New-York tribune., 1920-02-16
w Voters.
Rebel at Name
w.League
Many Secret Meetings Held
at Chicago Convention; {;
Hot Fight Expected. When
Issue Is Made To-day
West Makes Complaint
Name Wanted That Will At
tract Male Membership;
Delegates Honor DIR. Shaw
BY Emma Bupbee

Special Dispatch to The Tribune
CHICAGO, Feb. 15.-There is rebel
lion in the ranks Of tho League OF
Women Voters over tho name Of the
organization. The matter will be
thrashed out in the meeting Of the con-
vention tomorrow. All day to-day the
delegates have been holding secret con.
ferences and plotting coups d'etat by
the dozen.
The objection to the name comes
from Western women, who maintain
that they have been voting so long that
they are no longer anxious to empha-
size the fact Of being new and women
voters.
sizes the difference between men and
women voters" said Mrs. E, B.. Sim
mons, leader Of the Oregon delegation.
eve much prefer some such name as
the Women's Legislative Conference,
which emphasizes the work we intend to
do rather than the fact that we are
women.
"Out West it antagonizes the men to
have separate organization. Besides.
many men would be glad to join an or
ganization whose aims are like ours
that is, the improvement Of citizenship
standards and American;zation, but
naturally. they object to joining a
league of women voters
Warning Of Trouble
"In California there is legislative
conference of more than 100000 women
which Is very effective politically.
Those women are not interested in q
league Of women voters, but they would
join national Legislative conference.
The same situation is true in my own
state. Our women are prejudiced
against the name"
Mrs. George Bass, chairman of the
women's executive committee of the
Democratic National Committe, voiced
the first warning Of trouble over the
name of the league at the organization
meeting on Saturday and now threatens
to carry it on tomorrow when the or
ganization will be completed.
"Ihe name Women's Legislative
Conference is more in accord with the
purposes Of the new organization as
explained by Mrs. Gait yesterday" she
said. ~ understand that the leagues
work Is to be primarily educational"
When it was pointed out to Mrs.
Bass that President Wilson had in
dorsed the league in his telegram,
which was read by Mrs. Gait on the
opening day Of the convention, she
said that apparently he liked every
thing about it, including the name.
Mrs. Bass replied that she had not seen
the telegram and had nothing to say.
The Republicans have the advantage
in numbers and in activity in the hotel
corridors. Another Presidential candi-
date, Senator Hiram W. Johnson, of
California, has had headquarters opened
by the women of his state. Mrs. Kathe-
rine Edison, leader of the California
delegates to the suffrage convention,
and Mrs. ]. B. Hume will have charge
of the Johnson room. 1t was rumored
last night that some Hoover admirers
had been seen in the offing also, but
found there was no more room left in
presidential Alley" for them.
Lowden Speaks Tomorrow
Governor Lowden Of Illinois, Re-
publican Presidential candidate, will
address the convention on Tuesday on
the subject of "The Need to American
ize America" The Wood and johnson
Republicans, as we'll as the Democratic
women, were much incensed when they
found this out and Immediately de-
manded of Mrs. Gait that their candi-
dates be allowed a similar chance to
make a favorable impression on the