Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-06
WOMEN'S VOTES OPPOSE
PARTY STRIFE

TT IS humiliating for women Of Philadel
4 - phia to read today Of the participation
of their sisters only ninety miles away in
an election of national and even interna.
tional interest By.elections are infre
8Qnent Il. nations at war, yet they are about
tho onl.- sure sign that the voters can give
~ their sustained rejection of socialistic-
pacinstic hair.splittlng. And. IL the cleo.
tion Of four Congressman had taken place
IN this city instead of in New York. there
would have been no way of learning what
Golemn verdict the women of Philadelphia
might have wished t. record.
n There have been no general elections of
any Importance in the countries now ac-
lively engaged In war since that of Novem-
J bor, 1916. in which. ii is generally believed.
women voters of the West cast the decid.
ing ballots for Wilson and a policy of mo
war unless absolutely unavoidable" They
voted In New York congressional elections
yesterday to stand by Wilson" Women
always will vote against avoidable strife.
More than that. they will vote against
party strife. against factional strife.
sagainst underhanded political strife,
against any form of unmanly strife.
Women see to 1t that there is as little strife
as possible in the household, and It is but
natural that their voice is ever raised for
= peaceful discussion of important issues,
for decisions to be made by deliberate ad-
5ustmsnt Of conflicting interests and
Z seatnst the regimentation Of hordes OF pre-.
3n0iesd voters unwilling or unable to think
n themselves. Our armies of Republicans
Z and Democrats are entirely too much like
\ xool armies; there is entirely too much
eli1len partisanshp. with men swearing by
party slogans they do not understand, slo-
gnns that sometimes are actually fifty
.years behind the times. Once the Repub-
Ncan and Democratic parties fought n war
TINT lasted four years. and great many
of thei members still vote the way they
fought.
In his Farewell Address, Washington
ehcwed that he saw clearly the intimate
ccunsction between party strife and war
asd revolution. The spirit of Party" he
said, has its root "in the strongest passions
OF the human mind The alternate
domination of one faction over another.
a,sfpened by the spirit of revenge, nat
la,ral to party dssenslon. which in differ
mt ages and countries has perpetrated
IN most horrid enormties is itself a
f1shtfui despotism 1t serves
& always to distract the public councils and
~ Soble the public administration. II agi-
49, the community with il-founded jeal-
Ho6los and false alarms, kindles the ami
H3onity of one part against the other TO-
i;1noutn occasionally riot and insurrection.
1t opens the door to foreign
4 3once and corruption" Party spirit,
%1a16 Washington, is "a fire not to be
o0onched 1t demands uniform vigilance
10 prevent its bursting into flame lest
1nptsed Of warming, 1t should consume"
We are calling into the councils of the
y nation the women voters to keep "a uni
form vigilance over our militant party
man. TO prevent them from engaging in
T>lEh Ward riots and socialistic and capi-
<n11o1c Inflammation, leading to the insur-
T1q<jons which great strikes sometimes
\. 6nncunt to. There is a new party-the
i lopartisan party. and women are in it.
n new party will insist that reason and
=, shall guide our councils and not
slow use Of screaming party slogans,
"a to appeal to mems baser passions
5otistic precQnceptions.
~ entrance of women into politics
e that politics is now destined to make
IA warlike movements impossible. 1t
+ W woman and queen who rules at
Engue. and the woman's capital is to
capital OF the world.