New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-21
BABEL WELCOMES
BIG SUFFRAGE VAN
VOtes-fOr- Women Vehicle
Takes Maiden Trip in
Lower Second Ave.


The broiling sun beat down on the
pavements at Second Avenue and Sec
ond Street. Men in ovcralls and wo-
men in kmonos stood around the tene-
ment doors and gasped under the hot
test goth Of April that the oldest
inhabitant could remember Everybody
sighed for some distraction TO make
them forget their discomfort.
IL came. Down Second Avenue rolled
huge van, white with green trim
mlngs, and with "Votes for Women"
lettered all over it in shrieking purple.
1t was loaded with women in purple.
green and white regaia, and drawn by
a weary horse whose exposition said
Enthusiastically:
"If this sort of thing goes on much
longer it's me for the anti-suffragists
ms. Harriet Stanton Blatch's we'll
known face looked benignly from one
of the sixteen windows of the van, and
pretty girls hung on the step handing
out suffrage literature and buttons to
the crowd that accompanied them.
DE Suffergettes."
Second Avenue and Second Street
with one accord broke and ran for the
approaching vehicle with yels Of JOY.
"Hey. de suffergettes. De suffer
gettes!"
II was the Rowing Shop of the Wo-
mems Political Union about to be
christened for the summers work.
Rumors that the ants had put it out
of commission by painting pink roses
all over il proved to be unfounded, or
else the sufrragists painted the roses
out Anyhow, they decided they
wouldn't have to delay the christening
( for a week, as was feared.
Nothing could exceed the cordiality
with which the neighborhood welcomed
the van, which is TO stand there two
weeks. Storekeepes brought boxes TO
, serve as steps to the van. A bar
/ keeper from one of the three saloons
across the way brought Mrs Batch, at
J her request, a pitcher of water for the
! christening, assuring her that she
could "shoost as veil hat beer, und for
holdings. Mum" Captain Sweeney. of
! the Fifteenth Precinct, brought three
I patrClmen TO keep the crowd in check
and told Miss Mildred Taylor, the Row
I ing Shop organizer that his corps Of
junior patrolmen would see that il
came to no harm during the hours they
left it alone.
The christening took splace at noon.
Mrs. Batch, from the silver loving
cup which was given to her mother
Mrs. Elisabeth Cady Stanton. on her
eightleth birthday by the suffrage So
ciety, organized by Mrs. Lille DevereuX
Blake, sprinkled some water over the
I Votes for Women on the side of the
van.
81 christen the The Winner" she
said
Athirst for information.
Then there were speeches by Mrs.
Blatch, Mrs. John Rogers, ir.. Miss AL
berta Hill and others. Hundreds OF
sweating, ragged men crowded around
and grasped for leaflets. It didn't make
any difference that the leaflets were i'm
English. and many of them were Ital-
| !ans or Germans. and could read only
their own language.
My boy. he read to me-" said one
coal lackened son of Italy. They act
ually seemed athirst for information.
"Haf you a little book to tell nc
apout it?' inquired a big German.
Please gif me some things for my
mother to read asked a young Hun
garlan. Pounds of literature were
given Out. and when buttons were dis
tribu'ed IL took three policemen to
keep tho crowds in line.
During the proceedings the hastily
adopted mascot of the Rowing Shop
Mary Lutz. aged three. gazed down
upon the men and wondered al the
/ nonor that had come to her. Whv was
/ she picked ont Of the dozens of chill.
, dren there, lifted into the van and
| crowned with flowers. Maybe il W.
because she carried toy pistol. prov
ing her equality with the bows Of the
/ neighborhood.
The women who took part in tbo
christening were Mrs. II. o. Have
meyer, Mrs. Robert Niles. Miss Kotb
4 erlne Newman, of Pennsylvania: Uis.
/ Dollie Marlborough, Miss Ruth Welling.
: ton. Miss Leslie Johnston. Mrs. UenT,
/ butterworth, Mrs. John Winters Brar.
nan Mrs. Joseph Griswold Deane. Mrs
Harriet stanton Blatch. Mrs. John Rog.
erS' Jro Miss Mildred TAYLOR. Miss