The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1943-03-06
Susan Anthony Against
Equal Rights Amendment
BY SUSAN B. Anthony II

Amendment" re-introduced in this
Congress in January has real
chance OF getting approved in the
House and Senate for the first;
time in It's 20-ycar history.
A discussion OF il now Is there.
fore based first on that possibility
A second reason for anslyzing the
proposal is that most law makers
on Capitol Hill and lawyers in the
nation do not realize that this bill
sponsored by the National Womens
Party. Is actually an attack on labor
ia general. and on working women
in particular.
or the "a senator's co-sponsorlns
re resolution with Senator Gillette.
Democrat OF Iowa. and the 43 rep
-esen;atives who have given their
support 10 the bill in the House in
reduced by Rep Louis Ludlow
Democrat of Indiana. il is safe 10
,ay tina, many OF them have been
AIKEN in by the fine sounding phrase
equal rights" They have not had
a chance 20 study the basic purposes
Of the bill and do not apparently
recognize tina; i; would destroy la
Dor legislation regulating the wages
hours and working conditions OF
women in the 4s states. the District
OF Columbia and Puerto Rico.
Every person who believes in the
democratic principles OF equal op-
portunity regardless OF race must
also champion that equality regard
less OF sex. Freedom for women II
~ cherished 4 doctrine OF the United
Nations n IL is seorned BY the
faseists lighting US In this war. The
question is. however. DOES THE
EQUAL RIGHTS" AMENDMENT
AID OR HINDER THE PROGRESS
OF WOMEN?
Discussion Important
Lastly. a discussion OF the pro-
posed bill is important today be-
cause American women are getting
more opportunities for jobs due
10 me pressure o, war than al any
time in American history.
womcns equality OF performance
II industry, agriculture and to
'imi.ei degree in the armed forces
I this country. in the Soviet Union
and in England, calls for a new
cvslua,!on OF womens rights as
,hey appear in law and in fact
The Equal Rights" Amendment.
hrst introduced N 1923, three years
after tho ratification Of the Susan
q. Anthony Amendment giving
women the vote, rcsds:
Sec ! Men and women shall
nave equal rights throughout the
United States and every place sub
je>t 10 is jurisd
Sec ? Congress shall have power
10 enforce this article by approprl-
s;t legislation
THIS proposed bl. Is the sole
pisnk OF nc National Womsn,s
Party small organization OF fem
:nis,s. led by Alice Paul. wto open
" state that a central purpose OF
he bill IS 10 abolish such "rcstr'c-.
rons" on working women IN the
States as the 4S-hour week in Il
States
Mrs. Roosevelt Opposed to Bill
Opposed 10 the bill arc tho AFb
,ni CtO. the vast. majority OF wo.
mems organ cations the U $. Wo-
mems Bureaus and individuals
ranging from Mother Rloor O! the
commuuis; Party 10 Mrs. Franklin
n Roosevelt
No discussion ~ the bill is com
ple;e wi;hou, a glance a, the back
ground OF Tie American woman
movement,
The tremendous cN0Tt " - wears
that was necessary for women 10
obtain The SIMPLE r.gh, the fran
chi.e is indicative 81 the position
of the sex in the fundamental docu-
meats The common law. the statutes
and the morcs. 81 the nation.
The hrst - years 81 American
.Y5eocnicrcc 'rom l776 20 lSiS was
a period OF inactivity on the par
OF women a, FAR as extension oil
rights was concerned
Even in 1875. however. Abigail
Adams. wife ot-enc President and
mother Of another. urged her htis-
band 10 include women in the bour-
" being bestowed by the Founding
Fathers at the Continental Con-
gress. She wrote him while he was
helping wyite the Declaration OF
Independence Remember the
ladies and be more generous 10 them
than your ancestors remember
all men would be tyrants II they
could"
White Men Only
Despite her words and despite the
labor Of American women in TIE
American Revolution, the Declars-
ton of Independence and the Con.
stitution ~ the United States, draft.
cd II years later, emerged as docu-
ments OF freedom for white men
only. No woman and no Negro had
any onicial part IN the writing Of
these republican corners,ones and
no guarantees OF rights Of citizen.
ship were extended TO women or
TO Negroes. The Negroes remained
outside tho law until the Civil War.
Women remained politically impo-
tent until after the first World War
Although the Constitution did not