The Washington herald., 1914-12-07
SUFFRAGE MOVE
RECEIVING HELP
Different Methods of Work
Show 1t VIII Succeed, Says
Miss Perry.
HAS GAINED GREATLY
Congressional Union Fighting Demo-
Gratis with United Front in Many
States for Suffrage Amendment.
By EMILY KERsRAw PERRY.


Never. in the history of the woman
suffrage movement. has there beel
| such real cause for encouragement OF
the part OF suffragists as there Is to
day. Never has there been a time wheI
/ concentration on one line of work, II
the struggle for enfranchisement, coulS
show such tremendous results as 4
can today. With thej steady Evolution
Of the woman movement has come tn.
inevitable revolution in the method o.
working.
A few years ago. the subject uude,
discussion among suffragists was, how
shall we interest people in the work ?
1t has been vastly simplified into ths
, question which has become of SO Rreat
interest to outsiders as well as to those
within the ranks of suffrage workers
Where shall we concentrate this great
force of ours, to secure in the quick
est way the desired legislation?"
The interest and sympathy of the
rank and file of American people is Sc
cured. Volunteer workers are to be had
for the asking. Distribution of the
suffrage propaganda has been accom-
pltshed through the length and breadth
Of the country. The case has rested
for two years in the hands Of the suf-
fragists themselves to determine how
they shall use their force to secure re-
suits in the quickest possible way.
A sure sign Of life in any great move
ment is difference of opinion as to
method. When that point is reached,
the movement is launched. With ''indi-
vidualism" the guiding star of all
Americanism, whether in business, poll
tics or religion. it is too much to expect
coordination of opinion from any vast
body of people all at once.
With such examples as have been set
our government we cannot expect an
utter lack of the spirit of individual
ism in a body of disfranchised people,
working for political and social liberty,
at first. That is something to be work
ed for, struggled for. and won by ear
nestness Of purpose for future genera
tions.
With the awakening of a social con-
science" in the nation as a whole will
come the gradual birth of the voice
of the whole people" demanding the
greater good of the greater number.
Then differences of opinion will grad
ually melt away. giving place to the
voice OF a united people. That is the
ideal striven for. by earnest men and
women alike. 1t is far off. With the
thing we call social conscience" still
in the throes of birth among men. and
of what there may be of It
eleven States in our country, We must be
content to work with tools already at
hand. the party system" broken and
divided into factions, caused by differ
ent opinions.
Propaganda Period Passes.
In all cases of "class enfranchise-
ment," there has come a time when the
period has been passed. and
time for political action reached. That
time has been upon the suffrage move
ment for two years. With the winning
Of Oregon. Arizona and Kansas, in 1912,
to woman suffrage, the entire move
ment was lifted from the propaganda
stage and plunged into the political
arena.
With one-fifth of the Senate, one
seventh of the House. and one-sixth of
the electoral vote in the hands of
woman suffrage States, the time for
action on the United
States Congress. for the passage OF the
proposed eighteenth amendment to the
had come.
1t rested with the suffragi them
selves to see this and take advantage !
Of it. A great number of the so-called |
politicians" of the country saw the |
opportunity and hoped the suffrage |
workers would not. The opponents of |
the movement were satisfied to have |
women work for political enfranchise- !
nent along the lines of parlor and the |
ater meetings, deputations sent to the |
President and Congress, as well as |
periodic assaults on the different State |
legislatures. These things did not |
trouble them very greatly. Concen-
rated political action, by women un-
lerstanding the party system" and |
caucus rule" and directing all their |
ire on the sensitive spot, party major
ty, in Congress, did.
Hence the awful outcry against the
Union for Woman Suf-
rage Tin the Democratic newspapers) |
his fall. and the emphatic and rather
denial by Democratic
that the women had any
hing to do with the lessened majority
If the Democratic party in the House."
Is a resuh of election day.
Most Encouraging Sign.
The difference of opinions among suf-
rage organizations and individuals as
o method is a most encouraging sign.
I shows, as nothing else could, the
tage the suffrage movement has reach
d. The fact that the agitation for
woman has reached such a stage that
here can be concentrated action on the
United States Congress, with hope for
in the near future, by so tre-
IS the Congressional Union for Woman1
Suffrage, as well as the older and slow
r method of State by State work" still
lsed by many of the suffrage organiza-
ions, is the surest sign of active or
ranic life.
The National American Woman Suf-
rage Association has kept a Congress
ional committee" in Washington for
many years, for the object of workingl
irectly with Congress to secure the
'assage of the woman suffrage amend
nent. first placed before Congress by
'usan B. Anthony. the pioneer suffra-
list, in 1879. The Congressional Union
or Woman Suffrage felt the need for
on that one line of work.
s more hopeful of results than the
of ali the State constitutions.
that too great a division of
orces meant a weakening of strength,
nd that more immediate results could
e obtained by absolute concentration
n the one salient point (Congress) the
Union decided to use its
trength in this way for the passage
{ the Constitutional amendment
The work Of organizing and using the
uftrage power already possessed, in
he Western States where women vote,
as been splendidly begun. The re-
ponse of those women to the appeal of |
he women of the East has been phe- |
omenal. In California, as in the other !
suffrage States" where the Congress .
ional Union workers have been cam
woman suffrage has been ,
lade a national issue and one that is {
ound to grow rapidly. Permanent ,
have been established in I