The patriot. [volume] (Indiana, Pa.) 1914-1955, 1915-10-16
If Victorious. Women Will Con-
tinue Their State Association
As An Educational 0rganiza-
ton
ARE WATCHING POLITICIANS
Will Fight Any Who Use Their
Power to Defeat the SUI
frage Amendment

There are two answers to the ques-
ton as to what the suffragists of Penn
sylvania will do after election day this
year The fate of the suffrage amend
ment will decide them. If the majority
of the voters agree with President Will
son that the time has come to extend
the privileges and responsibilities of
the ballot to the women, and pass the
amendment, the suffragists of Penn.
sylvania will continue their Statewide
organization but will use it as an edu.
cational organization rather than a
political one.
IT, on the other hand, the amend
ment is defeated, the organized suf
fragists of the State will devote their
energies to removing the political OBJ
stacles from their path before continu.
ing any active propaganda work
A brief but pointed presentation of
the probable pOst-election plans of the
suffragists was given out at their
State headquarters in Harrisburg re.
Gently by Miss Hannah J. Patterson,
State Chairman of the Woman Suf-
frage Party. In answer to the ques-
ton, What are the Pennsylvania suf.
fragists going to do if they win their
campaign" Miss Patterson said:
THAT is question which every
woman should answer for herself AS
a member of the State Association,
however, may say that the opinion of
the majority of the suffragists is that
our Statewide organization should be
continued, but as an educational or
ganiZation rather than as a political
one. In other words, there is no in.
segregate themselves into a political
party. Each woman will choose her
own political affiliations, the same as
the men voters, and will work in the
way she sees best to bring about the
betterment of cor iitiOns that affect
the daily lives of herself and her fam
lily. To assist the individual women
and also the individual men who are
keenIy alive to their responsibility as
citizens, we shall probably convert our
State headquarters into a great educa.
tionaI clearing house from which
every thinking citizen in the State will
be able to secure timely and accurate
information on all the big vital prob
lens of the day
I'm this way we believe that we can
be of real service to the entire elec-
torate of the State"
But supposing the suffrage amend
ment is defeated at the polls on elec-
ton day."
I'VE are not willing to concede
that" she said, because we have too
much respect for the intelligence and
fair-mindedness of the men of Pennsyl-
vania Moreover, we have good reason
to believe that unless crooked methods
are used and every bit of machine
pressure in the State is brought to
bear against us, we shall win by a
comfortable majority. If we should be
defeated, however, we shall still con-
tinue our State organization and it's
various local branches. And then,
because it will be the logical thing to
do we shall start the work of remov-
ing the obstacles from our path
Just what do you mean by that?"
THE situation is this" explained
the State Chairman. IF we are de-
feated, our amendment cannot come
to a vote for five years. 1t would be
folly to push active suffrage propa-
ganda work Immediately. We have an