The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1911-12-05
WOMEN CAST
THEIR FIRST VOTES
SUFFRAGlSTS OF LOS ANGELES
BAPTIZED INTO POLITICS WITH
SOCIALISM IS THE ISSUE.

Los Angeles, Cal, Dec. 5.3An elab
crate and costly automobile stopped
before a polliny place today. An
elaborate and costly woman deposited
an elaborate and costly lapdOg on the
seat. stepped from the car, with the
assistance of an elaborate and costly
chauffeur, and swept into booth,
there to exercise for the first time
her right as "A sovereign citizeness o!
Los Angeles. In a few minutes she
swept out of the booth, swept into the
car, remarked "IIome, James in Il
well modulated voice, and swept away
from there.
Whereat the bystanders said in
unison
Tally one more for Alexander
The odor of sasoine, French per
flme and wealth still scented the air
when woman, clad in her best cali
co dress and pushing baby carriage,
stopped in front of the polling place.
She left her infant to the care of a
laboring man VINO wore on the lapel
of his Sunday coat red button bear
ing the symbol of the clasped hands
and the text: "Workingmen of the
world, unite; you have nothing TO
lose but your chains, you have a world
to gain"
Whereat the bystanders remarked
to each other:
Count another one for Hartman
The same scenes We're enacted to-
day at voting places all over the city
In the fashionable districts the womeD
in the automobiles We're in majority,
and the Good Government forces
were iubilant. In the sections inhabit-
ed largely by the working people, the
woman with the baby carriage pre-
and the Hartman forces
waxed glad.
Todays municipal election in Los
Angeles a city of nearly 100000 people,
is a class struggle and tinged with the
bitterness engendered by long years
of strife between the employers and
the employd.
Under such conditions of industrial
strife are the women voters of Cal
ifornia receiving their baptism of fire
Enfganchised only a short time ago,
they are now the deciding factor in a
struggle which is no mere contest
between political parties, but clash
Of the classes in which basic economic
interest will in most cases decide the
allegiance of the voter.
There are thousands of business
men and wellto-do citizens who will
vote for the socialist candidates be-
cause of dissatisfaction with the pres.
ent municipal regime, and there are
also many "inteliectuals" of wealth
who have settled in Los Angeles be-
cause of its climate, who are Social
lists from principle On the other
hand, thousand, Of workmen. especial
ly those of the Catholic faith, who
will add their strength to Alexander
and the Good Government candidates.
Disregarding these exceptions, it is
certain that what the Socialists call
class consciousness never before fig
red so largely in any election in the
United States. The policy of suppress
sion of organized labor has borne its
fruit in the springing up overnight of
a Socialist following which carried the
primaries and may, as result of to-
lays election. take complete posses
sion Of the municipal machinery of
he city.
It is the general belief that the male
voters will give the Socialists a ma
iority today. Whether the city l. 20
be saved from Socialism thus DC
pends upon the lair sey. And Who
can tell which way a eat will jump
Or a woman will vote Certainly not
he political leaders Of Los Angeles. !
whose mouths are filled with Glib
statements of maioritieS. but woose
brains hold vision OF THE Eternal