New Britain herald., 1917-08-29
G0MPERS F0RESEES
Votes FOR WOMEN
Writes Saratoga Conference SUI
frage Is Coming in All States

Saratoga, N. Y, Aug. 29.-1n a
statement predicting that women are
going to have the ballot sin New York
and all the States" Samuel Gompers.
president Of the American Federation
Of Labor, urged the delegates attend
ing the suffrage conference of the
New York State Woman Suffrage
Party not to confuse 1.-The relations
between suffrage and industrial bet
terment.'
1T is a matter Of justice that there
should be equal pay for equal work,
Mr.. Gompers said in his statement
which was read to the conference to-
day by Miss Mary Dreier, chairman
of the Industrial section. 1.-The ballot
will help but will not necessarily
bring this about It will result only
from the intelligent self-interested
activity on the part of the women.
THE right to vote does not mean
that women will necessarily have
work. These industrial problems
will work out through organization
when they have industrial power and
influence that will ena BILE them to Sc
cure higher wages, shorter hours and
better working conditions"
Mr.. Gompers said that because
women have been denied the right to
political influence, the struggle of
women wage learners for industrial
betterment and industrial freedom
has been made harder than that of
men.
Industrial freedom will be
achieved" he added, when wage
an
hands the right and the power to
participate in determining the condi-
tons under which they shall work and
the wages they will receive They
can delegate this power and respon-
sib1ltty to no outside authority If
they wish industrial freedom. Pro-
lection and regulation may offer i'm
relief-but they are not free
DOM"
More Than 9OO, 900 Enrolled.
Although the entry of the United
States into the war compelled the
woman sucrage workers Of New York
state TO abandon elaborate campaign !
plans - induce the men voters to |
adopt the proposed constitutional
equal suffrage amendment at the cleo
lions in November next, more than |
"oo'ooo "OAAACu OVSI a years OI age !
have been enrolled as suffragists, it
was announced today by Mrs. Norman
De R. Whitehouse, chairman of the
New York State Woman Suffrage
Party, which is in conference here, |
This is larger enrolled member
ship than either the republican or
dem ocratic parties of New York
state can boast" she said, addressing
the conference. .
AS high as IS per cent. of the
women reached by campaigners in
every part Of the state want to vote,
Mrs Whitehouse declared, declaring
this was an indication "of recent gen
eral change in public sentiment"
This change of sentime nt, the chair |
man asserted, has been greatly ac-
CELEBRATED during the current year by |
the recognition of the war services of |
women in the allied countries, and by
the granting of women suffrage in
Russia and Canada and by the steps
Great Britain has taken to enfranchise
British women
Mrs. Whitehouse, telling how the
war had interfered with the cam
paign plans, declared that 1--WE have
put government work first and suf-
frage work second" She alluded to
what women accomplished during the
early days of the war on behalf of the
state military census, home defense,
the Red Cross, canning, food conserva-
ton and the Liberty Loan-labors
which made necessary the abandon
ment Of a voters canvass, street meet
ings, r@otor tours, parades and page
ants, and raising Of money, through
out the state.
Must Be a Campaign.
Because of all this war work, which
continues, many persons have thought
the suffragists should not make a CAM
paign, Mrs. Whitehouse said, adding:
"They do not realize that once the
legislature DEGREES that question is to
be voted upon, it becomes the prop
erty of the voters and must be decided
upon by them; that there is no con-
stitutional means Of postponing or
abandoning such a decision"
Mrs Whitehouse believed the suffra-
gists enter on their state campaign
with unprecedented support EVERY
political party has endorsed the prin-
ciple of suffrage" she said THE re-
publican and democratic parties have
declared for it by way of state action.
We count on the support Of the FEEDER
alton of Labor and ON the support of
the Oranges. Many church confer
ences each representing numerous al
lied churches, have endorsed suffrage.
The president, the governor, 4S
mayors Of the state out Of 81, and
-fifths of the editors of the state.
are supporters Of our campaign The
chairman concluded:
1--WE have a wonderful and UMPIRE
cedented opportunity to win tho most
difficult and most decisive suffrage
victory ever planned. To take advan-
tage of that opportunity will mean
courage on our part, courage for each
woman to do the work not only of to-