The Woman's Journal, vol. 43, no. 7, February 17, 1912, p. 56

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THE WOMAN'S JOURNAL. FEBRUARY 17, 1912

56 —— AS SUFFRAGE MARCHES O By Mrs. H. M. Pierce

(Tune, “Battie-Hymn of the Republic" The Stars and Stripes attest our rights; An emblem of the free, It waves aloft our principles, Proclaiming Liberty. We will rally to its standard, And this means you and me, As Time goes marching on.

(Chorus) Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! As Suffrage marches on. We all are free and equal Iin God's most holy sight; We are asking for the ballot Because it is our right; Success will crown our efforts When we realize our might, For Truth is marching on. (Chorus)

Reforms will sweep the nation When we all vote side by side, And equity and purity In politics abide. Votes for women is cur slogan, We'll spread it far and wide AS we go marching on.

(Chorus)

Our clarion call is freedom, How can it ever fail? Equality before the law, At last it must prevail. We only claim our birthright And who can that assail, While Justice marches on?

(Chorus)

River Forest, Ill.

NOMEN ARE NEEDED ON SCHOOL BOARDS

An Effort Is Made to Have Their Ap pointment Mandatory — Opinions Pro and Con

The Mayor of San Francisco has just appointed a woman to the scheol board, to fill a vacancy. He says that this is distinctly appropriate, since the women of California now have the ballot. At about the same time the Mayor of a small city in New York refused to appoint one, saying that it would be time encugh to put women on the school board when women set the right to vote. Los Angeles now has a woman on the school board for the first time in fourteen years.

A bill has been introduced in the New Jersey Legislature to require that there shall be at least one woman on every school board. It ought to pass. Thus far the antisuffragists have issued no formal protest against it. When a bill requiring some women on every school board was pending in the New York Legislature in 1899, the Albany Anti-Suffrage Association sent an appeal to the legislators te vote against it, describing it as lesislation which “threatens the home, threatens the sacredness of the marriage tie, threatens the church, and undermines the foundation of our great republic They would hardly say that now. Even the Antis have learned something in thirteen years.

President Taft, though a conservative, scratched his ticket at the last electicn in order to vote for Miss Campbell for the Cincinnati board of education, and expressed his opinion that there ought to be a woman on every school board. In Louisiana the last Legislature decided that it would subvert the foundations of society to make women eligible to school offices, and Grafton D. Cushing, the antisuffrage Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, is reported as saying that women are not fitted to serve on schocl boards.

Meanwhile, throughout a large part of the United States, they are servins, and serving well.

THE LABOR VOTE

The “Silk-Stocking" Precinct in San Francisco Gave Heavier Vote Against Equal Suffrage Than Did Even Chinatown and the Tenderioin, While Decent Working People's Neighborhoods Gave Big Vote for it Maud Younger of San Francisco writes:

“The labor vote is a powerful factor. Without it you cannot win. In San Francisco, the one silk-stocking precinct went against us five to one, and the other precincts cof the same class ran about even with the Tenderloin and Chinatown, three or three and one-half to one against us; in labor districts we got from 40 to 48 per cent.

Francisco, we every other town in the State where labor is strons. The labor movement here was very much afraid of the reactionary effect of woman's vote. What the unions want to know is if the working women themselves want the ballot and will use it. Though I spoke to 128 unions in San Francisco, I always felt that the strongest plea was when a working sirl followed me and said, It is we, your own people, who ask you to do this, for it is the working women who will benefit most by suffrage and who will make use of the ballot."

WON BY A STRIKE

Women in Spain Will Henceforth Be Admitted to the Universities and to the Professions

As a result of the recent students' strike, the Spanish sovernment has promulgated a decree permitting women hereafter to be admitted to the Sbanish universities on the same terms as men. It is also provided that women shall be allowed to practice any profession for which their university training may fit them.

MISS PECK RETURNS WITH FRESH HONORS

Miss Annie E. Peck, the distinsuished mountain climber, has sot back to New York from the heart of the Andes, where she planted a “Votes for Women" flas upon one of the peaks cf Mt. Coropuna, some 22,000 feet high. Miss Peck was met at the pier by President Nellie B. Van Slingerland of the Joan of Arc Suffrage League and a number of its members, carrying the yellow and black flags of the society. Miss Peck has done wonderful things in the way of mountainclimbing, and her achievements are the more remarkable in that they have been accomplished with so little help.

