The Washington times., 1922-02-12

in lowering the moral national
tone. II assumes that a man Is an
animal with perfectly unControl-
liable passions to crafty which a
number OF living human beings
must be sacrificed. To me this
seems as primitive as cannibalism
and not unlike II. For the girl who
is imprisoned in one of these houses
is dine for and goes inevitably
from bad 10 worse. A man on the
other hand can patroniZe these
houses and yet remain apparently
untouched. He may lead the vilest
life and do untold moral and physi-
cal damage but nothing is done TO
him. Men may also be proved
guilty OF assaults on small children
and receive only a ridiculously
light sentence.
The Double Standard.
The double standard Of morality
operates to protect the man and to
punish the woman for deeds which
are done equally by both. Now
believe very firmly that this double
standard liz wrong and that II is eX.
tremely damaging for the state to
uphold IL. / believe that its exist
ence does infinite harm to our
young men and that the thing TO
do is to have hut one standard and
that the high one.
So far II is the mans standard
which has dictated the laws on
this matter. In future it must be
the woman's and this for the sake
OF the men themselves. ] do not
mean to say that all men have one
way Of looking at these things and
all women another. I know very
well that this Is not so. But I know
also that women are in every race
the guardians of purity and moral
ideals. Men have made them that
Cwhile at the same time setting
apart some Of them for the vilest
purposes). 1t is men. no doubt.
who have given to women this
moral pedestal upon which they
stand. They have !dealizcd "a good
woman at the expense of a bad
woman and women IN TO now have
aCuuiescCd in the position. II Is
not only men who are to blame for
II. of course. Men and women have
both made our morality what Il is
bun IL is for men and women both
to put IT right.
The only remedy for wrong
moral standard is n change of opin.
ion and a change of heart. I
admit that but 1t is no use deoying
that there are in our civilization
many definitely evil interests
which are all working together
against any change of mind o..
heart. And l believe that women
ought to come boldly out against
any pubic life to oppose these in
terests.
II was my duty when I was the
only woman I'm the House o. Con.
mons to serve upon a Parliament.
airy Committee which investigated
the criminal law in respect to these
matters. 1t was very unpleasant
duty indeed, but in the course of
1t | realized as never before how
essential IT was to have women in
Parliament and in every other
place where public morals are dis.
Cussed or controlled. For saw
then what we are up against IN
the immorally minded people. the
jewellers, the bad old jocular ira.
dition, the vast network of inter
ests which form the vice ring in
every big city.
Women Must Help.
All these things go on existing
while good women lead their blanc.
less, sheltered lives and II is they,
and they alone, who can come out
and attack them and If they have
not the moral courage to do il /
see no hope for our children.
The attack, repeat, cannot only
be made by passing laws though
that is part of It. It cannot only
be made by securing women town
councillors and women police
though that is part Of II. II cannot
only be made by showing up abuses
though that too is part of II. II
cannot only be done by vigorous
attack upon the vested interests Of
vice or by a regular battle waged
upon the unequal laws and customs
and habits which are daily carried