1. Education
To President Wilson
From the book Are Women People? by Alice Duer Miller, 1915

About this book   Index for this book

To President Wilson

("I hold it as fundamental principle and so do you, that every people has the right to determine its own form of government. And until recently 50 per cent of the people of Mexico have not had a look-in in determining who should be their governors, or what their government should be."- Speech of President Wilson.)

WISE and just man-for such I think you are-
How can you see so burningly and clear
Injustices and tyrannies afar,
Yet blind your eyes to one that lies so near?
How can you plead so earnestly for men
Who fight their own fight with a bloody hand;
How hold their cause so wildly dear, and then
Forget the women of your native land?
With your stern ardor and your scholar's word
You speak to us of human liberty;
Can you believe that women are not stirred
By this same human longing to be free?
He who for liberty would strike a blow
Need not take arms, or fly to Mexico.


Next entry from this book
Previous entry from this book
About this book
Index to this book


About this book: In 1915, the state-by-state battle for suffrage had won a few battles. Supporters of woman suffrage had multiplied, which also brought anti-suffrage sentiments to the surface to counter the suffrage arguments.

The author of this volume of feminist humor and satire, Alice Duer Miller, wrote many of the pieces for her column in the New York Tribune, "Are Women People?" She also wrote a sequel, published in 1917, Women Are People!

Also on this site:

More Women's History:
 
 • Site index
 • Biographies of notable women
 • Women's History Encyclopedia
 • Quotations by notable women
 • Etexts and Picture Gallery
 • Today in women's history
 • How to link to this site
 • Post questions & comments

Part of a collection of etexts on women's history produced by Jone Johnson Lewis. Editing and formatting © 1999-2003 Jone Johnson Lewis.

Discuss in my forum

©2013 About.com. All rights reserved.