The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-11-04
RY RETTY BLANCHARD


 Mrs. Frederick Van Valkenburg, president of the Waterbury League of Women Voters, today urged wo- men to cast their ballot at the polls. Tt Is equally important for women as well as men to vote" says the league president. Women are concerned particularly about things which touch on home, family life, child welfare, health laws, and good educational facilities. The woman's vote is vitally important today. And it is the responsibility of the wo- men to study the candidates rec ord and vote for the one they feel will carry out a program of benefit to all"
 Democracy cherishes the worth Of the individual but also affirmE that the individual grows only by a self-assumed responsibility in gov- ernment, Mrs Van ValkenbuFg points out.
 "As the League of Women Voters has for a long time been concerned about democracy and the import ance of the individual, 1t has en- deavored in all phases of its worth to stress the issues which would helr sustain our type of government she asserted.
 The four requisites of good cit izenship, as emphasized by tht League, are: Being a member Of political party; enrolling on prlm- ary lists and attending the prim- aries where candidates are chosen being, informed on issues, anc knowing that the candidates stanc for.
 EveryOne's Vote Important
 None of this is value, however Mrs. Van Valkenburg, contends il the citizen does not cast a ballot on election day. Too many-anc particularly women - think theii vote does not count" she said. "Sc many feel so far away from issues they cannot see where those issues may touch their lives. The United Nations, for example, seems entire ly too complicated for many to req son through. Yet if we do not finc agreement. among the nations o! the world, it will result in strife which will again separate families and destroy the security and peace we so much desire.
 Reports of past elections indicate the woman are particularly com placent about political issues, Mrs Van Valkenburg notes. But today we stand on. the doorstep of see ing the world establish lasting peace or fall in ruins. And II w women default today-and ignore our great responsibility-it may ot our last chance to model a better America and a better world"
 With the womens vote in tomor' rows election surpassing that ol the masculine electorate by l,OOO,' OOO. according to recent report, sh' feels that never before have womef had the opportunity to express themselves with greater signincanc' at the polls.
 "Sureiy the challenge is there, she says. Tn the last quarter cen tury, two terrible wars have peer fought, millions of innocent people have been slaughtered, because thu men in power permitted evil force to arise and grow in nations. A mothers, wives, sisters and sweet hearts of the men who went to wa and those who died, We want t' make certain that those forces ar utterly destroyed and never per mitted to catch hold again"
 .WOmen's Leadership Needed
 Mrs. Van Valkenburg is confiden that if women would take an in telligent interest in political issue they could accomplish just abou anything they undertook to do Il the making of a better world. sh' points out that government stats ties indicate women control 70 per cent of the nations wealth, thel own 70 percent of the nations