Evening star., 1941-02-16
45Women' Units Hail
Susan B. Anthony's
Equal Rights Fight
Groups Honor Pioneer
In Celebration Held
In Crypt Of Capitol

Representatives OF 40 women S or
ganizations, gathered in the cryp
of the Capitol to celebrate the 12ls
2 anniversary of the birth of Susar
3. Anthony, last night heard th'
pioneer for women's suffrage de
scribed as one who brought t
democracy fresh troops to battle
for future social and economic ad
vancement."
Praise of the crusader for WON.
ems suffrage was combined with al
examination, by various speakers, o.
the gains women have made since
the days when Miss Anthony was
fined S100 for the unlawful act
of voting in an election.
Pointing out legal determinations
still existing against women, Senator
Guffey, Democrat, of Pennsylvania
said:
Despite rights and privileges
which have been granted by some
Federal and State statutes, the only
guaranteed constitutional right
which women possess is the right tc
vote"
Equal Justice" Travesty.
The words Equal Justice Under
the Law" carved over the portals
of the Supreme Court Building, he
said, become a traveSty when we
examine the many laws regarding
women which are entirely contrary
to the spirit of the 14th amendment. ;
Though the membership of the
Supreme Court, ne added, may at
times render decisions under the
14th Amendment favorable to
women, another membership may
annul them.
Therefore" he said, 'the only
secure method to establish equal
justice for women is by writing into
the Constitution an amendment
which will state Men and women
shall have equal rights throughout
the United States and every place
subject to its jurisdiction
Referring to the ballot as "the
most sacred privilege the state can
confer upon the citizen" Represen-
tative Flanagan, Democrat, of Vir-
ginia mentioned the poll tax.
Rightful Heritage of All.
GAS long as you extend the privi-
lege upon considerations of worth
and ability to serve and withhold
1t not because the citizen, other
wise worthy, is unable to purchase
it for price, as long as you keep
it free and untrammeled, so long
will democracy live"
He described the right of suffrage
as stock certificates representing
ownership in this democracy. giving
voters the right as stockholders to
participate in directing the affairs
of state through duly chosen repre-
sentatives.
In paying homage to the crusader
for women's rights. he said:
Possessing a soul free from bond
age to precedent or servitude to
custom, the vision of Susan
Brownell Anthony unforged the
shackles that enslaved the voice of
her sex in the affairs of state, placed
in their hands the rightful heritage
of all free men, the ballot. and thus
brought to democracy fresh troops
to battle for future social and eco
nomic advancement"
Blames Supreme Court.
Senator Brooks, Republican. of
Illinois. tracing the part the Re-
publican party played in furthering
the work of Miss Anthony, pointed
out that the Republican National
Convention in 1916 included the
women's suffrage plank in its plat
form for the first time in history.
When the seventeenth amendment
was introduced in the House of
Representatives, he went on. 80 per
cent of the Republicans voting ap-
proved the amendment.
Starting with Abraham Lincoln,
who favored suffrage for women. he
said, the Republican party played
significant part in advancing and
securing adoption of the seventeenth
amendment.
Miss Helen Elizabeth Brown,
Baltimore attorney, blamed the fail
ure of the fourteenth amendment
to advance the cause of women on
the Supreme Court.
Reviewing decisions of the highest
tribunal on cases involving Women's
rights, Miss Brown said it was the
Judicial Interpretation and not any
flaw in the amendment which pre-
vented it from applying to women.
Greetings From w. C. .T.U.
A dramatic presentation of Miss
Anthony's address to the court be-
fore she was sentenced for daring to
vote was given by Mrs. Maud Howell
Smith, who pointed out that the
trial lifted the women's crusade
from a grievance to the dignified
status of constitutional law.
In the name of the organizations
participating, Mrs. George Mesta,
congressional chairman of the Ma
tional Women's party, laid wreath
of mimosa and lilies at the base of
the Woman's Monument, which was
created by Adelaide johnson and in
cludeS busts of Miss Anthony, Lu-
cretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady
Stanton.
Mrs. Mesta asserted that every
woman who has a Job or enjoys the
privilege of a profession owes 1t to
the half century of crusading Miss
Anthony did in behalf of the en-
franchiSement of women.
Extending greetings from the Ma
tional Womans Christian Temper
ance Union. Mrs. Ida B. Wise Smith.
president, told of the close friend
ship that existed between Miss An
thony and Frances Willard, who
pioneered for temperance.
The United States Marine Band
Orchestra, under the baton of Musi-
clan William F. Pfeiffer, played for
the gathering and Pinckney Estes
Glantzberg, legislative chairman of
the New York Federation of Busi-