New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-11
Contest for President Of
General Federation Thus
Complicated.
CONGRESSIONAL UNION
BACKS CALIFORNIAN
Mrs. Belmont's Garden Party
Considered a Shrewd
Political Move.

Enter the woman voter as a compli-
eating element in the election of the
next president of the General Fedora.
ton of Women's Clubs. There will be
two thousand delegates to the BIZ
ennisl convention, which opens at the
Hotel Aston on May %, and there was
already promise OF lively contest for
the highest honor in the gift of the
clubwomen of America, when yesterday
it was rumored in clubdom that the
woman voter was about to become an
Issue.
Mrs. Josiah Evans Cowles, Of Los
Angeles, is the candidate of the voting
women of the West. Mrs. Samuel b..
Sheath, of Tiffn, Ohio, represents the
would-be voters of the East Mrs.
Sheath is a suffragist, of course no
one would expect to head the club
women who was not an ayowed believ-
err in the cause-but she is likely to
face the united women voters of the
West and also the very active opposi-
ton Of those militant friends of he
women voters, the Congressional
Union.
The fine hand of the Congressional
Union was seen yesterday in the an
nouncement that the delegates to the
convention had been invited to a gar
den party and outdoor play on the
estate of Mrs. Coleman du Point, al
Great Neck. Mrs. o. II. p. Belmont 10
the hostess. but the invitations are sent
out in the name of the Congressional
| Union. Miss Margaret Wilson, daugh-
| ter Of President Wilson, will be one
| of the patronesses. Mrs. Charles ).
Whitman, Mrs. Theodore Hayemeyer,
| Mrs. j. Borden Hartman and Mrs.
Leonard Thomas are other prominent
women who will assist Mrs. Belmont
in receiving. Mrs. Belmont has char
tered the steamer Mandalay to convey
her guests to Great Neck.
Thousands of delegates from the
| West have already wired their accept
ance Of the invitation TO this AFFAIR,
quite ignorant, it is believed, of lis
political Significance. Suffrage is taboo
! in the convention programme, and Mrs.
| Belmont went ahead with her garden
party plans without the knowledge or
consent OF the convention committee
! When asked few days ago about :he
affair, Mrs. Thomas j. Vivian, of the
convention committee, said that she
had not heard of it and that it had
nothing to DO with the convention.
Mrs. Cowles's candidacy has strong
backing in New York in committee
headed by Mrs. f. G.. Dennison and
Mrs. Lily +. G. Hubert. Mrs. Sheath
on the other hand, has the backing OF
the administration and the strong New
York machine" 1t was said yester-
day by nti-Congressional members
that there would not be large attend
ance at Mrs. Belmont's Great Neck
party, because many delegates had ar
ranged to attend Baseball Suffrage Day
| of the Woman Suffrage party at the
| Polo Grounds on the same afternoon,
June 8.
There will be excursions to the
/ Rockefeller estate. at Tarrytown, aud
to Thomas Edison's home, in West
| Orange, as well as countless entertain
ments and sightseeing trips for the
delegates in New York City. The con-
ferences of the convention will be held
at the Hotel Aston and the large meet
ings at the 7th Regiment armory. Mrs.
William Grant Brown is the chairman
of the committee of arrangements,
with headquarters at the Hotel Aston.