Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-05-30
0FFRAGISTS GOOD
SPORTS; TO FIGHT ON
Nav Not Be Good Losers" Ac.
cording to Some Codes, But
\ Are Game"
By MARY ELAND
= -,,,.,,ve observer. Pennsylvania Woman suf.
tetNi frage Association

NetN frage Association
HARRISBURG, May 30.
4. snortsman, or good loser" from the
..r,an's viewpoint is one who fights and
s.,t.-when fighting for right-despite all
"a and who when the fight seems futile
s.n,s because Of the fight itself-knowing
.,ne. sometimes a long, long time, must
bring victory
snortsman and good loser" from the
tssIsiative mans viewpoint, ! take it from
sst is said. is one who when defeated
W. even IL unfairly, ceases fighting
!, has been reported to me that the on
..n.nts Of woman suffrage in the House
', representatives have declared that
wonen are hard losers" that they are
,noor sports" Both these things hope we
.re ~ being them means IT carries convic-
son that we will not have done until we
have won. If it does convince them the
legislative gentlemen will have the correct
conception of the fighting qualities Of
women
POLITICS" VS.. FAIR PLAY
have endeavored to get the man-angle
upon the subject of fghting and ! have not
been able to find a single person who does
not agree with women that the method Of
killing the previous woman suffrage bill
was poor craftsmanship.
But" it usually is added, lit was
politics ="
have asked If craftsmanship is not
based upon fair play--if opponents are not
supposed to have the same weapons, the
tame treatment.
Some say your mistake is that you do not
defeat your opponents at the polls and I
ask with what weapons, when the oppo-
nents will not enable us to go to the polls,
Some say you should treat your oppo-
nents gently, for some Of them will be back
At the next session of the Legislature.
So at last ] get a glimmer--beat them al
the polls where we have no vote. but treat
them gently while they are in the LeEisla-
ture, because they VIII be back. Ihat seems
10 be the answer.
I ask If It was good sportsmanship to
Introduce a bill asking suffrage limited to
voting for presidential electors after defeat
OF our previous measure. And ! am told
that was good tactics but that it was no
use writing to the members of the House
analyzing their previous vote
SO have another gimmer-take your
beating because you are not to he given
fair treatment. but say nothing to those who
killed your previous bill unfairly, because
they will not treat your next bill nicely
And suppose that is why under its code
az craftsmanship the committee to which
our hill was referred reported It negatively,
because II was not good sportsmanship to
send Il TO the floor of the House, there to
be fought in the open.
There must be several brands of sports
manshp from the ineXpicable man-angle
for Isadore stern was quoted as having
said that he did not approve killing IN
private" but thought the bill should nave
been reported to the House, where II couid
have been fought openly,
MS all very, very plain. To be a good
sportsman in the eyes of legislative oppon-
ants is 10 do as your opponents desire but
laafa
eyen when they find no one to approve their
tactics.
No one has told me yet, although | have
asked all those who commented, that any
group that has been before the present
House with progressive legislation mas re-
ceived sportsmanlike treatment am, anu
everyone says that there is no 'chance'
that the present House will grant women
ANYTHING that looks like suffrage-or pass
any progressive legislation for that matter
DEFINE GAMES
From what I have heard Of games" it
seems that persons who risk their own are
given cards or weapons with which TO pro-
tect what is theirs and secure as much as
possible of that risked by their opponents
In the legislative game, II seems 10 me
that legislative men demand that women
sit in four games, twice in the House OF
Representatives in successive sessions, twice
In the Senate and a fifth time at the polls
where they are not permitted to have any
man-weapons to fight with and must deteat
those who have cards five times before they
secure cards with which to play those VINO
have had cards, or rather ballots all the
time
We were in the House of Representatives
Monday night asking that the House as
whole place our presidential woman su1rage
bill on the calendar Notwithstanding the
negative report by Mr.. Sterns committee
We failed, and wrote in advance letter
70 the Speaker of the House which showed
we knew where the cards We're
/ wish our bill had been one asking the
Legislature to prohibit the growing or any
save blue apples. or to prohibit the birds
from mating without special license 10 pe
issued through a bureau to he established
with many positions, OF course, the apples
would continue to ripen to their usual colors
and the birds would not annoy the bureau
established, but l venture TO say such pliis
would have found high favor