The Suffragist, vol. 5, no. 56, January 31, 1917, p. 3

Boxes

VOL. V., No. 56 Th Published by Woman Suffrge o and the oman's Party Lafayo W D. C. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31, 191

canette Rankin for Federal Amendment

EANETTE RANKIN, Congresswoman-elect J from Montana, supports the Susan B. Anthony amendment. In a recently published statement on why women should ask for the vote at Washington she says:

“The precedents of the establishment of negro suffrage, the protection of male suffrage generally, and the proposition of Filipino suffrage quite justify federal action upon the suffrage question. But still the conservatives protest (more and more weakly all the time, to be sure) that the required three-fourths of the states necessary to ratify a constitutional amendment have no ethical right to impose upon the remaining twelve states a franchise which they do not want, a condition which they resent.

“Upon an examination of the facts, however, it is readily seen that the federal way is the legitimate way, the logical and expedient way, in which the women of the United States may gain the right of suffrage; legitimate because the Constitution provides that constitutional amendments shall be valid upon a ratification of three-fourths of the states (and consequently any amendment to the Constitution, no matter what its specific function, is destined to impose the will of thirtysix states upon the remaining twelve); logical because the fact of suffrage has a direct bearing upon national affairs and should therefore be recognized nationally, and expedient because of the tremendous amount of time and energy and money that could be saved by it, and the almost overwhelming difficulties of state-wide campaigns that could be avoided. The national suffrage amendment means the exercise of a constitutional privilege which the framers of the Constitution designed to meet just such exigencies as are presented by the question of woman suffrage in the United States."

Colorado Social Reform

OCIAL reform measures relating to S women and children are a striking feature of legislation proposed for this session of the Assembly in Colorado, where women vote. A bill to provide minimum wages for women and for children of both sexes under 18 has been introduced by Repre-

Notes of the Week

sentative Crowley, of Denver. This bill, which is said to be the first of the Democratic party measures, provides for a commission of three chosen by the Governor to investigate conditions, fix wages, and supervise sanitary and moral conditions for child workers.

Another bill in the lower house proposes to forbid children under fourteen working in the beet fields and to limit to eight hours the work children may do on farms or in orchards. This is supplementary to the children's employment act passed some time ago. In the upper house a bill which is practically a mother's pension bill has been introduced by Senator Starkweather, of Denver, to provide for the care and assistance of women about to become mothers.

Women on Charitable Boards

Women's City Club of New York has sent a request to Governor Whitman that

more women be appointed to the boards of charitable institutions, especially institutions for women and children. This request is the result of the City Club's interest in the Strong investigation of last spring, when great inefficiency was disclosed in the management of many of New York State's institutions. The club calls attention to the fact that there is generally only one woman on the board of these homes and asylums and in a number of cases none. It points out that women are better fitted and have more time than men for giving proper advice and control in the care of the thousands of dependent women and children in New York State.

Girl Page in Oregon Legislature

N the Senate chamber in Oregon, a girl page I is running about carrying bills and making herself useful. She is Ruth Marion Jones, a senior in the high school in Salem, Oregon, where she specializes in the study of civics. She decided to be a page to learn about politics at first hand, and finds that practice takes all the dryness out of theory.

“She is the best page we have ever had," several of the older senators have declared about her.

Suffrage Movement in Great Britain

T a recent meeting of the annual Council of A Women of Great Britain and Ireland the following resolution was passed by a great majority:

“Since the experience of the past two years has proved that the British Nation at war needs the responsible help of women for the efficient conduct of its affairs no less than does the nation at peace, this National Council of Women of Great Britain and Ireland urges that any amendment or extension of the parliamentary franchise must provide for the inclusion of women voters, not as a measure of justice only, but in the vital interests of our nation, and its future well-being.”

The National Council of Women consists of the following affiliated societies: The Federation of University Women, the Association of Women Clerks and Secretaries, the Women's Farm and Garden Union, the National Organization of Girls' Clubs, the women's colleges of London, Cambridge and Oxford, the National Union of Teachers, the Women's Industrial Council, the nmational Union of Woman Suffrage Societies, etc.

Woman's Movement in Italy

DEPUTATION of Italian women recently A informed Signore Sacchi, member of the

Italian government, of a vote passed by all the feminist and suffrage associations of the country demanding from the government the abolishment of the legal necessity for a husband's authorization of his wife's acts, the admission of women to the profession of advocates, and the equalization of women with men in public employment. Signore Sacchi told the deputation that the decree abolishing martial authorization is soon to be issued and promised serious and immediate consideration of the other two questions. The more liberal attitude of the government toward women is considered to be due to the work they have done during the war.