OREGON AWAKE

Great Anti Daily Comes Out for Suffrage

The Portland Oregonian says: “The public will not be surprised to earn that the Oregon State Federaicn of Labor has declared for woman suffrage. It is nothing new, for organized labor has long been favorable to equality of the sexes at the ballot box. So with the State Grange. So also with the Socialists. So with other organizations that stand for change or reform or radical departure trom present conditions. Because the Socialists and the labor men and even the Grangers are and have been for woman suffrage, there is a body of citizens who have been against it; but they are realizing their mistake. Many desirable reforms have had their inspiration in unceasing sociallstic agitation or the constant importunities of organized labor, and many people are beginning to see that it is unwise to resist any movement for the mere reason that they do not like its origin. -

“But woman suffrage is not sociallstic mor unionistic. It is humanistic. It is educative, progressive and elevating. It is a part of the world-wide spread of intelligence and of the general leveling to a fixed political equality of all classes. It is the next inevitable step in the irresistible march of economic development and political opportunity.

“Never mind what the Socialists and labor men say. If they are for woman suffrage, every saloon, every undesirable resort, every criminal element, every tramp, every hobo, every selfish and grasping interest is against it. That is something more than a fair offset." Women May Win This Year in Oregon Under this heading, the Tacoma Ledger says:

“Prospects for the adoption of a woman suffrage amendment in Oregon are brighter this year than they have been in a long time. There is stll opposition, but adverse influences are fewer than formerly, and those who have kept in touch with the lons strugsle for votes for women are becoming more aud more confident that this year will see the adoption of a political equality amendment.

“One of the ndications of the trend of sentiment is the attitude this year of the Portiand Oregonian, which is supporting the measure, though in the past it vigorously fought it. “Signs point to a change of opinion in Oregon. The seneral impression that votes of women would constitute a radical disturbing force is being disproved. Not a few men are coming to believe that women are a more conservative force in polities than men."

NO “LADY VOTE" THERE We would ask the privilege of informing those newspapers in the East which refer to the “lady vote" in Los Angeles that the women of Los Angeles are more than ladies. They are, in the highest and noblest sense of the woerd, women.

The Los Angeles woman, inspired by a love for her splendid home city, asked the ballot. The manhood of California is proud today of having willingly accorded it. It is equally proud of the result, as demonstrated in Los Angeles. The issues that recently divided us in civic affairs have, it is hoped by all good citizens, opened our eyes to great moral demands, reconcilable with civic progress, and even imperative if common justice is to prevail.

Looking to the future, Los Angeles is fortunate, indeed, in the demonstrated civic spirit of her women voters. Differing in viewpoint, the women have proved their interest in civic problems, and Los Angeles is to be the richer and better for it.—Los Angeles Express. HUMOROUS

The teacher of a Sabbath school class approached one little fellow who was present for the first time, and inquired his name, for the purpose of placing it on the roll. “Well," said the youngster, “they call me Jimmie for short, but my maiden name is James."

A man went to an insurance office to have his life insured. “Do you cycle?" the insurance agent asked. “No," said the man. “Do you motor?" “No, no," said the applicant, laughing. “No." “Do you then, perhaps, fiy?" "I have no dangerous"— But the agent interrupted him curtly. “Sorry, sir," he said, "but we no longer insure pedestrians.'—Argonaut.

The New England landlady had been instructing Debutsky in English when a compatriot dropped in. Debutsky answered all questions in Eng lish, so that his friend might observe his progress. “The house is no good!" he declared, with an effort which cost him great mental concentration, “but the lady, she is a gentleman.'—New York Times.

“How can you expect women to develop sufficient ability to be trusted with the reins of sovernment, when so large a percentage of them think of nothing but dress?" “I can't see why the development shouldn't be brought about. Consider the percentage of men who think of nothing but baseball.'—Chicago Record-Herald.

A young teacher gave the children a talk on kindness to animals. The next day, when she was busy at her desk, she felt a little hand tugging at her sleeve. “Why, Pietro," she exclaimed, “what is the matter?" “Nothing, teacher. I just wanted to tell you how I was good to dumb animals yesterday." “Why, isn't that nice, Pietro Just what did you do?" Pietro drew himself up to his full three feet, and proudly declared, “I kissed the cat!"— San Francisco Chronicle.

In pioneer days a settler near the present town of Albany, Mo., bought for his wife the first cook stove ever seen in that part of the State. It was an object of sreat curiosity, and the woman's next door neighbor— who lived ten miles away—came to see how it would work.

Without comment she saw the dinnmer cooked; she ate the meal with judgment held in reserve, and then remared, with hae of the head: “Well, Sarah, it cooks all right, and the victuals taste good, but I don't beit will ever be a success.— Youth's Companion.

