NAWSA GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE Lutz, Alma [*Ans Dec 1 asked if she knows what became of Anthony Diaries*] Alma Lutz Highmeadow Berlin, New York November 24, 1950 Mrs. Mary Gray Peck 30 Eastchester Road New Rochelle, New York Dear Mrs. Peck: I am working on a biography of Susan B. Anthony and although I have combed the country for Susan B. Anthony letters, I am wondering if there are some I have overlooked which may have been among Mrs. Catt's papers. As I understand it, Mrs. Catt's papers have been given to the Library of Congress and the New York Public Library has referred me to none among Mrs. Catt's papers. I shall appreciate it greatly if you will be kind enough to write me if any correspondence between Mrs. Catt and Miss Anthony has been preserved and where. I have been reading with great interest and profit your biography of Mrs. Catt. What a comfort it must have been to Miss Anthony to feel that she had left her work in Mrs. Catt's capable hands. Any information that you can give me on the subject will be greatly appreciated. Sincerely yours, Alma Lutz AL/mg Alma Lutz Highmeadow Berlin, New York November 24, 1950 Dear Mrs. Stantial: It was good to hear from you. As you will see I am still here and expect to be until December 12 unless winter sets in too hard. Thank you for telling me about the leaflet of Mrs. Stantson's address to the New York Legislature in 1854. I did know about it and have a copy. Nevertheless I do appreciate your thoughtfulness. I am still working on the book and shall be eager to read the Anthony letters you have found. After I return, I'll telephone you and arrange with you about seeing them. Looking forward to talking with you again, I am. Sincerely yours, Alma Paty Alma Lutz 22 River Street Boston 8, Massachusetts March 31, 1950 Alice Stone Blackwell Fund 21 Ashmont Street Melrose, Massachusetts Dear Madam: I assume from an item published in the Christian Science Monitor recently that you are asking for contributions to carry out Alice Stone Blackwell's wish that the papers of Lucy Stone and Henry Blackwell be put in order and indexed. Out of gratitude for the work of all three on behalf of women, I am happy to send a small contribution. I shall appreciate your letting me know how this project progresses and whether the response to your appeal has been such that the work can be undertaken. As one whose field for research is the woman's movement in which the Blackwell's took such a prominent part, I am of course intensely interested in the Stone-Blackwell papers. shall be grateful if you will let me know whether these papers were left to some library by Mrs. Blackwell. If not, will there be an opportunity for private collectors to purchase them? Sincerely yours, Alma Lutz EQUAL RIGHTS "MEN AND WOMEN SHALL HAVE EQUAL RIGHTS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES AND EVERY PLACE SUBJECT TO ITS JURISDICTION" Amendment to the United States Constitution now before Congress |Picture here| Luly Alma Lutz author of CREATED EQUAL, the first full-length biography ever written of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, famous pioneer in women's rights. Published by the John Day Company in March, the book has already been accorded widespread recognition. Alma Lutz, who has worked unceasingly in the woman movement since her graduation from Vassar, is a member of the Woman's Party National Council and Chairman of the Committee which publishes Equal Rights, magazine of the National Woman's Party. NATIONAL WOMAN'S PARTY Washington, D.C. Vol. 26, No. 5 May, 1940 Price Five Cents 18 EQUAL RIGHTS May, 1940 Equal Rights Official Organ of the NATIONAL WOMAN'S PARTY Capitol Hill Washington, D. C. Phone Atlantic 1210 Published Monthly at 144 B Street, N. E., Washington, D. C. Entered as second-class matter at the post- office at Washington, D. C., under the Act of March 3, 1879. Subscription, $1.00 a Year Foreign Subscription, $1.50 HELEN HUNT WEST . . . . . . Editor CONTRIBUTING EDITORS ALMA LUTZ EDITH HOUGHTON HOOKER INEZ HAYNES IRWIN HELEN ROBBINS BITTERMANN NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL NATIONAL OFFICERS Chairman, Mrs. Harvey W. Wiley, D. C. 1st Vice-Chairman, Jane Norman Smith, N. Y. 2nd Vice-Chairman, Mrs. Amy C. Ransome, Calif. 