The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-02-14
''WeIcOme With an AK" Only
Causes Her to Smile.
Congressional Union Repre-
sentative Still on Job.
SHE SAYS SHE'LL STAY, TOO
Howl of Women Enemies Isn't
a Bit DiscOuraging.
ssWhO Invited YOu?" She Comes
Back at Her Foe.

| Kansas hospitality! Huh! Pooh
pooh. If it is the kind that welcomes
people with an ax-the kind that
greeted the Congressional union-then
Miss Mabel Vernon isn't very wild
about it Yet she is here. And the
ladies of the National Suffrage asso-
citation can make the most of it.
! Almost from the hour she arrived
in Topeka, Miss Vernon, organizer for
the Congressional union, has been the
storm center of all the trouble of Kan
sas club women and suffrage work
ers. Is she dismayed2 Is she dis
coura ged? University students would
respond-but what's the use? Miss
Vernon and the Congressional union
have come to stay. So there. What
do you think about it?
J From a hundred sources Miss YER
non has been told that neither she nor
the Congressional union is needed in
Kansas. Mrs. Lucia o. Case and 9TH
er members of the National Suffrage
association have asked who invited
Miss Vernon to Kansas. ri
'sWho invited your" was the rel
sponse Miss Vernon hurled into thu
trenches of the enemy today. Then
Miss Vernon smiled the smile of
prfma donna who has triunphed be-
fore a SIS a seat audience and sat down
to enjoy life regardless of the jibes
and thrusts of Kansas club women.
For just a brief moment Miss Yer
non today barred her injured pride. She
admitted she was disappointed regard
ing the reception which Kansas Wo-
men had extended when she came to
this state to organize a branch of the
Congressional union.
who invited me to Kansas" she
repeated why, who invited you?"
That for Mrs. Case and the women
who oppose the congressional union.
Then with just the slightest display of
sarcasm and resentment:
1T seems quite ungracious when an
eastern woman comes to Kansas ask
ing for help for someone to rise up
and ask who invited her.
Just a few secords Miss Vernon
waited FOR the full effect of her re-
mark to soak Then:
Who invited me? Why, 1 liked
the looks of Kansas. Why shouldn't
1 come? Why shouldn't 1 stay? Have
we fight here? We certainly think
so. Merely because someone organ
lied something else, doesn't give them
the right to dictate what shall be
done. I presume if one of the political
parties had organized in Kansas in
advance of any other party, that all
others should stay out merely because
there was a political organization
here"
Here for Converts.
Maybe you don't get the full effect
of that. Miss Vernon wanted to
mako herself quite clear. She wanted
it understood that the new organ
ization didn't come in search of vic
Tins, it came to plead for converts.
I'VE didn't come to tell the women
of Kansas what to do or to help
them,' said the young women from
Delaware in her most soft and sooth-
ing tones. I'VE came to ask Kansas
women to help us. Kansas women are
in greater power than in other states.
We wanted their help, their co-opera-
ton, their assistance"
Possibly there was just the slightest
trace of a tear and burning resent
ment when Miss Vernon outlined her
mission III Kansas. But the war was
started 1t was not the shrewd, clever
and resourceful little woman from
Delaware who was to run for cover.
Would there be a fight concerning
the organization in Kansas? Miss Yer
non didn't know. Possibly there would
be a division of the women. Yet Miss
Vernon knew that something in the
constitution mentioned equal and in
inalienable rights. Surely that pro-
vision applied to the congressional
union. So the union has come to stay.
Here to Stay.
I'VE expect to organize in Kansas, "
continued Miss Vernon. ''They can't
stop our meeting. Many Kansas wom-
en- are interested in our work. They
want a Kansas branch of the congress
! Slonai union mere Iney want TO or
ganize-even with Delaware inter
loper.'
Would the union withdraw from the
state? Miss Vernon had heard moth
ing of such plan To the contrary, she
| thought the organization was growing
| and winning new converts.
Miss Vernon was asked if she had
seen the protest from seventy Kansas
women attacking the rights of the new
organization She had. But she didn.i
feel that it interfered with anyone's
rights No change would be made in
the original plans And thus the
Harding -Case-J Johnston organization
of course Miss Vernon didn't mention
a single name-may go to sleep to-
night with the firm assurance that the
| Delaware woman and the COMPRESSION
al union will be on the job tomorrow