The sun., 1918-12-04
PROHIBITION URGED
BY SUFFRAGE PARTY
State Convention Recommends
| Ratification of Federal
Amendment.
TO REMAIN NON-PARTISAN
Members Are Urged Now to
Enroll Themselves With
Regular Organizations.
.Specia, pespateh TO TIE suS.

Special DeSpdfch 10 TIE Sun
ALBANY, Dec. 3.--Ratiflcation OF the
Federal prohibition amendment by the
New York state Legislature was urged
to-day In a resolution introduced by
Mary Garrett Hay and adopted by the
State Woman Suffrage party in the
closing session of its convention.
The suffrage party heretofore has
avoided this action, fearing 1t would
jeopardize Its fight for women SUI
frage. Adella Potter. secretary OF the
Anti-saloon League. urged affirmative
action upon the amendment.
The constitution OF tho suffrage
party was amended to provide that the
organization shall remain non-partisan.
leaving individual members to enroll
In the party of their choice. Last
year memter OF the suffrage party
we're advised not to enroll. AS re-
suit of the action taken to-day all
members are urged to align themselves
with some political party.
To Oppose Candidates.
The constitution was further
amended TO permit the organization to
oppose candidates for public office. ir-
respective OF their political Affiliations,
when the records and policies of such
candidates are at variance with the
objects OF the suffrage party. 1t Is
also provided that such action shall be
taken only upon a three-fourths vote
by the suffrage State committee on
State and Federal candidates and a
similar vote by local organizations on
local candidates.
Mrs. Carrie Chapman Gait ex-
pressed the opinion that the Federal
suffrage amendment would be passed
at Washington before Christmas, in
which event II is planned to have a
national convention in January. New
York State would be entitled TO a
delegation OF fifty, selected by the
State executive board. If the suffrage
amendment is not passed before the
holidays the convention will not be
held before May.
Woman Voters Councils.
Mrs. Gait outlined a plan whereby
the sufragists are to form a woman
voters council to operate in each
State as well as a national and inter-
national woman voters council. she
pointed out that the women of this
and other countries could have much
influence through organization In the
reconstruction work following the
war and declared that a woman's
council in each State could do much
toward securing uniform laws to pro-
tect women and children in the home
as we'll as in business. She insisted
that better election laws should he
demanded as we'll as more competent
election officials in order to prevent
fraud.
A telegram WIS sent United States
Senator James w. Wadsworth asking
him to vote for the woman suffrage
Federal amendment on tho ground
that the action of last years Legisla-
ture has been supported by practically
every county organization OF the Re
publican party in the State and every
organization, social, religious and pO-
l!tical. except the Anti Woman Suf-
frage organization
Mrs. Charles S. Whitman informally
addressed the delegates, saying she
would have more time in the future 20
devote TO suffrage and hoped that Miss
Hay, the New York City suffrage
leader, would give her something spe-
cial to do.