties unles her husband consents. Yet the husband is not legally liable for his wife's debts.
 The husband is the legal guard ian of the child and is entitled to it's services, yet the mother as well as the father may be punished for failure to support The father may appoint by will, any one he pleases as his child's guardian, with the