Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-06-05
PLATFORM OF NEW WOMAN's PARTY
ny FREDERIC }. HASH,


WASHINGTON. June 4-Thc call to
Woman's Party Convention. to bo
, noid IN Chicago at the same time that
INC republican and Progressive mar
TIES are holding their conventions in
lhal city, has gone ont to over 100000
, Mor'en o. every State in tho Union.
ihlt inc new party Is to be n regularly
organized ono along recognized polit-
icai lines. seems accepted fact
over 10000 women arc expected TO
answer the call. Chicago will be
hiied during that week. not only with
progressive party conventions. but
win women. organized for the first
time in the history of the nation for
concerted political action.
Ihe platform of this new party is
simple, having only one plank-Na-
tional Woman Suffrage to be written
into the Constitution of tho United
states The party, 1t is announced, will
work independently Of all other polit-
zeal organizations. and it's only aim
VIII be TO secure tho immediate pas
sage of the Susan b. Anthony amend
mcnt
Inc suffraEists who are working for
inns convention arc proposing to form
an independent party of women voters
IRON the Western States, TO support
the plea of Eastern women for politi-
cal acknowledgements. They propose to
/ DO this by utilizing the vote of the
western women for the good of the
women in the East. They are attempt
ing to obtain the solidarity Of the labor
vote, which by It's support or nom
support of cithor political party wins
legislation for tho good OF labor
twenty three prominent women from
the East made Il tour OF the continent
n short time ago. to act as hcralds OF
the convention, and 10 win Western
women to unite with them in their de-
&c
movement has spread widely through
the West was stated by a California
woman n short while ago. and this
would appear TO be true from the
number of Western women answering
the call 10 the convention In Chicago.
To Hold Regular Conventions.
The women who are organizing the
womens party have announced that
their hats are in the ring" They are
to have a regular political convention
on the same days the Republican and
Progressive parties have theirs, in the
same place. This. the leaders declare.
indicates no cohesion with tho Rcpub-
lican and Progressive parties. but an
entirely independent party OF women
voters. organized along recognized
lines. for the purpose OF working more
intellgently and unitedly for the en-
franchisement of American women.
Tho new Liberty Gage hat of the
womnn's party is being worn extern
sivcly by pretty girls and women in
New York. New Jersey, the District of
Columbia, and elsewhere. preparatory
to the flooding OF Chicago with the
hats and their wcarers during the week
OF June .. Many OF these hats will
probably be kept as heirlooms by their
owners. and handed down to future
generations as mementocs Of the ini-
tial entrance of women into the nations
politics.
Chicago girls have volunteered to
act as newsies during the convention,
and many of them are now to be seen
on the corners OF principal business
streets, selling suffrage paRers, and
distributing programs ofsthe conven-
ton.
Tho fact that 4.O00.O 900 women will
be able to cast their votes for Presi-
dent OF the United States through their
eector:; next November gives the
wonan's party real political import
ancc. The women claim that one-fifth
Of the electoral vote, and one-third of
tho vote necessary to elect the next
President of the United States comes
from states where women vote on the
same terms as men, and that IL they
can bring even small proportion OF
these votes TO the support of the suff-
rage amendment, no political party VIII
be strong enough TO Withstand them.
Women do vote for President in
twelve States, and these states control
0llc-nltn OIL the elcClOTdl COllcBe, ana
cast one-third Of the vote necessary
10 elect Il President. In the past five
presidential elections not one of these
twelve States has gone steadily for
any one party. Women vote equally
with mon in eleven States for members
of both houses Of Congress. Twenty
two Senators and forty members of the
House of Representatives come from
these States where women vote.
In all the presidential elections since
1896, in these States where women
vote, the average change OF votes
necessary to turn an election over to
the other party has been per cent
Of the total vote cast. Since 1896 six
Congressional elections have been car
rled by majority of less than so
votes. IS by majority of less than
| 500. 1t by majority of between 500
and 900. In 223 Of these 30l elections
| less than 10 per cont of the total vote
! cast would havo suiliced to change the
| result.
! So the women believe hat their
! new party will be n deciding factor in
! the election in many states. They
! claim the power to make or break Il
| party. and this power they will use to
| compel Legislation granting them the
| vote.
| only the voting women from, the
West will be allowed to vote at the
| womans party convention in Chicago
| but all States are being urged to send
| as large a delegation as possible to
! assist in the work of the convention.
! Kansas will send 500 delegates. Cali
. fornia 200, and other States in pro-
! portion.
| The Western women are interested
| in tho question of national suffrage
! for all tho women of the United
| states on equal terms with men, for
| practical rs we'll as a1truistic reasons
| Congress decides upon issues of vital
| Importance to tho women of the West,
I such as the woman homesteaders
| act, the married womans citizenship
| act, and so forth, and Congress cannot
| be brought to the womans point Of
view on these questions which belong
| peculiarly to women until the women
/ OF the nation arc enfranchised and are
able to make thcir voice heard on ma