The Minnesota fiery cross. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1924-19??, 1924-04-25
WOMEN URGED TO
ASSERT THEIR RIGHTS
CONTINUED from page ~

Continued from page IL
of scorn for women fearful of being
"unladylike" or 'impolite to the
president of the United States" when
il came to a question like the equal
rights blanket amendment.
women always have been looked
on as the weaker sex and they will
continue to be if they are not Of the
temperament that makes them afraid
of voicing their demands to congress
and being impolite if necessary to the
president of the United States" she
said. Women have got to get rid of
some of that sense of inferiority and
they never will until they have the
'gumption' to stand up for themselves
and not make requests but demands
first on the government and then on
employers for equal hours and equal
pay with men in business
Miss Vernon admitted that the
chief obstacle in the way Of passage
of the amendment was the women of
the United States themselves. She
referred to the representatives of
the sixteen great women's goups in
the county, including the General
National League of Women voters
that had appeared against it, accus-
ing them, however of representing
many more thousands of women than
they actually did.
"You women have got to do some
boring from within the General fed
Grafton and the League of Women
voters" she said, declaring that no
matter IL laws removing discrimina-
tions against women were passed in
the several states they would never
be on entirely safe grounds until a
federal amendment was written into
the constitution.
Miss Vernon praised the laws of
Minnesota, declaring that they were,
in comparison with other states, fair
to the women, but declared that the
proposed amendment would wipe of
the statute books any inequalities
and do much to help the women from
other states suffering from glaring
discrimination.
The theory propounded by oppo-
nents Of the equal rights" amend-
ment that the measure would put
married women in a position where
their husbands would not have to sup
port them and where they would be
obliged to pay alimony in case of di-
vorce was scorned by the speaker.
Ask Woman Question
"How many of you married women
think your husbands are supporting
you entirely?" she asked.
The hand of an attractive young
woman out of the large gathering OF
women shot up.
well, what about your work in
the home? Don't you value it? Are
mt you making a contribution" Miss
Vernon shot at her. And to the
amazement of the group she an
swered:
mot much"
well, at least you are honest,
Miss Vernon replied. "But not many
married women really are being sup
poted entirely. We find, too, that
while women's services in the home
are undervalued greatly, that their
value goes up tremendously when
they are injured and the husband I'M
der terms of the law in many places
has right to collect the damages for
even the mental suffering Of his
wife"
Miss Vernon declared the Women's
party believes that much of the leg
islation aimed at the protection OF
women which opponents of the equal
rights bill were worrying about was
real handicap to them.
Senator Shipstead Scored
A TRADE was delivered against Sen
ator Henrik Shipstead of Minnesota
for his 'vacillating policies" and the
women were called upon to make it
clear to him that they didn't want
him to go on equivocating on the
measure. Senator Magnus Johnson
it was said, was in sympathy with the
amendment.
On recommendation of Miss Yer
non a resolution was adopted which
called upon congress to submit i'm
mediately the equal rights amend
ment, extended thanks to these con-
gressmen from Minnesota who had
pledged support to the measure and
called upon the remainder to work
and vote for the submission of the
amendment.
Mrs. Laura Camp Jones of Mime
apolis was unanimously elected chair
man of the reorganized branch OF
the Women's party; Mrs. A. E. Colvin,
st. Paul, first vice chairman; Mrs.
George Sundby, Minneapolis, second
vice chairman; Dr. Mary Mccoy, Du-
luth, third vice chairman; Mrs. Har-
ry Burns, Eveleth, fourth vice chair
man, and Mrs. M. X. Knauff, ST. Paul,
fifth vice chairman; Mrs. Ruth King,
Minneapolis, secretary; Miss Nettie A.
Blasting, st. Paul, treasurer, Miss Ma
rie Moreland, St. Paul, press chair
man; Mrs. George Cool, st. Paul, mem
bership chairman, and Mrs. Flora
Walcb M;pnaopnl;c chairman of