Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-02-13
COP. WOMEN GRAB ALL
CREDIT FOR SUFFRAGE
National Suffrage Convention is
Rent by Party Politics; Rati-
hcation Believed Near.

Chicago Feb. 13.-Party politics were
at the explosive point Mt the Congress
Hotel last night on the eve of the opening
of the fifty-hrst convention of the National
Woman Suffrage Association Party lines
were being SO tightly drawn that apparent
ly only the most skiiul leadership can
hold the gathering 10 a strictly non-par-
tlsan course.
Mrs George Bass. member Of the DEM
ocratic Executive Committee, and re-
ferred to as the "Spokeswoman for the
Administration, gave the political pot
vigorous stir when she sharply criticised
the Illinois Republican Worhan's Execu-
tive Committee for placing a full page
paid advertisement in the program Of
the convention.
Mrs Bass's remarks were chiefly direct
ed against the first sentence, printed in
heavy type, which reads:
"To the Republican Party you owe
the passage of the Federal Sui rage Amend
mcnt and it will be responsible for the
ratification soon 10 come
THE Democratic Party in Congress
and in the States has done more TO give
the women in the United States Suffrage
than any other party, and President
Wilson is the only President who has
lifted his voice and his influence in the
cause Of Suffrage, said Mrs Bass rs q
starter.
But. certainly. aside from that,
think ii is questionable taste to pay
for an advertisement in the program Of a
non-partisan organization, that IL is in
sulting 10 large proportion Of the dele
gates present and that It raises a contro-
versial question that had better be un-
touched IN a non-partisan gathering II
seems to me the most unethlcal thing
ever done
1t is a use Of party funds that viii not
appeal to the majority Of women in the
Republican Party"
Earlier IN the day Mrs. Bass had issued
a reply to the statement made on Wednes-
day by VIII II. Hays, Republican National
Chairman, in which she declared the
mere act OF giving women suffrage does
not automatically give them all the
privileges of party management
Some changes IN party rules and
election and primary laws are neces-
sary 20 give women equal representa-
tion with men, she said.
Mrs Fletcher Dobyns. Chairman OF
the Illinois Committee which inserted
the adv, declared that the Republican
women refuse TO be drawn into con-
troversy concerning it.
1T was simply an advertisement which
any one might have had the opportunity
of inserting by paying for it. said Mrs.
Dobyns. The Democrats enjoyed the
same privilege a we did.
Miss Mary Garrett Hay of New York,
speaking for the Republican Women's
National Committee, said:
The Advertisement was not insert
af3 }xxr he ra4fppal nrrvar7iqaFsnn IL
paid for by the State organization, It
seems TO me il rather shows the alertness
Of the Illinois women and their progressive
ness would call il something Of d business
COUP
When asked if she intended to bring
the matter up on the floor Of the CO
vention, Mrs. Bass said:
1t Is something that already has
been done and therefore cannot be un-
done. OF course if the matter is raised in
the convention | have my rights as
delegate"
Another question in which party lines
may crop out is that of the merger of the
Suffrage Association with the National
League Of Women Voters, the first con-
gress of which viii be held on Saturday.
The Democrats look upon it as a super
fiuous organization. The Republican wom-
en- speak OF it as a sort of innocuous or
ganization, probably helpful if anything,
to the Republican Party.
The ''Neutrals' those who are awaiting
final ratification of the Suffrage Amend
nent before declaring party allegiance,
declare that the league viii serve both as u
school of citizenship for women and as a
non-partisan lobbying organization to
support the enactment of laws in which
10th Democratic and Republican women
are interested.