Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1915-10-19
SUFF. WORKERS
VERY DUBIOUS
OVER OUTLOOK
Heavy Vote in AMT" Districts
Reported-Scenes at
Headquarters.

At the headquarters of the Women's
Political Union, 70 Halsey street, fl
was admitted today by workers that
the election outcome looked very
dubious. The enthusiasm of the fore
| noon gave way to a feeling of un-
certainty toward noon when reports
started to come in relative to the
heavy vote that was being cast in
the districts which are known to be
against suffrage.
These reports were followed by 9TH
ers which showed that small vote
| was being cast in the districts where
the vote was supposed to be strong
for the amendment.
Then, too, some of the women
watchers who went OH to work when
the polls opened, tired of the work by
noon and ii was a mans sized job
trying to get them TO stick to their
posts until such times as other
watchers could be sent to relieve
them.
Just let me off for an hour" was
the plea that was continually being
sent into headquarters over the tele-
phone. Various excuses were offered
they generally simmered down to he
fact that the watchers were heartily
tired of the way things We're going.
Several times in response to earnest
pleas a relief watcher was sent and
the regular watcher failed to come
back in the time allotted.
Many of the watchers however.
stuck valiantly to their guns and
never. left the polling place until the
election boards took q recess at noon.
They displayed an interest in the en-
tire proceedings and gained the adj
miration of the men working around
the polling places by their close at
tention to business.
Mrs. Nina G. Van WinlSle. presi-
dent of the Women's Political Union,
was very active. Although the work
of the campaign was divided up
among subcommittee 1t was neces-
sary for her to take entire charge.
Things were in chaotic state.
Workers arrived without credentials
and Election Boards were refusing to
honor credentials. Many of the
watchers assigned had not put in an
appearance. A hundred and one
other little details that were very i'm
portant.
straightened Things Out.
Mrs. Van Wrinkle, with her won
derful smile. a word Of cheer here. g.
nat on the shoulder there, and a few
well directed orders Strengthened out
the work OF the organization and
then turned the affairs back to the
s,lb-committees She soon won the
a ADMIRATION. of veteran politicians who
saw her In action.
Renorts that several OF the watch
ers at the various polling places had
not been allowed to enter the poiiing
places were Investigated promptly
and when 1t was discovered that
they did not have any credentials,
application was made at once to the
County Board of Elections ana tney
were forthcoming. ~,
evervthing in its power to assist the
women in manning the polls proper
lv Every complaint made to the
Board of Elections was, investigated
promptly. If the complaint was well
founded the board was given warn
ing. r,,..,.
ward one of the board was openly
Violating the election law by allow
inc one Of the members to go into the
booth with able bodied men to make
out their ballots.
An appeal was made to the county
hoard. The watcher in this district
was fold that if the board again vio-
lated the law to report the matter to
the beadduarters and a complaint
would be made and the board ar
rested.
The credentials for the watchers in
all the districts in the Eighth ward,
which were mailed out on Saturday
hv the County Board of Elections,
were lost in the mails. and the watch
ers. when they appeared at the polling
places. were not allowed to enter.
Appeal was made to the suffrage
headquarters, but they could not dis
cover any remedy. An appeal was
then made to the county board for
additional credentials.
Postmaster Frank j. Book was
asked to investigate the loss of the
credentials. The "suffs'' intimate
there was something radically wrong,
for II was in this ward that they ex-
pect to pile up big majority for the
suffrage amendment.
Elderly Worker.
Mrs Nelson Todd, seventy five
years old, and one Of the pioneer
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