The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-11-15
WOMEN LIKE VOTING
so THEY OVERDO IT
Club Federation Convention
Members Incorporate
With Ballots.
MRS. HEWITT REELECTED
Slight to Mrs. AL Smith Duo
to Problem Rising Out
of Recount.


twenty fourth annual convention Of the
New York State FEDERATION OF women'e
Clubs was proceeding TRANQUILITY in the
grand ballroom Of tho Hotel Astor yea
terday and Miss Mary Garrett Hay VISA
Just telling her sister delegates Of thc
sacred responsibilities which lay in thei"
hands as q great body Of new voters IT
the great Empire State when an exci,od
woman burst into the room from tho
small apartment across the oorrtdor
where the election of officers OF tn
Fed" for the coming year was betns
conducted. The excited woman wits
pered in the ear Of the president Mrs.
George D. Hewitt who paled visibly
and dropped her gavel with a lou
thump.
Well. Il was very sad, but the trutf
had to be told. Halungly Mrs Hewitt
revealed It. Tho ballots SO far cast wero
illegal Instructions which should hav,
been printed across their top telling eacl.
woman to vote for only one director. L
director In her own district, were no
absolutely without restrast for all the
directors In sight Mrs. William To-
Helmuth, honorary president Of tho
Fed" an ardent suffragist oonfesset
that the pleasure Of voting so Intrigue
her that she made a Cross opposite u"
name Of every nominee for director arc
never stopped 10 think whether II wa
for her district or not.
What to Do AnyhowS
The programme went by tho boa7l
while everybody talked at once abou:
what ought to be done. Loud cals
of Bring In the ballot boxes!' won tn
day. and Miss Mary Garrett Hay. Mis-
Mary Wood and Mrs Elmer Blair, a
inspectors Of election. marched out anc
bore in the box-slowly and solemnly
as fit were a comm, as an impertiner.
man. who probably had no business {.
be there, remarked. Miss Hay eyed
after 1t was deposited on the table H.
front oc the president, eyed II with O.
hesitation not often seen In the big ooH
OF the Suffrage party of New York city
Bring in the key" she directed.
Everybody looked at everybody else
Mrs. Walter S. Comfy. Port Chester
second vice-prosident. who had bee
poking at the box, made discovery.
ut ISM locked. it's sealed" she eaid
with some difficulty the seals wero
broken. Mrs. Comfy counted the ballot
with Mrs. Charles N. Dickinson. Bing
hamton. as official watcher. and sewers
hundred unofficial ones.
1.-THE number Of ballots already cast"
she said. "is twenty-three."
Another Chance to Vote.
What shall we do with themT' asked
Miss Hay.
What shall we DO with them
chorused other voices. They're e.
Illegal"
1t was decided that but one thin
could be done-tear up the Illegal ballot
and begin the election all over agair
Big Boss Hay of the Suffrage party
performed the melancholy ceremony anG
the box, safely resealed. was carried out
Tranquility had hardly been restored In
the convention hall when II was shat
tered again by an indignant courioS
bringing the news to Mrs, Hewitt tina"
the women were playing politics per
fectly dreadfully out In the corridor
right close to the voting room.
That Is disgraceful!" exclaimed Mr.
Hewitt Ladies. let us remember tina,
we are women before we are politician
Let the corridors be kept clear for 100
yards from the polls. | shall aproll
additional sergeants-at-arms to do this
Some OF the delegates thought t1s
women police reserves would make y
election more regular. but only one cou'
be found. She went on the job at One
and woman was posted at the door o
the voting booth to tell each who entore-
that she mustn't vote for more than on,
director. After that the belated election
proceeded In perfectly regular fashion
Yes. Mrs. Smith Was Invited.
There were guesses during the day
among those who noticed that Mrs
Alfred E. Smith. wife OF the Governor
elect, was not cordially treated by thos
on the platform when she visited tn
convention Wednesday. while Nh
Charles S. Whitman was accorded Al
ovation. as to whether the presideg
would make any announcement to cles
up the misunderstanding in the mind
of some delegates that Mrs. Smith he
not been invited to be a guest of the COZ
Vention,
A prominent upstate woman. know.nc
that Mrs. Smith had received her inv,
tation some days ago from Mrs. Alber
Garfield Bage. corresponding secretATy
OF the state federation, and knowinr
also that Mr.. Smith had taken u.
to ask II his wife was really wanted an,
had received the reply straight trou
Mrs, Hewitt that she would be most we,
come. wrote note TO Mrs. Hewitt yes
terday afternoon. The gist OF the no
was that as some OF the delegates d
not seem to understand that Mrs. Sm!,
was the invited guest OF the convent!o
an announcement that she was ought &,
be made from the platform. No al
nouncement was made
Mrs. Hewitt said afterward TO r.
porters that she was Democrat, And
deeply regretted II anything had hap
pened to hurt Mrs. Smith but did no
see that any announcement was caiiee
for.
Determined 10 Re Correct.
ut Is true that there is a strore
partisan feeling here-the convent,c,
and the federation is strongly Repub
can she said. But | am a Democrat
and the reason introduced Mrs Smii
simply as tho wife of the Democrat
candidate for Governor was that u
derstood recount OF the vote had be.
ordered, and so I could hardly call ic'
the wire or the Governor-Elect" 81.
added that It was purely by accider'
that abe failed to mention Mrs. Smith
name when introducing her.
Tne women were to have had an "a,
dress from DR.. Anna Howard Shaw
mead or the women'e section OF tn
Souhcii on National Defence but d
Shaw has been III with influenza snu
could not come to New York, She w..
soon leave Washington for Florida.
hA al