New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-05-18
Women Listen
To Pleas for
Party Harmony
Will Hays, ]. II. Sheffield
/ and Other Republican
! Leaders Urge Them to
Garry On as i'll War
Woods Name Is Cheered
Ex-senator Ogden Mills
Appeals for Interes
i'm Platform Building

Republican women laid aside their
strenuous campaigns for individual
Presidential nominees yesterday at
ternoon and foregathered at the Wal
dorf-Astoria in mass meeting for
party harmony.
Only when the names of the "wom-
ems big three came UP did they for
ge; the command to be interested in
policies instead of personalities. This
was when James r. Sheffield called the
roll of the Republican cane dates for
he nomination. The name of Leonard
Wood was received with applause that
rang through the grand ballroom for
many seconds and that OF Herbert
Hoover received almost as great an
ovation. There was scattering applause
for other nominees, bur the name of
Nicholas Murray Butter, New York S
"favorte son. last on the list, also was
vigorously applauded.
Mrs. Pratt Presides
IS. John T. Pratt, vice chairman of
the National Republican Ways and
Means Committee, presided, and in her
Introductory remarks urged the wom-
en- to pull together for Republican
victory, working for the principles and
policies of the party, regardless of
whether their favorite candidate
should be nominated or not.
Senator Ogden Mills explained
the purpose Of the National Committee
on Platforms and Policies, which was
established last winter.
Heretofore party platforms have
been prepared in haphazard way" he
SAID. "A small informal committee
Was appointed, some member of which
drew up tentative platform, which
was submitted to the other members
for approval and revision. This out
line was presented to the resolutions
committee at the national convention,
which in twenty-four hours was sup
posed to work out the great party
problems in constructive way. Plat
forms have often been accused of being
mere vote-getting instruments, and it
IS The fault of the way they have been
prepared, failing to deal accurately
with definite problems.
This year the Republican party
started six months before the election
TO sound public opinion on the great
problems of the campaign and to &C
cumulate facts which Will aid the reso-
buttons commit ee in preparing the
platform. Ever party in the campaign
viii submit plank in regard to the
cost of living, but it viii not be worth
the paper il is written upon unless
some effort has been made to ascertain
the causes of the high cost
Cost of Government
Another plank upon which public
interest focuses is the high cost of
government. The Republican commit
tee has made survey of the actual
facts in this matter. We find that the
mounts mp to $735000 900. This is
5000 900 900 moro than the total cost
Of the government in 1916. In 1918
ere were III 600 government en-
ployees and, of these. only II 600 have
been eliminated Leaving out the navy,
there are to- day 2 coo more persons in
the Federal employ than there were on
arFaistice day.
a questionable Nas been sent by
the Republican commit in 100000
voters. Not long ago a professor at
Harvard College asked Us for permits
SION to use this questionable in his
q ssroom as a model Of careful anal
ysis of political problems. Now l say
that it is a significant day in American
political history when party material
is prepared carefully enough to be
used for educational purposes. | hope
we have aroused public discussion
through this questionnaire."
DR.. Butler, James R. Sheffield and
Frank Sisson were other speakers.
Just as the meeting was breaking up,
however, there was a great shout and
much applause from the platform and
the audience rushed back to greet VIII
Hays, chairman of the Republican Ma
tional Committee.
Hays Gives Advice
Mr.. Hays refused to make q speech,
except to tell the women that, whatever
their other work in life, there is moth
ing more important for them just now
than to carry on, as you did in the
war, for the good Of this country and
its future"
Mrs Charles H. Sabin was chairman
of the committee which arranged the
meeting Other members were Mrs
Courtlandt D. Barnes, vice chairman OF
the New York State Ways and Means
Committee; Miss Helen Varick Bos-
we'll, Miss Juliana Cutting chairman
of the women's Wood committee; Mrs
Margaret NJ. Crumpacker. chairman OF
the women's Johnson committee; Mrs