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The Commoner
VOL.. 18, NO. 7
10
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Should American Women
be Enfranchised?
Road what statesmen of nations at war say:
Prom lor Lloyd Georgo of Great Britain, March
29th, 1017:
" Womon 's work In tho war has boon vital to
our huccomb. It would liuvo boon Impossible to
produce that overwhelming mass or ammuni
tion at tho Sommo had It not boon for tho work
of womon. Aro you going to ling thorn out
without a volco In determining the now condi
tionn? It would bo an outrage. That la why
tho woman question haa become vory largely a
war question." '
Ex-Promlor Asquitli, March 28th ,1917:
"Tho homo will not bo unprepared to hear
that I mysoir, and 1 bollovo many others, no
longer regard thin question (of woman suf
frage) from tho standpoint which wo occupied
bofore tho war. I think soma years ago I ven
tured to uho tho oxprosaion, 'Lot tho womon
work out their own salvation.' That Is what
they havo dono during this war. How could wo
have carried on tho war without them?
"What moves mo still more Is tho problem
of reconstruction aftor tho war. Questions
Which will nocossarlly arlso In regard to wo
men's labor and women's functions are ques
tions In regard to which T for my part fool It
imposslblo consistently with either justice or
oxpedtoncy to withhold from womon the power
and tho right of making thoir voices distinctly
hoard."
Sir Wilfred Laurler, Ex-Premier of Canada,
February, 1917:
"Today, as wo soo tho glorious part that
noblo woman is taking In sorvico and sacrifice
for tho highest and best in civilization, my own
boliof is that thoro is no reason why she should
bo denied the right of tho ballot."
Promter Hearst of Ontario, Canada, February,
1917:
"Having taken our women into partnership
with us In our tremendous undertaking, I aslc,
can wo justly deny thorn a sharo n tho govern
ment of tho country, tho right to have a say
about tho making of tho laws they havo been so
horoically trying to defend? My answer is, I
think not."
Promier Bossolll of Italy, May 15th, 1917:
"Ai far as tho woman voto for municipal
elections is concornod, I do not think there can
be olthor doubt or delay in giving it on the samo
conditions as it is given to men."
In February, 1917, Siguor Sacchl, Italian
Minister of Justice, presenting to the Italian
Chamber a bill for tho abrogation of every law
by which, in tho field of civil and commercial
rights, the capacities of womon are at present
curtallod, called It : "An act of justice of rep
aration almost to which womon havo now more
right than evor."
Said M. Pierre Etionne Flandln, deputy of
tho Yonno, tho reporter to tho chamber of dep
uties, of tho municipal suffrago bill for French
women:
HWhat French women, have dono to keep up
the courage of tho nation during tho dark days
can not bo measured in words. Thoy have been
tho backbono of tho national defense. Thoy
should havo the- right to voto, first of all, as an
act of justice, and, secondly, as a move- dictated
by lnibllc Interest."
1 President Woodrow Wilson, January 9th,
1 J 1 o J
A delegation of leading democrats who had
Waited on tho President issued the followlnc
statement:
"Whon we sought his advico he very frankly
and earnestly advised us to vote for tho amend
ment as an act of right and justice to the women
oT tho country and of tho world' National
Woman Suffrage Publishing Company, Inc., 171
Madison Avenue, New Yorlo
Aftor looking over tho splendid record of
achievement in tho matter of preparation for
war and tho movomont of men and 'supplies that
has heon shown by Secretary Bakor, it will bo
necessary for the republican paragraphers to
hunt up somobedy else as the butt of their jokes
First it was Daniels and then Baker. Both have
xhade good, overwhelmingly good. The fact that
both of thorn aro progressive democrats may
have been tho Inspiration for many of the jibes,
but it is also tho reason for tho success they
have achieved. t
RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED AT NEBRASKA
STATE CONVENTION QV NON
PARTISAN LEAGUE
From the, Lincoln Star, July 11.
The resolutions adopted at the state conven
tion of tho Nonpartisan league in Nebraska at
the Tuesday afternoon session pledge support
to President Wilson in the prosecution of the
war; approve tho country's war aims as out
lined in tho President's speeches and recom
mend economic measures which the league
claims will eliminate profiteering.
