The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1922-04-21
WOMEN'S rights
ARE EXPLAINED
ATTORNEY WOLFE GIVES INTER
ESTING IMPORTATION IN AID
DRESS TO VOTERS LEAGUE

Ihe following is reproduced from
an address delivered before the
League of Women Voters at their
session Wednesday by Attorney Guy
Wolfe, and gives in concise form in
formation on the laws of Idaho. in
which every person with property is
Interested:
II have been asked to make you a
short talk upon the laws of Idaho,
which effect women, with especial
reference to those laws governing
property rights. In Idaho a woman
may acquire property to the same ex-
tent as man. Sec. 4O56 of Idaho
Compiled Statutes says: All property
of the wife owned by her before mar
riage and that acquired afterward
by gift, beQuest, devise or. descent.
shall remain her sole and separate
property, to the same extent as that
of the husband, and under her separ-
ate control.
Sec. 1850 says: All other property
acquired after marriage, by either
husband or wife, is community prop
erty, unless by the instrument by
which such property is acquired by
the wife, it is provided that the rents
and profits thereof be applied to her
sole and separate use, in which case
the management and disposal of such
rents and profits belongs to the wife
and is not liable for the debts of the
husband.
Upon the death of either husband
or wife, the separate property of the
deceased is governed by the statute of
succession. Under the old common
law wife is not regarded as an
heir of the husband, but is given
merely a so-called dover interest, |
io6 icriv 20
only, of the surviving WIFE But the
Idaho statute says if a married per-
son dies owning separate property
and leaves . surviving wife or hus-
band and no children, or one child,
one-half of such property goes to
the survivor; if there are children,
one-third to the survivor and two
thirds to the children. If the dece-
dent leaves no lineal heirs then the
whole of the property goes to the
survivor.
"A homestead may be selected by
either husband or wife, either out of
ate property of either. II selected out
of the community property or out of
the separate property of the one max
ing the selection or, joining therein
then upon the death of either the en-
tire homestead will go to the survivor
"These, in brief are the property
laws affecting women. You can see
from their provisions that a man and J
wife are regarded under the law of
Idaho as almost equal partners, un
less all Of the property owned is the
property of one of them.
"The husband has control and man I
agement of the community property, I
except the earnings of the wife for !
services and the earnings of s
1er separate property as above shown
)Le he can not sell or convey COM s
nunity real estate unless the wife
oins in the conveyance. q
stThe earnings of a wife living sep
lrate and apart from her husband a
ire her separate property.
During the marriage, the husband
8 the head Of the family, under the
aw, and he may choose the mode
md place of living and she must con-
orm thereto. However, some wo
nen by the force of their character U
r other means are able at times to 9
ullify this law.
upon the death of either the hus- ?
and or wife, one-half Of the COM =,
1unity property shall go to the sur ?
ivor, subject to the community debts :,
nd the other half shall be subject to - -
he testamentary disposition of the =,
eceased, in favor only of his or her ~
hildren or parent of either spouse, M
rovided not more than one-half of "
ecedent's half may be left by will to
UGH parent. In case no will is made
Y deceased all of the community
roperty shall go to the survivor, sub d.
'ct to the community debts. ip
Separate property of the wife is 81
OF liable for the husbands debts, but -
liable for her own debts contracted n
efore or after marriage. 70
"a wife must support an infirm T.
1sband out of her separate prop - -
ty when he has no property and
ley have no community property.
"a wife may acquire separate prop
ty by a marriage settlement con-
act, but such contract to be valid ee
ust be in writing, acknowledged M
I'd recorded IN like manner OF deeds Pc
ID conveyances. 90
GAS to other laws, affecting women, ~.
will give a brief resume:
Women are not subject to jury or ''i'
llitary duty in idaho. In this re-
IN, for men are compelled to serve
jurors and may be impressed into F'a
. military service. WI
'Indigent widows or INDECENT moth nie
whose bushando oro corfi,,od IN cit
;so,, ~ .sv1,,,,, noov ba rr;,,,r, tw,
'ther's pension if they have child W. W.
I under fifteen years of age. op'
Resident widows are allowed $1,000 dns s
properly exempt from taxa1lon the
en- their whole property does not tha
'eed $oooo IN VaIue. raj
Women may not be required to TIVE
rk more than nine T0urs each dav
any mechanical or mercantile es-
laundry, hotel or res 1
rant, telegraph or telephone estab- Sur
lment, or office, or py any express she
transportation company. However =, i,
) does not apply to nor effect fe-
les employed in harvesting. pack MIS-
curing, canning or drying any her