The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-10-29
Women Gain Votes
For Paine Among
NeU Women Citizens

The work of the women who are sup
porting the Citizens league ticket in
this campaign has surprised many peo-
pie, and none more than the old ward
politicians, who imagined that few
women would vote and that such as
did would simply vote as their brothers
or husbands do.
That guess has been exploded and the
professional politicians have been run
ming around in circles for the past
month trying to find some argument
which would drive the women from the
ranks of the Citizens league, which it
is admitted more than 10 per cen of
them will vote for.
The arguments made by the women
who are speaking, both at the general
rallies and at the women's neighbor-
hood meetings. have also surprised some
men who we're not familiar with the
work Of thousands Of ONE of Mem
phis In their clubs and organizations.
Wednesday night two notable ad-
dresses we're made, one by Mrs. Sam
uel J. Ellis at the Paine rally In Wills
park, the other by Mrs. T. F. Kelley at
the Eighth ward rally. They might
have surprised some men by the brevity
of their remarks, too, for neither spoke
more than eight or ten minutes.
Mrs. Ellis said that women want
equal opportunities with men and an
equal share in the home life. an equal
responsibility In the maintenance of
the schools and an equal responsibility
in their new duties as citizens, Some
women are told, she said, that they
should support Mr.. williams because
he has promised a small group of wom-
en- that he will give women absolute
control over the juvenile court, over
some other city department and owe
the censorship Of moving picture
houses.
.y ,nn~k - crtr x,o,, Jadias bnra - Sba
said, 'if you would care to see a movie
that some women you and I know had
censored. We don't want absolute con-
troll of anything, We only want an
equal chance, an equal share with the
men, and for goodness sake let's not
take anything from the men that they
are willing to work at, for they shirk
too many OF their civic duties now"
She made a splendid appeal for the
! principles of the Citizens league and
said she could tell the politicians how
the women are going to vote, and that
every good woman, who sincerely wants
better schools, better pay for the teach
ers, and real law enforcement will vote
for Rowlett Paine and every other
man on his ticket.
Mrs. T. f. Kelley made a four-minute
talk at the other general rally. In the
Eighth ward. She told the women vot-
ers that they have an opportunity to
NOIe LOT lnC iiiSl bllhS' dnu GIL opppi :
tunity that has not even been offered
the men in recent years, to vote for real
law enforcement, for men who are sin
cere in wishing to serve the people, not
for personal gain or political advance
| ment, but because they realize that
! men Of experience, and not politicians,
| must conduct this city's business.
Let me give you ar Illustration"
| she said. Here we women have a
beautiful new house into which we are
| Just moving. We have never been citi
zens before. Are we going to look
around for an old political broom that
| has been worn out during the last 40
years, to which cling the doors Of past
political campaigns, and the germs Of
rotten politics, or are we going to look
| around for a clean. new broom, with
which to keep our new home and our
| home city clean"