The Lebanese Woman's Festival

The most notable feature of the past month's activity by the Lebanese woman was the festivals held in celebration of woman's attainment of her full political right. The greatest of these festivals by far was the one convened — as the first fruit of its labors — by the League of Women's Organizations in Lebanon, in rejoicing at this important event and in honor of the Executive Committee of the Women's Organizations, which took upon itself the pursuit of the cause and the standing fast in the face of every obstacle in order to obtain this right whole and undiminished. The festival was held in the hall of the Roxy Cinema under the patronage of the First Lady of Lebanon, Mrs. Zalfa Chamoun.

The opening address was given by Mrs. Lamia Beyhum on behalf of the president, Mrs. Laure Tabet, at present absent in the United States to represent the Lebanese woman at the international women's congress.

The first of the speakers was President Alfred Naccache, on whose behalf the address was delivered by Mr. Salah Labaki, president of "Ahl al-Qalam." President Naccache reviewed the history of the woman's cause and the circumstances that led to this result, and welcomed woman and her imminent entry into the practice of parliamentary life, for her mere presence in Parliament, in his view, imposes freedom of opinion and raises the level of the moral tone, so that the authorities find themselves obliged to uphold the laws and to enforce them well. Then he addressed his words to the Lebanese woman, saying: "We pin on you the greatest hopes, and we hope that you will turn toward realities, and place your trust only where it belongs." Finally he called upon her to put the public interest first, and to free herself from the narrow partisanships which are a kind of feudalism.

He was followed at the rostrum by Mr. Muhyi al-Din al-Nsouli, owner of the newspaper "Beirut." Among what he said: "In Lebanon there are summits that man may not climb alone; woman must shed upon them a magic of her magic, a faith of her faith, and a mercy of her mercy. The future belongs to man and woman together, and not to man alone." He then alluded to the battle for woman's emancipation in the West, and the difficulties it overcame — it did nothing but stand fast against them with ardor and faith until it won its final victory, for freedom is not given but is taken by main force; and so it came about for woman in Lebanon... He then appealed to woman to take the path of learning and knowledge if she wished to realize her hopes in the home, in society, and in the homeland. And he called on her not to forget the home she entered with her life's companion, to light it with her thought and her tenderness, and to work together with him in building it up, that it may become an edifice with sound foundations.

Then the texts of two telegrams of congratulation were read to those present: the first from the Arab Women's Union over the signature of its president, Miss Ibtihaj Kaddoura; the second from Mrs. Fayza, the wife of the late Riad al-Solh, congratulating the women of Lebanon on the victory they had won. Its purport was this: that the spirit of my husband, from its heights, shares with us today this great joy, for he was one of our greatest champions, in Lebanon and in all the Arab lands.

Then spoke Mr. Fuad Sarruf, vice-president of the American University of Beirut for external affairs. Among what he said: "Woman, by the rule of her nature, is the guardian of the 'wisdom of the home,' which is the foundation of the family's happiness and future..." And he called upon woman to gentleness, wisdom, and deliberateness in the exercise of the new rights granted to her, and to wage relentless war upon ignorance, disease, vagrancy, and injustice, that Lebanon may become a good and just country.

The address of the "Executive Committee of the Women's Organizations" was given by Mrs. Najla Saab, who showed how woman stood fast to the very end and refused her political right except in full, until she said: "...documents we record for history, and with them begins woman's national era. It is a dawn breaking after a pitch-black night... We stand ready to take up responsibility in the best manner, and from this day on we shall build together a national edifice whose foundation is justice."

The festival was closed by His Excellency Dr. Salim Haidar, Minister of National Education, who delivered a warm address interrupted again and again by loud applause. Among what he said: "I became convinced of the justice of the woman's cause, and I worked for it myself, and I had the honor of supporting it... Now that the Lebanese woman has taken her full political right, I should like to ask her: what will she do?

If it is woman's intention to go down into the street and bargain with her vote and commit the errors that man has committed, then she had better return to her home and not exercise this new freedom!

If woman does not devote herself to fusing the rising generation in a single national crucible, that it may become one family living in love and understanding, then it is better for her to stay in her home!

Then he appealed to woman to take her own share of political life: to concern herself with childhood, with vagrancy, with orphans, with the countless problems of society — this is her field, and in this field she is most welcome!