Evening journal., 1916-08-03
THE WOMAN'S PARTY
Interesting by A. Beard
New Republic.


twice saved this nation from going 10
pieces-stultifies itself by sacrificing
justice on the altar of the Democra-
tic superstition which twice almost
destroyed the nation states rights.
lnasmuch as this conclusion Is not
final but temporary. II Is cOmical.
The conclusion is subject 10 revision.
The Republican party Is the party Of
such natiOnalism as we now have and
II cannot carry that natiOnalsm TO
triumph without the West Every
other successful Republican candi-
date since the foundation Of the par
~. except Mr.. Roosevelt. who got into
power through the assassination of a
Western President. has been a West
ern man. Lincoln Grant, Hayes.
Garfield, Harrison. Mckinley. we're
all Western men. The one Eastern
candidate whom the Republican party
deiibcrally nominated previous TO
Mr.. Hughes, James G. Blaine. was de-
feated. The Republicans now inform
tho Western women that equal suf-
frage is just. but that respect for a
discredited Democratic shibboleth
which cost this country the blood of
million sons and the sacrifices of
million women prevents the party
from doing Justice. or course this
will be sufficient for some women yOt-
eIs. but it will not be sufficient for
that marginal minority of women
voters. grounded in the principles OF
the Congressional Union. who will
decide the day. Moreover, how are
the Eastern Republican leaders goine
to meet the demand of the Eastern
women for State legislative action
granting Presidential suffrage? Are
they going to say: "Oh, come now
you know that platform plank was
not our honest opinion. but designed
TO catch votes in the present suffrage
States?" Surely they would not
want teachers OF Government and
politics in our schools and colleges
whom they call upon to uphold Amer
lean institutions. to be forced to re-
cord that wise, honorable. and re-
spOnsible gentlemen, in whose keep
] ing the fortunes of our beloved cOun-
try arc so largely cast, have resorteC
to immoral subterfuges for temporary
gain. We are rightly told by Mr.
Hughes himself that the absence Of
conviction is a mortal sin for college
students.
And what OF the Democrats, The
party of Jefferson. the party OF equa
rights to all and special privileges Il
none. the party that has writer
consent of the governed" into the
political doctrines Of this nation? Mr.
! Wilson, its spokesman. has made
much of the platform Of 1912. He in
formed the women at Washington il
! 1914 that he could not help them be
cause Mr.. Bryan had not thought Of
them during the hot days at Balti
more. He was scrupulOusly precise
in stating that his party had no
/ spoken at his nomination in favor O
woman suffrage. In 1916 Mr.. Wilson
wrote his own platform and by his owl
deliperate act prevented his party from
going on record in favor OF a ma
] tional amendment. With a blanc
smile upon his countenance, he nov
tells the women that he must still
abide by the dictates of his party. T,
! the Congressional Union this is worse
l liltth ny pDNi icgf 'NultllIillult ny pui
risy. The President seeks to degrade
the members OF the Union in theii
own eyes by assuming that they can
not see through this painfully obvious
and clumsy bit of political legerde.
main. The Congressional Union will
inform the Western women that Mr.
Wilson believes in woman suffrage
in New Jersey-enough TO ask for their
votes, but not enough TO stand aside
and permit his own party to endorse
the national cause. On this "thrickS
politician" the Union leaders declare
I'VE will wage relentless war-.war
until enough Of the enfranchised wo.
men are cOncisely modified to make
the return of such a leader and such