Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-02-20
LEADER FEARS
SPLIT IN NEW
WOMEN'S MOVE
Get Into Politics Slogan Is
ADOPTED, but What Side
Is Question.
sn RUTH e. FINLEY.

CHICAGO, Feb 2O.-With the merg-
Fng Of the National Woman Suffrage
association at it's f1fty-frst convention
into the league of Women Voters, Carrie
Chapman Gait, president of the suffrage
association, is not wholly sanguine as to
the outcome of the league. The league
has come into being.
1t has q board of ten directors, three of
them elected from the country at large
and seven districts into which the coun-
try is divided. The regional directors
are intended to further state legislation,
to establish contact between the far dis
tant parts of the country. A decision to
establish a headquarters at Washington
illustrates the serious intent of the or
ganization toward federal legislation.
FIGHT FOR LAWS
TO BE PUSHED.
A coherent, constructive request for the
legislation desired by the league will be
made by committees which the league
win send to the national political party
conventions.
In an interview at the close of a stormy
session when the convention adopted
eGet Into the Parties" as the slogan,
Mrs. Gait said:
1.-THE League of Women Voters is an
experiment. There is no organization
among men to compare with it or to
give it precedent. 1t viii be a plain
test of the quality of women's character
and intelligence as to whether it can
be done or not. If it is not a success
the split viii come on the rock Of par
itsanship."
WOMEN DRAW OUT
ON PARTY GROUNDS.
Already women are withdrawing from
the league on party grounds. As early
as Monday afternoon, when the regional
caueuses were being held, there were
rumors of much dissension among the
delegates as to choice Of candidates for
regional directors, the United States be
ing divided into seven groups Of states.
each group composing a region. These
seven regional directors, together with
three directors chosen at large, are to
compose the governing body, according
to the new constitution adopted by the
league.
1t is felt by many of the delegates
that this constitution win so be inter
preted as to give these directors al
most unlimited power, and republican
and democratic women fought for their
own candidates.
II am pretty sure some women will
fall cut of the league because they are
too partisan TO get THE broad vision
needed to work in such an organization
with success" continued Mrs. Gait. at
will be the greatest possible test for
the new women voters of the country,
and If they stand the test It will be as
great a triumph"
UNDERCURRENT OF
SESSIONS PARTISAN.
There is no doubt but that the under
current of the convention was strongly
partisan ever since the opening session.
MY ideal for the League Of Women
VOTERS" said Mrs. Gait, 'is to see IL
stand soIidly as a body for improved
legislation, improved election methods.
higher standards in all political parties,
and especially for an improved quality
of American citizenship.
This could not be gained during q
single election. 1t would have to be n
matter of evolution and time"
When asked if there might not be
some movements so general IN their ap-
peal as TO bind women together ana
thus avoid the partisan split feared in
the league, Mrs. Gait said that while
she felt all women were fairly single
minded on such subject as social nv
gfene, child labor and kindred matters
that even these were controversial.