Evening star., 1923-12-16

HE hight for and against an
equal rights amendment TO
the Constitution is on and
the opposing forces advance
with colors unfurled and eyes agleam
with the Joy of battle, while scores
Of typewriters. manned by skilled
marksmen and directed by nimble
fingers. lay down a terrific barrage
Of light, medium and painfully
heavy literature.
Already the outposts have met in
skirrnish at the White House, and
already the couriers have gone back
TO their respective headquarters, each
bearing the glad tidings Of victory.
But the real battlefield is Congress,
and there, during the hard winter
and perhaps for years to come, the
real battle must be fought. Already
the inhabitants OF that war-torn
land are casting about with wild and
erricd looks for shelter. And. 10,
ltI-"- 10 shelter.
&, o., ,ide of the field is lined the
y -ional Ttoman's Party and Alice
Paul. On the other the National
League of Women Voters, with such
formidable allies as the General
Federation of women's Clubs, Young
women's Christian Association, Ma
tional women's Trade Union League,
National Consumers League. Nation
al Council of Women. National Coun-
Gil Of Jewish Women. American Fed
Grafton of Teachers, American Home
Economics Association, Girls Friend
ly Society in America and the Ameri-
can Association of University Women
Has "splendSd Opposition"
The National woman's Party is un-
disrnayed by numbers. One Of its vet
erans Of other wars described them
thus:
I'VE have splendid opposition"
Nor does the National League or
Women Voters discountathe strength
Of the enemy. Facing them is a foe
trained from youth in the ways OF
battle. 1t Is fight to the finish. NO
quarter will be asked; none viii be
given.
Equal rights for women under
constitutional amendment has
fetching sound. One might think-a
man, for instance, might think-that
| the National Woman's Party had
espoused a popular cause and that
the womanhood of the country would
flock as one under the banners of an
oreanization which already had
played a conspicuous part in bring
| ing into their domain the justly
i famed ballot.
! But not so.
| Hardly had the National Woman's
| Party announced its campaign when
other women's organizations. whose
names are given above. hoisted their
| battle flags to the breeze and an
nounced they would fight this "in-
sidious" (the adjective is not the
writers) movement to a horrible
death. The battle cry Of the National
Woman's Party was branded as de-
fusion and a snare, which. If carried
to victory, would mean the oblitera-
tion from the statute books OF many
states the advantages for which
women have fought the last quarter
Of a century.
To the White House went the van
guard Of the National Woman's
Party, and they laid their cause at
the feet Of the President. They quote
him as saying, in effect, that If they
presented their cause to Congress as
they presented It to him he could
hardly see how Congress would turn
them down.
Not to be outdone. a delegation of
women from the American Federation
of Labor also called at the White
House last week and presented their
opposition to the enactment of a con-
stitutional amendment creating for
women all the rights now enjoyed by
| men. Informally quoting the Presi-
dent, a spokesman for this delegation
| danlarad IL Was Mainly evident that