3rd Vice-Chairman, Mrs. Margaret C. Williams, Conn. Treasurer, Miss Laura M. Berrien, Ga. Secretary, Rebekah Greathouse, D. C. Nina E. Allender, D. C. Marie Moore Forrest, D. C. Mrs. George Halsey, Md. Florence Bayard Hilles, Del. Alma Lutz, Mass. Perle S. Mesta, Okla. Anita Pollitzer, S. C. Clara Snell Wolfe, Ohio Alice Paul, D. C., (Ex-officio as Chairman of World Woman's Party) Amendment on Study Program The Equal Rights Amendment has been added to the study program of the Political School of Women under the direction of Miss Henriette Hart. This was a result of a meeting which students attended April 3 last at the studio of Mrs. Margaret C. Williams in Carnegie Hall, New York. Mrs. Robert Nelson Errington of New York was the guest speaker. She discussed the Equal Rights Amendment, its need and purpose. Miss Hart spoke of equal rights in the international field. Questions and discussion followed the addresses. Among those who participated were Mrs. Annie Gray and Dr. Sidonie Fuerst, an international feminist. Mrs. Edith Robinson presided. All were guest of Mrs. Williams, who is third vice-chairman of the National Woman's Party. Protection In Massachusetts The new Hour Law in Massachusetts which is making it difficult for many women to hold their jobs as waitresses and restaurant workers requires that a maximum of nine hours' work a day which is permitted a woman or minor under 18 years, must be completed within ten consecutive hours. This means that if a waitress goes to work at 8 A. M., she must finish by 6 P.M. She must either chose to serve breakfast and lunch or lunch and dinner. She cannot serve all three, even though she might prefer to take off a few hours in the afternoon and come back to serve dinner. She is no longer allowed to split her hours so as to serve all three meals. This is difficult for everyone except men who are looking for jobs as waiters and restaurant workers. Waitresses who are on the breakfast and lunch shift complain that their earnings are much less because they are deprived of the more generous tips usually given for dinner service. The Parties And Women A FULL share in democracy, equal to that already enjoyed by men, is the demand of American women who are placing the matter squarely up to the Democratic and Republican Parties, which meet in June and July of this year in National Conventions. At this time the Parties, which look to women of the country for support in the General Election in the fall, will adopt their respective platforms and nominate candidates for the highest offices in the gift of the people-- President and Vice-President of the United States. Women ask not merely platform planks endorsing the principle of "A full share in democracy for women," but a pledge to make this a reality by placing in the Constitution an Amendment guaranteeing it. Such an Amendment, known as the Equal Rights Amendment, is now before Congress and has the support of a good proportion of Democratic and Republican members of that body. Democracy cannot be made secure by State action. It is a principle of Government. Therefore, a plank in the platform of either Party merely approving the principle, with no pledge to carry it out in the only way it can possibly be accomplished-- by Constitutional Amendment-- would be an empty gesture. The National Woman's Party, whose membership is composed of women of both major Parties and all shades of political belief, urges a frank statement of policy. The plank proposed by the National Woman's Party reads: "The (Democratic or Republican) Party favors the immediate submission to the States of the proposed Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, reading: "Men and women shall have equal rights throughout the United States and every place subject to its jurisdiction." The National Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs, alarmed at the widespread attempts to deny women the right to paid work, is asking the Parties for a platform plank guaranteeing the right to work, regardless of sex or marital status. The Federation has twice in National Convention gone on record in favor of the Equal Rights Amendment as the means of gaining equal rights under law, and doing away with discriminatory laws. The Parties might well examine not only the above mentioned flagrant discrimination, but many others, and might oppose each and every one separately, but the Parties know full well that all the birds can be killed with one stone by establishing the principle of equal rights in the Federal Constitution, thereby making unconstitutional, and therefore without effect, all discriminatory laws based on sex. While women have had leveled at them the criticism that they have not availed themselves of the franchise, nevertheless it was estimated that in the last general election approximately 50% of the total vote cast was by women. The Parties then, in considering the demand for a Party pledge of "A full share in democracy for women," guaranteed by Constitutional Amendment, would be taking into account one-half the citizens of our democracy, and approximately one-half the members of their own Parties. An endorsement of the principle of equal rights for all citizens would be a step in the right direction, but unless it is accompanied by a pledge of performance, it would be meaningless. Can either the Republican or Democratic Party deny the plea of American women for a full share in democracy? And how would American women react if they did? Transcribed and reviewed by contributors participating in the By The People project at crowd.loc.gov.