Woman's enterprise., 1922-03-10
ORJETC OF SOUTHERN
CONSERVATION LEAGUE
EXPLAINED AT MEET
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EAfLAlNED Al MEE
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ion, it would result in the increasing
of the Federal Income Tax in Louisi-
ana. Their argument is as follows:
Because Of the community property
laws of Louisiana, which grant to
the wife half of all property acquired
after marriage, husband and wife can
send in separate income tax returns
thus greatly decreasing the amount
of our taxes that would be paid were
joint income tax required as is the
case in the common law states. Lou
isiana is one of only seven states in
the Union which, by virtue of their
community property laws, enjoy this
privilege. An equal rights bill
would destroy the head of the COM
munity which, according to the Civil
Code, is the husband. The head de.
capitated, naught but lifeless trunk
would remain, which would necessari-
ly cease to function. Senator Edwin
S. Broussard deserves the heartfelt
thanks Of every man and woman in
the state for his determined and sue
cessful fight in the u S. Senate sew
eral months ago when he resisted GER
tain tax measures that would have
seriously disturbed our community
property laws and have resulted in
costing our citizens millions Of dollars
in increased Federal taxes.
"Now, certainly unwittingly, but no
less surely, would these feminine tam
perers of the code undo the results
of Senator Broussard's splendid ef-
forts. One judge declared that he
feared even the laws of succession
would be affected by the Woman's
Party measures. The unanimous ver-
dict of legal opinion was that it would
involve the state in endless litigation.
The articles of the Code are so COM
pletely dovetailed that the changing
of one statute might effect a dozen
others. Just how far reaching would
be the effects of such freakish legia
lation as that proposed by the mill
tants no one could possibly at present
foretell. Few judges would care to
unravel the legal tangle that would
result.
"As grave as are the legal aspects
Of this sex quality doctrine and as
dangerous and demoralizing to bust
ness as it would individually be, more
menacing still would it be to the home.
Choice Of domicile, residence, and
name for married women! That one
provision alone is enough to condemn
the bill. l understand that there
exists now no law compelling wom-
an to take her husbands name. 1t
would seem hardly as if there were
any necessity for such measure, but
there evidently is, since leading men,
bers Of the Woman's Party are not
only deliberately preaching this fool
ish, erratic. and dangerous doctrine,
but certain of them putting it into
practice. Recent newspaper reports
state that Miss Elsie Hill, one of the
Woman's Party officers, married
Christmas eve, but has announced
that she will retain her maiden name,
MISS Elsie Hill. One wonders what
name the poor little children would
bear, should there be any, as the re-
suit of this eccentric union. This is
the same Miss Hill who, with Miss
Lavinia Egan, headed the militants
when they descended puon the Capt Il
at Baton Rouge to protest to the Leg
islature against its action in accept
ing the Conservatives measures in
stead of those of the Woman's Party.
The Southern Conservative League
has built up a magnificent organiza-
tion of men and women in Shreveport,
the headquarters of the League, and
we are now calling on all citizens in
this state who believe in the Justice
OF our cause to help us. We desire
to organize in every parish of the
state, and would be most appreciative
of the names of conservative men and
women who will assist US in organic
ing in their parishes. Remember that
| this is vour state as ,,oll -, o,,,e ,,d