Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-09-24
'0|'iEAN UP POLLS, |
/ PLEA OF WOMEN
Many Stay Away Because Vot-
,rc places Are Objectionable,
! Says Mrs. Wanamaker
,crI0N IS PR 0 N ! S E D

n.uor and cleaner polling places are
Ming demanded by women IN all Sec
@ .snns Of the city. 49,, .,,., ....
~. RESIDENTIAL election last year, at
ue tho women here voted for the
xncd, lime, has come again with greater
n.sh nl..,srhasis since Tuesdny:
emBpatore long there will be laid before
perounty Commissioners specific in
o. ns.s nj district polling places that
JIec,ared unfit for women to remain
U, n,os oven so short time as Il takes
/ 10 vote, ,..,. ,ro, lood to s,,,.
| .n change in the whole technique OF
nse here. for under the present sys.
u,nn most OF the balloting Is done in
wlhor wmh shops, cigar stores, billiard
psIy yacopt buildings or back rooms
pII,s John Wanamaker, ID, of the
nnSi;con Women's Committee, has
hepud hepoStsd The use Of the public schools,
Nsshon,a that has been successfully
In a number of States. She ad-
u.u VIZ. however. two objections to this
mn.DO,,soi a provision in the City Char.
pvpwbich prohibits the use OF school
nnud,nes for political purposes and the
.st that under the present apportioh'
..t i there Is not schoolhouse in every
,oting district Of the city.
Hand,cap in Getting Out Vote
"one Of the difficulties we found when
wing TO get the women Of the city In.
,syestsd & in the primary campaign. said
Mes Wanamaker, was the objection
r.ur % Of them bad to going to unpleasant
% rnting places Of their districts. I do
,ot % Consider that valid excuse for
rsslecting s q duty. but know that
q many cases there was reason in it,
Hardly any of the some 1850 polls
,brougbout the city could be described
an election day as "a nice homelike
si.cs " There are number of reasons
NV this Is so. and tho chief Of them.
.ccordng 70 County Commissioner Ed
sr +, Lank, is that such places must
X tsken and not chosen.
Hard to Get Polling Place
Not anyone. as Mr.. Lani points out.
n wiling to entertain all the adult resi-
Ssnts of his voting district for twelve
hours, and a dozen election officers for
sftepn or twenty hours after that for
Es sos that is allowed.
Men are apt to play freely and easily
with the hospitality Of voting place.
Thsy spit as unwatchfully as In
nubiic building; fiji the place with
smoke, strrw the floors with crumpled
posters. sample ballots and handbills.
decorate the walls and windows with
Hckers and make personal tabulations
en- the door posts.
Certainly women have the right to
|, clean polls-though | have no doubt
that there are many places in the city
where they are being denied them" said
Mr. Lank.
Voters of one district In the Seventh
Ward. which includes several fine oil.
bones on Twelfth and Thirteenth streets
ipd on the south side of Spruce street.
vote in a billiard room at 1928 Pine
street. Further down in the same ward.
at 4OS South Tenth street. is another
building. occupied by several Negro
families On election day the front
room, or ''parlor, with cracked plaster.
griny paper, dust and whatever furni-
trrs is not in the way, Is given over to
the electors. Residents of nice homes
on Pine and Spruce streets use this
polling place.
At 40G South Seventh street is a one
chair shaving and haircutting "empo-
rum whose solitary barber Is n !
Negro. Here must come voters from
either side Of Pine street for block to
the west and from the lower side of
Spruce street.