WOMEN LEFT DEFENCELESS.

White Ribbon, Volume 21, Issue 241, 19 July 1915, Page 6

WOMEN LEFT DEFENCELESS.

Recently Miss Jam* Addamthe famous American writer and speaker, gave a remarkable deliverance on the effect of th war upon women : “In the manifestation of patriotism throughout the world, using ihe word in its highest and best sense,” said Miss Addams, “women have played their important parts from the beginning. But the* present F.uropean war is destroying the* hiur meanings of the* word obtained through many centuries of effort; it i*> making a basic appeal to self-defence, the* earliest and most primitive form of patriotism. “This wax is destroying the home* unit in the- most highly civilised countries of the world to an extent which is not less than appalling. ‘To cite one instance of what I n ean : The French Chamber of Deputies, in anticipation of tin* effect upon the nation of the* slaughter of its men, has passed a law declaring that during these war times there shall be* no such thing as illegitimacy in France. “War benefits go equally to the mothers who are married and those who are unmarried. The nation is chiefly concerned to make* up the deficit of human be ings !

“I am informed that in the French churches the ‘foundlings boxes,’ which had been taken away by law, have been restored. Their purpose is to offer mothers of unwelcome < liildren an opportunity to dispose of them secretly, but still keeping them for the nation. This amounts to governmental and clerical encouragement of the dissolution of family ties. “In Germany the* same thing occurred, and, if reports seemingly from trustworthy sources, arc* to be believed, has gone even further than in the* sister nation with which she* is at war.

“All that women have held dear, all th.it the Church ha-, worked for, and the* State has ordered, has been swept away in a breath -the hot breath, of war—leaving woman in her primitive, pitiable state* of the necessity for selfdefence without the strength with which to compass self-defence.”