New-York tribune., 1919-12-16
Wodsworth's Record
1t Is Praised for Its Freedom
From Den,agoguery
ROOECTV
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: Mrs. Barnum's attack on Sena-
tor Wadsworth, appearing in Thurs
days Tribune, aroused in me no littIe
Indignation. 1t merits attention. how
ever, because it recognizes az the out
set the foolishness and inadequacy OF
hasing opposition to Senator Wads-
worth upon the now settled suffrage
question
Mrs. Barnum's threat that Repubi-
can women might support Governor
Smith in preference to Senator Wads-
worth strikes me as most mischlevous.
Intelligent women do not permit them
selves to be misled by Governor
Smiths lip service to progressive
ideals or by the empty epithet Re
dictionary" applied to such q patriotic
and well equipped statesman as Sena-
tor Wadsworth. There was much that
was admirable in the welfare bills put
forward by certain organized groups
of women at Albany last winter, but
experience has shown that at least
one Of the measures, that restricting
the night work of women, was i'll con
sidered. Such mistakes viii contnuo
so long as these organized groups
place themselves behind complete
program and insist, after the manner
OF other autocratic minorities, that
any legislator or public official who
opposes any slight item in the pro
gram is guilty Of reaction, economic
heresy or what not and deserves
political excommunication.
was present at the womens meet
ing at the City Hall when Governor
Smith heard the protest against the
law restricting night work for women
The Board Of Estimate room was
crowded with women who came to
urge the repeal OF a law which had
thrown them out of employment. The
women waited from O'Clock. the TINA
set by the Governor to receive them,
until nearly 5. At that hour Gov
ernor Smith hustled into the room with
an evident anxiety to get the thing
over with He waived his right hand,
shouted, Hello, girls." and received
the speakers with evident impatience.
not only interrupting them himself
but permitting them to be interrupted
by companion who sat with him on
the bench. He cut short women who
pointed out that night work enabled
them to care FOR their children il
the daytime and that day employment
would compel them to put their chill
dren in institutions. He did nothing
to correct the condition which made
tragedy of the lives Of hundreds
OF women, because organized groups
were iHsistent that the law should re-
main. Too much Legislation has been
put on our statute books in this same
spirit by other organized minorities.
professional and working women dis
trust and will repudiate the leadership
Of those who base all their plans for
Legislation on formulas and dogmas,
rather than on facts.
Women generally have intuition.
They are little interested in theoret-
zeal economics. They know and feel
keenly what touches the family purse
lhey are not misled by attractive
phrases and no amount of propaganda
wlll persuade them that Senator Wads-
worth's position on sucn matters as
direct primaries and state conventions
and on the league of nations is op-
posed to the interests of the commit
nifty. They prefer statesman of his
type to demagogue, no matter what
party label the demagogue wears or
what he promises.
ELIZABETH MANDELKERN FEHR.
New York. Dec. IL, 1919.