New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-26
SUFFRAGISTS
AT ODDS, QUIT
NATIONAL BODY
Mrs. BIatch and Followers
Displeased Over 'Mix-Up'
on Federal Amendment.
OTHER UNIONS
MAY WITHDRAW
Women Object to Plan for Con"
qress to Thrust Campaign
on Unready States.

The expected split has come. The
Women's Political Union has resigned
from the National Woman Suffrage AS
sociation and Mrs. Harriet stanton
| Blatch and her followers will now 60
II alone. Rumor has il, however, tnat
the union is not the only organization
which is displeased with the National
because the latter mixed up the federal
situation by getting the Shafroth
amendment introduced in Congress, and
other designations may follow.
Two reasons are given by members
of the Women's Political Union execu-
tive board for its action. The resigna-
ton was voted upon at the last meet
ing. February 19, and was in the abb
sence Of Mrs. Blatch, she having gone
South for q brief vacation. But 1t was
done with her full knowledge and ap-
proval She it was who began the night
on the Shafroth amendment. going to
,be convention of the National at Nash
willie last fall expressly for the purpose
of showing that body the error OF lts
ways in this regard.
She pleaded with them TO support the
old Susan B. Anthony amendment,
known now as the Bristow- Mondell
amendment, and to cast overheard the
"cumbrous and impossible" one Ihlch
they had induced Senator Shafroth to
put forward But the Congressional
Union, the Nationals arch enemy, had
adopted the BristowMondel II amend
ment. and manifestly it was Impossible
for the older organization to trot IN
! double harness with them. MIS-
Blatch's pleading, therefore, failed.
At Odds Over Amendment.
The Nationals support of the Shat
roth amendment is the chief reason Tor
the break, according to Mrs. John Rog-
crs, ir.. of the unions executive board.
81 will stand with no society that up
holds that ridiculous measure" she said
last night. But Mrs. John Winters
Brannan, treasurer of the union, SAID
another strong reason was the fact that
the dues rad been raised. 100000
Not long after the national conVen-
ton at Washington, two years ago, the
union changed its form of member
ship, becoming an auxiliary OF an ami
, lated body, because the constitution
adopted at that convention made being
on affiliated body altogether too eX-
pcnsive. AS an auxiliary, the union
simply paid a fiat rate Of 500 year;
"But recently" Mrs. Brannan said
last night. 81 received word from Mrs.
Henry Wade Rogers, treasurer Of the
national, that we must now pay Sl0O
money the union can raise for the
campaign in New York this year. and
so we simply left the national. We do
not need it. anyhow"
Miss Alberta Hill, executive secre-
tary Of the union, said the money was
a small matter.
Mrs. Brannan has the weight of IT
on her mind because she is treasurer,
she said. But what is $50 a year to
the union. I'm a politician. and tell
YOU the amendments the thing. Ihat
Shafroth measure is simply impossible,
II would prevent US from ever getting
the vote by federal action. II proposes
that Congress refer the question to
states where no suffrage campaigning
has been done, where the people aren't
ready for it. It would thrust on us
campaigns in perfectly unready states.
"Whereas. the Bristow Mondell
amendment is perfectly simple. It is
/ too bad the National could not support
this measure, by which, as soon as we
get two or three more states, and the
consequent political strength, we could
/ win the vote for the women OF the
whole country at one fell swoop.
Leaders All Away.
The break comes with the leaders OF
both organizations out OF town, for DR..
Anna Howard Shaw, president OF the
National. is in the South also, resting.
But a statement sent out from the
Headquarters, sos Fifth Avenue, says
that Mrs. Brannan's letter stating that
the Women's Political Union had de-
cided to resign was received without
surprise and with expressions OF polite
regret on the part of the officers OF the
/ National"
/ The Blatch organization, however
/ isn't focking quite alone. II has the
/ Congressional Union with II, and the
+ Congressional Union is now a national
/ body. too. and bending all its resources
| to the furtherance of the Bristow-Mon
/ dell amendment. The local organlZa-
/ tions here. the Woman Suffrage party,
/ etc. and the Empire State Campaign
( Committee are keeping severely out OF
| the fight, declaring that 1t is enough
! for them TO work for the referendum
/ in New York next fall. But i: :dividual
members admit that the split is "a
| great pity for suffrage, nevertheless.