Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-06-02
Ru a Stnn Corrcspondent

Washington, June 2.--The voting
women of the country about 10000
600 of them, living in twenty nine
states where women can now vote for
President and Vice President, have
started an organized movement to cut
down the high cost of living.
The movement is considered in Wash
ington as the first reform step to be
taken by the women now that they are
assured a free hand in politics, and no
surprise is expressed that they have
turned to matter so directly affecting
the home as the first subject in which
to try to work reform through po-
litical effort.
The movement is to be guided by the
League of Women Voters, which has
appointed by Mrs. Edward p. Costigan
chairman of committee to fully inves
! tigatc the food situation. Mrs. Costi-
gan is the wife of Edward +. Costigan,
IA member of the federal trade commits
sion.
The league has voted to indorse the
federal trade commission in its effort to
secure remedial legislation in the meat
packing industry, movement in which
commissioner Costigan has taken n
leading part.
1t is planned to have Mrs. CoStigan $
committee. after making a comprchen
slVc study of the food problem in order
10 discover what legislation can con
tribute to reduction in the cost Of lv-
ing, report its findings to the next big
meeting of the League of Women
Voters. The league will then draw up a
! legislative program to reduce the cost
of living and submit it to Congress.
The League of Women Voters has q
large membership in the states where
women now vote, and is intended ulti
mately to include every voting woman
in its membership. 1t is an outgrowtl
| of the National American Woman Suf
1rage Association. As soon as tn,
women in state obtain the vote tn,
state organization of the Nationa
American Woman Suffrage Association
is converted into branch of the
League of Women Voters. With tn,
adoption of the constitutional woman
suffrage amendment by the necessar,
two thirds of the states the old or
ganization will die out and the Leagu
of Women Voters will remain as
political organization of the womel
voters.
That both parties in Congress viii
give willing ear to the plans of tn
league and not quibbIc about paSsin
the desired legislation is considered a
assured by the fact that the women yer
soon will be in position to become de
termining factor in all elections.
In twenty nine states women nov
have the right to vote for PreSiden
. and Vice President. The votes of tn
states in which this privilege is en-
joyed control nearly 81 per cent {
, t." Senate, 4J per cent of the Hous
an % per cent of the votes in part
conventions. The women alone do NJ
y control these percentages, but can NAL
= their influence very materially felt
{ swinging them.
These are not all far western state
q with small populations, but inclut
< New York, Illinois. Indiana and Mich
4 gan-states regarded as essential fac
4 tors in presidential elections. 1t wi
5 be a prime necessity, therefore,
+ these states to satisfy the legislati'
e desires of the women voters.
e In sixteen of these states the right
+ vote in presidential elections has bee
conferred upon women since the Ia
; presidential election.
Mrs Costigan resided in Denver b'
Z fore her husband was appointed FEEDER
trade commissioner. As chairman of Il
industrial committee of the Colorat
Federation of Women's Clubs and pre-