Evening star., 1934-04-10
To the Editor of The Star.

To the Editor OF The Star:
The following excerpt from an
article by Randolph Leigh, in The Sum-
day Star of April 8, 1884. should
arouse women to sense the ignominy
Of their status as citizens.
There can be no question as to
whether or not our system Of Govern
ment has outstripped all others in
providing equality of opportunity.
Indeed. the form Of Government
outlined in the Constitution is strik-
ingly similar to that ideal of orderly
and buttressed liberty toward which,
through the centuries. mankind has
been striving. the philosophers prompt
ed by reason. the people by hope. We
repudiated all the ancient devices
for holding down the underprivileged
We did away with nobility and
hereditary privileges. We gave every
man a chance to 60 just as far as his
talents warrant"
When will women wake up and real
ize that they are outside the protec-
ton of the Constitution as far as
equality of opportunity and equal pro-
teCUlOIl u lllC laws dlC COAACCAh hSds
Orators 60 blithely on glorifying the
ideal of ''buttressed liberty and equal
ity of opportunity for all American
citizens under the egis of the Con-
stitution." sublimely Indifferent to the
fact that this liberty and equality dc
not exist for woman citizens.
Equality of opportunity is forever
protected for every man citizen. ma
tive or naturalized, by the fourteenth
amendment, which says:
mo State shall make or enforce any
laws which shall abridge the privileges
or immunities of citizens of the United
States" Yet every State in thesUnlon
has made and is enforcing laws which
abridge the privileges and immunities
of woman citizens, and deny to them
the equality of opportunity guaran-
teed to all citizens under the four
teenth amendment.
Witness the laws denying women
the right to enter many trades ano
professions, the restrictions, based
solely on sex, to their industrial. busi-
ness and professional opportunities,
their civil and political rights. All
these laws are indirect violation OF
the liberties guaranteed to all citizens
alike by the Constitution.
Under the Constitution all persons,
native, naturalized and alien, are guar
anteed the equal protection Of the law
in the enjoyment of life, liberty and
property-yet women. solely because
of their sex, are deprived OF this equal
protection of the law.
Witness the unequal laws, based on
sex, as to inheritance, control OF ones
person and property. the right to earn
ones living in the manner most sat-
isfying to the worker, the right to
equal nav for equal work, the right to
have ones pay based on ability rather
than on sex-hmdredS OF laws could
be cited to show that women are no
where given that equal protection OF
the law guaranteed to all persons un-
der the fourteenth amendment.
The most recent violation OF this
principle is in the unequal minimum
wages, based solely on sex. for equal
work, under the N. r. A. codes.
How can woman citizens go as far
as their talents warrant" If laws are
made and enforced depriving them OF
the right to enter many businesses and
professions, and to hold many pub
lie ofices?
How can they climb to the heights
in trade, business and in the profess
sions If laws are made and enforced
placing them at disadvantage with
their man competitors In the lower
grades of their chosen work?
OF what use is it to a woman 10
master her work, through years OF
industry, If she may suddenly be
thrown out of work, or out OF public
Office, merely because she is married.
regardless Of her personal ability OF
| her economic necessity?
If the lawmakers Of the country are