The Wilmington morning star., 1943-11-21
National Head
Of Women S Clubs
Issues Statement
By MRS. CHARLES G. DOAK


An expression of opinion on sup
porting the policy of an amend
ment to the Constitution of the
United States to give equal status
to men and women, is being sought
by the General Federation of Wom-
ems clubs. To obtain this express
sion, Mrs. John L. Whitehurst,
president, has sent to each club
president resolution to be dis
oussed and voted upon before De-
cember l.
Why an equal rights amend
ment?" is a question that has been
before federated clubs at differ
ent times since the granting of
suffrage to women % years ago.
For many years the General Fed
Grafton had declined to join other
o1 CARNATIONS in requesting such
~ amendment for the reason it
was feared that women would lose
some of the health safeguards and
privileges that had been won for
them.
1t was only after rewriting
of the proposed amendment that
the board of directors of the Gen
eral Federation authorized Mrs.
Whitehurst to poll the clubs for
an opinion. The revised wording
leads:
Equality of rights under h e
law shall not be denied or abridg-
ed by the United States or by any
state on account of sex
Congress and the several states
shall have power, within their re-
spective jurisdictions, to enforce
this article by appropriate legis-
lation.
This amendment shall take eff
feet five years after the date of
ratification.
1t is believed that clubwomen
generally will favor the amend
nent since it would place the han
ding of conditions pertaining to
health in the category of health,
and not of sex. Also that discrimi-
rations now existing in regard to
property rights, inheritance rights,
divorce. the right to compete or
fs4ir terms with all others engaged
ii the same work, to own and
control ones earnings, engage in
all lawful occupations, jury serv-
ice, Government service, the hold
ing of public offices, the right of
contract, could be removed without
resort to the slow piece-meal pro-
cess.
All or some of these discrimi-
nations exist in every state. They
are results of statutes and court
interpretations of the S a tus of
women based on the ancient COM
mon law of England, and millions
Of women have gone on record as
believing that only an amendment
to the Federal Constitution will en-
sure equalization of civil rights of
men and women and the perma-
nent observance of this principle"
Mrs. Whitehurst, and Mrs. J.
Henry Highsmith, president of the
North Carolina Federation, urge
clubs to secure from the Govern
nent Printing Office, Washington.
Senate Document No. e7, of the
18th Congress first session, and
use the pamphlet as a basis in
making study of the proposed
amendment before taking vote
CT the club. They point out that
the subject is timely and that the
Citizenship department of CT u b S
should take the lead in arranging
discussions of the matter.
Indian Welfare is one of the d.
visions Of club work III public well
fare departments. Mrs. Dan K.
Moore of Sylvia, is chairman of
the division in the North Carolina
Federation, and she is recommend
ing that other clubs pursue the
plan so we'll carried out by the
Raleigh club recently. Four de-
partments of the Glib, Art, Liter
ature, Music and Public Welfare,
cooperated and held a luncheon
meeting attended by 80 persons.
A varied program depicting the
art, music and literature of the
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