South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-10-23
WI EACllUN5
SEEK CONTROL IN
STATE MEETING
All Members of Federation of
Women'S Clubs Want SUI
frage But Some Are More
Ardent Than Others.
BY MARGARET TOBIN.
Especial CORRESPONDENCE

delegates for the presidency Of the
State Federation OF Women's clubs, it
developed. when the nomination Of
candidates was taken up Tuesday
morning
Mrs w. W. Reed OF Warsaw. chair
man of the 18th district, placed Mrs
Eberharts name before the cOnven-
ton and her nomination was seconded
by Mrs. John PaxsOn Of South Bend.
a delegate from the Progress club.
Mrs. Eberhart promptly declined the
nomination Later her name was
placed before the convention as can
didate for the second vice presidency
and she allowed the nomination 10
stand.
Mrs. W. f. Miller declined for the
last time Tuesday morning TO be a
candidate for the presidency. Her
followers had selected Mrs. Virginia
Meredith Of Cambridge City, to pre-
sent her name. A group OF women
made Up OF Mrs. Meredith. Mrs. EliZ-
abeth c. Earle OF Connersville. and
Mrs. s. G. StimsOn OF Terre Haute,
mad fOSteTed her candidacy.
Division In Ranks.
The group interested in Mrs Miller's
candidacy represented the cOnserva-
tive suffragists in the federation. Thus
IL Is that the organization is now di-
vided. All are suffragists il seems,
hut some are more ardent than 9TH
ers.,
Mrs. Clark Fairbank Of Fort
Wayne, is the candidate Of the ardent
suffragists. She is 10 receive the
solid support OF her own district. the
18th. the support OF the Woman's
Franchise league. and she is generally
conceded TO be the choice OF the pres
ent president, Mrs. Felix T. McWhir
ter. IL Is expect that the cOnserva-
tive suffragists will rally around Miss
Newsom, whose nomination was a
complete surprise TO the convention.
The conservatives. are displeased
with the attitude taken by Mrs. Nc
Whittier on the suffrage question.
They maintain that she has endeavOr.
ed 10 plunge the federation headlOng
into the suffrage movement and con-
vert Il to a suffrage organization
completely.
Was For Suffrage.
The presidents address Tuesday
evening at the opening session was an
appeal TO the federation to give the
suffrage movement immediate and
ardent support She confessed 10
some trepidation before she made il.
because of the opposition she knew 10
exist. but she made il nevertheless.
The conservatives Immediately be-
gan to consider a candidate who
would not be pledged 20 Mrs. McWhir-
ter's entire program. Mrs. Eberhart
was mentioned as a likely candidate
but her name was not presented by
this faction Tuesday
So the slogan is. suffrage" or
"more suffrage" and the advocates
OF more suffrage" are turning 20
Mrs. Fairbank. She is rich, they say,
in recOunting her qualifications. she
has plenty Of leisure. she is willing TO
hpTe "a a
ton. and her whole heart is in the
suffrage movement
The vote on the suffrage resolution
20 be presented Thursday morning
will forecast the result of the election
on Friday. The conservatives are urg-
ing others to come TO the support of /
Mrs. Eva RohbOck Of Wabash, and /
oppose the resolution on the floor of
the convention. Mrs. ROhbOck has
declared her intention of moving that
the resolution be tabled.
Proves she Is One.
Mrs. Rohbock is n suffragist and
wears a yellow badge 10 prove It, She
looks like a confrere OF Susan b. An
thongs and is one of the pioneer club
women OF the state. She isn't against
suffrage. she simply wants to remind
the federation that il was not organ
lied TO be a suffrage organization 80
she says.
j 7.
apolis will lead in the defense of the
resolution. Miss Gerda Sebbelow of
LapOrte, an organizer for the Fran
chise league, arrived in Indianapolis
"Wednesday and viii likely have a word
10 say in the suffrage debate.
Friends and enemies OF the resOlu-
tiOn will gather 10 see what is going
on. Horace SullwelL Of Anderson.
the well-knOwn progressive has been
invited 10 COME
Mr. Stilwell is nightly interested
in the work OF the suffrasists in lndi-
ana He was a guest OF honor at the
franchise dinner given at the COlum
bia club Tuesday evening. Indeed,
Stillwen secured for the women the
privilege OF holding their banquet in
the Columbia club the first time il
has ever been turned over TO an or
ganization Of women.
Is Republican Club.
The Columbia is a republican club. \
the same from whose wahs the pic
lures of Beveridee and Roosevelt were
removed during the campaign last
fall Il was taken by the women as
an evidence of great liberal minded
ness that il should be opened now 10
a suffrage club.
Mr. Stillweu sat with some Of the
honor guests at one of the tables and
entertained them with an account Of
how he became converted to the
before the time OF RoOsevelt's con-
version. he declared. Then he told Of
Mrs. StillwelTs persistent and success
ful campaign for suffrage. now being
waged in Anderson.
His story was interrupted by the
announcement OF the program and he
listened in rapt attention while Mrs.
Stiliwen eNpOunded the theory OF
woman suffrage from her point OF
view. The other speakers were the
country contributor. Mrs. Juliet Y.
Strauss. Miss Belle O'Halr an In
dianapOlis school teacher. Or Amelia
Keller. president OF the league. and
Miss Bertha Pratt King OF Terre
Haute
a lecture on woman suffrage given
by DIR. r. II Lindley Wednesday night
completes the campaigning for SUI
frage before the introduction OF the
resolution Thursday. The lecture was
given at the annual club banquet.
Election Friday.