In a way German women are more enfranchized than the women of other countries. Not only that every female being from the age of twenty has a right to vote-the number of women in the Reichstag equally surpasses the representation of women in other parliamentary bodies, as it amounts to thirty-six in the present moment

Salomon, Alice

English

In a way German women are more enfranchized than the women of other countries. Not only that every female being from the age of twenty has a right to vote-the number of women in the Reichstag equally surpasses the representation of women in other parliamentary bodies, as it amounts to thirty-six in the present moment.</p

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8 TilE IOWA HOMEMAKER Homemaker as Citizen IN A WAY German women are more en-franchized than the women of other countries. Not only that every female being from the age of twenty has a right to vote-the number of women in the Reichstag equally surpasses the repre-sentation of women in other parliamen-tary bodies, as it amounts to thirty-six in the present moment. These women-members of the Reich-_stag vary very much regarding their in-fluence and their initiative-but together all of them have shown during four years of their political career, that a parlia-ment formed of men and women takes a very different attitude towards a great many issues than an exclusively male body. This was not so much provc·ct within the National Assembly, where they had only scope to express principles of a general political character as during the last two years, when a number of bills were introduced by women in the Reichstag, and. when several acts were . passed, which bear the impress of wom-en's co-operation. Most of the women, who are members of the Reichstag, have gone thru some sort of training or preliminary experience in public work before they were elected. A good many come from the ranks of teachers-others, as most of the social-ists, have formerly done organizing work for trade-unions or for their party. Hard-ly any of them were directly transferred from the sphere of home and family-life into politics, tho half of the women-depu-ties are married women, wives and moth-ers. The sphere of their interest has not been limited to questions of special im-portance for women. They have taken active part in discussions on taxes, on foreign politics, industrial questions-but their main initiative was felt in all ques-tions concerning women's rights, educa-tion and social work. As far as women's rights are concerned, women in the German Parliament are in the pleasant position to depart from the recognized principle of equal rights for men and women, as laid down in the Con-stitution of the Republic. This made it comparatively easy to get admission to the stock exchange, to get the regal pro-fession opened and to bring about an act admitting women as jurors and magis-trates. Of course no such bill passed without some opposition. For instance, when the women-juror's bill was intro-duced by the government, it suggested to appoint women as jurors exclusively in cases which deal with women and chil-dren as criminals. But ultimately the law gives exactly the same possibilities to women as to men. It is not quite so easy to adapt the civil code to the principle of equal rights and duties, as very difficult problems are in-volved. However, women from all par-ties have moved propositions to facilitate divorce and to change the legal position of women in married life, especially the married women's property clause. Re-garding divorce, the women speakers in the Reichstag moved that instead of legal offence a disorganized state of the matri-monial union should be considered suffi-cient reason for granting a decree. In By DR. ALICE SALOMON We may consider ourselves for-tunate that so noted a woman as Dr. Alice Salomon visited the Iowa State campus this spring and con-sented, thru her friendship for Mrs. Edward Allen and her interest in our college, to give our citizenship readers a glimpse of what women of another country are doing along the lines to which our citizenship page is devoted. Dr. Salomon has been called the Jane Addams of Germany. She is at the head of a school for social education, which trains women of the better class in the science of social welfare work. ----foduJ,hrdluuuuu such cases the main concern should be that the maintenance and the education of the children is safeguarded. In case the divorce is granted on account of mis-behavior or offences on the part of hus-band or wife, the education of the chil-dren should be entrusted to the other parent. But it is suggested that the court of chancery may make divergent deci-sions if this seems desirable, in the in-terest of the children or whenever the parents agree.. between themselves about another arrangement. These motions have already been considered and a bill will be prepared before long, but it will probably not be easy to come to an un-derstanding with the representatives of the Catholic church, who are on princi-ple opposed to all facilities regarding di-vorce. "The Women's Bill" A greater unanimity has been attained amongst women of all parties in ques-tions bearing on the well-being of the child. The Children's Welfare Act, passed in June, 1922, is one of the imme-diate results of women's work in Parlia-ment. It is entirely and exclusively due to their influence, that in spite of the pressing political sorrows and the over-whelming financial difficulties of the Re-public, this act was passed, and it was actually the "woman's bill", while it was under discussion. The main principle of this act is, to safeguard the children's claim for a physical, mental and social education, and to take over the parents' responsibilities in a ll cases whenever they cannot or will not provide the chil-dren with such education. The act pro-vides for the establishment of a net-work of childrens' welfare-boards all over the country and brings about a unifica-tion of childrens' welfare work as well as materially a wider care and better protection. The drafting of this bill was one of the occasions, when women from all parties joined interparty-deliberations, when the solidarity of sex broke thru the boundar-ies of party politics. By means of induc-ing their respective parties to back their attitude, they created an unusual unity in Parliament in this as in some other matters. It is remarkable that the Gov-ernment was represented during all these deliberations mostly by women officials. Very much the same influence was ex-erted by women in bringing about an act making juvenile courts compulsory and raising the age of liability for punish-ment. Women also took a prominent part in all matters concerning the school system. They laid special stress on the introduction of political science as part of the ordinary curriculum in all schools, and they also urged new regulations re-garding the