New-York tribune., 1919-03-25

way. At the end of that time she sug-
gested there should be an accounting
OF achievements to see if it would be
necessary to continue the existence of
the proposed league.
Wants Policy Amended
at must be remembered" declared
Mrs. Gait, "that no league OF woman
voters can be possible on the lines sug-
gested unless the National American
Woman Suffrage Association is willing
to amend its time honored policy in
response to what seems new time and
new conditions. To make these amend
ments involves the most fundamental
changes IN our internal policy ever
proposed. 1t will doubtless arouse
sharp differences of opinion 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
6locked the suffrage amendment to the
Constitution. 1.-TWO years more should
finish the fight she declared. "The
task will be easier and early victory
more certain II voters and non-votcrs
stand together by their common cause"
She declared that there was "a more
forceful reactionary influence m this
country than most of us have realized. :"
that this is the great American menace
and that it threatens now to wreck
the reconstruction of the world" She
asserted that this was shown by the
blocking of the woman suffrage amend
ment IN the Senate by the "incredible
attitude" OF the Senate towaru the
league of nations and by many recent
kof Gu
racy was mere twaddle, but that the
war was really orc of self-defence.
Asserting that the War Department
reports showed there were in this
country in 1910 100000 persons who
could not read or write, Mrs. Gait
advocated 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.
Women More Interested
eve have found through experience
that women are taking a keener in
terest in public affairs and that the
better class of women always vote"
Mrs. Emma Smith Devoe, president of
the National Council of Women Voters.
Of Tacoma, Wash, said to-day. at is
charged by some opponents of the
movement that the better class of
women will not vote and some charge
that women are not qualified to pass on
big questions. This is not true. We
have watched these points carefully
and have found it is the better class
of women who take interest and vote"
Dr.. Shaw, in what she called a mes
sage to the women of the country,
said:
,"The war has shown US that the
time has come when we shall so respect
ourselves and the obligations and re-
sPonsibilities which belong to us as
human beings that we shall demand of
men and the government the rights ac-
corded, not to sex, but to human be-
ings. We should insist, as the solu-
ton of all problems having to do with
the homes and industry, that the priv
ileges shall be shared by us just as the
obligations are endured and borne by
u.s."
A MONDAY suffrage soapbox cam
palgn was begun to-day in the down
town district in connection with the
of the National Woman's
Suffrage Association.
To-day the speakers were Mrs.
Walter McNab Miller. president of the
State Suffrage Association,
and Mrs. Thomas Gotham, of Little
Rock, Ark.