New-York tribune., 1918-02-24
Many Women
Fail to Register
For First Ballot
Sufragists Disappointed at
the Total for Congress
Elections

1t was a fine day for babies and vot
ers. The women voters of New York
City took advantage of the sunny after
noon to register at the district polling
places for the special elections for
members of Congress on March S.
The numbers were disappointment
TO suffrage leaders, who expected most
Of the new voters to grasp the first op-
portunlty to exercise their franchise,
but the total was just about what the
wise men district leaders had expected.
Twenty per cent will be big reg
lstration," said William B. Seldom, dep
uty county clerk and Democratic cap
tain in the 18th Assembly District.
| eve had four hundred men voters in
this precinct at the last election. and
II we get seventy-tive or a hundred
women now, III be satisfied"
Go-Carts at Barber Shops
More than one tired business man,
approaching his barber shop polling
sight of four or five baby carriages
moored there, where never woman tar
ried before. The few men who did dive
past the baby carriage fleet ran the risk
of having their throats cut in the proc
ess of shaving as photographers let off
their flashlights at the mothers bend
ing over the registration books. There
was rush of business during the
morning marketing hours, and again in
the evening, as husbands and wives
started for the movies.
Miss Adeline Sterling, secretary Of
the Woman Suffrage party, was ap-
pointed as The first woman inspector of
elections by John H. O'Connell, Demo-
cratic leader of the 18th Assembly Dis
trlct. She took her seat in the barber
shop at 1855 Broadway soon after 8
o'clock yesterday morning, and was on
the job until 10 o'clock at night.
The first woman IN all New York to
register yesterday was Mrs. Joseph S.
Byrnc, mother of six children, who had
them all up and breakfasted by half
past SIX in. the morning, so that she
could register when the polls opencd.
She registered in the 18th Election Dis
trict of the I'd Assembly District.
Oldest Woman Voter 1o2
The oldest woman voter was Mrs
Sarah Gold, age 1o2 years, of II Stagg
Street, Brooklyn, who walked into the
registration place at "A Schocs Street
with her daughter, Mrs. Rose Morko-
wltz. Jacob Blum; chairman of the
board, was surprised when she gave
her age. "You don't look day over
sixty, Mrs. Gold" he said.
The sufFragists were disappointed at
the results, for they made a great ef
fort to get the women out. Even thew,
however, had had only about a week to
work IN, and had to work against the
general indifference of the public to
these special elections They had dis
tributed dodgers calling the attention
of the women voters to the election.
and had held special rallies in each of
the four districts.
Inc polltica! parties had made al
most no effort to get out the woman
vote, because they had no way of tell
ing now 1T would go.
Miss Hay Optimistic
Miss Mary Garrett Hay, chairman Of
ne p" oman suffrage party for the City
OF Ne" York, was frankly disappointed.
eonsldering the shortness of the
timc we had to prepare" she said. "thc
Jack of great issues, the dearth Of nuh-
licity and the newness of the idea
% %ieel shat the women have done verv
wen Tor the first time. New York Civ
women nave made good start IN tho
rSerHlse uS,,;; Of their newly won political
NJ Mrs Charles Tiffany, chairman Of
,"ainaeean mas Borough for the suffragists.
the death knell' of the woman,s mao VIZ
Joke that she had no tears for ~, ~ =
registration. ~ '''c small
~ ~ ms ought to teach people at las+
;na' women are not so silly about telI0
ing thelr ages as the funny nanrrs w.,
tb, ~ MAKE out she said. an all thesc
ttnouS"nns taor OF registrations there have
tbei ,een only few who objected to telllnr
Iielr exact age to the inspectors
don't believe women are anv morn fo,,,
ish ABOUT this than men are,
~ A0 the registration place at eeAA
broadway the inspectors chucllod 81
gay over the story of woman Who
nad bounced out of the store when thc
clerk ar..: wanted to repeat her age aloud.
Nant you whisper it?' she asked.
NO. madam. We have to repeat it
loud enough for the other inspectors
to hear 1t and write it down in their
books" ''' ''e'i
The woman shot one look over her
shoulder at the waiting line of listen.
ing women and then she turned her
back on the privilege of the franchise.
Miss Estelle' Wald paid the penalty
for being the first person to register
IN the 9th Election District Of the
2lst Assembly District She was in
formed by one of the ISLANDERS by thnt
1t was custom for the first voter
to buy cigars for ali the election
clerks. Nothing daunted. Miss Wald
hurried out and came back presently
with 10 cent ones for the whole board
Women are game for all these little
CUSTOMS" she said