American men and women have become politically "slack" in recent years, Florence E. Allen, a former leader of the women's suffrage movement and the only woman judge ever to serve on the United States Court of Appeals, charged Thursday.

Speaking at Radcliffe's celebration of the 40th anniversary of the 19th Constitutional Amendment, which gave women the right to vote, the judge urged her audience "to equal the unparalleled devotion of the women who went before us and the men who were big enough to believe women should be free."

"The vast challenges which face the world today can only be met if women give intelligent and diligent though to national and international problems--and then act." Judge Allen told the 100 Radcliffe alumnae, deans and former suffragettes present.

In the past, women have worked actively to solve governmental problems, Judge Allen claimed. She cited the "52 years of ceaseless campaigning" which preceded the 19th Amendment and noted that women broke the Huey Long machine in Louisiana.

Women Influence World Affairs

"In international affairs the influence of women has been outstanding," the Judge said. "Various senators have repeatedly or edited the adoption of the World Court Resolution largely to the work of women," she declared, adding that the Kellogg-Briand Pact outlawing war "possibly owes its very existence to the political support of women."

The major portion of Judge Allen's speech was devoted to recollection of her work with Maud Wood Park, Radcliffe '98, during the suffrage movement.