Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-09-13
WOMEN IN PUBLIC LIFE

The women are beginning to IND out tnat
enjoying all the privileges Of citizenship in
cludes something more than going to the polls
on election day and voting. When the list OF
names was drawn from which to select the
iuries for the fall term of court the Evening
News interviewed some of the women whose
names were on the list and it was found that a
majority of them did not relish the idea OF hav-
ing to do jury duty, although all admitted that
If they were to enjoy the privileges of the ballot
they would have to assume all the RESPONSE
bilities that go with it.
In the actual drawing Of the juries three
Perth Amboy women were chosen to serve this
term. One of these women has moved away and
the other two, when seen, while they expressed
their WILLINGNESS to serve, felt that 1t was not
exactly a woman's place and they would be just
as we'll satisfied if they had not been included.
IT WAS brought out that some women who have
had Jury duty forced upon them did not favor
woman's suffrage, but were forced into their
nresent predicament by the enthusiastic suffra-
gists.
But even before any women's names were
placed on the jury lists at all the sheriff had
representatives canvass the county visiting the
women to ascertain how many had home cares
that would make II an dCludi Sii
to be called upon to do jury duty. 1t would be
interesting to learn how many there were who
declared it would be impossible for them to
serve.
The women whose names were crossed OIL
were those who had small children at nome.
But suppose the children are not small. sup
pose they are attending school. What would IL
mean to the American home for these children
to go nome from school at noon time ana fnd
nobody there-mother is in New Brunswick in
answer to a subpoena for jury duty. And sup
nose this was repeated day after day. as is often
the case with the men serving on the petit jury
the effect would be demoralizing.
AS a matter of fact, the great mass OF Amer
lean womanhood is just beginning to realize
what the right of suffrage means to them' II
has always been maintaiped by some that the
majority of women did not want to VOTE ou'
because the minority, with little else to do' or
ganized and made a great noise OF votes io'
women" the sex as a whole were FORCED lnt'
something they did not want.
IT is not enough to say that the anti-suffra
gists were beaten at every turn, because th'
mere fact that the great majority of women o'
not want to take part in public life at all eA
Mains why they did not have a stronger organ
IAa&Aio NFAt
) ization. 1t was apparent that to be contlnuaiE
lighting the suffragists would have required a
much time away from their home duties AM
would have been just as repulsive TO the" d
tbey now find jury duty and other puohc MAJ
ters that they are called upon to attend TO-
There are a great many public duties ina
even the men find Objectionable and they "ou'
gladly be relieved of them II they co"u ~
Many a mans business has suffered greatly w
cause of our petit jury system necess'au"e -
constant attendance at court whether neeoeo .
not.
l put voman's suffrage is here. 1t is a part o
tho constitution and the responsibility that goe
with IL cannot be escaped. For the sake Oh I'll
time-honored American home, however, 1t Is !
be hoped that officials will be as ienient as poS
sible especially with married women ana "o'
{ particularly with mothers, when Gaining upo
the newly enfranchised citizens for puohc uu'!