New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-11-26
UNION ANSWERS
MRS. CATT'SPLEA
Rule of Parties, Not Con-
stituents, Says Miss
Alice Paul.
FEDERAL ROUTE
CALLED SHORTEST
Attack in Speech Before Equal
Franchise Society Seen as
Move to Check DesertiOns.
From The rr.Jun, Bureau. ]


Washington, Nov. 25.-The attack on
the policy Of the Congressional Union
which Mrs. Carrie Chapman Gait made
in her speech before the Equal Fran
chise Society, as reported in The Trib
une Of Wednesday, is interpreted at
headquarters here az an attemrt to
onset the interest aroused BY the ar
rival in New York to-day of the ENJOYS
from the Women Voters and the or
ganization of New York branch o.
the union. The desertion of the
younger sufragists from the state or
ganization TO the Federal movement
is obvious in the number Of new work
ers who are arriving daily at head
quarters, and the fact that during one
week recently more than thousand
members we're enrolled.
When Miss Alice Paul, chairman of
the Congressional Union, had csrefully
read the account of Mrs. Cats plea
against the union she said:
while Mrs. Gait does not mention
us by name, her remarks apply so
directly to our work that am glad TO
answer her points. and particularly 20
clear up her Misunderstanding on the
subject Of Senator Thomas.
"Mrs. Gait refers to his refusal to
introduce the Susan B. Anthony amerI-
ment for US. But we never requested
Senator Thomas TO introduce it. As
matter OF fact, in contrast TO his op-
position to bringing the bill before the
Senate at the opening of the last Con-
gress, he this year announced his
intention of introducing it, though sew
eral weeks beforehand Senator Suther-
land had, at the request of the union,
agreed to do il
Think His Attitude Will Change
at is as chairman of the suffrage
committee that he is now refusing a
hearing to the messengers OF the
Women Voters, but we do not feel that
such a stand can be maintained BY the
supposedly impersonal head Of a SEN
ate committee.
"Mrs. Gait says that political leaders
know their constituents and when tho
suffrage army is solid mas or hol-
low square. She implies that it is
necessary to have majority in his
state in order 10 have a Congressman
vote favorably on a bill. We are CRATE
full to Representative Henry, Of Texas.
CHAPMAN of the House Rules Commit
tee, for giving US proof to the contrary
in recent speech before one Of our
Populations. He refused TO express
his personal views and said:
al might express my views as an
individual In a way that would not
meet with the APPROVAL OF my party, and
they might call caucus and say you
are the agent and representative OF
your party and as such you have no
right to bring this mater up while you
are chairman of the Committee on
Rules. or, again, the President might
call me TO conference and inquire
into my remarks land it might be that
he has changed his views on that ques-
ton, and lit might be that as a party
leader ! should find | would have 20
cooperate with him temporarily on
this question:
There is no mention in all this
Miss Paul pointed out, "of what the
majority Of his constituents want. 1t is
time we women learned that this is a
government by party and not by con-
stituents.
Hope to Convert Webb.
"And there is one thing for which
we are very grateful TO Mr. Henry. He
declared emphatically, and it is par
ticularly significant coming from Rep
resentatiye from the far South, that he
did not see how any man could vote for
the prohibition amendment and balk at
states rights when it came to the suf-
frage amendment.
"He referred directly to Representa-
tive Webb, but we have hopes of Mr..
Webbs conversion, for he has as
sured us that if he is chairman Of the
House committee and IL the members
are in the city he will give the en-
voys of the woman voters an early