Evening star., 1915-06-07
TROUBLE E|NRANKS
EARLY IN SESSION
Verbal Sparks Flying at the
Chicago Convention of
Woman Suffragists.
MRS. YOUMANS PROTESTS
AGAINST STEAM ROLLER
Differences Arise in Consideration of
Congressional Union Methods.
Peace Finally Is Restored.

CHICAGO. June THE mdyear con-
ference of the National American
Woman SUFFRAGE Association was but
half an hour old today when verbal
sparks began to fly. The participants
were DR.. Anna Howard Shaw, presi-
dent Of the association: Mrs. Thomas
W. Youmans, president OF the Wis
consin state organization. and as peace
maker. Mrs. Harriet Taylor Upton
president Of the state organization OF
Ohio.
Mrs Youmans accused DIR. Shaw OF
"iattening her out with a steam
roller"
The trouble arose over the Con-
gressional Union. a suffragist organi-
zation said to advocate militant meth
DDS: including attacks on parties and
individuals who oppose the woman
movement. This is one of the most
important subjects to come before the
conference.
Resolution Cause Of Trouble.
Mrs. Youmans offered a resolution
calling for an arbitration committee
on which the Congressional Union
should have fair representation, to
consider all matters bearing on the
subject.
A motion to table by Mrs. Stanley Nc
Cormick of New York carried ~ to 25,
above the protests of Mrs. foumans.
who said:
'T wish to enter my solemn protest
against tactics which shut Off discus
sion of this most important subject.
Mrs. Upton sought to smooth matters
by explaining that the tabling OF the
nj ty1ft mr. duo IN nrn
the subject-matter in 1t. but to the ne
cessity of Strengthening out and sepa-
rating distinctly the various problems
before the conference and to proceed
to their discussion in an orderly man.
ner.
Precisely So" remarked DIR. Shaw.
and representatives of the states were
called on to report progress in organ
izing by congressional districts as
part of the congressional committees
plan to influence Congress in this way.
Mrs. Pattie Ruffner Jacobs Of Birming-
ham. Ala. president Of the Equal Suf-
frage Association in that state. raised
a laugh when she said:
The attacks Of the congressional
union on the present congress have not
wiped out the democratic party in
Ala bama."
Among the state presidents In attend
ance at the first session were Mrs. ia
cobs. Mrs. Youmans. Grace Wilbur
Trout, Illinois: Rev. Mary Stafford. Flor
land; Miss Alice Stone Blackwell, Mas
sachusetts; Mrs. Andreas LELAND, Min
nesota; Miss Pauline V. Orr, Missis-
sippi; Mrs. Walter McNab Miller, Mis-
souri,: Mrs. Draper Smith, Nebraska: !:
Mrs. Upton. Mrs. James M. Mccormack.
Tennessee; Mrs. ]. Gale Ebert, West
Virginia.
Large Attendance From South.
The representation from the south
was unexpectedly large. while New
York and other eastern states, where
the women are fighting for the ballot,
sent restricted delegations. Mrs. James
Lees Laidlaw of New York, holding the
proxy of the president of the organiza-
tion in that state. explained that the
women were SO busy with campaign
work that they could not be spared.
I'VE women Of New York are leaving
no stone unturned to win in the next
state election" she said. I'VE are MAX
Ing the men sit up and notice u.s."
Suffrage on Political Map.
Mrs. Medill Mccormick reviewed tho
activities of the national congressional
committee Of the National American
Suffrage Association, Of which she is
chairman.
That suffrage has a place upon the
political map. and a national place of
considerable prominence, was demon
upon the Susan B. Anthony amend
ment and the size of that vote" said
Mrs. Mccormick, but by the action
of the rules committee in refusing to
report our measure until safely after
the election.
The vote itself. however. is the sig
nif,cant and Instructive thing for US.
The argument which defeated our
amendment was the states rights
argument Yet compare 1t with the vote
weeks before, and we find that seventy
two men who voted against us, voted
for the prohibition amendment, which
is a pronounced restriction of the So
s.They voted for the prohibition amend
ment because their states or districts
made organized demand that they do So
Vote Of Forty-Three Others.
"A little later forty three anti-suffrage
congressman voted against a child labor
bill-because the mill owners Of their
districts demanded that their property
interests be protected against ruthless
humanitarians, who would insure to
little children the rights Of their child
hood. But not one of these forty-three
voted against a national convict labor
bill in this Same congress--becauss
the labor organizations insisted that
free labor be protected against convict
labor.
"Now. It is true prohibitionists and
labor unions have votes and woman
sufYragists have none. But to some ex-
tent we suffragists can do what they
can do. We have believed in organ
lied congressional district campaigns
ever since our committee began its
work, and the vote in Congress last
winter proved tho value of our plan.
II also proved that we must have more
Of the same sort of thing-vigorous
congressional district campaigns and
close cooperation between the state
and federal suffrage workers"
DELEGATE ASSOCIATION
FOR WOMAN SUFFRAGE