The resolutions were introduced by H.4 den
of Sherman county, who was chairman of tho
resolutions committee. They follow:
"We, the delegates of the Non-partisan
league of Nebraska, in convention assembled at
Lincoln, on July 9, do hereby adopt the follow
ing resolutions, platform and declaration of
principles:
"We declare that the winning of the war to
make the world safe for democracy is of para-
mount importance, and to this end we pledge
our lives and our fortunes to our country and
to President Wilson in his noble stand for lib
erty and human rights.
"We heartily and unequivocally endorse tho
high and noble purposes of President Wilson as
expressed in all his messages and In his dec
laration of war aims and terms of peace.
"The Nonpartisan league has from the time
of our ontry into the war contended for the
conscription of men to fight the war and the
conscription of wealth to finance the war, there
fore we can and do consistently and. whole
heartedly endorse the declaration of President
Wilson for higher taxes upon incomes, excess
war profits and luxuries.
"Realizing as we do that the winning of the
war depends as ifluch upon food and,materials
as It does upon soldiers, we pledge ourselves to
do everything in our power in the production
and conservation of foodstuffs and materials to
support our allies and our boys in the trenches.
"Wo further urge that the farmers continue
their splendid efforts In the support of Increased '
food production and conservation of food sup
pl'es, subscription to liberty bonds, Red Cross
and other war activities. Patriotism demands
service of all according to their capacity.
"We hereby declare that we as farmers and
producers will cheerfully acquiesce in whatever
rules the President, the congress and the food
administration may deem wise in the regulation
and price fixing of our wheat and other prod
ucts, and we earnestly and respectfully petition
the President and congress to also fix a reason
able price upon the things which we must buy,
by regulating the products of the sreel trust,
the packers, the millers and other industries in
which It has recently been shown by the federal
trade commission that profiteering 'still runs
impudently rampant.' . '
"Wo fully realize that the task confronting
the American people today is the defeat of Ger
man military autocracy and the preservation of
democracy, and we desire to do everything pos
sible to assist in the great task.
CONDEMN MOB SPIRIT.
"We condemn all efforts of mobs and irre
sponsible persons, or of anyone else, to suppress
free speech and peaceable assembly, and de
clare that all persons who thus resort to law
lessness, under whatever pretext, are them
selves, guilty of interfering with the prosecution
of the war and with peaceable and orderly gov
ernment. We agree with President Wilson
when lie says that such high-handed outrages,
if continued, 'will place us on a level with the
I5I?e0?ie Wf? are fightlng' ana affecting to de
spise We therefore call upon all good citi
zens, and public officials, to see to it that all
cases of alleged crime and sedition- be dealt with
according to the rules of law and order, and
thus set a worthy example to all the world that
wo are in reality a democracy a self-governing"
nation of law and justice. govern
"Agriculture Is the greatest and most import
ant industry in the state, and the number of
persons engaged in it is greater than all other
classes combined, but in spite of these facts tho
last legislature of the state was comnoslVn?
only thirty-eight farmers out of a total of ion
members, and the senate contained only
r Ut f a t0tal of tblrty-thret mmberi
Therefore we urge all farmers to organize 'as
other industries have organized in older that
they may secure proportional representation in
the law-making body of the state.
"Labor has practically no representation in
the law-making body of the state, therefore we
invito them to co-operate with the farmers in
a political way to the end that combined pro
ducers of the state may secure proportional
representation for the purpose of securing such
legislation as will eliminate the unnecessary
middleman and profiteers who stand between
the producer on the farm and the city consumer.
The real producers of wealth constitute the
majority of the voting population and they can
and will control the conditions for political ac
tion. "We .extend the hand of fellowship to organ
ized labor and welcome their co-operation and
pledgeour candidates to the faithful service of
the workers on the farm, in the shop, the rail
roads, the mines and the forests.
"Nebraska has sufficient water power to sup
ply every inhabitant with electric light and
power at cost. We favor the development of
this by the state and are op-posed to having this
mighty resource get into private hands.
