on women in New
York State who have to go into the shop, the factory and the market
place each day to earn a living and support a home" and demanded the
vote for these women as a matter of justice. He scorned the idea of
woman's inferiority to man and said: "It is desirable to place in the
electorate every mature individual of brains, character, intelligence
and love of country to perpetuate American traditions and the American
idea of democracy. America today, facing the world problems of
infinite difficulty and variety, needs every element of moral force
and influence in the electorate which she can summon to her service,
for it may be that our country will be called upon before the world to
redeem the pledges made in behalf of democracy itself. The right of
suffrage involves the question of justice; the exercise of suffrage
raises it to one of ethics. The question before the men of the
country is, Should the women have the suffrage and if they get it how
will they use it?"

Here Mr. Malone could not resist the temptation to predict that the
vast majority would vote for military "preparedness," a burning
question at this time. This roused Mrs. Catt's resentment both because
it was contrary to her belief and because it was contrary to the
custom of the association to discuss political subjects. She largely
abandoned the rousing suffrage speech she intended to make in order
that Mr. Malone's assertion might not go out over the country with the
sanction of the association and said in beginning: "Behind
preparedness is a bigger thing--the right to maintain peace. Unless
this country carries a militant peace policy into the court of
nations, nobody will, and if we do not take a firm stand we ourselves
will soon be at war. It has been made clear to me in the last few
months that men are too belligerent to be trusted alone with
governments. The world needs woman's restraining hand. Man's instinct
has been militant since primitive times when it was his job to do the
hunting and fighting and woman's to do the work. Woman's instinct has
been to conserve and protect life. It is much easier to fight than to
make peace. We women would not allow our country to be made the door
mat for other nations but we would find a way to settle disputes
without killing fathers, husbands and sons."

Dr. Shaw sustained firmly the position of Mrs. Catt, obtained a big
collection and sent the people home in a peaceful frame of mind by her
closin