Social Activism In The Early 20th Century

In the early 20th century, the Progressive Movement of Era had a global social activism and political support and change across the United States. The goals they wanted to target were to seek to return control of the government to the people, political machines, restore economic opportunities, and to correct injustice. Muckrakers, such as Thomas Nast, Jacob Riis, U. Sinclair, F. Kelly, helped cities for better places to live, which was prohibition. Since, 1848 the National American Woman Suffrage Association seeked a suffrage amendment for women. Groups like The Women’s Christian Temperance Union made laws for prohibitions, such as ending child labor and making streets safe from crime. In England, Alice Paul and Lucy burns both sought money and supported factories. They showed women how laws can bring safety. Ruza then joined in on the safety as well.
“A vote is a fire escape.” Alice Paul had said this while her and her partner Burns visited the women working in the factory to try and convince them to join their protesting. Later the deadliest workplace accident in NYC happened. In March of 1911, The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire broke out. With no fire escape their was 146 people dead. It could have been prevented by making more fire escapes, having windows, less occupancy, the list goes on... Since this was such tragic
event, something should have been done to punish the owners or managers, but sadly nothing was ever done. All ladies didn’t care what they had to say, but Ruza soon realized something had to be done. “A vote is a fire escape”, Ruza also chanted!
In hopes to convince President Wilson to give these women suffrage, there was a parade to get a message out to President Wilson on February 18th, 1890. NAWSA staged a parade in Washington, D.C. on the day he was supposed to be inaugurated. Mothers and daughters all joined together to spread a word for their rights with leaders Paul and Burns who formed this relevant parade. Floats, costumes, signs, noise makers, and many more were used in the parade, Riots, violence, erupts, protest, throwing things, as well too. The young ladies were happy, stood tall and proud, but of course all the older ladies were upset because of this violence happening. While of the other hand the men were fuming. The police could not even hold them back, since they were trying to break the parade. President Wilson later met with the ladies of NAWSA, who didn’t seem to be quite interested at the moment.
NAWSA’s next move into protesting was to picket the White House strongly and fresh with signs of Wilson’s statements. From dawn til dusk, the brave women stood outside the WH with signs, flags, booing, etc. The crowd was so angry in World War I, 1917, the police could not even find a charge to give them to get to leave the property, since it was public. Ladies were then arrested and charged with “obstructing traffic.” The judge decided to fine $10 or 60 days in jails. The ladies who were not guilty of charge opted with prison, while in prison they stage a story is shared with the press which made the press look bad. Alice Paul started the hunger strike (not eating report), while others actually followed. The women were force fed, but the word slowly got out. With all the issues going on with the jail and newspaper, the Senator decided to stop this.
Finally on August 26th, 1920, the 19th Amendment, gave women the right to vote because of The Constitution Law.
The War Measures Act was a federal statute adopted by Parliament in 1914, after the outbreak of the WWI. It gave broad power to the nurses for collectecting safety supplies to take cares of the kids, and maintain security/order during war or insurrection. Nurses managing families, men’s jobs, finances, and patriotism was put all before the Congress. Congress decide on the suffrage issue. We had that ratified granting made the lives of women and society better from their education, jobs, salary, medical field, politics, and
president.