The Bismarck tribune., 1919-03-28
WOMEN'S LEAGUE.
TO FINISH JOB
URGED BY CHIEF
Mrs, Carrie Chapman Gait Calls
on Suffragists to Enlist
for Five Years
SEES REACTIONARY TREND

ST. Louis, March, REORGANIZATION
of a League OF Women Voters TO finish
the fight for woman suffrage and to
aid in reconstruction work III Ameri-
ca was urged by Mrs. Carrie Chapman
Gait, Of New York, President Of the
National American Woman Suffrage
Association in an address she deliver
ed here before the Golden Jubilee
Convention OF that organization, Mrs.
Gait proposed this as the best and
most patriotic memorial TO the pioneer
women OF the suffrage movement,
AS outlined by Mrs. Gait the chief
purpose OF the plan OF the proposed
League OF Woman Voters are:
First-To use its utmost influence
TO obtain the final enfranchisement OF
the women of every state in the United
States and to aid the women of all
other countries in their struggle 10
obtain their rights.
Second-To remove The remaining
legal determinations against women
in the codes and constitutions OF the
American States.
Third-To establish the democracy
of America and ITO make our democ-
racy so safe that every citizen may
feel secure and great men will ack-
nowledge the worthiness OF the Amer
ican Republic to lead"
To Enlist for Five Years.
TO achieve ttese objects, Mrs Gait
called upon women of America 10
'enlist for a five years service" Five
years she believed, ought to see these
purposes accomplished or well under
way. At the end OF that time she
suggested there should be an account
ing Of achievements to see if it would
be necessary to continue the existence
of the proposed league.
at must be remembered" declared
Mrs. Gait, that no League Of Woman
Voters can be possible on the lines
suggested unless the National Amer
ican Woman Suffrage Association is
willing to amend its tine-honored
policy in response to what seems
new time and new conditions. To
make these amendments involves the
most fundamental changes in our in
ternal policy ever proposed. 1t will
doubtless arouse differences OF opin-
ion and action should be taken only
after careful and sincere reflection"
Developing her proposal Mrs. Gait
declared the fight for suffrage must
be carried to finish because thirty
three United States Senators had
blocked the suffrage amendments to
the Constitution. Two years more
should finish the fight she declared
The task will be easier and early
victory more certain if voters and non
voters stand together by their common
cause" -
Reflectionary Influence
She declared that there was a
more forceful reflectionary influence
in this country than most Of us have
realized" that this is the great Amer
now to wreck the reconstruction OF
the world" She asserts that this
was shown by the blocking of the wo-
man suffrage amendment in the Sen
ate, by the incredible attitude" of
the senate toward the league of ma
tons and by many recent expressions
that "a war for democracy was mere
twaddle but that the war was really
one Of self defense"
Asserting that the War Department
reports showed there were in this
country in 1910. 100000 persons who
could not read or write, Mrs. Gait au-
vocated compulsory education in every
state, education Of adults, higher
qualifications for citizenship, schools
of citizenship, citizenship for women
and an educational qualification for
every voter