Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-01-16
MONDAY, JANUARY 10. 1914.

Evening Saturday
MONDAY, JANUARY is. 1874.
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LEGAL INEQUALITY or WOVEN.
Tho National womans Party, COM
pos~d largely OF the former militant
sufPugsttss. IL sesking TO have Con-
sress pass blanket constitutional
amendment. tho purpose OF which In
v remove women entirely from the
aphers Of legal inequality.
On the surface this amendment
would appear to be beneficial TO the
women OF America, II pAssed. But
whom one considers many OF tho situa-
tions that might arsss n ali legal In
equality were b~nished. Il Is seen that
this 10 step that should not be taken
lightly.
one phase 81 it---labor-might cause
America TO re-entsr the dark age OF
industriaiism. samuel Gompcra,
shrswd old leader OF American labor.
knows this. And Congress will not
paSs such an amendment, unless over
his dead body, politically speaking.
oompsrs issued a statement In
Washington = day ago that shows ex-
act,y what he thinks Of this present
activity Of tho National woman's
Party. This 10 the wisdom Of age
speaking
while the purpose OF the amend
mont 10 prxissworthy. the actual ef-
feet would bs NO dAmasing that It In
my earnest hope that the amendment
will not be offered In Congrso and
u offered viii not he Adopted and rati-
ned
Il arm aware OF the fact that .
large numhsr of Awy~s have besn
eossuited and h 10 well known that
their opinions have bssn conflicting.
"Ths difference Of opinion u over
the question ct whether the proposed
blanket amendment would result in
the destruction Of standards and safe
uuAr~ia now established In the law of
the States for the protection Of women
IN industry.
''Rexnrsiicss OF tho opinion OF some
iawyers who cay these laws would
net b. enta nscred assure the women
u The country that those laws would
- not eaiy endangered but would b<
Destroyed. Numerous lawyers Of equa.
standing and experience hold with US
lawyers WAC say the courts would
not sustain a,tscks on these protect
Ing laws may TO some extent know
the courts but they DO not know sm
pieysr~. think ! know something
about courts and I DO know the tao
tics Of lawyers.
III such . blanket amendment. plac
Ing women on IN absolute eQualit.
with mon. were 10 be adopted ant
ratifed the employers Of the countr!
would not attack the various Stat
laws In the courts. They would pro
coed at once 70 opsfats under tn
amendment
THAT 70 where lawyers misjudg
he smploysrA Employers would no
20 into court. They would remain Il
ohope and factories and would pu
strict equality Of hours and workin
conditions into effect and then II tn
workers were able they mtght 90 int
seurt 10 Try TO compel the employer
70 restore the safeguards Of the stat
Aws p~ossseang women.
Eventually, after many year
thsss cases would sst 70 the suprsm
Court. n the workers were able ~ 9
that Tar. but meanwhile the bsnsf
cent. hard-won laws weuld be d
stroysd under tho blanket, strict
equality amendment proposed by III
National women's Party.
Il hops that the women Of thu
party viii not proceed on a cours
which 10 bound to have ~ It's nri
eject the destruction OF standars
sstA elishsd for working women whic
the working women are unable ,
mAaatain throush economic strength
~ above. VI course. 10 VA
oempseu' view. but It u also labor
0NAoAl view. Perhaps there are CO
TAIN elements In American he tn
would welcome the ssta bl,shmsnt
complete equality between The ssxu
bssAuss u the dement's that wou
accrue 70 them.
II v well 70 remember here that Il
National woasu's Party II compos'
largely VI the so-oAilsd intellissnts
ssp"s the sssnsr ssa'rasss,ss. u