Great Falls tribune., 1921-01-29
Ole SPIRIT
0fAMERICA
d a I Z Y
EDITORIAL
D I G E. S r

u 1 e ES +
Prepared Exclusively for The Tribune
Todays Subject:
THE JOB OF CiTiZENESS
While newspaper "colyumis,s'' arr
much interested in the effect of tn
Nineteenth amendment on woman!
right to an equal share in street cal
straps and similar problems. theil
more serious editorial colleagues ar
discussing two other questions grow
ing out of enfranchisement-c citizen
ship and jury service. PROPOSED
changes in naturalization laws to re
quire alien women to become citizens
in their own right are entirely ap
proved by the press, and the cores
ponding provision that American
women shall not lose their citizenship
when married to aliens is greeted al
a means of righting an injustice Wher
it comes to jury service, however
there remains some echo of the ole
familiar anti-suffrage arguments
about "emo lions" and "sweet unreas-
onableness." On the whole, though
the press is willing, in some cases
even glad, to let the women Of the
country add to their emancipation the
civic responsibility Of jury duty.
In giving due weight to the new
political status OF women by a re-
vision Of the laws governing naturai-
zation, the Washington Post Ind.
believes that citizenship will thus be
placed on "a higher plane by abolish
ing some of the haphazard and illogi-
cal methods by which it is at present
acquired and lost The extent Of
haphazardness in present practices is
shown by the Chicago Journal (Der. J
thus:
1T takes a court of record to nat
uralize a man. but any chance justice
of the peace or ciergymen can natural
ize a woman by the simple process of
performing the marriage ceremony
which makes her the wife of G e'tizen.' ''
1t is obvious to the New York Herald
Tnd.) chat the historic practice of
comforting her husbands nationality on
wife should be changed to accord
with the duties and privileges which
result from the Nineteenth amend
ment.' especially in view Of the fact.
as the Salt Lake Telegram (Indl
points out. that this custom Crews ont
Of ''the old theory that as head of the
family man is in control of It's af-
fairs. III. and is expected TO exercise
full control over an alien wife" Under
the changed political status of women.
the Telegram continues. the citizen
husband no longer controls "but shares
the voting privilege" and TIA alien
wife SHOULD he equally alalifie'"
On the other hand the provision
that American women shall retain
their own status as citizens irrespect-
i've Of marriage. except under speci-
fled conditions, is regarded by al as
removing some long standing injus-
tees" to quote the Pittsburgh Chron-
icle Telegraph (RepD. However, OBJ
lection is made to the proposal com
tanned in the bill that American wom-
en- who marry aliens and reside out
side the United States forfeit their
after a given period Of
time. The Scranton Pa.) Times
nem.) notes that "a male American
by mere residence abroad. no matter
how long he may remain out Of the
country and in the opinion of the
paper, any revision of naturalization
laws should give women "equal cit
izenship rights with men" The New
York Tribune fRepD makes the same
objection to this provision. and holds
that citizenship and naturalization
for women on the same terms as for
men is the proper course.
Since, under our institutions. citi-
zenship carries with it the obligation
to serve on iuries. the question of the
Of the new citizens to
this duty naturally arises. Editorial
discussion Of this matter is provoked
by the opinion recently expressed by
Judge Talley a New York judge who
opposes women jurors on the time
honored premise that woman ap-
proaches the problems of life with her
heart and not with her head" and that
her emotional strain will dominate
her rational processes To the Lou
sville Post lind "such rot is far be-
side the point in a discussion Of jury
service for women. because "the long
and the short of it is that ''an intel |
|igent woman will make a good jury
man: an unintelligent woman Will not"
The New York Evening World tDem.) |
also regards as "silly" any doubts at
this late day as to woman's mental or
moral fitness" for jury service. The
whole matter. as the World sees it. is
purely question of the most sensible !
and economical ALLEGATION of thn tasks |
1f the community among the citizens
of the community and so far as "the |
wise and expeditions settlement Of dis |
Dntes' is concerned. what else does
he mother Of happy family Of
children do all day long but
sit as juror and judge?"
Judge Talley may exhibit BRO
found knowledge of theoretics' the |
New York Mail (Ind.) thinks. sbut he
advertises precious little common
sense" In the opinion of the Mail
Jury service is nuisance" from
which women should be thankful to be |
spared" but there is no especial rea-
son why women should not be iurors
f they desire the privilege" The iudee
s merely swimming against thc |
,ide," the Ronaoke Times Dem !
since:
"Jury service by women has been
success wherever it has beer tried !
they have displayed an essential sense |
If justice, as well AS an ability to make
Ip their minds in the light Of evidence |
hat does not suffer by comparison
With that of the men folks"
The Jersey City Journal lind goes
10 far as TO hold that Judge Telley is
arguing against his own case.
"Isn't the fact. if it is fact- Il
.sks. "that women approach the prob
ems Of life with the heart rather than
nth the head likely to give thnn, s.a