"We ask a more workable initiative and ref
erendum and demand the recall so unfaithful
public servants may be quickly shorn of their
power.
"We favor a strict enforcement of the child
labor law and recommend a practical and work
able minimum wage law with strict enforce
ment. "Legislation should be quickly enacted mak
ing our educational system more practical and
encouraging development of the rural school
system.
"In the interests of national efficiency during
the war we especially urge the importance of
the adoption by state and nation of the policy
of the elimination of all unnecessary middlemen
profits and labor of handling of the necessities
of life and war supplies to the end that all
waste may bo eliminated.
"We favor government ownership of railroads,
telegraph and telephone lines and all public
utilities which, are monopolistic iir this nature,
all other corporations should be under govern
ment control by the system of licensing, in
which a possible revocation of license would
insure proper regulation and control by the
government, to the end that extortion and
profiteering might be eliminated.
"In. conclusion we urge all Nonpartisan
league members and all good citizens to stand
squarely behind President Wilson,, the greatest
exponent of real democracy, to win the war and
make the world safe for democracy and also to
preserve a democracy in the United States.
COMMONER WORKERS
Below is a list of readers- who have joined in
the work of increasing: The Commoner's circu
lation and influence in their communities. The
name of the club radser and the number of sub
scribers secured fallows:
P. Wieckering, N. Y., 3; A. M. Way; Wash.,
5; Jacob- Eckersley, Pa., 5; John K. Scott, Mo.,
7;akvdia a. C. Ward, N. Y., 4,- C. J. tfatinger,
.Iowa, 3; Miss Annie E. Carrie, La., 3; J. D.
Jefferson, Va., 3; Hugh L. Moffit, Towa, 6; W.
L. Wilson, Minn., 8; J. W. Murphy, III., 3;
Frank P. Hobbs, NT. H., 10; Prank Matchett,
?J ?" L PA B Hart' kIa 3; George Ray
Batt, Calif., 8; John Cain, tfebr., 5; M. H. Craig,
Mo., 5; p. R. Pencil, Pa., Gr W. H. Holliday,
iY3' C;G L- st- John' Y 5r Wm. R.
Mathew Ohio, 5; O. H. Witkins, Maryland, 5;
John Little, Kans., 3; Louis R. Sweetland, W.
Va., 8; Arthur a Ronk, Ind., 6,' J. A. Shields,
t I ' J" Reed' kIa- 4; A- Pursell, Pa., 3;
J. E Spence Iowa, 2; B. B. Mitchell, Ky., 2;
Ike Wemsyrin, Tenn., 5; J. T. McCIellan, Ark.,
v A Cobb'' Texas 5; J. W. Davis, W.
Va. a; Mark Phillip, Wash., 2; W. W. Davis,
WasJy ? - T. Taylor, Texas, 2 ; John Wom
?le"?taHa? A S- Meyers, Mo,, 2; J. B. Kyle,
tl fT S" m,ber' Iowa x; Charley Miller, Ky.,
'Lw1! 55"; Ind" 3; J. A. Keahey, AIa.,'3;
t t , Sm.ltbT Maine 2' w- E- KiHam, III., 5;
V. wWn B', Ariz" 3? J- Bookbinder, N. Y.,
i: S?rtallley' Mo- 8; D. J. Denovan, Iowa,
pi V x Wooiward, Mo., 4; J, g. Griffin, Ind.,
tii k L Mauser S- D., G; Chas. H. Brown,
v Tihoo rMvCk. Rutenberry, Ala., 2; Joseph H.
w V: N-Y" ' W H Klnnfcon, Nebr., 4; Mark
o S "S?1' Mass" 8? c- H- Gilmorft, Va., 2;
w ?' YeterA Qres' 8; AliQe Blake, Towa, 2;
' Iiw i-0Thti- 2' Ros3 V- Stout, W. Va., 8;
M winFieidin" 2-JT. Hackley, Ky., 2; G.
M. Wells, S. D., 5; D; J.'Frantz, Pa., 6
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