Do Women Need the Vote?

Laws are Made by Men, Enforced by Men Appointed or Elected by Men, but Women Have to Obey them

better go about his business, he placed her under arrest. Her resistance resulted in another officer's coming to the assistance of the first, and in the struggle the clothing of the girl was badly torn. On the testimony of the officer she was sentenced to the work-house.

This incident is taken from Alice L. Woodbridge's account in the report of the New York Women's Prison Association. The following story was taken from the same report “A perfectly innocent girl, employed at evening work at the telephone office, was accosted by a man in plain clothes to whom she gave a saucy answer and was arrested. She was convicted on the testimony of the officer, who swore she solicited him, and after having her finger prints taken, she was given the choice of probation or the work-house. The girl chose the workhouse because a fellow-worker, similarly insulted and arrested, having chosen probation, the probation officer sought information at her place of business, with the result that she was not only discharged, but blacklisted in every telephone office in the city."

This report, sent to me by Lavinia L. Dock of New York City, says further: “Of the thousands of young women brought into our Night Court yearly, 999 out of 1,000 are arrested by officers in citizen's dress sent out nightly from the various precincts to seek and arrest them. The testimony given by one is practically the testimony given by all, and usually runs as follows: “Officer: I was walking along Fourteenth street going West, between Broadway and Sixth Avenue, and this woman came up and spoke to me. “Magistrate: ‘What did she say?

“Officer: She asked me if I wanted a good time and I said yes, and asked her what the price would be. She said $2 and $1 for a room. Then I arrested her. “Magistrate to Prisoner: “You hear what this officer says? “Prisoner: “Yes, Sir, but I did not speak to him first. He came up and spoke to me first. I answered him and he arrested me. “Magistrate: “Are you a prostitute?" “Prisoner: “No, sir, I work for my living.

“Magistrate: 'What do you earn? Lesi “Prisoner Four dollars a week, and I cannot live on men it. Loeag “Magistrate: Have you ever been arrested before?" the “Prisoner: “No, sir." The This girl was ordered to the finger-print room and this sion, est will be made to count against her if ever she is Co ested again. “Thus," according to the report, “the word The ohin i af ad the

“Prisoner: “Four dollars a week, and I cannot live on that. “Magistrate: 'Have you ever been arrested before? “Prisoner: “No, sir." This girl was ordered to the finger-print room and this arrest will be made to count against her if ever she is arrested again. “Thus," according to the report, “the word of the officer almost invariably prevails. hounding of women by men in plain clothes, by men whose evidence is apparently manufactured, while thousands of men who throng our streets, subways and public conveyances soliciting and insulting women are ignored, is an outrage upon womankind."

What happened to the telephone operator and to the young Irish woman could happen to any unprotected woman who was in the street after dark. Yet read this scrap of conversation and consider how well it represents the attitude of that great body of American women who are neither suffragists nor anti-suffragists Two women were talking of their plans for attending the opera. Then one said, “By the way, we are to have a debate next week. You would never guess the subject." “What is it?" said the other. “Woman suffrage," was the answer, given with some hesitation. “Which side are you on?" “Well, I am not interested. I really know very little about the matter, either for or against it. But I think we have troubles enough without voting, don't you?"

The connection between the vote and living in the present-day world had evidently never dawned upon either of these women. They were, one would judge, conscientious women, kind-hearted women, women who had known sorrow. They apparently felt fully protected, and it never entered their minds that a poor niece of theirs, the daughter of a friend, or any young woman whom they might know in their every-day life might suffer from bad laws or the unequal enforcement of laws. And of course they felt no responsibility toward the women workers of America.

Woman suffragists know that women need the vote because the laws of the land are made by men, because they are enforced by men who are appointed or elected by men. They know that women and girls have to obey the laws even when they openly discriminate against women and even when they are an open menace to society and the race, as is the case of the laws enforced against prostitutes in the Night Court of New York City. Woman suffragists know that women need the vote not only for their own individual protection but more for the protection of other women, their sisters.

In our campaign for Votes for Women, it is net sufficient for suffragists to want the vote and to know why they want it. They must each and every one tax their resourcefulness to show other women the vital connection between laws and life, between the enforcement of laws and life! Every suffragist knows women who say, “I do not see why 1 should bother myself with Votes for Women." Take them the story of the Night Court victims and show them the connection. Agnes E. Ryan.

YOUNG Irish woman, employed as a domestic, was returning home after a Sunday evening out. She was approached by an officer in plain clothes and invited to walk with him. Upon her reply that she was mot accustomed to walk with strange men and that he had

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