Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1919-12-26
THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS
AND POLITICAL PARTIES.

The Minnesota League Of Women
Voters Press Department Bulletin: In
the press and in the discussion which is
apparently going on all over the state
as to the proposed program of the
League Of Women Voters there seems
to have arisen some confusion as to the
method by which that organization can
preserve it's principle Of non-party atfffiil-
iation and still not oppose the entrance
of women into the political parties. Per-
haps few questions al4d answers as to
the League s purposes may help to clari'
fly this confusion.
~ Is the League of Women Vot-
! crs political party? A simple mega
tive should suffice to answer that ques-
ton.
(2) Is the League opposed to the
principle of government by political
parties9
No. Women as we'll as men recognize
the fact that political parties constitute
the machinery of government in the
United States; they have done so since
any coherent system of government has
obtained in our country and will prob
ably continue so to do Indefinitely. But
the League of Women Voters believes,
anu WILL UCG upOu UC1lC1J CALt CnC
real spirit of America is not bounded
by the+'horizon Of any one political par
ty nor any one political creed. In 9th
er words the League believes, and will
act upon the belief, that political par.
ties were meant to be the tools of gov
ernment-not it's masters. The League
recognizes the fact that it cannot per-
feet its program nor put over its plat
form in any way but one. That one
way consists in seeing that it's platform
becomes incorporated in the platform of
the great national parties. The
strength Of the League will lie in the
mass Of it's adherents as we'll as in the
quality Of it's program. The thing
which will interest the parties to incor-
porate the platform of the League will
lie mainly in the numbers of individual
voters who form the membership Of that
League.
The political assumption will be that
back Of the political party which will
endorse the Leagues platform will be
the Leagues influence and strength.
The League 8 assumption will be that
the loyalty and support of the individ-
uals which compose it's membership will
be back Of principles rather than pure
ly party issue.
g. Will the League of Women Vot-
ers then, attempt to influence women
against joining political parties?
Certainly not. To do so would be
paramount to urging the women to re-
frain from voting, in this state, for
some of the most important offices OF
governmental some states it would
deprive them from voting at all. Thus
to do so would be to rob the League of
all power. It will rather urge women
to enroll in the party Of their choice
after due consideration and study of
the principles of that party. It will
never urge her, however, to become a
slave to party platforms nor to consider
the scratching Of ticket an unpardon-
able sin. In these last two items, wom-
en- will have the support of the best
male voters Of the country as we'll as
the backing Of the League.
az What then is the League OF
Women Voterss
It is the educated and organized pub
lie opinion Of the women of America,
both in and out Of the political parties,
not for partizan issues, but to present
and stand behind a platform of social
and moral issues. It is the middle
ground where the altruistic thought Of
the national parties may find congenial
soil and grow for the ultimate better
ment Of state and nation.