New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-13
Women to Avoid
Party Links Until
They Study Issue
Suffrage Leaders Adopt
Policy of Shyness Toward
Vote-Wooing Politicians
By BRIGGS

Political leaders who are counting the
favor of the newly enfranchised women
Of New York will find their attentions
politely but definitely refused by the
suffrage leaders of the city.
This fact was made pain at meet
ing of hundreds OF members OF the
New York City Woman Suffrage party
yesterday morning, when the organiza-
tion went on record as in favor Of
keeping the party intact for the present
and Of following a strictly bipartisan
policy. Officers, leaders and captains
pledged themselves at this meeting not
to ally with any political party for the
present
After passing a resolution to the
effect that the Organization shall de-
vote its best energies to enable all
women to obtain the civic and political
knowledge necessary 10 good citizen
ship" the borough chairmen, leaders
and workers all expressed themselves
as favoring political education for
women voters before they rush into
membership in political parties.
To this end the headquarters Of the
city party will establish normal
course for new voters. in which civil
government will be taught and the
policies of all the political parties re-
viewed. Experts will be engaged TO do
the teaching and leaders of the suffrage
party will later establish branches of
the school in their own districts. Bu-
reaus of political education will be set
up all over the city.
The party voted to support the Fed
eial amendment along the "quiet. dig
nihed, educational lines followed By
the National American Woman Suf-
itrage Association until the amendment
Is passed by Congress-" and pledged
Itself TO effective war service and TO
support the government in every way
possible as patriotic and loyal citizens"
Miss Mary Garrett Hay. chairman OF
the City party. addressed the meeting
outllnlng the immediate aims of the
organization.
THE newly enfranchsed women Of
New York City are being watched BIZ
the world" said Miss Hay. For this
reason our women must not make mis-
takes. Their actions will hurt or help
not only the cause of woman suffrage
throughout the United States, but the
woman movement throughout the civil
llzed world. We must take our steps
slowly and after careful deliberation.
and we VIII advise all our voting
sisters outside of our organizations TO
be conservative and wary.
The members of the New York
Woman Suffrage party feel that we
owe our victory not TO any one politi-
cal party, but TO all of them. Our
organization won for US, organization
that took eight years Of hard. unre-
hitting work. Upon US great re
sponsibility has fallen. We must help
not only our own members. but all the
women IN the city, to become ntell-
gent. good citizens
AT present 1t is absolutely rec
essary TO be non-partisan until we
have cerefully weighed every phase
Of political policy and procedure
until we have studied and thought and
come TO right decisions. We must keep
the women of New York from being
exploited. We must live I'M 70 the
ideals we have preached. We must not
rush headlong into all expression of
our opinions on party policies.
We are not concerned al present
with any question save that Of remain
ing cool and deliberate and Of learning
all we can. One thing We shall try 70
do in New York and that is TO support
any movement, measure or man that
Is good for our government and city
irrespective of what party is behind
him"