The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-06-05
UNION LABOR FOR
EQUAL SUFFRAGE
Eleventh Hour Claims of Ants In
This Movement Refuted by
Statements From Lead
ere of Labor.
SQUARE DEAL FOR THEM
This Is Urged by J. II. stref, Presi.
dent Iowa Assembly In Refut-
Ing HLekey's State
ments.
SQUARE DEAL FOR THEM

DIES MONIES. Ia, June 5.-Des
Moines and Iowa are all beng treated
to demonstration Of the eleventh
hour tactics that were used by the
opponents of woman suffrage during
the eastern cam paign. On Saturday
il Des Moines, posters and hand bills
appeared announcing that VIM. T.
Hickey, "An official of the Colorado
Federation of Labor" and fellow
worker with John R. Lawson" warned
the people of Iowa to vote against
woman suffrage on Monday.
Similar Warnings" have made
their appearance in other Iowa cities.
So that the people of Des Moines and
Iowa may not be mislead concerning
either Hickey's standing in labor
circles or the motives which have in
spired his Eleventh hour" warning.
the following facts are made public.
The known attitude of John r. Law
son on woman suffrage brought the
genuineness of the Hickey effort into
question the moment 1t materialized
in the eastern campaign.
Communication was at once estab-
lished between the National Woman
Suffrage association and the labor
leaders in Colorado, and it was proven
that when Hickey represented him.
self as spokesman for the Colorado
labor interests, he was unauthorized
to do So
Lawson In Hot Denial.
John R. Lawson, himself the leader
of the miners in their great struggle
in the Colorado coal field, wired the
National Suffrage leaders as follows:
October 16, 1915, National Ameri-
can Association. New York, N. Y.
when VIM. T. Hickey stated that
suffrage in Colorado was failure he
was not authorized to speak for me,
the state federation, nor the miners
organization. The eight-hour law
could not have been defeated by fac
tional fights of women in this state
for there were but two women in the
Legislature when the law failed of
passage.
Equal suffrage has always had my
hearty endorsement, and ] intend to
remain steadfastly in the ranks Of it's
advocates. l look upon it as one of
the means of solving the prime politi-
cal, social, Industrial and economical
problems confronting the American
people today"
John R. Lawson is international
representative for district No. Is of
the United Mine Workers of America.
Strict Refutes Hickey Statements.
President J. H. Strict of the Iowa
State Federation of Labor has re-
futed the Hickey staten ents as fol-
lows:
Sioux City. Ia, June l, 1916-The
American Federation of Labor for
years has been on record as endors-
ing woman suffrage, and still is, and
/ never heard Of the Colorado labor
movement officially taking contrary
position on that question.
Give Iowa women citizens square
deal. Watch your step next Monday"
The American Federation Of Labor,
the Iowa State Federation Of Labor,
the Des Moines Trades and Labor As
sembly, the Des Moines Labor league,
the Tri-City Labor Congress, the Du-
buque Labor Assembly, the Cedar
Rapids labor unions, District No. IL
United Mine Workers, and other Iowa
labor organizations have ondorscc
woman suffrage in this campaign.