Two Paths to Equality: Alice Paul and Ethel M. Smith in the Era Debate, 1921-1929

178 Pages·2002·0.77 MB·English

by  Amy E. Butler

Two Paths to Equality:
Alice Paul and Ethel
M. Smith in the ERA
Debate, 1921–1929
Amy E. Butler
State University of New York Press
Two Paths to Equality

Two Paths to Equality
Alice Paul and Ethel M. Smith in the
ERA Debate, 1921–1929
Amy E. Butler
State University of New York Press
Cover: The photo of Alice Paul (left) is courtesy of the Alice Paul Centennial Foundation,
Inc. and the National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institute. The photo of
Ethel M. Smith (right) is reproduced from the Collections of the Library of Congress.
Published by
State University of New York Press, Albany
©2002 State University of New York
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without
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without the prior permission in writing of the publisher.
For information, address State University of New York Press
90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany, NY 12207
Production by Dana Foote
Marketing by Anne Valentine
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Butler, Amy E., 1965–
Two paths to equality : Alice Paul and Ethel M. Smith in the ERA debate, 1921–1929 /
Amy E. Butler.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-7914-5319-7 (alk. paper)—ISBN 0-7914-5320-0 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Women’s rights—United States—History. 2. Equal rights amendments—United
States—History. 3. United States—Politics and government—1919–1933. 4. Paul, Alice,
1885–1977. 5. Smith, Ethel Marion, 1877–1951. I. Title
HQ1236.5.U6 B88 2002
323.3'4'097309042—dc21
2002020823
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
This is dedicated to
my step-mother
Mary Retan
(1921–2001)

Contents
Acknowledgments / ix
Introduction
The Elusive Search for Equal Rights in the Twentieth Century / 1
Chapter 1
“To the Victor Belong the Spoils”: The Merits of a Combined Suffrage
and Labor Agenda, 1877–1920 / 12
Chapter 2
From Charity Organization to Militant Protest: Alice Paul’s
Rise to Prominence, 1885–1920 / 33
Chapter 3
“[S]ome Group of Women Must Keep Developing the Power of
Women As a Class”: The National Woman’s Party, 1921–1923 / 55
Chapter 4
“Women’s Biggest Battle Is Yet to Be Fought”: Ethel M. Smith and the
Women’s Trade Union League, 1921–1923 / 72
Chapter 5
The ERA v. Women’s Minimum Wage: The Legal Debate Between Paul
and Smith, 1921–1923 / 90
Conclusion
Two Paths to Equality: The Difference It Makes / 108
Notes / 115
Bibliography / 151
Index / 163
vii

Acknowledgments
Many librarians and archivists provided essential assistance with this book. I
would like to thank the Schlesinger Library staff as well as the archivists at the Li-
brary of Congress, National Archives, Swarthmore College, George Washington
University, and Vassar College. State University of New York at Binghamton li-
brarians Rachelle Moore, Diane Geraci, Cheryl McKee, and Ed Sheppard were in-
strumental to the completion of this work.
I also am grateful for Amelia Fry’s friendship and many hours of conversa-
tion about Alice Paul. Leslie Latham generously shared endless memories about
the National Woman’s Party. I will remain eternally grateful to Sarah Elbert for al-
ways challenging my most basic assumptions and for being a consistent source of
inspiration throughout the length of this project. In addition, I am grateful to
Dara Silberstein, Amy Shapiro, Dick Dal¤ume, Carole Turbin, Jean Paquette,
Tim Houlihan, Kristen McDonald, Betsy Otto, Dia Black, and Emily Appal.
This book certainly could not have been completed without the mentorship
of Kathryn Kish Sklar, the leading in¶uence in my committment to women’s and
labor history. Her exemplary scholarship on progressive era politics laid the ground-
work for this book. I am grateful for the twelve years she committed to working with
me, ¤rst as an undergraduate, then graduate student. I have bene¤ted immeasurably,
both professionally and personally, from her insight.
ix