religious education of chil-dren. While formerly in most parts of the country the father alone had the right to decide on the child's religion, and while after the aeath of a father his child had to be brought up in his creed even tho during his life he had agreed to some other arrangement, the new law puts both parents on a footing of perfect equality. It declares that parents should arrive at an understanding about the re-ligious education of their children and the father is no more entitled to change the child's denomination or to withhold the child from ·religious instruction with-out the consent of his wife. In case of the death of one of the parents, the other -husband or wife- decides alone and is not tied by former agreements. Fight Against Venereal Diseases A leading position was given to women in the committee bearing on questions of population, which deals with a bill to combat venereal diseases. All women de-clared unanimously for the abolition of brothels, and tho an understanding has not yet been arrived at in the full session of the Reichstag, the matter cannot be much further delayed and it is only a question of a few months until the regie-mentation of prostitution will become abolished and probably a medical control will be introduced for men and women suffering of such diseases. The women members have suggested that official care-committees should be introduced not in connection with the police, but in con-nection with the health-boards, and that social workers should take care of all young people who are suspected of im-morality. Attack Intemperance The same committee which has amongst its members as many women as men, has urged the government to draft a temperance bill, which has meanwhile been published. Asccording to prelimi-nary discussions it cannot be doubted, that h ere again one of the questions can be traced, in which women have a very definite opinion, varying from that of a great many men, and that they are deter-mined to use their power. Tho the bill is very far from the principle of prohi-bition, it would in any case help to re-press bars and public houses and it would do away with a great many abuses. In any case the bill contains one chance which may become the germ-cell from which a prohibition movement might gain strength; i.e., that no spirit may be sold or served to children and young peo-ple under sixteen years of age. The se-rious attack on intemperance is exclu-(Continued on page 16) 16 THE IOWA HOMEMAKER Homemaker As Citizen (Continued from page 8) sively due to the women members, and it is from them that reforms are to be ex-pected. Amongst the problems which have al-ready been settled in the interest of women and with their support is the ma-ternity-benefit-act, which grants an al-lowance to all working women and all women of small means for ten weeks at • the time of confinement, and of another grant for a period of twelve weeks in case they nurse their child. Equality of Women Officials With gr eat emphasis the women mem-bers protested against the tendency to dismiss for reasons of economy women state officials, especially in the post office. They are of opinion that no difference should be made between the sexes in this respect, as women depend upon their earnings just as much as men. Another matter bearing on the position of women officials has been discussed various times, but it did not unite women from all parties in the same attitude. It concerned the question if illigitimate motherhood should be considered a rea-son for dismissal of women officials. In spite of the opposition of some of the as-sociations of women post-officials and women teachers it was decided, that the fact should not be considered a sufficient reason for disciplinary dismissals. This is due to the passionate attitude of the. socialist-women and of those who stand up for perfect equality of both sexes and who are convinced that a man has never been a nd will never be dismissed on ac-count of being father to an illegitimate child. No settlement has been attained up till now regarding the nationality of married women, tho here again the women mem-bers have been very active. They claim that German women who are married to · foreigners may decide whether they wish to retain their nationality or whether they would rather acquire their hus-band's nationality. It need hardly be mentioned that wom-en have taken part in all sorts of parlia-mentary work, dealt with all questions and that they gave their special interest to all matters of social work and social politics. Their main work has of course been achieved within the parliamentary committees, as is equally the case with men. There the real work is done, and their opinion was a lways accepted with much consideration . In fact, a ll parties have rather a tendency to push their women to the front and to sh ow them off, and women are so much at home in Par-liament, that it seems strange and queer to German people to hear foreigners ex-press the wish to see women sit ting in the Reichstag. Has women's political work made life better and easier and has it made them happier? Certainly German women have r ealized that suffrage is not so much a right as a r esponsibility, that for them it means to share in a new sense the bur-dens, the distress and anxiety, which the German nation has to endure. Yet, in spite of everything, life is better in one way, at least for a ll who believe in de-mocracy and who have social ideals. +----·--·--·--·--·-··-··-··-·-~~~~-~~+ 1 • : ! I I I SSI I ties 1 i i 1 I I I l f I Beautifulcases, em- J l bossed and pol- • t ished. Single and JJ double styles. • Powder and rouge 1 l pats are fine in tex-1 ture- correct in 1 J coior- rich in per- 1 : fume. 75c- $1.50 f I $1.75 - $z.zs f 1 Refills in dall sizes • 25can soc J I, , -i."JPlPI,O'g]lPlFIPlFIPIPW.fFlN?'fPl..01..0J,OJ.01.01.u., I JUDISCH BROS. l i Drug Store i + _.._.,_. __ , ____________ + +--·----·-.. -.. -.. _ .. _,_,_,_,_,_._·-·-.. -.. --·-·--·-.. -·-.. -·-·-·-·-.. -·--·-·-.. -·--·--r I THE lOW A HOMEMAKER I .~.!!... Magazine for Homemakers from a Homemakers School I No information printed that does not have the stamp of approval from ~~ persons experienced in that particular line. If you can say "It Came from the Homemaker" both you and your friends know it is the latest and best in homemaking news. J Show this copy to your friends, and have them fill m the slip below for f ! their subscription. j ~~- _,II 'l'he Iowa Homemaker, Ames, Iowa. Please enter my subscription t.o your publication for Three years, $3.50; Two years, $2.50; One • I :::,~150......... . . ..... . .. ..... .. ...... . ...... .. ..... .. ......... . ....... . Route oc St,eet ....... .................... .................. ............ I 1 l ~===-===--==--=--==~ 

Homemaker as Citizen

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Homemaker as Citizen

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