New-York tribune., 1920-11-17
League Must
Be Indorsed,
Says Mrs. Gait
Urges Women Who Voted
for Harding to Write to
Him to Back Covenant
With Some Reservations
Peace GUARANTEES Seen
Charges of Vote Trading
by Democrats i'm Effort to
Save Their State Chief

Mrs. Carrie Chapman Gait, founder
of the League of Women Voters, an
nounced during the closing hours of
the leagues conference last night that
she stood uncquivocally for the League
Of Nations covenant. Just as dinner
to the members was drawing to close
in the Hotel Pennsylvania Mrs. Gait
arose and evoked prolonged cheering
as she said:
Il want every woman in this league
who voted for Senator Harding to sit
down this night and write to him, say
ing that she did so because she be-
lieved he stood for the League of
Nations with certain reservations, and
| want every one who voted for Gov
ernor Cox to write him and say she
did so because she was afraid Harding
would not promote the League. God
pity the woman who does not stand
for peace"
Words Arouse Cheers
The cheering was renewed as she
said:
81 for one will not be able to MAIN
tam my faith in the League of Women
Voters if they are content merely to
discuss laws regulating the hours Of
work in industry and in merely making
changes in educational systems and
turn their back in silence on the great
est question that ever came before the
world. l believe in the League Of
Nations as believe in my very life"
Earlier in the day the charge that a
deal was made between Republican
and Democratic leaders for votes for
Senator James w. Wadsworth and
Governor Smith was repeated by Mrs.
Gait.
There were rumors before the cleo
ton that the parties were trading
votes, but this was emphatically de-
med" she said. However. when the
election was over it was obvious from
the figures that the Democrats had
thrown over their ticket to save their
Governor and that in re'prn for votes
for Governor they had traded votes
for United States Senator.
II doubt very much, whether. even
It the trade lad not taken place, the
Senator would have bee, defeated. but
undoubtedly between 200 600 and 30O,-
900 votes were thus traded.
Heard Bargains Made
Women working at the polls, as cap
talns and watchers, not alone in New
York City but elsewhere, overheard
these bargains being made. In the cam
palgn previous to Election Day women
were taught the Importance of voting
the straight party tickets, but men
were given these secret orders to swan
votes" NP
Mrs. Gait, as chairman of the COM
h'lttee on election laws and methods
urged the abolition of party emblems
and praised the California ballot. She
also attacked the convention method of
nominating candidates aud urged the
ccntlnuation of the direct primary.
lf women are to have influence in
politics.. she concluded, Eve must have
women in Congress, in state legis.a-
lures and municipal councils. In ad-
mlnistratlye positions it makes no dif-
terence whether we have men or women
oilicials so long as they are capable
but 1T IS most important to have women
~ legislative positions, because IL is
ohere that the laws affecting women are
made"
She suggested the following nledqe
Tor every member of the League Of
women Voters to take before the next
campaign: 'eN'
II do solemnly swear that l will