A REMARKABLE WOMAN

Grey River Argus, 6 October 1913, Page 7

A REMARKABLE WOMAN

Surely the most remarkable woman in the world is Mrs. . Belva 'A. Lockwood, LL.D., B.Sc., who was the first

woman lawyer to practise in America (after a spirited controversy '» on ■the right of women to- practise at the Bar), and who, though she is now 83 years of age. is still besieged Mn her offices at \\ ashington by men and. women anxious to become her clients. This should afford ,food for thought for the too-old-at-forty pessimists. Moreover, Mrs, Lockwood was twice a candidate, of 'the. Equal Rights Party for the Presidency of the United States "Of course 1 should like to have been President." she told an interviewer last month. "Wasn't Victoria Queen of England?" She secured a judgment of 5,000,000 dollars in the' Court of Claims- for the Cherokee Indians ; she was largely responsible for founding the Children's Court at Washington; she secured the appointment of matrons at the police court, and also the granting, of equal pay to -men- and women* Government -employees. Previously the women had been paid much less than the men. Now several of them, such as the' [translator to the American Republic and the head of the Department for Child Labour, arid /a lady holding a responsible position in the Customs get really rery big salaries Mrs,, Lockwood is president of the Women's International Peace .Association, "and was dean of ithe Peace Embassy'recently sent 1 to: Europe .by,, the Women's Republic of America. , "I shall not be quite 83 till October," said Dr. Lockwood with a "human" touch which was distinctly, 'fascinating " ;<< How have I managed-to keep so young? Hard work -and work that 'interested me have contributed a, good deal. And I always .have had enough encouragement to enable me never to lose heart— a" very important ., point. I hope you get plenf'y of ericouragementi; r; she added kindly. "Variety is another aid to youthfulness. I travel about as, much as I possibly" can, and- JXJliink nothing of .taking a journey of 'four or five hundred^miles to. give -a lecture Then . I- have all kinds of interests outside my prof ession— the y. peace . question- ■ and suffrage among 'them. Quite.fecently I took the part of Jusitice in a suffrage -pageant. By the way . • since ' iTef t home, .Illinois,iias ganted- women the suffrage, and the prospects of universal suffrage are .very bright in America. I like English., women;! I feel clever to them.' • (That- is- our, American way of ; saying I feel kindly to them)." ..! ' '"■■.":■ "And the secret of success as you. have found, it?" : . ■■ '■"'■ "Perseverance is,, to my mind, the most important thing— not ito be easily daxin'ted or ; put / off (by ridicule 'A laugh proves -nothing' is >vhat I alf ways say •; but I rhust 'confess." she added, with' a twinkle, "I like in .the court to raise 1 a: laugh at- the Expense of my opponents. When/I have made the court laugh I feel I have won my case. Good humour and tact are also great assets ' for ith> : achievement of success." ' - "v ' ■'; ■ ; _ : ■■.;.;•;■•';■; ' '._ ; : .. "What is the Women's 'R^pUblic^ of which you are Attorney-General ?" "It/c6nsi.sts of alt over 'the ' States.' and its' headquarters' arg' University City,' a suburb = of; St. . Louis, \vhich "belongs to' th> Republic and here we adopt '.a constitution and: promulgate laws, just like" that of the Republic,- but in{ our constitution the department ; of' war is replaced /by /the department of peace. : ; Air our difficulties are settled by arbitration. ,We' are now engaged, in a world-wide cdusade against w^r and the increase of armaments, as we war is a relic of bairbarism wihich ought not to be tolerated by any Christian. or civilised^ na.tion. 'Women., in the T«ast have never been consulted by ' >y nation with reference to a declaration, of war by their country, yet ; hey have also been the principal sufferers. 'The abolition of war must come Jarough the influence and power of the educated, cultivated, and ■emancipated wo- ! men of the world."- ' '

' . ."The Women's Republic has also :largV. educational -.activities, has it ,1161^; . '•;■'■■ v" : -- : ;/-. ■'• ■■ . : ■•'■ ■"..';.■"■ "Yes,., and it believes m education iii the home. ,• It has tee-best schools' 'and the best teachers, m' the - v-oiJd, and by means of ■mental, cult'vation, ,and farmers', sons -and 'laughtirs in puttying- districts /whose parents " can-, not 'afford .to' sendr them to school, axe able to receive the " very , Las. t educa^ .tion. The Republic has v recently ;35,600 acres, of land in. California, and we axe establishing, a/cuy; there" whjch '■ ;is being divided, up intb ') . mall: garjden's arid. houses to enable women, to earn- a-.HVing.^by^fruit-grbwirig artd^ag-, rkulture.;. "Ifi^University -Ciiy we have bur ■own'; post ;'^fficesv : ban ; ks^;;ctiutch, ; w.prneni preachers^ women 'dp c tors., arid so ■ on. ".•' ' r "'■'■-. :•■/■ - ■,■'"■■ ;■■■;■ : - : -. i';- ; :-: : -.v-

,:'■' Last .February ; as a tribute i.>--the progress of ; the' tweoitieth cenitury, ■ DX ■ Lpcktvood was presented with' her .portra^-' which ' .new -hangs in. the Gallery; Wasliington, and surely few wojni^n have be'ter deserved public recognitioßi.