The Washington times., 1922-11-11
WOMEN PLAN
BIC DRIVE For
=. EQUAL RIGHTS
National Woman's Party Has
Adopted New Declaration
Of Independence"

pendence, with twenty-eight planks
dealing with women's rights In the
home. In marriage and divorce. In
dustry. education. church and State,
was presented today to the equal
rights conference OF the National
Woman's Party by Mrs. o. ii. p.
Belmont. national president.
The conference will consume all
Of today and tomorrow, the business
sessions being at Woman's Party
headquarters on Capitol Hill. Dele
gates to the number OF l79 are here
from thirty.two States.
This mornings session was pre-
sided over by Mrs. John Rogers. OF
New York. who also made a report
on the past years work OF the
party.
In presenting the declaration of
principles. which was unanimously
adopted by the conference. Mrs. Bel.
| mont declared that I'VE are to hand
down to future generations OF
women a declartion Of independence
indorsed by this conference"
Equal in Law and Custom.
The declaration demands that
women shall no longer be In any
form OF. subsection to men in law or
in custom. but shall In every way be
on equal plane In rights as she al
| ways has been and will continue to
be In responsibilities and obliga-
| tions."
1t demands the opening OF all oc.
cupations to women and says that
restrictions upon the hours. con-
ditions and remuneration of labor
shall apply alike to both sexes"
Other planks deal with equal
rights for women in marriage, in
Government service. in the councils
Of the church, and the control of
property.
Mrs. Belmont announced that In
each State intensive campaigns will
be conducted to influence legislators,
both State and National, In favor Of
equal rights legislation.
Platform Is Adopted.
On motion of Miss Alice Paul. the
conference adopted the principles as
laid down by Mrs. Belmont.
A variety of activities has marked
the work Of the party during the
past year, Mrs. John Rogers. chair.
man Of the national advisory council,
reported.
Equal rights legislation affecting
| nine legislatures" she said. Other
| accomplishments enumerated follow:
lover $250.000 was spent for the
equal rights program.
Our national headquarters have
been purchased and completely paid
for and are now being remodeled.
"The whole country has been
| aroused to the equal rights ques.
ton through publicity and organiza-
| tion. ..
|. Equal Rights for Women has
taken the place Of the old slogan.
Votes for Women
Victories are Reported.
Legislative victories were reported
| in Maine, where women were given
| the right to jury service; in Della
| ware, where women were given the
right to hold all public offices; in
Wisconsin, women were given COM
| plete equality with men before the
law; In Mississippi women were
given equal guardianship rights
| over their children; in Virginia, mar.
| ried women were given the right to
establish separate voting residence:
in Maryland, women were given the
right to hold a number of important
public offices, and in Georgia,
mothers were given equal rights
with fathers to inherit from de-
| ceased children and their rights in
appointment as guardians were en-.
! larged.
Other speakers who will be heard
today include:
Miss Adelaide Stedman, field sec.
~etary, who will report on her wei.
fare work for women, Mrs. Max
Rotter, who will report on the op.
| Grafton Of the Wisconsin equal
rights law; Mrs. Agnes Morey, of
Brookline, Mass; DIR. Caroline
Spencer. OF Colorado Springs: Miss
Lavina Egan. of Shreveport, La;
Miss Edith Ainge. Of Jamestown, N.
| Y. treasurer OF the party, and Mrs.
Dwight Clark, Of this city.
VIII Dine Tonight.
Mrs. Belmont will be hostess this
evening at a dinner for the delegates
| at the Willard Hotel. Informal
speeches viii be made by the follow.
| ing:
Mrs. John d. Wilkinson. of shreve.
port, La; Mrs. Izetta Jewell Brown.
chairman of the West Virginia
branch; Gail Laughlin, vice chair.
L
Harvey Wiley, chairman of the
nome makers council: DIR. Mary
lO'Malley, chairman of the physicians
council; DR.. Clara Ludlow, chairman
OF the scientists council: Miss
Emma Gillett, chairman Of the
lawyers council; Judge Kathryn
Sellers, vice chairman of the
lawyers council: Mrs. Robert Goelet.
one Of the founders of the party.
and Mrs. II. o. Havemeyer, a life
member OF the party.
The yawyers' council will hold A
conference tomorrow morning at 10
o'clock, Judge Kathryn Sellers pre.
siding. Only members OF the coun.
ell will be present.
| business session at Q O'clock to.
morrow afternoon and at 6 O'Clock
tea at party headquarters viii mark
the close OF the conference.
| Ftfty.two Washington women are
/ registered as members OF the con.
ference. New York comes second
with twenty-five.
J Hear Lutheran Report.