The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-03-12
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
Information Bureau
FREDERIC J. HASKIN, Director.
Washington, d. C.
THE DANGEROUS DANES.

women political menace?
!, This is the latest grave and import
ant question to be thrust upon the
unsuspecting nation by the governor
of New York. Governor Miller not
only thinks they are; he has had the
rare courage to tell them SO. His re-
cent charge to that effect was leveled
specifically at the New York State
League of Women Voters, but. mas
much as there is a similar feminine
organization in every state, he has sue
| ceeded in placing about two million
women voters on the defensive.
The menacing thing about the
women, in the opinion of the COVER
nor and other male political leaders, is
that they insist upon maintaining
| these independent, nonpartisan, fem1-
nine leagues as political instruments,
instead of casting their individual lots
with the two great American polltl-
cal parties. In other words, they are
working for the things they want as
sex rather than as individuals.
The League of Women Voters re-
| plies to this that it. is the only way
they can make their votes count. So
far the ballot has awaited the women
nothing. Woman suffrage today is, as
Mr.. Gilbert Keith Chesterton quantity
puts it, "a legal fiction" Women are
affiliated in fairly large numbers with
| both the Democratic and Republican
parties but they have, as yet, abso-
lutely no party power. That may be
developed in time, but meanwhile they
think some other means must be used
to achieve Women's rights.
The long fight for suffrage taught
the women the value of non-partisa9
organization. For years individual
women worked for suffrage thru the
two political parties without making
the slightest impression. They might
have been SO working yet had the Pro-
Ihibitionists not come along and shown
them better expedtent. The
Prohibitionists thrust the eighteenth
amendment thru congress by organic
ling large and powerful non-partisan
political forces in every state. When
la political candidate announced him
self in favor of prohibition, they helped
Ito elect him, and when he declared
himself against it, they helped to de-
feat him. The mans party did not
count; he alone was held responsible.
After watching the efficiency of this
method for q short time, the women
decided to initiate it. They, too, built
state, and thus suffrage was forced
Into the constitution only trifle be-
hind prohibition.
The Trouble Has just Begun.
But having gained the ballot. the
women realized that their fight for
women's rights was still in its infancy,
and they We're unwilling to demobilize
an organization which had proved so
valuable an aid to victory. In every
state, therefore, the women's suffrage
association was merely changed into
the league of women voters, and the
national association became the Ma
tional League of Women voters, re-
tanning d headquarters in washington.
The league represents the conserva-
tive wing of woman suffrage. 1t mas
he o.
mans party, containing the more rad1-
cal feminists, which recently held its
convention in Washington. But both
organizations are working for the same
things.
What are these things-these So
called women's rights-which as yet
have not been taken up by the Repub-
lican and Democratic parties? Equal
opportunity with men, the protection
of children, and the promotion OF eduv
cation are the principal ones. The
women are solidly behind such 1eSis-
lation as the Sheppard-Towner Una
ternity and infancy bill, now before
the United States congress, for exam
pie and likewise the Kenyon-Fess bill
containing alarge appropriation Tor
the teaching of home economics. They
want better salaries paid to school
teachers; medical examination for all
school children, and the provision of
hot lunches in every public school. The
League of Women Voters is in favor
of laws protecting women and chill
dren in industry. 1t is constantly
working for a better and cheaper food
supply. It has started widespread
campaign for the unification of laws
in all states, especially laws relating
to marriage and divorce.
The chief function of the League is
the promotion of political education.
1t conducts classes in American citi-
zenship. in election laws and methods,
and in special laws concerning women.
Mass meetings are constantly held I'M
der its auspices for the nonpartisan
discussion o. proposed legislation and
other matters of public interest.
Are these activities a menace? In
answer to the governors charge, the,
New York League of Women Voters
submitted the following embarrassing
questions:
Heckling the Governor.
1.-THE chief work of the League of
Women Voters is educating voters,
especially women. Does not the Re
publican party want an intelligent
electorate?
I'VE believe that voters should
study the public questions in an I'M
prejudiced way. Therefore we offer
a non-partisan platform for their dis
cussion, in which we welcome both
Republican and Democratic speakers.
Does the Republican party prefer that
the voters should accept partisan
view without knowing anything about
the subject?
I'VE insist that public office should
be given to the man who will best
serve the public, and not in payment
for party service. We believe that
true economy will result when public
office is regarded not as party spells,
but as public trust. Does the Repub-
lican party disagree with this?
1--WE believe that unthinking sub
mission to the dictates of the small
groups which habitua1ly control our
dominant parties would be menace
to our country's future. Does this be-
lief preclude our working with the
Republican party?
You deny our right to work as a
group outside of the political party
for politial measures, and you say
that all non-partisan groups which
l. l cEaa+ I..==sc LII <>x, LIZ.