The Washington herald., 1922-04-21
LADY ASTOR SPURS
HOMELAND WOMEN
TO AID men RULE
Welcomed to Her Native
Country by Riotous
Demonstration.
TALK BRINGS SCENE
English Peeress Pleads for
Cooperation of Sex in
Politics.
TALK BRINGS SCENE

NEW YORK. April 2O.-Nanc,
Astor, once an American girl, now
noble lady Of the British Empire
and a member of the house oil
commons. and still a beauty, came
back to her homeland bearing a
sparkling torch of political en-
lightenment for women, and foi
twenty minutes after she finished
her speech at the Town Hall here
last night was locked in a veritablt
mob of leading women OF the COM
munity, who struggled to grasp her
hand and would not let her go. II
required resolute hrmness on the
part of her husband, Viscount As
tor. and several women officers of
the League of Women Voters, un-
der whose auspices she addressed
the gathering, to get her of the
platform and shield her from the
crowd as she made her way to
her automobile.
AS Lady Astor finished her ad-
dress the great crowd-which not
only filled every seat in the audi
torium, but also packed the stand
ing room on the main floor and
in the gallery-rose to its feet and
began a demonstration such as no
other woman has ever received
from a similar gathering In New
York. Three elderly women L.
their seats in the forward part of
the main floor and managed to
Chamber to the stage on their hands
and knees in the rush to wiring
Nancy Astor's hand. The crowd in
the gallery stood up, applauding
deafeningly. Those on the main
floor surged toward the platform.
1t was q very nice audience, and
consequently there were no cheers;
but there was the refined equiva-
lent of the demonstration which a
crowd at the Polo Grounds gives
Babe Ruth when he makes a home
run.
Lands Husband.
The first bright spark from her
talk was one of those epigrams
which have caused her to be called
The Woman Roosevelt"
There is nothing worse than a
man governed world" she said,
unless it be a world governed by
women"
Then she pleaded for cooperation
Of the sex in political matters, for
the proper balance of influence be-
tween them to the end that the
world might make progress in peace.
She pleaded with women-every
woman-to get into politics. 1t Is
not necessary for them to run for
office she told her friends. but 1t was
the duty Of every woman to inform
herself thoroughly concerning the
fitness Of every candidate and the
truth about every political issue be-
fore voting. She emphasizes the nee
"ssitity of voting II woman,s infiu-
ence Is to be felt. Lady Astor paid
p tribute to her husband who sat
near her on the platform, by say
ing: IF I have helped the cause Of
women he Is the one to thank. My
husband Is the one who started me
on this downward career-from
home to the House"
Deplores Wars.
L cannot face the future without
this hope-that the women of all
countries will do their duty and
en- who will look upon war and all
that leads to it with as much hor-
ror as we now look upon a cold
6looded murder" she continued. "If
we want a new world we can get 1t
only by striving for IT. don't say
that women will change the world.
but do say they can do it IL they
want to-"
I'VE women were up against gem
erations of prejudices. We have no
record of Adam murmuring against
he eating of the apple. but the first
time he had the chance he placed
he blame on the woman"
Mankind has always gone to wo-
nan for inspiration, yet by sheer
material force he has limited her.
Man has westernized the harem idea
If the East. 1 don't Believe he knows
it yet; We must break it to him
gently. We must go on being mans
guide. his mother and his better
half. But we must prove that we are
a necessary half not only in his
private. but in his political life"
No one sex can govern alone.
One of the reasons why civilization
has failed so lamentably is that 1t
has had one-sided government"
'T don't want to be famous" said
Lady Astor, after the meeting was
over and she had been rescued from
her admirers. Don't make me IA
nous. 1 still believe that a woman's
place Is beside her hearthfire. Ny
husband, you see is right here with
me-"