The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1922-01-19

sieglslalures ef the states would practically change
me Wnoies Status of women In the United States.
~ sets women on exactly the same: plane as men
n everything affecting their freedom of action a.
citizens and rs individuals.
y VIII anect the divorce laws OF many states.
Marriage Will no longer remove d woman,s cfti-
zenship.sA mother may become the equal guardi-
an with her husband OF her children "a wife,s
earnings are no longer at the disposition OF her
husband. "A married woman may choose her
home she may even select her name. And IL puts
men and women on exactly the same plane Ii re-
spect to jury service-Whfch opens IN an exceed
ingly complicated and interesting question; as
suggested by the outcome OF the Arbuckle case In
San Francisco. These are but Q few Of the many
radical changes that would be brought about by
the adoption Of the blanket law by the legislatures.
This blanket bill has found hard shedding In
most of the states. In Louisiana its promoters
could not get II before the legislature members
refused to- Introduce It on the ground that 1t
would destroy the headship OF the family. In
Alabama the bill was defeated with practical una
snimity. III Florida the result was the same. In
Michigan II Is claimed that the bill will be passed
ut the next regular session, two years from now.
I'M short, this blanket bill has been passed by but
one legislature--that OF Wisconsin.
So the campaign has been tedious md the re-
suit small. or course the National Woman,s par
ty has not given up the battle il the states It is
stilf caInpaigning and intends to- campaign. But
to gain tlne--and doubtless also to- secure ma
tionaI publicity-It seeks an amendment to the
federal constitution.
This proposed amendment to the Constitution
IS short md 70 the point. II reads:
See. I-No political, cIYtl Or legal disabilities
or Inequalities on account on sex. 81 on account
OF marriage, unless applying alike to. both sexes,
shall exist within the United States or any place
subject to- their Jurisdiction.
.Sec.. 2-Congress shall have power Id tuforce
this articles by appropriate Legislation.
This,,you see, aceonplishes all that the llanket
BIN does. III puts men and women Oh an e~xnnality
before the law. II eliminates the question af sex.
Now here iii where the distinction with i DIFF
ference comes IN here u where the opposition
camp cries 9sasStop ~
II many 81 the states the persistent efforts Dc
womanss organizations have secured for women
rights ana privileges under tho law which were
granted to women because they were women. The
law, In Il word, has recognized ser and has con-
ferred special privileges upon woman ~ Offset
her limitation because Of seq. SzEs
iii ii long list of these special state laws
that have been enacted for women because they
are omen. This list includes legislation on mint
mum wage. mothers pensions, linitationsof hours.
prohibition ot night work, etc. etc. And there III
the federal maternity net, lust passed by con
The women iii oppposition to the blanket law
md IA the constitutional amendment therefore on
pose these two measures On the ground that they
stMEUM u 0MArAa WeiAA SAEkIS ~ 1hc n,1a-@
ance; Tint III RaInins absolute equality before the
law woman Will lose what shas been secured for her
III woman through long years of unceasing effort.
the National League % Women Voters
and the other organizations u IT'D camp believe III
acconnplishine the revision of state Avs grad
ually, III methcds that shall create no hardshIp
md no upheafal THEIR campalgn provides for M
sesttsation n each state snd Hesial Iegislation
st0 nj the
Beth calnps.of scourak hare csnsalted m law
sgers N III TIE aeEecA 81 ne adoptionaof the consti-s