Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1941-02-27
f{eiter Box

10 Cne EIQlCOI,
Montgomery County Sentinel.
Dear Sir:
There is in the General Assem-
bly, at present Senate Bill No. n
which it's supporters identify as
"An Emergency Defense Measure.
is the bill to admit women to juries
in Maryland.
Those working actively for this
legislation bring out that the draft
and the defense industries are
withdrawing many Maryland men
from the lists of available jurors.
In addition, liberal exemptions
have brought about a shortage in
satisfactory jurors. Women are
needed in the jury box to replace
men who are being called away for
war work of various kinds.
The ballot and the right to trial
by jury of ones peers are funda-
mentals of Democracy. In Eng
land they go hand-in-hand; when
women received the vote they were
called for jury service as matter
of course. This happened also in
a number of our own States,
neighboring Pennsylvania, for ex-
ample.
Large numbers of Maryland
women have the patriotism to wish
to do their civic duty in this way.
They also have the necessary time,
education, experience and good
Judgment to serve the State well.
Many of these women are in mid
die life, their children grown and
their home duties few. Dealing
with household problems, with
children and with community af-
fairs has given them experience
valuable in the jury box. To them
jury service would be a training
in citizenship = important in these
tense and changing times.
The existing exemptions for men
are of sufficient scope to excuse
any woman unwilling to serve or
any who would be seriously incon-
venienced by serving.
The objections to jury service
which are voiced by some women
are based obviously on their indi-
vidual preferences; they wouldn't
like to serve. However, there are
not many Maryland women who,
when asked to help in a specific
case where someone has "fallen
among thieves" or otherwise got
into trouble, would draw their
skirts about them and "pass by on
the other SIDE" By serving on
juries women will take an active
part in the crime control program
of the State as we'll as in its social
welfare work.
Paramount among the objections
offered by men is that practical
difficulties" would attend the enact
ment of the measure into law. But
Americans take little account Of
practical difficulties" which stand
in the path of right. From pion-
eer days practical difficulties"
have been accepted as challenges to
courage and ingenuity, even unto
defense, as We see by the papers
daily. Are Maryland men and
women less resourceful and adapt
able than Pennsylvania men and
women? In Pennsylvania, the
difficulties were met and overcome
years ago.
Maryland has not arrived at its
present state of development on
the brain power of her men alone.
Its progress has been accomplished
by her men and women working
shoulder to shoulder down through
the years and now there should be
no part of the States work ex-
cluded to women.
Only about two per cent Of cases
tried by jury are criminal cases
Of sordid aspect. But even then,
the woman criminal has a right to
trial by mixed jury. The greater
portion of the work would be in
civil cases and who is better able
to render a verdict on matters per-
tanning to inheritance, property
ownership, divorce, etc., than
women?
II may be wrong, but it looks
to me as though the 1941 General
Assembly would be doing a con-
structive service to pass this bill
and let US get down to other
urgent business of the day.
ETHEL M. TROY,
Legislative Chairman, Mont
gomery Co. Business and Pro-
fessional Women's Clubs.