Evening star., 1921-10-16
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.


an has the ballot, under the
nineteenth amendment of the
Constitution of the. United
States, 1t does not, follow that women
have the same civil and legal rights
as men. AS a matter of fact, in
varying degrees, women are discrim-
mated against by law in all the
states of the Union-not to mention
the District of Columbia. the ma
tional capital-with the exception of
Wisconsin, where an equal rights
law has recently been enacted.
Now that the women have the suf-
frage, they propose to make use of 1t
to- gain their full rights with men
under the law. The Determinations
lie particularly against married
women and in connection with the
control of property and Of minor
children.
Want q Bill Of Rights.
Another constitutional amend
ment-a bill of rights for the women
It has been dubbed-is to be ini-
tiated when the first regular session
of the Sixty-seventh Congress opens
in December. 1t is to be offered Or
rather, the resolution proposing the
amendment, is to be offered, in the
Senate by Senator Curtis of Kansas,
and In the House by Representative
Fess of Ohio. The draft OF the pro-
posed amendment follows:
NO political, civil or legal disa-
bilities or inequalities on account
of sex. or on account of marriage,
unless applying alike to both sexes,
shall exist within the United States
or any place subject to their ourls-
diction.
Section 2. Congress shall have
power to enforce this article by ap-
propriate legislation.
The women are adopting the same
tactics they used in the fight for wom-
an suffrage-they are proposing an
amendment to the Constitution OF the
United States, and at the same time
seeking to have the individual states
enact laws giving women full legal
rights within their borders. 1t may
seem strange, but they are having
their difficulties in getting such legis-
lation in some of the southern states.
Their emissaries have attempted in
recent weeks to get their bill intro
duced in the Louisiana legislature
and in Alabama. But they have been
unable to.hnd- man to father the
nroposal in all its particulars. they
wisconsin First in Line.
In Wisconsin, however. they were
more successful. Their equal rights
bill was put through by the legisla-
ture of that state in June. just be-
fore the adjournment. This bill pro-
v,des that women shall have the
same rights and privileges under the
law as men in the exercise of suf-
frage, freedom of contract. choice OF
residence for voting purposes, jury
service, holding Office. holding and
conveying property. care and custody
of children and in all other respects
The National Woman's Party has
taken the initiative in this fight for
full equalization of women with men
before the law, and at the opening
of the next session Of Congress Will
formally present the proposed consti-
+utional amendment to Senator Curtis
and Representative Fess in the Capt.
tol with considerable ceremony.
discrimination In Capital
The women, 1t is probable. will have
n bill introduced which will deal spe-
cafcally with the District of Column
Ina. For women in the National Capt.
tar are Disseminated against in civil
rights Just as they are in the states.
though to a greater or less degree ac-
cording to the state.
For instance. no Washington woman
can serve on jury.
Minor children are in the control of
their father, not of the mother, in
Washington, when it comes to decid-
,nxSwhether the children shall be put
to work. They are in the control of
their guardian. IL there be no father.
before the mother. The money earned
by the children is the property of
their father, not their mother.
In the matter Of inheritances in the
District Of Columbia, women are dis
criminated against. the inheritance
going to the male line. and excluding
the mothers line. unless there are no
relations on the fathers side. This Is
carried back even to the great-grand-
father and his descendants. 1t applies,
of course, where a person dies with
out having made will.
The father has the control. in the
District, Of any estate or Inheritance
that may be left to his children. and
the mother has no say in the matter.
No married woman can act As surety
or guarantor under the District code.
These are instances Of the discrimina-
tion against women in the District.
There are others.
Variation in the states.
In some of the states the discrim-
ination Is even more marked. Many
of the determinations are due to the
old common law. In louisiana how
ever. where the Napoleonic code was
in force when the United States made
the Louisiana purchase. there are
determinations against women that
are peculiar to that state alone.
woman's earnings after her marriage
in Louisiana belong to her husband,
If he lays claim to them. Recently
the case of a woman milliner came
up. Her husband was away at sea.