The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-08-26
SUFFRAGE LEADERS
GRILLCANDIDATES
All Answer ayes" to Ques-
tionnaire in Gallant Style
as Primaries Approach.
LOYALTY is CHEF ISSUE
Whitman, Smith, Lewis and
Osborn All Prompt in Re-
plies to Women.

The approach Of primary day sees all
candidates bowling and scraping before
the ladies--the ladies who are shedding
their political shacklss with the deter
mined celebrity Of q Houdini. Some. as
Is the case with the ever gallant Alfred
Il. Smith and the no less gallant Charles
g. Whitman, come UP to the scratch
sestfuliy; while others, like Merton f..
Lewis, are no Chesternelds at the bust
ness.
The two questions put to all aspirants
by the ststeswomen are as definite az
thunderclaps: Are you for the Govern
ment? Are you for US? Candidate
Smith wrote veg DO quickly that reply
and question might nave crossed each
other In the mails, and the Governor
was scarcely less ready with acquies-
cence, though he did have the temerity
to lay down the law to the women.
William Church Osborn, whose portrait
in Tammany Hall occupies a place OF
honor comparable only with that of
Bryan. appears as q ready yesman. and
20 It goes all along the line.
This valuable information was OBJ
tanned by the New York City Woman
Suffrage party for the guidance of en-
rolled woman voters at the primary cleo
ton one week from Tomorrow, and the
party has placed on exhibition at Its
headquarters, 3 East Thirty -ei nth street.
all data gathered in the last three weeks
by the party's district leaders and other
political workers or as the result Of an
Investigation Of the records of the candi.
dates of all parties.
Vital Points In QUESTIONABLE.
In every case the QUESTIONABLE com
prised matters of vital interest to
women, the most important questions
being:
viii you support the Government to
the utmost In its prosecution of the war?
Are you in favor Of woman suffrage
and will you support the Federal suf-
frage amendment in its passage through
Congress and It's ratification by the
New York State Legislature?
Other questions related to the ratihca-
ton OF the prohibition amendment. the
principle of equal pay for equal work,
legislation against prohteerins, the
maintenance Of the present labor laws
and their extension to women and chill
dren.
Possibly 1t will cheer some Of the can
didates to read that women voters will
do we'll to call at the suffrage head
quarters and look at the data compiled
for their benefit"
Gov. Whitman yesed every question
shot at him. Asked whether he would
support the Government he answered,
II will" Asked whether he would sup
port the Federal suffrage amendment he
t. Al
course II does not come before the Gov
ernor for approval or disapproval."
Women should Retain the Vote.
Attorney-Ce Lewis. whose mas,
is quite hopeless from the feminine
standpoint Is willing to support the
Government and he tried TO explain to
the ladies why he had been cruel enough
TO declare for a political lockout He
explained he believed In all educational
qualification" Suffrage headquarters
dismisses the Attorney-Generars reply
with the following comment:
His concluding words show his pres
ent attitude: I have been asked whether
I would support an effort to repeal and
strike from the Constitution the amend
ment inserted by the vote of the people
at the election of 1917. | have replied
that I would not; that women having
won the right to vote should retain IT,
and ] have expressed the hope that they
will use the ballot generally and demon
strate the wisdom of their enfrancise-
ment.'"
Yes yes" Alfred E Smith very
quickly replied to every question asked,
and then followed William Church Os-
born. taking a little credit for himself
concerning the Federal suffrage amend
ment: Il prepared and presented to the
Syracuse conference a resolution to thai
effect"