The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1916-08-04
Emergeney-called Convention
Booked for September
WORRY FOR POLITICIANS
Mrs. Carrie Chapman Gait Tells
Of the Aims and Objects
Sought
UNITED Press Dispatch.J

Atlantic City, N. j., August q
to the ground in anticipation of the
emergency called convention of the
National American Women Suffrage
association which opens here Septem-
Der 6. This was shown by letters and
kilograms pouring in on suffrage
leaders here today.
With the leaders of the women's
forces determined to follow up the
victories gained at the democratic and
republican national conventions, the
action to be taken by the delegates
here promises to hold as much inter-
est for the political wiseacres as the
Maine elections.
MOreoyerthiS interest is being slim
ulated by the air of mystery which
hovers over the suffrage convention,
as comparatively little news has leak
ed out to date concerning either the
program or the plans of the leaders.
Nor will the women at the head of
the movement relieve the anxiety of
the watchful political walters with
any advance information ON the sub
ject.
Why Convention Was Called.
1--WE have called the convention so
that every phase of every subject which
concerns our cause, our policies and
our organization may properly be con-
sidered," said Mrs. Carrie Chapman
Gait, president of the National Ameri-
can Woman Suffrage association, when
interviewed here today.
"But what action are you going to
take?" demanded the interviewer
THAT will be for the convention to
decide" was the smiling reply you
may state however, that no voice will
be silenced and no opinion suppress
ed" Further than that Mrs. Gait
would say nothing.
Sixty-seven state suffrage organi-
cations, covering every state in the
union, are affiliated with the national
suffrage association and will be re-
presented at the convention, which
will extend from September to 10.
Altogether, more than a thousand
of the most representative women of
the country will be in attendance.
Although the official program has
not yet been made public, it is known
that three sided debate between
the supporters of state action, federal
action and those who believe in both,
will be one of the big features of the
convention
FEELING in the South,
In the south the feeling is said to
be strong against the national suffrage
association abandoning any policy that
would lead to a straight fight for fed
eral suffrage amendment.
In other sections of the country,
however, notably in those states where
amendments to the state constitu-
lions take years of work and are re-
garded as practically impossible, the
sentiment is reported to be equally
strong for the abandonment of state
campaigns and concentration of the
nationals machinery for a drive on
congress.
Both of these factions will be well
represented at the convention, as well
as those suffragists who believe in a
continuation of the policy of combined
federal and state action, which has
won twelve states for suffrage and
converted millions of voters to believe
in it all over the nation.
The clash between these factions
will be watched with interest by the
politicians, bcause the outcome may
have a decided effect upon the fall
campaigns of both the leading parties.