The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-09-29
OFFICERS CHOSEN.
Kansas Branch WOman's Party
Gets Under Way.
Picket Delegates From WASH
ingtOn at Conference.
MISS VERNON EXPLAINS AIMS
Condemns Wilson for Holding
Up Suffrage.
Political Science Club Opposes
Party Policies.
MISS VERNON EXPLAINS AIMS

The Kansas branch of the National
Woman's Party held conference in
Topeka Friday afternoon and even
ing. and at the business session, elect
ed the following officers: Miss Aims
lee Anthony. state chairman; Mrs. A.
s. Burkhead. offWichita, first vice
chairman: Miss Maud Mary Kline, of
Topeka second vice chairman; Mrs.
j. d. Mcfarland, Topeka. third vice
chairman; Miss Alicia 3. McNaughton
of Leavenworth, fourth vice chairman;
Mrs. +. S. Pettyjohn, Topeka, fifth
vice chairman; Mrs. Cecil A. Porter
of Topeka. secretary and treasurer.
The rally of the forces of the Wo-
mans Party was conducted by group
of three women from Washington, d.
C, Miss Anne Martin, Miss Iris Cal
derhead and Miss Mabel Vernon A
meeting of Kansas women who are af-
filiated with the party or who desire
to unite with them. met at the Y. W.
C. A strengthened the organization
and elected officers for the coming
year.
A plan was made at the meeting to
put a Kansas women in the picket
which the party will keep before the
White House this winter.
Opposition in Session.
While the women of the Woman's
Party were laying their plans to push
thru congress the Susan B. Anthony
amendment, a local suffrage organiza-
ton known as the Shawnee County
Political Science club, was assembled
in the National hotel passing resolu-
lions, denouncing the Womans party
plan. commencing President Wilson
on his favorable words about female
suffrage. and disclaiming any SYM
pathy with the women who are going
10 Jail for the cause of the amendment.
In the evening a meeting was held
at Memorial hall for the public. Gov
ernor Arthur Capper made the open
ing address, speaking favorably of the
cause of equal suffrage, but rather
adroitly lodging the subject of the
picketing process.
Miss Anne Martin, legislative man
ager of the party, told of the work
that the women had been trying to do
in putting thru a federal amendment,
explaining also why it would be a
thoroly hopeless task to gain suffrage
state by state, on account of the diff
ficulties to be met in the constitu-
lions of some twenty states. She ex-
planned that it was quite within the
power of the president to have the
amendment passed, inasmuch as the
committee appointed the su bject
declared that they were waiting for
word from the president to report on
the bill, and the president continues
to withhold the request fer the re-
port.
Up TO the President.
Miss Martin declared that it was
clearly UP to the president, and that
for that reason the Woman's party
had been concentrating their efforts
in behalf of the amendment on the
chief executive. Wherefore, they had
esta blished a picket at the White
House, which was entirely within
their right, to keep the subject be-
fore his mind.
Miss Mabel Vernon, who originated
the idea of the picket and who main
tanned it thru the winter and sum
mer, spoke in it's defense She ex-
planned that nothing impertinent or
disloyal had been printed on any
banner, that the picket had never
broken single ordinance, and that
the women had been imprisoned on
trumpet up charge of obstructing
traffic, which they had never done
What we have DONE" Miss Vernon
said, lis to place before our presi-
dent his own words on the subject
OF democracy and self government
and have asked him to make the s11f-
frage amendment a war measure. We
nave done this in a perfectly lawful
manner. We have succeeded in maxi
ing the American people think on the
subject of suffrage, and that is what
We wanted to do"
After the speeches, the people in
the audience were asked to wire or
write to Washington a request for
the passage of the Susan b. Anthony
amendment