On February 15, the House of Representatives pa.s.sed a bill making it unlawful to ship in interstate commerce the products of a mill, cannery or factory which have been produced by the labor of children under fourteen years.
Forty-three gentlemen voted against it.
Forty-one of those forty-three had also voted against the woman suffrage bill.
Not one single vote was cast against it by a representative from any state where women vote for Congressmen.
The New Freedom
"The Michigan commission on industrial relations has discovered," says "The Detroit Journal," "that thousands of wives support their husbands."
Woman"s place is the home, but under a special privilege she is sometimes allowed to send her wages as a subst.i.tute.
To the Great Dining Out Majority
The New York State a.s.sociation Opposed to Woman Suffrage is sending out leaflets to its members urging them to "tell every man you meet, your tailor, your postman, your grocer, as well as your _dinner partner_, that you are opposed to woman suffrage."
We hope that the 90,000 sewing machine operatives, the 40,000 saleswomen, the 32,000 laundry operatives, the 20,000 knitting and silk mill girls, the 17,000 women janitors and cleaners, the 12,000 cigar-makers, to say nothing of the 700,000 other women and girls in industry in New York State, will remember when they have drawn off their long gloves and tasted their oysters to tell their dinner partners that they are opposed to woman suffrage because they fear it might take women out of the home.
WOMEN"S SPHERE
Many Men to Any Woman
If you have beauty, charm, refinement, tact, If you can prove that should I set you free, You would not contemplate the smallest act That might annoy or interfere with me.
If you can show that women will abide By the best standards of their womanhood-- (And I must be the person to decide What in a woman is the highest good); If you display efficiency supreme In philanthropic work devoid of pay; If you can show a clearly thought-out scheme For bringing the millennium in a day: Why, then, dear lady, at some time remote, I might consider giving you the vote.
A s.e.x Difference
When men in Congress come to blows at something someone said, I always notice that it shows their blood is quick and red; But if two women disagree, with very little noise, It proves, and this seems strange to me, that women have no poise.
Advice to Heroines
I
A heroine must shrink and cling When heroes are about, And thus the watching world will think: "How brave his heart and stout!"
But if he chance to be away When bright-faced dangers shine, It will be best for her to play The oak-tree, not the vine.
In fact the most important thing Is knowing when it"s time to cling.
II
_With apologies to R.L.S._
A heroine must be polite And do what others say is right, And think men wise and formidable-- At least as far as she is able.
Mutual Vows
"My dear," he said, "observe this frightful bill, Run up, I think you"ll own, against my will.
If you will recollect our wedding day You vowed on that occasion to obey."
"I do recall the day," said she, "and how Me with your worldly goods you did endow."
"That," he replied, "is palpably absurd----"
"You mean you did not mean to keep your word?"
"O, yes," he answered, "in a general way."
"And that," said she, "is how I meant obey."
If They Meant All They Said
Charm is a woman"s strongest arm; My charwoman is full of charm; I chose her, not for strength of arm But for her strange elusive charm.
And how tears heighten woman"s powers!
My typist weeps for hours and hours: I took her for her weeping powers-- They so delight my business hours.
A woman lives by intuition.
Though my accountant shuns addition She has the rarest intuition.
(And I myself can do addition.)
Timidity in girls is nice.