The labor standard., 1919-06-01
CONVENTION "REMINISCENCES

At the great mass meeting at the
 Odeon Theatre at the time of the
 Convention in St. Louis, Gov. Henry Allen of Kansas said that he was so surprised, on his return recently from France, to find that there were Ameri- can women still fighting for the vote. He supposed, of course, they all had something of Governor Aliens feeling when I returned to Connecticut. Are there still men questioning whether women will vote if they have the right, whether the Presidential Suf- frage bill is constitutional, whether it is not too great an experiment for Connecticut to commit herself to? It did not seem experimental in St. Louis. The city was full of it, the shops had suffrage colors displayed, the newspapers gave great front page headlines along with the Peace Con- ference. Mrs. Catt and Dr. Shaw dis puted for the leading editorials with President Wilson and Lloyd George, the great mass-meeting at the Odeon had a larger overflow than the prin next to the last day, the Missouri Leg islature gave the Presidential Suffrage to the Missouri women as an assur- ance to us that we have but to ask for what we want!
 On thing we discovered - huge difference between having the vote and not having it. The non-voters sat on the side-lines and heard the voters from twenty-six states glory in their ability to attack, with powerful new tool, the great problems which women have nearest their hearts, Women in Industry, Child Labor, Education, Americanization and Social Hygiene. Even the dis cussion on election methods, the value of the primary as offered to the con- vention, registration, and such-like supposedly dry subjects, were made thrillingly interesting by the fresh and lively point of view. Little did they care if a certain procedure had been used by the Republican party from time immemorial, or another one had become sacred from it's use for years by the Democrats; all these women wished to know was, "Is it the best possible means to the end?"
 Such women as Mrs. Raymond Robins, Mary Van Kleek and Helen Fraser on Women in Industry, Drs. Valeria Parker and Isabel Yarros on Social Hygiene, Julia Lathrop on Child Welfare, and others as we'll known, gave sense of direction and authority to the discussions. Mrs. Robins, small, vivid, charming creature, smiled sweetly around on the audience and said,
 'I am delighted to address such progressive, forward looking group, but l am obliged to confess that the voters interest me particularly"
 l was much interested in the sig nifcance of a remark made by Mrs. Ellis Meredith of Colorado, who had been confessing her disappointment in the working out of her pet primary plan, which she had supposed to be a charm against bosses. Very seriously she said, "After all, these methods all have many human faults, it all comes back to the fundamental thing, 
 A very serious sense of responsibil- | ity sat upon the whole convention, increased by the wonderful speech of Mrs. Catt at the mass-meeting, which step into line with all men of like | mind, and make the world fine and safe place for men, women and chill l dren alike. This speech must have | all criticism of the League of Women Voters as a woman's politi- | cal party, and given it it's real place as league of women possessed of | the best tool yet discovered, planning to cooperate with all the powers for good and to make the point of view of women play part in the progress of the world.
 MARY BULKLEY,
 Chairman. Hartford County.