Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-05-29
Ballots for Both
in The
Pine Tree State
MRS. Gait
PROTESTS AGAINST
MISSPAul'SP|CKETS

WASHINGTON. May 2o.-MrS. carrie
Chapman Gait, president of the Ma
pional American Woman Suffrage AS
ISOLATION, has today sent an open letter
to Miss Alice Paul, chairman of the
National Woman's Party. calling upon
the latter, in the interests of the suf-
frage cause, to remove the pickets from
the White House and the Capitol Re-
cent events have demonstrated beyond
dispute, Mrs. Gait declares, that the
picketing is harmful to the suffrage
movement. The National Suffrage AS
ISOLATION, which is the nationwide fed
GRAFTON of statewide leagues, totafng
100000 members. is and always has
been opposed to the picketing. The
picketing policy is carried on only by
the National Woman's Party, formerly
called the Congressional Union, which
is an entirely separate organization.
'The National American Woman
Suffrage Association feels deeply the
injustice of charging against the cause
as whole what is disapproved in the
conduct of small group of its advo-
Gates, writes Mrs. Gait. The picket
ing she characteriZes as AN unwar-
ranted discourtesy to the President,
and futile annoyance to members of
Congress"
Mrs. Cats protest is called forth at
this time by the recent statement of
Representative Harrison, of Mississippi
pl, member of the Rules Committee
The National Suffrage Association, of
which Mrs. Gait is president, is work.
ing for the adoption of suffrage com
mittee in the House. This Organization
secured the cooperation of Speaker
Clark, and President Wilson, at Mrs.
Cats request, wrote Chairman Pou of
the Rules Committee, stating that he
considers the creation of a committee
desirable at this session The Com
mittee granted hearing on the sub
Ject last Friday. Immediately after the
hearing Representative Harrison an
nounced that he would never vote to
create suffrage committee in the
House so long as any suffrage organi-
cation pickefed the White House or the
congressional buildings. He stated al
SO that other members of the Commit
tee stood with him on this.
Mrs. Cats letter to Miss Paul reads
as follows:
u;ou ", Washington, D. G., May q. 1917
Chairman National Womans Party.
Washington, y. c.
MY Dear Miss PAUL write you be-
cause | believe it to be my duty as
presldent OF the National American Wo-
man Suffrage Association and spokesman
for its 100000 members, to urge the Ma
tional Woman's Partv-the Congressional
Unlon-to withdraw its pickets stationed
al the White House and the Capitol
ask this in behalf of the great cause for
which all the suffragists are working.
The National American Woman Suf-
rage Association. as you know, has
always disagreed with your anti
rty-in-power" policy and has con-
sidered the picketing an unwarrant,
ed dlscourtesy to the President and
a futile annoyance to the members of
Congress. But whatever the difference of
opinion on these points has been in the
past, there is now clear proof that the
presence of the pickets is hurting our
cause in Congress.
The Rules Committee has before il =
resolution for the creation of a standing
committee on woman suffrage in the
House. The National American Woman
Suffrage Association has been working
for this resolution and has obtained the
cooperation of Speaker Clark and a
statement from the President that he
considers the creation OF such a commit
tee desirable at this session We believe
that the securing of this piece of machin-
cry would materially advance the suf-
rage amendment in the House, and the
presence of your speakers at the recent
bearing before the Rules Committee indi-
Gates that your are of the same opinion
Representative Harrison, a member of
this committee. although he has ex-
pressed himself as not opposed to the
creation Of suffrage committee. has
nevertheless issued q statement declaring
that he will never vote for it so long as
any suffrage organization continues the
practice of picketing the White House
and the Congressional buildings. This is
specific instance of a feeling which is
known to be shared by representatives of
both parties on the Rules Committee
The National American Woman Suf-
frage Association feels deeply the injus-
tice of charging against the cause as a
whole what is disapproved in the conduct
of small group of the advocates of that
cause. But the fact remains that the
picketing has aroused serious anita gonism
F. the sake Of political freedom of WON
en-, and our hope of success in this coun-
try in the near future, ] urge Iou as
head of your organization. TO make
our progress easier by removing your
pickets. and with them a cause of
hostility in the minds Of people who
would otherwise be friends of the suf-
frage movement.
Very truly yours
(signed) CARRIE CHAPMAN Gait,
President.