Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-11-28
The Well-Recognized Laws
of Psychology Which the
Managers of the "Votes for
h As:r ssF Women" Campaign Are
Beginning to Learn and to
Use with Effective Results.

When the straight thrus, OF the cold point
OF intellect fails TO wound, why not fall back
on the old surety of feminine beauty? 1t is so
much easier to use and the triumph more i'm.
mediate. The problem, therefore, before the
suHragsts OF America Is problem of psy-
chology
There is evidence that the leaders of the
Suffrage movement in America have already
had this fact pointed ont 10 them and are
now endeavoring 10 obey the laws OF psy-
choogy which are applicable 10 their problem.
For forty years very little progress made
by addresses and logical appeals made by
elderly women who had little to offer in the
way OF youth and beauty and charm of per-
sonalty. Until the last year or two the lead
Ing campaisners in the suffrage movement were,
Tor the most part, women sixty years old or
more! There is now evidence that these
worthy but unsuccessful leaders are being re.
tired and that younger and more attractive
women are being put forward to win the cause
along the easiest way indicated by psychology
what is this way? The simple path 10
mans emotions cartoonist with a genius for
MOP psychology recently pictured the new
technique OF the suffragists' appeal for the
vote. He first drew sketch of a woman OF
the old school, gaunt, disturbing female ad.
dressing street crowd Of men. She evidently
Had vigor and venom, but the reaction of her
unattractive personality was evident in the
faces OF the men listening. The unattractive
the forbidding had worked through to the
mental centres and had there registered an.
tagonism and retreat.
The cartoonist then drew suffrage street
speaker OF to-day, pretty, attractiVely gowned
and with an appealing personality The sue
cessful result is reflected in the attitude of
the mob.
1t is not pleasing thing to think that the
ihtellectual appeal OF logical, homely woman
IS lnefective. Man has criticised woman as a
potential voter because he has believed that
inns same emotional appeal would guide her
nallot. woman he has said. through her rear
Ing and training Is an emotional unit--a crea
lure OF instinct who cannot be trusted with
the voting privilege because suffrage must
nave cold, analytical intellect behind it to
make 1t significant and vital Men, they have
nelieVed can put aside their emotions and vote
win the right hand OF judgment. Woman's
mlnd Is caprcious affair with the emotions
holding the whip. This has been the charge
IL is interesting, because many men do not
seem to realize that they have done much to
encourage this attitude of women They have
Kept themselves open to the direct appeal of
feminine beauty.
The psychology of the persuasive effect Of a
beautiful and talented woman upon street
mob Will supply the suffrage leaders of the old
school with plenty of thought-provokine ma.
terial. AT a meeting which l attended in the
last campaign | found a typical example
Drisk little runabout drew up at the curb and
Immediately displayed suffrage banner The
crowd OF street men quickly collected with
curious half smiles. There were two women
In the car. One was a young girl of about
twenty-five.
She was unusually pretty and attractive She
mad all the unconscious grace and physical con-
tidence Of boy Her place was at the wheel
For the time being she was acting as a chauf-