Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-03
WOMEN THREATEN
DEM0CRAT|CPAR
Will RetaIiate at Polls if Ma
tion-Wide Vote Is Not
Granted Them.
MRS. CRYSTAL E. BENEDICT
WARNS HOUSE COMMITTEE
Tells Judiciary Members 1000, 900
Now Having Ballot Will Hold Ad-
ministration to Account.


spring hat and a gown OF rare material
and splendid cut stood in the House
| judiciary committee room today and
threw down the gauntlet to the entire
democratic party.
: Grant us woman suffrage throughout
/ the country-or four million women who
| vote in states where suffrage is already
a fact will vote against YOU This. in
| effect, was the challenge of Mrs. Crystal
Eastman Benedict of New York 1t was
the first time a congressional committee
has hearu this open challenge: the first
! time the power of the hand which rocks
the cradle has been shown hand
which casts the ballot: and was so sud
den a change from the ordinary woman
suffrage argument that the ring of the
;; gauntlet could almost be heard upon the
crowded committee room floor
The threat was couched in gentle Ian
guage, nevertheless it was there as plain
as day, that the great organization which
! is lighting now for nationwide suffrage
will turn its powerful machinery against
the democratic party unless decisive
| favorable action for suffrage is taken
, during this administration.
Women's First Opportunity.
You democrats are in power. said
Mrs. Benedict. For the first time in
eighteen years you have the power to
grant this thing. For the first time we
women have the opportunity to present
the matter as a national one. If this
Congress doesn't take action 1t VIII ne
because the party deliberately side-steps
the issue When you turn to the four
million women who vote at the hext e.eo-
ton and tell them what fine administra-
ton YOU have given US. what a fine tariH
law and what a fine currency and anti
trust program you have put through the
women will reply that you have delioer-
ately refrained from dealing With justice
and fairness to the women OF those
states where suffrage is not granted
what will be your attitude toward the
party to whom you have been appearing
for forty years without avail: asked
Representative Carlin of Virginia,
democrat You have asked THIS thihg
of them for all that length of time and
nothing has come of it. Why do you
threaten to visit your wrath on the demo-
cratic party in this way
Mrs. Benedict did not answer tho ques-
ton directly. Representative Shaioiei'
bun rpooser Of New York, asked her:
since the grand old republican party
has failed and the democrats Seem to be
failing to give the women what they want
in the way of suffrage. why should not
the iUo.un women turn to the progress
sive party. the only political organization
with Il woman's suffrage plank III It's
platform
Question OF Political Expediency.
Il am not giving away any of our plans
1oiav." laughed Mrs. Benedict, who con-
1,uued to tell the committee that the ar
a,Ipent Of the women who want suffrage
is no longer one of right and justice, az
tod
letiency
! The hearing before the judiciary com
,ri;tee was given to grant an opportu-
nity to the advocates of both sides OF the
woman suffrage question an opportunity
tn talk about Representative Mondeii $
resolution calling for constitutional
amendment whereby the rights Of cltl-
zens of the United States TO vote s!lai!
not he denied or abridged by the United
States or by any state on account OF
sex" Representative Mondell appeared
and talked in favor of his proposition for
several minutes
Members of the National American
Woman Suffrage Association the Con-
rressioual Union the Federal Women's s
EQUALITY Association and the National
Association Opposed to Woman SUI,
frage We're present. but the original
idea of limiting the discussion was
changed by the committee. 50 that the
hearings will go OIL this afternoon.
MANY of Tie women scheduled TO
speak were. ,tormbound IL the blizzard.
/ Mrs. Benedict. whose remarks on the
nnIitical strategy involved created so
much of A stir arrived Just as she was
being hunted for by Mrs. Glendower
Evans OF Boston. i'll charge of the
Congressional Unions time; and Mrs.
tional Association Opposed to Woman
Snffraee. was thirty hours train
},etween New York and here.
Politics Do Not Split Families.
While Representative Mondell was pic
turing the paradise which exists in his
state. where women have voted for
many years, Representative Dyer of Mis-
souri, asked him if politics split up fam
lilies In Wyoming.
Boys and girls generally follow the
notifies OF their fathers-pardon me. l
mean their parents. And when two young
oeople are united in Eatrimony it is usual
that they become united in politics. The
one with the strongest convictions on any
sub ject generally Swings ule othei partner
into line.
II have been told,' said Representative
Chandler the bull moose member of the
Judiciary committee that i'll Colorado.
rher. women vote, republican boys marry
democratic girls and democratic boys
marry republican girls. Would that ac-
count for the appearance of the bull
moose party
..Opposites attract replied Representa-
tiv. Mondell who has no love at all for
| the third party. 'bu, | do not believe
! ANYTHING would be an excuse for a pro-
..reSsive household.
Mrs. Funk's Argument.
| Mrs Antoinette Funk OF the congress
| sional committee wonen's suffrage
! told the members of Congress why her
| organization believes women's suffrage
| ebould now become a national instead
, of a state matter. She said in part:
| at is not easy for the women of the
/ ..o,,ntry to understand why men are
! not willing to change constitutions
| made by men wherein they are practi-
/ r,lly denied justice 1t is no consolation
| m MS to point us to our several states
| for there the barrier is almost impos-
| sthle 1t is not necessary to instruct
| vou upon state legislatures. l do not
nnaed To point out the forces nearly al
| avs IN control of them: that the main
! snrings that control legislatures Of the
various states are not the wishes of
~, ,,or,le. but those Of SOM party ma
/ chime or group of politicians or some
tt.e