The building up of a new, far-reaching system of inspection on the question of equal pay, with power to investigate every business in the United States, administered by a colossal new government agency with vast enforcement powers, would not be helpful to women, as far as I can see.

In this quote, Alice Paul, a prominent suffragist and women's rights activist, expresses her concern about the creation of a large government agency tasked with ensuring equal pay for women. She argues that establishing a new system of inspection with the power to investigate every business in the United States could have negative consequences. Although the goal of achieving equal pay is important, Paul suggests that such a massive government intervention might not actually be helpful to women in the long run.

Paul is critical of the idea of a colossal new government agency that would have vast enforcement powers to oversee and enforce equal pay. Her concern likely stems from her belief in individual freedoms and a fear that such an agency could be overly intrusive, creating bureaucratic obstacles instead of real, substantive change. By empowering the government with such broad authority, Paul worries it could lead to inefficiency or unintended negative consequences for women and businesses alike.

The quote also reflects Paul's belief in more direct and effective methods to achieve gender equality. Rather than relying on an expansive government structure, she may have preferred more targeted legislative measures or efforts that would directly address the issue of equal pay without creating excessive bureaucracy. Paul’s view was rooted in her broader philosophy of women's empowerment and her skepticism of government intervention as a solution to social problems.

Ultimately, Paul’s quote highlights her belief that the government's role in securing equal rights for women should be carefully considered. She was concerned that a large, powerful agency could become a hindrance rather than a help in achieving equality. Instead, she advocated for solutions that would address gender inequality without the overreach of expansive government bureaucracy.